Family:Whitney, Samuel Austin (1769-1846)

Samuel Austin⁶ Whitney (Samuel⁵, Benjamin⁴, Thomas³, Thomas², John¹), son of Samuel⁵ and Abigail (Cutler) Whitney, was born 27 Sep 1769, Concord, MA,^[1] and died 15 Oct 1846, Lincolnville, ME.

He married, 28 Jul 1801, Lincolnville, ME, Ruth Perkins,^[2] daughter of John and Phebe (Perkins) Perkins. She was born 6 Nov 1777, Castine, ME, and died 15 Sep 1849, Waldoborough, ME.

He was an enterprising merchant and ship owner, remarkable through life for his great energy and personal courage. About 1799 Mr. Samuel Austin Whitney owned several ships, one of which, believed to have been the "Hiram," he commanded himself when she was captured by a French armed vessel. The crew were taken out, with the exception of Capt. Whitney, his younger brother Henry, a lad of 16 years, and the cook, and the ship was placed in charge of a force of ten men under an officer. Capt. Whitney had secreted his pistols in a crate of ware, and made known to his brother and the cook his determination to recapture the vessel. He immediately began to put out of the way everything that could be used as a weapon against himself, the Frenchmen, with the exception of their commander, being unarmed; and seizing the opportunity when but two of the crew were on deck, one at the wheel and one asleep on a hen-coop, by the aid of his two companions he retook the ship. The man at the wheel he threw overboard, and ran to the other, the prizemaster, intending to serve him in the same way, but he grasped the chains and held on. Hearing the scuffle, the men below came up, when Capt. Whitney aimed a pistol at the one in advance, who turned and with his companions ran like a flock of sheep around the long boat, young Henry, armed with a dirk and the cook with boiling water, bringing up in the rear. In their panic, following their leader, the men rushed below, when the companion way was closed and the cook stationed with a junk bottle to beat them down should they attempt to come up. This was the work of a moment. The prize-master, who had in the meantime regained the deck, stabbed Henry in the side and disabled him, but Capt. Whitney felled the officer by a blow from a handspike, and shortly after placed him below with the crew. He now made sail for an English port, when he was again captured by another Frenchman. Mr. Whitney used to relate that the mortification and rage of his new captors when they learned the state of affairs on board was most amusing. His brother, Henry and the cook were now taken off, and seventeen men being placed in the ship, he was tauntingly told that he was to be left on board to retake her if he could, although he was really left to assist in the navigation. He secretly accepted this challenge, basing his hopes in putting the instruments out of order; and at length succeeded in so changing them that his captors were completely lost. Capt. Whitney in the meanwhile, having kept his own reckoning, had altered the ship's course and was quietly taking her into New York, and the high lands were in sight before the crew knew where they were. He now told them that if they would allow him to take them in he would pledge himself for their safety; but after consultation, not dreaming by whose means they had got where they were, they concluded to try again, and shaped their course for the West Indies. Capt. Whitney again disarranged the instruments, and carried the ship into an English port (Jamaica it is thought), alongside of an English frigate lying at anchor. The frigate set off a barge to them, which was the first intimation the Frenchmen received of their having been outwitted. The English took possession and claimed the vessel as a capture from the French, but Capt. Whitney argued that he himself recaptured the ship by running her into port under their guns. The case was taken into their Court of Admiralty, where an award of 810,000 was made to the frigate. This sum Mr. Whitney paid, shipped a new crew, and brought his vessel safely into New York. (Condensed from family Mss). He resided Lincolnville, ME.

Children of Samuel Austin⁶ and Ruth (Perkins) Whitney:

i.	Samuel7 Whitney, b. 30 Jul 1802, Lincolnville, ME;[3] m. Rebecca W. Howe.
ii.	Lucy Whitney, b. 1 Apr 1804, Lincolnville, ME;[4] m. 17 Nov 1829, Lincolnville, ME, Dr. William Ludwig, b. 3 Apr 1797, son of Jacob and Susan (-----) Ludwig;[5] 2 ch.
iii.	John Perkins Whitney, b. 30 Dec 1805, Lincolnville, ME;[6] m. Tempe. P. Johnston.
iv.	Mary Jane Whitney, b. 2 Jul 1811, Lincolnville, ME;[7] d. 11 Oct 1867, Waldoboro, ME;[8] m. 10 Dec 1843, Waldo Co., ME, William A. Schenck, "both of Lincolnville",[9] b. 14 Dec 1812, d. 26 Mar 1874, Boston, MA;[10] 2 ch.
v.	Phebe Whitney, b. 5 Jul 1816, Lincolnville, ME;[11] "of Lincolnville" m. (int. 29 Apr 1842, Lincolnville, ME[12]) 22 May 1843, Dr. Edward William Hook(e) "of Pinkneyville, Mississippi"; 4 ch.

Note

He may have been named for Samuel Austin, a religious poet of the 17th century.

