Family:Whitney, Jonathan (1788-1837)

Jonathan⁶ Whitney (Isaac⁵, Benjamin⁴, John³, Benjamin², John¹), son of Isaac⁵ and Sarah (Trufant) Whitney, was born 10 Jun 1788, Lisbon, ME,^[1] and died 14 May 1837 at Dover, ME.

Marriage intentions were published 29 Jul 1815, Bowdoinham, ME, for him "Mr." and "Miss" Sarah Whitmore "both of Bowdoinham".^[2] He married, between 1 Apr 1816 and 1 Apr 1817, Bowdoinham, ME, Sarah Whitmore "both of Bowdoinham",^[3] daughter of William Whitmore. She was born 24 Nov 1794, Bath, ME, and died 21 March 1868, Corinth, ME. She married secondly, before 1850, David Newcomb.

Jonathan and Sarah are buried in the Corinthian Cemetery in Corinth, ME.

Children of Jonathan⁶ and Sarah (Whitmore) Whitney:

i.	Sarah L.7 Whitney, b. say 1816; m. (int. 16 Nov 1833, Sangerville, ME[4]), 21 Nov 1833, Corinth, ME, William N. Thompson. Children: a. Martha N. Thompson, b. 13 Sep 1834, Sangerville, ME. b. William G. Thompson, b. 22 May 1836, Sangerville, ME.
ii.	Elizabeth W. Whitney, b. Nov 1818, ME; d. 20 Feb 1902, Corinth, ME, aged 83 years; m. 1841, John Wesley True. In 1850, resided in Eliot, ME; in 1870 in Brooklyn, NY; in 1900 in Corinth, ME. She is buried in the Corinthian Cemetery, Corinth, ME. Children: a. Julia E. True, b. ca. 1843; m. William Darnet. b. Isabella G. True, b. ca. 1845, ME.
iii.	James Henry Whitney, b. 16 Jul 1823, Bowdoinham, ME; m. Charlotte W. Weymouth.
iv.	William P. Whitney, b. ca. 1829, ME. Lives with his remarried mother in Corinth in 1850.
v.	Lydia P. Whitney, b. ca. 1825, ME; d. 4 Aug 1889, aged 64 years; m. Joseph B. Hosmer, b. 23 Sep 1812, d. 12 Sep 1894, Foxcroft, ME, aged 81 years, son of Lot and Sarah (Turner) Hosmer; resided Foxcroft, ME, 1870. Both are buried in the Corinthian Cemetery, Corinth, ME. Children (all buried Corinthian Cemetery, Corinth, ME): a. Charles T. Hosmer, b. ca. 1841, ME. b. George B. T. Hosmer, b. 1843, of West Boylston, MA, 1860, d. 20 Mar 1862, aged 19 years, on board steamer "Eastern", Neuse River, NC. c. Celia E. Hosmer, b. ca. Oct 1846, ME, d. 9 Feb 1862, aged 15 years 4 months d. Daniel A. Hosmer, b. ca. Dec 1848, ME, d. 5 Feb 1862, aged 13 years 2 months.
vi.	Nancy B. Whitney, b. 1832; d. 1834, prob. Corinth, ME. Buried in the Corinthian Cemetery, Corinth, ME.

Census

• 1820, Bowdoinham, Lincoln Co., ME: Jonathan Whitney, 1 male 26-44, 1 male 10-15, 1 female over 45, 1 female 16-25, and 2 females 0-9; 1 engaged in manufacture or trades. The male 10-15 could be an apprentice. The female over 45 could be her mother or an aunt.
• 1830, Sangerville, Penobscot Co., ME: Jonathan Whitney, 1 male 40-49, 1 male 20-29, 1 male 5-9, 1 male 0-4, 1 female 30-39, 2 females 10-14, and 1 female 0-4.
• 1840, Dover, Piscataquis Co., ME: Sarah D. Whitney, 1 male 15-19, 1 male 5-9, 1 female 40-49, 1 female 20-29, and 1 female 10-14.

