Family:Whitney, Royal Thaxter (1832-1898)

Royal Thaxter⁷ Whitney (Benjamin Morse⁶, Micah⁵, Abel⁴, Nathaniel³, Benjamin², John¹), son of Benjamin Morse⁶ and Susan (Wells) Whitney, was born 29 Jul 1832, Phillips, ME,^[1] and died 23 Sep 1898, El Paso, TX.

He married, 21 Aug 1859, Strong, ME, Sarah Louisa Lambert,^[2] daughter of John and Susannah (Borden) Lambert. She was born about 1844, ME, and died 7 Feb 1920, El Paso, TX.

Royal T. Whitney was a Civil War pensioner.

From the Civil War Pension File of Royal T. Whitney:

Royal T. Whitney was enrolled on 12 September 1861 in Co. B, 9th Regiment of the Maine Infantry commanded by Alford T. Robinson. He was honorably discharged at Block Island on 31 December 1863.

Original pension declaration filed 19 July 1885 in El Paso, TX. He is described at that time as 53 years old, 5 feeet 9 inches tall, fair complexion, brown hair, gray eyes. He states that while in the service in the line of duty at Morris Island, SC, on or about 18 July 1863, he received a gunshot wound in his left hand. He also declares that while serving a second enlistment in the same company, while engaged in battle at Cold Harbor on or about 1 June 1864, he received a gunshot wound to his right shoulder and right arm, all of which disabilities have existed continuously since discharge. He was hospitalized in Wilmington, NC, from March to June 1865, and at the regimental hospital from June 1862 to December 1862 at Fernandina, FL. He was discharged 13 June 1865, and has lived since discharge at Stephens Villa, El Paso, TX, where he is a cabinet maker, and is partially disabled.

Statement related to the hospitals at which he was treated (paraphrased):

My first treatment was in the post hospital at Fernandina in the State of Florida in the months of June through September of 1862. Dr. Richardson was the physician in chief, and Dr. Tuck his assistant. My second treatment was at Morris Island, SC, in the 10th Army Corps Hospital in the months of July and August 1863. Dr. Palmer was the physician in charge and Dr. Abbott was one of his assistants. My third treatment was at Cold Harbor, VA, in the 18th Army Corps Hospital in the field in the month of June 1864. Dr. Palmer was the physician in charge, assisted by Drs. Abbott and Mitchell. My fourth treatment was at Raleigh, NC, at the post hospital in the month of May 1865. Dr. Abbott was post surgeon and Surgeon General Barnes examined me personally.

The soldier was pensioned at $12.00 per month due to disease of the eyes and injury to the right clavicle. He enlisted 12 Sept 1861 and was honorably discharged 13 July 1865. He died 23 Sept 1898.

Declaration for Widow's pension, 25 Oct 1898 in El Paso Texas:

Sarah L. Whitney is 58 years old & resides in El Paso, El Paso Co., Texas. Wife of Royal T. Whitney who enrolled at Phillips, ME, on 12 Sep 1861 in Co. B, 9th Maine Regiment of Infantry & was discharged honorably on 31 Dec 1863. Enrolled 1 July 1865 in same company as a private and was discharged at Raleigh, NC, on 13 Jul 1865. She was married under the name Sarah L. Lambert at Strong, ME, 21 Aug 1859, by Rev. John Mitchell.

From testimony about widow's financial information:

Affiant says that she owns no property, real, personal, or mixed of any character whatsoever, excepting a small fruit stand at No. 208 1/2 San Antonio St., El Paso, TX, where she conducts a small business on a stock not exceeding fifty dollars in value. She is totally dependent on the business and the profits do not exceed ten dollars/month and are barely sufficient to maintain her.

Children of Royal Thaxter⁷ and Sarah (Lambert) Whitney:

i.	Inez Estelle8 Whitney, b. ca. 1860, Phillips, ME.
ii.	Ernest Eugene Whitney, b. 6 Aug 1862, Phillips, ME; d. 5 Feb 1931, Albany, TX.
iii.	Sherman Whitney, b. ca. 1864, ME.
iv.	Sarah Whitney, b. ca. 1868, ME.

Census

• 1860: Phillips, ME; cabinet worker
• 1860, Phillips, Franklin Co., ME:

99 99 Royal T. Whitney 27 M - Cabinett worker $500 Maine Louisa Whitney 19 F - house wife do Martin V. Whitney 26 M - Farmer $200 do Inez S. Whitney 9/12 F - do

• 1870, Vaugine, Jefferson Co., AR:

411 411 Royal Whitney 35 M W Lawyer 275 ME Louisa 26 F W Housekeeper " Ernest 12 M W " Ida 13 F W " Sherman 6 M W " Cora 2 F W "

• 1880, Stephenville, Erath Co., TX:

R. T. WHITNEY 47 Self M M W MD Grocer MD MD S. L. WHITNEY 39 Wife F M W MD Keeps House MD MD Iniz WHITNEY 20 Dau F S W MD At Home MD MD Earnist WHITNEY 18 Son M S W MD Cowboy MD MD Sherman WHITNEY 13 Son M S W MD At School MD MD Sarah WHITNEY 11 Dau F S W MD At Home MD MD

References

• Sedgeley, George B., Micah Whitney, Revolutionary Soldier and His Twelve Children Settled Early in Philips, Maine; Jacob and Joseph Whitney Came to Phillips 1792; Salmon Whitney Appeared in Letter E Plantation 1810 (Farmington, Maine: The Knowlton & McLeary Co., Printers, 1943).

• Whitney, Kenneth L., The Ancestors and Descendants of Ebenezer Whitney and Dorcas Drury Parlin (Silver Spring, MD: The author, 2003).

1.^  "29 Jul 1832 Royal Thuseter, s. Benjamin Whitney and Susan [born]," according to Phillips, Maine, Vital Records.

2.^  "Royal T. Whitney, and Sarah L. Lambert, [married] 21 Aug 1859," according to Strong, Maine, Vital Records.

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Copyright © 2010, 2011, Kenneth L. Whitney, Robert L. Ward, and the Whitney Research Group.