Family:Whitney, Benjamin (1758-1847)

Benjamin⁵ Whitney (John⁴, Henry³, John², Henry¹), son of John⁴ and Thankful (Benedict) Whitney, was born 23 Jan 1758, Salem, NY, and died 15 Feb 1847, Plymouth, MI, aged 89 years.

He married Otsego, NY, Ann Mercy Harris, daughter of Asa and Ruth/Faith (McCall) Harris, of Otsego. She was born about 1761, and died 21 Aug 1835, Ellisburgh, NY, aged 74 years.

Phoenix says the following:

Benjamin Whitney, b. in Salem, N.Y., 23 Jan. 1758; a farmer; married in Otsego, N.Y., Ann Mercy Harris, dau. of Asa and Mary (Johnson) Harris, of Otsego. They settled at New Hartford, Conn., and early in 1797, moved to Otsego; thence to Springfield Centre, N.Y., and from there to Mexico, N.Y., perhaps in that part which afterward formed the town of Parish, where he owned a farm. This he sold, when quite advanced in life, and went to Ellisburgh, N.Y., to live with his daughter. He and his wife were very worthy members of the Baptist Church. It is said that they became dependent, in their last years, through misplaced confidence in some near relatives. She died in Ellisburgh, 21 Aug. 1835, aged 74, and was buried in the "Fish neighborhood," near Deacon Lum's, in the south part of Ellisburgh. He is said to have died at Grand Rapids, Mich., or as another account says, at Plymouth, Mich., 15 Feb. 1847, aged 89 years; but there is great uncertainty as to these dates and places. It is supposed that he served in the Revolutionary War.

Children of Benjamin⁵ and Ann Mercy (Harris) Whitney:

i.	Levi6 Whitney, b. say 1791; m. Amelia Chase.
ii.	Benajah Whitney, b. say 1793; m. Jane Carter and/or Rosina David.
iii.	Daniel Harris Whitney, b. 29 Dec 1795, New Hartford, CT; m. Louisa Caswell.
iv.	Lydia Whitney, b. 5 Jan 1798, Otsego, NY; m. George Washington Finney.
v.	John McCall Whitney, b. 17 Aug 1803, Springfield Centre, NY; m. Mary Ann McCluskey.
vi.	Chauncey Harris Whitney, b. 17 Mar 1805, Otsego Co., NY; m.(1) Caroline Matilda Craig; m.(2) Mary Ann Turney.
vii.	Mary Whitney, b. say 1807; lived at Haverhill, Mass., with her sister, Mrs. Lydia (Whitney) Finney, and afterward at Rome, N.Y.; died at New York Mills, Oneida Co., NY, 5 Nov. 1868, unmarried.
viii.	Philanda Whitney, b. 12 May 1810; m. Newell Barker.

Notes

Despite Ann Mercy's mother being called "Mary Johnson" by Phoenix, the General Society of Mayflower Descendants accepts lines from Ann Mercy through her mother Faith/Ruth (McCall) Harris. Her line is:

1. John Tilley, m. Joan Hurst, of the "Mayflower"
2. Elizabeth Tilley, m. John Howland
3. Desire Howland, m. John Gorham
4. Lydia Gorham, m. John Thatcher
5. Hannah Thatcher, m. Nathaniel Otis
6. Hannah Otis, m. Benajah McCall
7. Faith/Ruth McCall, m. Asa Harris
8. Ann Mercy Harris, m. Benjamin⁵ Whitney

Apparently Mary Johnson was a different wife of Asa Harris, and not Ann Mercy's mother.

Census

• 1790: not found.
• 1800, Otsego, Otsego Co., NY: Benjⁿ Whitney, 1 male 26-44, 3 males 0-9, 1 female 16-25, and 1 female 0-9.
• 1810: not found. There is a B. Whitney in Oneida Co., and a Benjⁿ Whitney in Onondaga Co., from which counties Oswego Co. was formed in 1816. Neither has a male over 45, and Benjamin was 52 at that time.
• 1820, Mexico, Oswego Co., NY: Benjamin Whitney, 1 male over 45, 1 male 26-44, 1 male 18-25, 1 male 10-15, 1 female over 45, 1 female 16-25, and 1 female 10-15; 4 engaged in agriculture.
• 1830, Parish, Oswego Co., NY: Benjamin Whitney, 1 male 60-69, 1 female 60-69, and 2 females 20-29.
• 1840: not found.

References

• All data imported from Stephen Whitney Phoenix, The Whitney family of Connecticut, and its affiliations; being an attempt to trace the descendants, as well in the female as the male lines, of Henry Whitney, from 1649 to 1878; to which is prefixed some account of the Whitneys of England. (New York : Priv. Print. [Bradford Press] 1878), p. 60 and pp. 172-175.

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Copyright © 2007, 2009, 2017, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group.