Note: As per probate records, five children were living during 1840, with one child having deceased at 15 months in 1834. It appears that the male enumerated as born between 1835 and 1840 was incorrectly placed in the wrong column, instead of reflecting the actual age of William P. Whitney (born circa 1829) as one male born 1825 to 1830, thereby mirroring the 1830 census data. absent from this 1840 census is daughter Sarah L. Whitney, born circa 1816/17 who had wed William N. Thompson in 1833.

• 1850, Corinth, Penobscot Co., ME:

143 150 David Newcomb 56 M - Farmer $400 Maine Sarah " 55 F - " William P. Whitney 20 M - Teacher "

• 1860, Corinth, Penobscot Co., ME: widow Sarah and husband David Newcomb living alone.

Notes

Probate Records:

From the Piscataquis County, Maine Probate Court Records at Dover-Foxcroft:

• Docket #0-7A, Jonathan Whitney, deceased intestate. On February 6, 1838, Sarah D. Whitney of Dover, Penobscot County (shortly thereafter Piscataquis County) petitioned the Judge of Probate (files at both Penobscot and Piscataquis County) to allow her to administer the will of her late husband Jonathan Whitney of Dover, he having assets and property, and stating that he deceased May last [1837]. Bond was set initially at $200.00 by William Williamson, Judge of Probate, with a subsequent document stating $400.00; sureties were Caleb Prentiss, William Dinsmore and Sarah D. Whitney. An inventory of the estate was ordered for submission on May 6, 1839, in all likelihood the approximate year anniversary of the death of Jonathan W. Whitney. As well, three estate notices were ordered published consecutively in the Eastern Republican, Bangor, Maine. At the subsequent court session held in March of 1838 at Dover, then Penobscot County, Sarah D. Whitney made additional remunerative requests of the court. Further documents from Docket 0-7A show that Sarah D. Whitney widow of Jonathan Whitney late of Dover (now Piscataquis County) was appointed administrator in December of 1838. The file holds another administrative document dated February 19, 1839.

Note: Initial Penobscot County estate documentation also references Probate proceedings as recorded in Volume 7. Piscataquis County came into existence on March 23, 1838, the new County Seat designated as the Dover-Foxcroft area. This fact explains in part the reason for earlier probate documents (Docket #0-7A) and later guardianship files (Docket #0-34) appearing in both Penobscot and Piscataquis Counties, viz the place of residence for widow Sarah D. Whitney at Dover shifted from Penobscot to Piscataquis County during probate proceedings.

From Piscataquis County Probate File 0-7A, Jonathan Whitney:

"We acknowledge that we have received due notice of the pendency of a petition of Sarah D. Whitney for a license to sell real estate to pay debts and charges against the estate of Jonathan Whitney deceased.

June 20, 1840

[Estate Principals] Wm. N. Thompson, Sarah L. Thompson, Elizabeth W. Whitney, James Whitney, Lydia P. Whitney, Wm. P. Whitney"

Note: The aforementioned Notice dated June 20, 1840 relative to the pending sale of real estate includes the names of all five living children of Sarah D. Whitney, with the exception of William N. Thompson, husband of oldest daughter Sarah L. (Whitney) Thompson. Children named throughout the probate file are Sarah L. Thompson, Elizabeth W. Whitney, James W. Whitney, Lydia P. Whitney, and William P. Whitney. Of some interest, it should be further noted here that in the case of Lydia, in varying documents her middle initial is sometimes written as "B", and at other times as "P", the latter having more substantiation.

• Docket #0-34, Guardianship of Minor Children. This file contains a number of documents related to the eventual sale of property at Dover for the support of three minor children of Sarah D. Whitney, namely James W. Whitney, Lydia P. Whitney and William P. Whitney. The property described was the homestead farm of Jonathan Whitney where Jonathan was living at the time of his decease, and through which each minor would receive an undivided fifth part of the estate, subject to the Widow's Dower (Right of Dower) for Sarah D. Whitney. One document of Sarah D. Whitney dated June 7, 1842 petitions the court for the right to sell an unproductive piece of property, the proceeds then placed into an interest account for the minor children. Intent to sell the farm was to be published on three consecutive weeks in the "Piscataquis Farmer", a newspaper printed at Dover. Other dated Guardianship documents of Sarah D. Whitney include:

• August 1842 - granted a license to sell real estate, provided she gives a thirty day notice by posting sale in the surrounding towns.