Census

• 1810, Lincolnville, Hancock Co., ME: Whitney, Samuel, 1 male 26-44, 1 male 10-15, 2 males 0-9, 1 female 26-44, 1 female 16-25, and 1 female 0-9.
• 1820, Lincolnville, Hancock Co., ME: Whitney, Sam^l A., 1 male over 45, 1 male 18-25, 1 male 0-15, 1 female 26-44, 1 female 10-15, and 2 females 0-9; 1 engaged in commerce.
• 1830, Lincolnville, Waldo Co., ME: Samuel A Whitney, 1 male 50-59, 1 male 30-39, 1 male 20-29, 1 male 15-19, 1 male 10-14, 1 female 50-59, 2 females 20-29, 1 female 15-19, and 2 females 10-14.
• 1840, Lincolnville, Waldo Co., ME: Saml A Whitney, 1 male 60-69, 1 male 20-29, 1 male 10-14, 2 males 5-9, 1 female 60-69, 3 females 20-29, and 1 female 10-14; 5 engaged in agriculture.

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. 190-191.

8.^  "Sam. Austin [Whitney], s. of Samuel and Abigail his wife, b. 19 Sep 1769," [sic] according to Concord Vital Records, p. 246. Also, "Samuel Austin [Whitney], s. Samuel and Abigail, born in Concord [does not indicate ME, MA or NH], 27 Sep. 1771," [sic] according to Maresh, Isabel Morse, Elizabeth M. Mosher, and Jacqueline Young Watts, comp., Vital records of Lincolnville Maine, prior to 1892 (Rockport, ME: Picton Press, 1993).

2.^  "Samuel Austin Whitney m. Ruth (b. 6 Nov. 1777, Castine, ME) d. John and Phoebe Perkins, [no marriage date given]," according to Maresh, Isabel Morse, Elizabeth M. Mosher, and Jacqueline Young Watts, comp., Vital records of Lincolnville Maine, prior to 1892 (Rockport, ME: Picton Press, 1993).

3.^  "Samuel, s. Samuel A. and Ruth, b. 30 July, 1802," according to Maresh, Isabel Morse, Elizabeth M. Mosher, and Jacqueline Young Watts, comp., Vital records of Lincolnville Maine, prior to 1892 (Rockport, ME: Picton Press, 1993).

4.^  "Lucy [Whitney], d. Samuel Austin and Ruth, b. 1 Apr. 1804," according to Maresh, Isabel Morse, Elizabeth M. Mosher, and Jacqueline Young Watts, comp., Vital records of Lincolnville Maine, prior to 1892 (Rockport, ME: Picton Press, 1993).

5.^  "Lucy [Whitney] (d. Samuel A. and Ruth) m. William Ludwig (b. 3 Apr. 1797, s. Jacob and Susan) of Waldoborough, 17 Nov. 1829," according to Maresh, Isabel Morse, Elizabeth M. Mosher, and Jacqueline Young Watts, comp., Vital records of Lincolnville Maine, prior to 1892 (Rockport, ME: Picton Press, 1993).

6.^  "John P. [Whitney], s. Samuel and Ruth, b. 30 Dec. 1805," according to Maresh, Isabel Morse, Elizabeth M. Mosher, and Jacqueline Young Watts, comp., Vital records of Lincolnville Maine, prior to 1892 (Rockport, ME: Picton Press, 1993).

7.^  "Mary Jane [Whitney], d. Samuel and Ruth, b. 2 July, 1811," according to Maresh, Isabel Morse, Elizabeth M. Mosher, and Jacqueline Young Watts, comp., Vital records of Lincolnville Maine, prior to 1892 (Rockport, ME: Picton Press, 1993).

8.^  "11 October 1867, Mary J. Whitney Schenck, born 2 July 1811, wife of William A. Schenck [died]," according to Groves, Marlene A., comp. and ed., Vital records of Waldoboro, Maine, Maine Genealogical Society Special Publication #43 (Rockland, Me.: Picton Press, 2008).

9.((note|9}} "Mary J. [Whitney] and William A. Schenck, both of Lincolnville, [married] 10 Dec. 1843," according to Maresh, Isabel Morse, Elizabeth M. Mosher, and Jacqueline Young Watts, comp., Vital records of Lincolnville Maine, prior to 1892 (Rockport, ME: Picton Press, 1993). Also, "Mr. William A. Shenck and Miss Mary Jane Whitney, both of Lincolnville, 10 December 1843 by Nathaniel Chapman," according to Mosher and Maresh, eds., Marriage Records of Waldo County, Maine prior to 1892 (Camden, ME: Picton Press).

10.^  "26 March 1874, Wm. A. Schenck, d. at Boston, MA, born 14 December 1812, husband of Mary J. Whitney," according to Groves, Marlene A., comp. and ed., Vital records of Waldoboro, Maine, Maine Genealogical Society Special Publication #43 (Rockland, Me.: Picton Press, 2008).

11.^  "Phoebe Perkins [Whitney], d. Samuel and Ruth, b. 5 July, 1816," according to Maresh, Isabel Morse, Elizabeth M. Mosher, and Jacqueline Young Watts, comp., Vital records of Lincolnville Maine, prior to 1892 (Rockport, ME: Picton Press, 1993).

12.^  "Phebe [Whitney] of Lincolnville and Dr. Edward W. Hooke of Pinkneyville Mississippi, 29 Apr. 1843," according to Maresh, Isabel Morse, Elizabeth M. Mosher, and Jacqueline Young Watts, comp., Vital records of Lincolnville Maine, prior to 1892 (Rockport, ME: Picton Press, 1993).

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