Family:Whitney, John Jennings (1813-1856)

John Jennings⁷ Whitney (Thomas⁶, Peter⁵, Josiah⁴, Josiah³, [prob.] Benjamin², John¹), son of Thomas⁶ and Mary Taina (Jennings) Whitney, was born 8 Nov 1813, Randolph, VT, and died 5 Nov 1856, Danville, OH.

He married, 24 Jun 1840, Danville, OH, Matilda Robeson, oldest daughter of Joseph Robeson, of Danville, OH. She was born 10 Aug 1823, OH, and died after 1880.

He was born in Vermont and was married to Matilda, oldest daughter of Joseph Robeson, of Danville, Knox County, OH; he was the son of Solomon Robeson, who went to Ohio in an early day from Frostburg, MD. The Robeson family are settled about Danville, and are a numerous and honorable family. John J. Whitney was in polities a Whig, and in 1856, when the Republican party was organized, an enthusiastic worker for the election of General Fremont, and on the evening of 4 Nov while going out to his home alone and on foot about 7 o'clock, in passing a small grove of trees beside the road, was waylaid by one or more villians and left lying for dead in the road. It seems after a short time he revived sufficiently to be able to get to the fence beside his own fields, where with great effort he finally reach his own door in a dazed condition, where his horror stricken family found and helped him to his bed. Medical aid was quickly summoned, but of no avail, his wounds were deep bruises and cuts on the top and back of his head, and caused his death at daybreak next morning. He could tell them nothing, and from that day to this the mystery has never been revealed. Many people in northern Ohio will remember the sad death of John J. Whitney. He was a Mason of high degree and had many friends among a large circle of acquaintances; resided Loudonville, OH.

Children of John Jennings⁷ and Matilda (Robeson) Whitney:

i.	Agnes Allen8 Whitney, b. 6 Apr 1842; m. 29 Oct 1873, Dr. William Wallace Wright; resided Elkland, PA, s. p. He is a son of Asahel Wright, of Durham, Greene County, NY, on the Hudson. Dr. Wright has practiced medicine for forty years at the village of Elkland, Tioga County, PA, and is considered one of the oldest and best physicians of the county.
ii.	Thomas G. Whitney, b. 4 Jan 1844; d. 14 Apr 1886. He was never married, but at the time of his father's death, while a small boy, took control of his affairs and care of the family. Was a most devoted son and brother, the kindest friend and best hearted man in the neighborhood. Was a Republican in politics, and honored twice with the nomination of two important county offices, but Ashland County being Democatic, no Republican, however popular, could be elected there. In 1868 he established and carried on successfully the first hardware store in Loudonville, but after a few properous years his always delicate health gave out, and he was obliged to retire from business, the care of his farm being quite enough for his strength. In the early days of Jan 1886, a sudden cold, with congestion, laid him on a bed of sickness from which he never recovered.
iii.	Joseph R. Whitney, b. 2 Nov 1851; m. Cana E. Hoskins.

Census

• 1850, Green, Ashland Co., OH:

325 326 John J. Whitney 37 M - Farmer Vermont Matilda Whitney 27 F - Ohio Attended school Agness Whitney 8 F - Ohio Attended school Thomas Whitney 6 M - Ohio Attended school Thomas Whitney 79 M - None Connecticut Tammy Whitney 77 F - Connecticut Normanda Workman 20 F - Ohio Archilbald Dugler 37 M - Farmer N.Y.

• 1860, Green, Ashland Co., OH:

1237 1237 Matilda Whitney 36 F - Domestic Ohio Agnes " 18 " - " Thomas " 16 M - " Joseph " 8 M - "

• 1870, Loudonville, Ashland Co., OH:

104 110 Whitney, Matilda 38 F W Keeping house $7000 $2000 Ohio -----, Agnes 26 F W At home Ohio -----, T. G. 25 M W Ret. Hardware merchant $1000 $3000 Ohio Male citizen over 21 -----, Joseph 18 M W At home Ohio Attended school Pyers, Annie 15 F W At home Ohio

Matilda was actually 46, not 38.

• 1880, Loudonville, Ashland Co., OH:

Matilda WHITNEY 55 Self F W W OH Keep House MD MD Thomas WHITNEY 35 Son M S W OH Farmer VT OH Joseph WHITNEY 27 Son M S W OH Stock Dealer VT OH

References

• All data imported from Frederick Clifton Pierce, The Descendants of John Whitney, Who Came from London, England, to Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1635, (Chicago: 1895), p. 370.

---

Copyright © 2006, 2009, 2010, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group.