Family:Whitney, Benjamin (1718-a1790)
Benjamin4 Whitney (Josiah3, [prob.] Benjamin2, John1), son of Josiah3 and Merriam (Barrett) Whitney, was born 20 Nov 1718, Chelmsford, MA,[1] and died 27 Nov 1786, Belchertown, MA.[2]
Benjamin married, 29 Mar 1751, Willington, CT, Rebekah Beal,[3] daughter of William and Rachel (Heath) Beal. She was born 4 Feb 1732, Willington, CT, and died after 1786.
He lived in 1759 at Willington, CT. By 1763, he was living in Pelham, MA.
Benjamin died intestate and the executor was his son, Joshua, who lived in Belchertown, MA. Benjamin owned 50 acres which was sold (minus a third for his widow, "Rebeckah") for £16. His debts exceeded his assets and subsequently the creditors were only paid "four pence half penny on the Pound & no more". The estate was settled on 29 Jun 1789.[4]
The largest creditor was Joseph Whitney (£60), most likely Benjamin's son.
He was a member of the church 28 Nov 1759, Willington, CT.[5]
Children of Benjamin4 and Rebekah (Beal) Whitney, all born Willington, CT:
i. Benjamin5 Whitney; b. 11 Jan 1751/2.[6] ii. Rebekah Whitney, b. 30 May 1753.[7] iii. Joseph Whitney, b. 8 Oct 1754.[8] He may be identical to Joseph Whitney of Pomfret, CT, who m. Mary Lyon, q.v. iv. Elizabeth Whitney, b. 4 Apr 1756,[9] d. 1783, Belchertown, MA.[10] v. Joshua Whitney; b. 23 Dec 1757;[11] bapt. 29 Jul 1759, Willington, CT;[12] m. Dorothy Knowlton. vi. Eunice Whitney, b. 11 May 1759;[13] bapt. 29 Jul 1759, Willington, CT,[14] d. 9 Oct 1783, Belchertown, MA.[15] vii. Miriam Whitney, bapt. 7 Jun 1761, Willington, CT,[16] d. 21 Feb 1788, Belchertown, MA.[17] viii. Josiah Whitney, bapt. 16 Oct 1763, Willington, CT,[18] d. 30 Oct 1785, Belchertown, MA.[19] ix. (prob.) Rachel Whitney, b. about 1769, poss. Pelham, MA; d. 12 Nov 1789, Belchertown, MA, aged perhaps 20, of consumption.[20]
Census
- 1790, Widow Rebecca not found.
References
1.^ "Benjamin [Whitney], s. Josiah and Miriam, [born] Nov. 20, 1718," according to Vital Records of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (Salem, MA: Essex Institute, 1914).
2.^ Congregational Church of Belchertown, Massachusetts, Church Records 1737 - 1832, FHL Film #1862889 Item 1, p115, Record of Deaths: "1786 Nov 27 Benjamin Whitney in a Fet. [freshet?] taken out of dam [?], lived but a few hours, aged perhaps 65".
3.^ "Benjamin [Whitney], m. Rebeckah BEAL, 22 Mar 1751," according to the Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Willington A:87.
4.^ Probate Records, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, Vol 15 & 16, 1785 – 1788, LDS film #879191, Vol 15 / pp 220, 227, 279, 428, and Vol 16 / p 45.
5.^ "Benj[ami]n [Whitney], ch. mem. 28 Nov 1759," according to the Index of Connecticut Church Records, Willington Congregational Church 1-A:8, NER-67:117.
6.^ "Benj[ami]n [Whitney], s. Benjamin & Rebeckah, b. 11 Jan 1751/2," according to the Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Willington A:87.
7.^ "Rebeckah [Whitney], d. Benjamin & Rebeckah, b. 30 May 1753," according to the Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Willington A:87.
8.^ "Joseph [Whitney], s. Benjamin & Rebeckah, b. 8 Oct 1754," according to the Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Willington A:87.
9.^ "Elizabeth [Whitney], d. Benjamin & Rebeckah, b. 4 Apr 1756," according to the Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Willington A:87.
10.^ Congregational Church of Belchertown, Massachusetts, Church Records 1737 - 1832, FHL Film #1862889 Item 1, p113, Record of Deaths: "1783 [no specific date listed] Elisabeth Daughter of Benj Whitney, of consumption, at Willington aged near 27".
11.^ "Joshua [Whitney], s. Benjamin & Rebecakah, b. 23 Dec 1757," according to the Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Willington A:87.
12.^ "Joshua & Eunice [Whitney], children of Benj[ami]n, bp. 29 Jul 1759, by Rev. WELCH," according to the Index of Connecticut Church Records, Willington Congregational Church 1-A:23, NER-67:115.
13.^ "Eunice [Whitney], d. Benjamin & Rebeckah, b. 1 May 1759," according to the Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Willington A:87.
14.^ "Eunice & Joshua [Whitney], ch. of Benj[ami]n, bp. 29 Jul 1759 by Rev. Welch," according to the Index of Connecticut Church Records, Willington Congregational Church 1-A:23, NER-69:115.
15.^ Congregational Church of Belchertown, Massachusetts, Church Records 1737 - 1832, FHL Film #1862889 Item 1, p113, Record of Deaths: "1783 Oct 9 Eunice Daughter of Benj Whitney, of abiliary [?] nervous Fever in her 25th year".
16.^ "Miriam [Whitney], d. Benj[ami]n, bp. 7 Jun 1761, by Rev. Gideon NOBLE," according to the Index of Connecticut Church Records, Willington Congregational Church 1-A:20,24, NER-67:116.
17.^ Congregational Church of Belchertown, Massachusetts, Church Records 1737 - 1832, FHL Film #1862889 Item 1, p116, Record of Deaths: "1788 Feb 21 Miriam Whitney of consumption aged perhaps 22".
18.^ "Josiah [Whitney], s. Benjamin, "then living at Pelham", bp. 16 Oct 1763, at Wellington, by Rev. Gideon NOBLE," according to the Index of Connecticut Church Records, Willington Congregational Church 1-A:26, NER-67:116.
19.^ Congregational Church of Belchertown, Massachusetts, Church Records 1737 - 1832, FHL Film #1862889 Item 1, p115, Record of Deaths: "1785 Oct 30 Josiah Whitney, after taking Mercury [?], [indecipherable], delirious in his 23rd yr".
20.^ Congregational Church of Belchertown, Massachusetts, Church Records 1737 - 1832, FHL Film #1862889 Item 1, p116, Record of Deaths: "1789 Nov 12 Rachel Whitney of consumption aged perhaps 20". Baptismal records for Rachel have not been found.
Copyright © 1999, 2006, 2011, Robert L. Ward, Doug Wood, and the Whitney Research Group.