• March 7, 1843 - Sarah D. Whitney gives oath regarding the disposition of the estate, with reference to the three minor heirs of Jonathan Whitney, deceased.

• March 9, 1843 - Sarah D. Whitney gives notice to the court that she will sell at private sale the dwelling house occupied by herself in Dover on Monday the 10th day of April next at 1:00 in the afternoon.

• April 10, 1843 - Sale of Dover real estate.

In this file reference is made to Probate Volume 1, pp. 85, 300, 324 (Decree on petition to sell real estate), and 381 (Certificate of Notice given on sale of real estate).

Notes: Sureties on the sale of the property were Sarah D. Whitney, William N. Thompson and Prince Gorham, bond in the amount of $500.00; E. W. Snow, Judge of Probate. Documents in this file were also signed by Charles Chandler, Justice of Peace. One document is witnessed by Sarah L. Thompson and Judith D. Spaulding (this given name again seen later in the naming of grandchildren of Sarah D. Whitney).

SOURCE: Piscataquis County Probate Court, 159 East Main Street, Dover-Foxcroft, Maine 04426; Donna M. Peterson, Register; 207-564-2431

Also: Penobscot County Probate Court, Bangor, Maine; Deb Shott

Notes for future researchers:

1. Research Note: Confirm any newspaper Death Notices for Jonathan Whitney in the environs of Bangor, Maine, more particularly the Eastern Republican and the Whig & Courier.

2. Research Note: Access area newspapers for the obituary of Elizabeth W. True.

3. Research Note: Examine Penobscot Registry of deeds for a possible move by Jonathan Whitney to Corinth shortly after the 1830 census of Sangerville, perhaps 1833. Reason: Nancy B. Whitney, daughter of Jonathan appears to be the first documented as buried in this Corinthian family Cemetery lot 1/12, date 1834. The question having some interest is 'who is George L. Hosmer, the documented owner of the Corinthian Cemetery lot'? Some thoughts: Since Lot Hosmer is at Farmington, Franklin County, Maine in 1850 & 1860, and that a Reuben T. Hosmer, age 42, is also there in 1850 with a son George L. Hosmer, age 14, (mother Hannah S. Hosmer, age 37) could it be that Lot is actually George Lot Hosmer. This may mean that Reuben, born 1808 and probable son of Lot, named his son after his father, and further, that Joseph B. Hosmer did also name one of his sons George B. T. Hosmer. Thus, one may surmise that either Lot earlier was at Corinth, owned the burial lot before moving to Farmington, or by right of succession, Reuben's son George L. Hosmer inherited the burial lot? Another suspected son of Lot also lives at Farmington during this time, he born 1810, meaning if correct sons were born 1808, 1810 and Joseph in late 1812. Examine census data 1810/1820/1830/1840 for George or Lot Hosmer to possibly place him at Corinth. Also Registry of Deeds for Penobscot County where Corinth is situated.

References

• Corinthian Cemetery Records, Corinth, ME.

1.^  "Jonathan [Whitney] s. Isaac and Sarah, b. June 10, 1788," according to Marlene Alma Hinkley Groves, ed. , Vital Records of Lisbon, Maine Prior to 1892, Maine Genealogical Society Special Publication No. 19 (Camden, ME: Picton Press, 1995).

2.^  "Mr. Jonathan Whitney and Miss Sarah Whitmore, both of Bowdoinham, intend marriage, Bowdoinham, 29 July 1815," according to Bowdoinham, Maine, Vital Records.

3.^  "Jonathan Whitney and Sarah Whitmore, both of Bowdoinham, joined in marriage in the past year. Recorded 1 April 1817 by William Decker, J.P.," according to Bowdoinham, Maine, Vital Records.

4.^  "16 November 1833, Intention of marriage of William N. Thompson and Miss Sarah L. Whitney, both of Sangerville," according to Sangerville, Maine, Vital Records.

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Copyright © 2009-2012, Robert L. Ward, Larry Tracy, Jr., Kenneth L. Whitney, and the Whitney Research Group.