Family:Whitney, Oliver (1786-1855)

Oliver Whitney

Oliver⁶ Whitney (Israel⁵, Elijah⁴, Isaiah³, Thomas², John¹), son of Israel⁵ and Hannah (Mead) Whitney, was born 16 May 1786, Harvard, MA,^[1] and died 5 Jun 1855, Lunenburg or Leominster, MA, aged 69 years 20 days, of consumption.^[2]

He married, 16 Mar 1809, Harvard, MA, Mercy Whitcomb,^[3] daughter of Abel and Jemima (Keep) Whitcomb. She was born 24 Aug 1791, Boxborough, MA, and died 5 Sep 1865, Lunenburg or Leominster, MA, aged 74 years 11 days, of dysentery.^[4]

Oliver Whitney, the youngest child of Israel and Hannah Mead Whitney, was born 16 May 1786, at Harvard, MA. When a little over two years of age his mother died, and he went to live with his oldest sister, Hannah, who had married Phineas Sawyer, and picture was then living in Marlborough, MA. Soon after the second marriage of his father (to the "Widow Puffer"), he returned to live on the home place, and, as he grew to manhood, he followed his father's occupation of farming. The farm products were then carried to Boston several times a year, and these journeys were about his only travels. When he married Mercy Whitcomb, 16 Mar 1809, he took her to live on the old place, and there five children, Susan, Hannah, Mercy, Waldo, and Charlotte, were born. On 10 May 1821, they moved to Lunenburg, MA, were their youngest child, Israel, was born, and where they spent their remaining years. When young, Oliver attended the Congregational Church in Harvard, but in middle life he "joined" the Methodists, and at his house the Itinerant preachers always found a warm welcome. In politics he was an Anti-Federalist, and later became a Democrat. He looked after the farm interests until two years before his death, when he allowed the management of affairs to pass into the hands of his youngest child, Israel. After gradually failing he passed away 5 Jun 1855. He made his will 18 Apr 1845; it was probated 3 Jul 1855. He died 5 Jun 1855; resided Harvard and Lunenburg, MA.

Children of Oliver⁶ and Mercy (Whitcomb) Whitney:

i.	Susan7 Whitney, b. 23 Jan 1811, Harvard, MA;[5] m. 27 Nov 1832, Henry S.8 Whitney.
ii.	Hannah Mead Whitney, b. 22 Jan 1813, Harvard, MA;[6] d. 11 Feb 1880; m. (int. 17 Jan 1832, Lunenburg, MA,[7] and 18 Jan 1832, Leominster, MA[8]) 14 Feb 1832, Lunenburg, MA, Albert Stratton,[9] b. 14 Apr 1807; d. 1 Jan 1881; resided Leominster. Children: a. Martin W. Stratton, b. 14 Nov 1833; m.(1) Mary J. Litchfield; m.(2) Martha A. L. Gale; resided Reading, KS. b. Capt. Joel A. Stratton, b. 9 Mar 1837; served in war, was captain Company C, 53d Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers; was wounded at Port Hudson 14 Jun 1863; m. Hannah W. Comey; resided Reading, MA. c. Albert O. Stratton, b. 19 Apr 1839; was in the war 3 years in 37th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers; was in nineteen battles and skirmishes; clothing hit five times with bullets; m. 7 Mar 1866, Jennie Spencer Stone; now lives in Meriden (Allen Ave.), CT; ch. d. Charlotte A. S. Stratton, b. 13 Oct 1841; lives in Leominster, MA. e. Adaliza Hannah Stratton, b. 22 Sep 1851, Leominster, MA. f. Rev. Porter Raymond Stratton, b. 13 Jul 1855, Leominster, MA; is now pastor of M. E. Church, at Oakdale, MA; m. 1880, Leominster, MA, Annie Jewett.
iii.	Mercy Whitney, b. 10 Jan 1815, Harvard, MA;[10] d. 10 Aug 1881, Leominster, MA, aged 66 years 8 months;[11] unmarried; dressmaker.
iv.	Waldo Whitney, b. 16 Apr 1817,[12] Harvard, MA;[13] m. Hannah Matilda Benjamin.
v.	Charlotte Barnes Whitney, b. 4 Jan 1820; m. (int. 31 Dec 1841, Lunenburg, MA[14]) 20 Jan 1842, Leominster, MA, Hiram Walker;[15] resided Leominster, MA. He was b. Rindge, NH, 20 Dec 18--. Children: a. Henry F. Walker, b. 5 Dec 1843; d. 15 Sep 1878; m. 13 Dec 1871, ----- -----. b. Randall F. Walker, b. 5 Dec 1845; m. 22 Jun 1870, ----- -----; Leominster, MA. c. Arthur H. Walker, b. 21 Feb 1848; d. 30 Nov 1881, ----- -----; m. 12 Jan 1871. d. Hiram L. Walker, b. 28 Sep 1850; m. 24 Dec 1879, ----- -----; Whitefield, NH. e. Alfred L. Walker, b. 28 Oct 1852; m. 28 Oct 1880, ----- -----; address Leominster, MA f. Helen C. Walker, b. 7 Feb 1855; m. 1 Dec 1878, ----- Duncan; address Helen C. Duncan, Hancock, NH. g. Frank W. Walker, b. 25 Mar 1857; m. 22 Sep 1881, ----- -----; address Babylon, NY. h. Fred I. Walker, b. 7 Mar 1860; m. 15 Oct 1885, ----- -----; address Leominster, MA.
vi.	Israel Whitney, b. 4 Jul 1823, Lunenburg, MA;[16] m. Mary Ann Benjamin.

