Family:Whitney, William Morgan (1828-1917)

William Morgan⁷ Whitney (William⁶, Joseph⁵, Joshua⁴, Cornelius³, Joshua², John¹), son of William⁶ and Deborah M. (Duel) Whitney, was born 23 Sep 1828, Ontario, NY, and died 21 Nov 1917, Evanston, IL, aged 89 years.^[1] He was buried in Rosehill Cemetery, Evanston, IL.

He married firstly, 9 Sep 1851, Le Roy, NY, Sarah L. Clark, daughter of Nelson Clark, of Le Roy, NY. She was born 17 Oct 1829, and died 12 Apr 1878.

He married secondly, 12 Aug 1880, Kankakee, IL, Lois Spencer (Colton) Morgan, daughter of James and Louise (Calkins) Colton. She was born 17 May 1825, Longmeadow, MA, and died 9 Aug 1893, Bonfield, IL. She had married firstly, 17 Oct 1855, Gaines, NY, Cortland Morgan.

William M. Whitney, second son of William Whitney, born in Ontario, Wayne County, NY, 23 Sep 1828, reared on the farm, and having similar experience as that of most boys in country life, attending the district school during the school year till the age of 12, then only winters till 15, when he went first to West Walworth academy, and finally completed his school education at Macedon academy. Taught school ten years from the age of 19. Married Sarah L. Clark, daughter of Nelson Clark, of Le Roy, Jefferson County, NY, 9 Sep 1851. Moved to DuPage County, Illinois, 1 Mar 1858. Elected to the office of clerk of the circuit court, and ex-officio recorder, on the Republican ticket at the general election, Nov 1860; re-elected in 1864, holding the office eight years. Admitted to the practice of law, April 1868, but preferring another line of business, formed a partnership with Isaac Claflin, Esq., of Chicago, in real estate and loans, which was continued for two years with mutual satisfaction, at which time it was dissolved. Elected in 1870 to the House of the 27th General Assembly of Illinois (being the first after the adoption of the new constitution). Burned out in the great Chicago fire, which, together with the panic following, caused serious pecuniary loss. Elected, in 1872, a member of the state board for the equalization of the taxes from the 1st congressional district, comprising the first 7 wards of the city of Chicago, the south towns of Cook, and the whole of DuPage County. In 1879 was chosen to fill the place of clerk of the Illinois Eastern Hospital for the insane, at Kankakee, having charge of the accounts of said institution, and the purchasing and distributing of the supplies of the same for eight years. At the present time, living quietly, without any active business, occasionally visiting among his children. In politics, Republican with a strong leaning toward prohibition of the sale of intoxicants, and in religion, quite liberal; resided Batavia, IL.

Children of William Morgan⁷ and Sarah L. (Clark) Whitney:

i.	Augusta E.8 Whitney, b. 10 Jun 1853; m. 28 Dec 1871, Edgar Sawyer; resided Denver, CO. Ch.: May, Florence and Irene.
ii.	Mary L. Whitney, b. 26 Aug 1856; d. 17 Dec 1876.
iii.	Annie Lavilla Whitney, b. 1 Apr 1859; m. 14 Sep 1882, Dr. Eli Stillman B. Spencer, who d. s. p., 27 Feb 1892, West Winfield, NY. Dr. Eli S. B. Spencer, son of Dr. Spencer, of West Winfield, Herkimer County, NY, b. 18 Sep 1854; educated in the schools of his native village, at Madison, NY, and at Hahnemann Medical College, Chicago, IL, from which he graduated in the spring of 1882, and located in Omaha, NE; but soon after, by the urgent solicitations of friends, was induced to remove to his native village, where he became very much endeared to his patrons, and soon secured a lucrative practice, which was steadily growing at the time of his death, which occurred Feb 1892, from pneumonia, resulting from exposure while riding day and night through the storms and deep snows (prevailing at this season of the year in that locality), caring for a large number of patients, who were then suffering from la grippe. Married third daughter of William M. Whitney, at Kankakee, 14 Sep 1882, whom he left his widow, and who is now completing her studies at the Hahnemann, to take his place in the profession. In politics a Republican; in religion reared a Seventh day Baptist, but a liberal, belonging to no church.
iv.	Nellie V. Whitney, b. 26 Aug 1861; m. 1 Jan 1881, Dr. Allison A. Fitts; resided Batavia, IL. Dr. Allison A. Fitts, the son of Nelson A. Fitts; b. 5 Apr 1853, in Ontario, NY, having the usual advantages of common schools, working with his father (who was a carpenter and joiner) during the summer from the time he was old enough to handle tools (going to school winters) until the age of twenty-one, when he went to Howard University, Washington, DC, from which he graduated in Mar 1878; thence, removing to Batavia, IL, where he has since successfully practiced his profession. Married Nellie, the fourth daughter of William M. Whitney, 1 Jan 1881. In politics a Democrat, with prohibition tendencies, and like most medical men, in religion liberal. Ch.: Albert Whitney and Helen.
v.	Frances A. Whitney, b. 8 Dec 1863; d. 17 Apr 1890; m. 26 Apr 1886, Washington J. Reynolds; left son, Ralph Whitney; resided Chicago, IL.
vi.	William Grant Whitney, b. 29 Jul 1866; d. 3 Sep 1891.
vii.	Sarah Grace Whitney, b. 2 Oct 1868; resided Saginaw, MI.

Census

• 1860, Winfield, DuPage Co., IL:

1243 1297 Wm. Whitney 31 M - Clerk 150 N.Y. Sarah " 30 F - " Augusta " 7 F - " Mary " 3 F - " Lavilla " 2 F - Ills.

• 1870, Downers Grove, DuPage Co., IL:

275 273 Whitney, Wm. M. 40 M W Real Estate Agt. $15000 $2000 New York Male citizen over 21 -----, Sarah L. 40 F W Keeping House New York -----, Augusta E. 17 F W At Home New York Attended school -----, Mary L. 13 F W At Home New York Attended school -----, Anna 11 F W At School Illinois Attended school -----, Nellie 9 F W Illinois Attended school -----, Frankie 7 F W Illinois -----, William 4 M W Illinois -----, Grace 1 F W Illinois Myres, Minnie 17 F W House Servant Hanover Parents foreign born Zedmyer, Herman 20 M W Gardener Hanover Parents foreign born

• 1880, Kankakee, Kankakee Co., IL:

Wm. WHITNEY 51 Self M W NY Clerk In Hospital NY NY Anna WHITNEY 21 Dau F S W IL --- --- Nelly WHITNEY 18 Dau F S W IL --- --- Frank WHITNEY 16 Dau F S W IL --- --- Wm. WHITNEY 13 Son M S W IL --- --- George WHITNEY 11 Dau F S W IL --- ---

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. 397-398.

1.^  Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947, at FamilySearch.org.

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