Census

• 1810, Harvard, Worcester Co., MA: Oliver Whitney, 1 male 16-25, 1 female 16-25.
• 1820, Harvard, Worcester Co., MA: Oliver Whitney, 1 male 26-44, 1 male 0-9, 1 female 26-44, 1 female 16-25, and 1 female 0-9; 1 engaged in agriculture.
• 1830, Lunenburg, Worcester Co., MA: Oliver Whitney, 1 male 40-49, 1 male 10-14, 1 male 5-9, 1 female 30-39, 3 females 15-19, and 1 female 10-14.
• 1840, Lunenburg, Worcester Co., MA: Oliver Whitney, 1 male 50-59, 1 male 15-19, 1 female 40-49, and 1 female 15-19; 2 engaged in agriculture.
• 1850, Dorchester, Grafton Co., NH:

1754 1853 Waldo Whitney 33 M - Lumberman $3000 Mass. Hannah M. " 31 F - " Daniel D. " 7 M - " Attended school Oliver " 66 M - " " Charles C. Merrill 22 M - Sawyer N.H.

• 1850, Lunenburg, Worcester Co., MA:

96 104 Isreal Whitney 26 M - Farmer $3000 Mass. Mary A. Whitney 19 F - Mass. Sumner Manning 14 M - Unknown Mercy Whitney 59 F - Mass.

• 1850, Boston Ward 9, Suffolk Co., MA:

431 811 Elis. Fiske 45 F - Vt. Anna B. " 35 F - " Mercy Whitney 33 F - Mass.

• 1855, Lunenburg, Worcester Co., MA:

14 16 Oliver Whitney 69 M - Farmer Mass. Mercy Whitney 61 F - " 17 Israel Whitney 31 M - Farmer " Mary A. Whitney 25 F - " Henry Taylor 16 M - Farmer "

• 1860, Boston Ward 9, Suffolk Co., MA:

561 799 Nancy W. Hickson 82 F - Mass. Nancy " 63 F - " Mary " 58 F - " Jane " 56 F - " George H. " 17 M - Clerk " 800 Nancy Grigson 68 F - Seamstress Maine Elizabeth Dashon 58 F - " Mercy Whitney 44 F - Mass. James Stacy 33 M - N.Hampshire Horace Stickney 18 M - Upholsterer " Henry Case 19 M - Laborer N.York

• 1865 State, Lunenburg, Worcester Co., MA:

211 215 Hiram Walker 48 M - Rindge, N.H. M Farmer - - 1 1 - Charlott B. Walker 45 F - Harvard, Mass. " Wife & Housekeeper - - - - - Randal F. Walker 18 M - Leominster, Mass. S Shoemaker - - - - - Arthur H. Walker 16 " - " " " Farmer - - - - - Hiram L. Walker 14 " - " " " - - - - - Alfred L. Walker 12 " - Dorchester, N.H. " - - - - - Frank W. Walker 8 " - " " " - - - - - Hellen C. Walker 10 F - Leominster, Mass. " - - - - - Freddie J. Walker 5 M - Lunenburg, " " - - - - - Mercy Whitney 76 F - Boxboro, " W Superannuated - - - - -

• 1870, Boston Ward 9, Suffolk Co., MA:

1192 1614 Bacon, John 64 N W Fish Business Mass. Male citizen over 21 -----, Hannah 62 F W Keeping house " -----, James 30 M W Watchman " Male citizen over 21 Whitney, Mercy 40 F W Dressmaker " 1615 Vergin, Fred P. 17 M W Clerk Grocery (Who) N. Hampshire Phillips, Edward 35 M W House Carpenter Mass. Male citizen over 21

• 1880, Leominster, Worcester Co., MA:

55 69 Whtney, Waldo W M 63 Husb mar Water Wheel Manufacturer Mass. Mass. Mass. -----, Hannah M. W F 60 Wife mar Housekeeping Mass. Mass. Mass. -----, Mercy W F 65 Sis sgl Housekeeping Mass. Mass. Mass.

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), pp. 199-200.

1.^  "Oliver [Whitney], s. of Israel and Hannah, [born] May 16, 1786," according to Thomas W. Baldwin, ed., Vital Records of Harvard, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Boston, MA: Wright & Potter Printing Co., 1917).

2.^  "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1910," from original records held by the Massachusetts Archives. Online database: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004; volume 95, pages 129 and 131.

3.^  "Oliver [Whitney] and Mercy Whitcomb, [married] Mar. 16, 1809," according to Harvard Vital Records.

4.^  "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1910," from original records held by the Massachusetts Archives. Online database: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004; volume 185, page 223.

5.^  "Susan [Whitney], d. of Oliver and Mercy, [born] Jan. 23, 1811," according to Harvard Vital Records.

6.^  "Hannah [Whitney], d. of Oliver and Mercy, [born] Jan. 22, 1813," according to Harvard Vital Records.

7.^  "Hannah [Whitney], of Lunenburg, and Albert Stratton of Westminster, int. Jan. 17, 1832," according to Walter A. Davis, comp., Early Records of the Town of Lunenburg, Massachusetts, Including That Part Which is Now Fitchburg, 1719-1764 (Fitchburg, MA: Fitchburg City Council, 1896), volume 3, page 88.

8.^  "Hannah [Whitney] of Lunenburg and Albert Stratton, int. Jan. 18, 1832," according to Franklin P. Rice, ed., Vital Records of Leominster, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (n.d.).

9.^  "Hannah [Whitney], of Lunenburg, and Albert Stratton of Leominster, [married] Feb. 14, 1832, by Rev. Warren Emerson," according to Lunenburg Vital Records, volume 3, page 177.

10.^  "Mercy [Whitney], d. of Oliver and Mercy, [born] Jan. 10, 1815," according to Harvard Vital Records.

11.^  "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1910," from original records held by the Massachusetts Archives. Online database: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004; volume 330, page 373.

12.^  "Waldo [Whitney], [born] ___ __, 1817. G.S.," according to Franklin P. Rice, ed., Vital Records of Leominster, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (n.d.).

13.^  "Waldow [Whitney], s. of Oliver and Mercy, [born] Apr. 16, 1817," according to Harvard Vital Records.

14.^  "Charlotte B. [Whitney], of Lunenburg, and Mr. Hiram Walker of Leominster, int. Dec. 31, 1841," according to Lunenburg Vital Records, volume 3, page 92.

15.^  "Charlotte B. [Whitney] of Lunenburg and Hiram Walker, Jan. 20, 1842," according to Franklin P. Rice, ed., Vital Records of Leominster, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (n.d.).

16.^  "Israel [Whitney], s. Oliver and Mercy, [born] July 4, 1823," according to Lunenburg Vital Records, volume 3, page 273.

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Copyright © 2006, 2008, 2014, 2015, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group.