Family:Whitney, Dustin Wood (1844-1921)
Dustin Wood Whitney (Jacob M., James), son of Jacob M. and Nellie (Freeman) Whitney, was born 17 Jul 1844, Union Grove, Delaware Co., NY, and died 16 May 1921, Portlandville, Otsego Co., NY.
He married 10 Feb 1871, Delhi, Delaware Co., NY, Ellen Jane Lathan, born 1853, and died 1926, Portlandville, NY. Dustin and Ellen Whitney and their infant son, Frederick, bur. Pine Grove Cemetery, Portlandville, Otsego Co., NY.
In a letter of 27 Feb 1919, to his nephew, John Howard Whitney, Dustin writes, "I am 74 years old, in my 75th year. I am the only one that is left from thirteen children. James has been dead about a year. I do not know much about our family records any farther back than my brothers and sisters. I went away from home when I was four years old, so I scarcely knew anything about my own brothers and sisters until after I returned from the war in 1865. We are all alone as the children are all gone. William T. Whitney, my son, is in the school business [principal of a private school] in New York City. Cora lives at Crownpoint Center. Bertha is in New York. Mary lives in New Hartford in this state. Write often. Regards to all. Goodbye from your uncle Dustin Whitney."
Dustin was named after his father's friend, Hiram Dustin Wood, who left Delaware County in 1844 to purchase government land in Illinois. He was accompanied by Dustin's older brother, James, 9 years old at the time. Dustin was adopted by Peter and Betsey Yaple, Middletown, Delaware Co., NY, about 1849. He retained the Whitney surname, however.
At age 18, he enlisted, 27 Aug 1862, at Middletown, and saw extensive service as a Private in Company G, 144th Regiment New York Infantry. (He is erroneously listed as Austin W. Whitney in a history of the 144th Regiment.) He was discharged 25 Jun 1865, Hilton Head, SC.
In the same letter mentioned above, Mr. Whitney writes that he receives a pension of $40 per month.
His obituary states that he "dropped dead while on the way home from the store," 16 May 1921.
Children of Dustin Wood and Ellen Jane (Lathan) Whitney:
i. William T. Whitney, b. 14 Aug 1872; d. after 1925. ii. Cora Whitney, b. 6 Sep 1874. iii. Bertha Whitney, b. 8 Feb 1878. iv. Frederick Whitney, b. 1878 (?); d. 1879. v. Mary E. Whitney, b. 6 Jan 1881.
Census
- 1850, Middletown, Delaware Co., NY, as Dustin Yaples, 5, in household of Peter Yaples [Yaple]
- 1860, Middletown, Delaware Co., NY:
156 156 Peter Yaple 63 M - Carpenter $500 -- [N.Y.] Betsey 63 F - [N.Y.] Duston Whitney 16 M - Farmer [N.Y.] [Attended school]
134 134 Yoples, Peter 70 M W Retired $100 -- New York Male citizen over 21 -----, Betsy 65 F W Keeping house New York Whitney, Doctor W. 25 M W Farm labor New York Male citizen over 21
222 Frame $200 222 Dustin Whitney 28 M - ---- Delaware m Farm hand - 1 - - - - Ellen " 23 F - Wife " m House Keeper Willie " 3 M - Son " - - Cora " 0 F - Dau " - -
Dustin WHITNEY 32 Self M W NY Laborer NY NY Ellen WHITNEY 28 Wife F W NY Keeping House NY NY Nellie WHITNEY 7 Dau F S W NY At School NY NY Cora WHITNEY 5 Dau F S W NY At School NY NY Bertha WHITNEY 1 Dau F S W NY At Home NY NY
[Errors in transcription: "Nellie" should be Willie, and "7 Dau" should be 7 Son.]
- 1892 State: not found.
- 1900, Milford, Otsego Co., NY, p. 10A/175:
265 276 Whitney, Dustin W. Head W M Jul 1844 45 mar 28 New York New York New York Farm laborer, Rents house -----, Ellen Wife W F Sep 1852 47 mar 28 5ch 4liv New York New York New York -----, May Dau W F Jan 1883 17 sgl New York New York New York At school
Dustin's age is incorrect; it should be 55 (not 45).
- 1910, Milford, Otsego Co., NY, p. 2B:
36 39 Whitney, Dustin W. Head M W 65 m1 40 New York Connecticut Connecticut Laborer Odd Jobs, Owns free house -----, Helen J. Wife F W 56 m1 40 4ch 4liv New York New York New York None -----, Mae E. Dau F W 29 sgl New York New York New York None
- 1920, Portlandville Village, Milford, Otsego Co., NY, p. 7A:
185 191 Whitney, Dustin W. Head M W 75 mar New York New York New York Laborer Farm, Owns free -----, Ellen J. Wife F W 66 mar New York New York New York None
References
- Marriages and Deaths, Delaware [County, NY] Gazette, 1819-1879.
- Copy of Civil War Service Record for Dustin W. Whitney, no. 1897 or 4897 [difficult to read], New York State Archives, Albany, NY.
- James Harvey McKee, Civil War Record of the 144th Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry (Heritage Books, 1994: reprint), p. 357.
- New York, Town Clerks' Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War, ca. 1861-1865, microfilm, New York State Archives, Albany, NY.
- Obituary, Franklin, New York, Dairyman, May 20, 1921.
Copyright © 2011, 2021, Helen Rogers; 2013, Sally Whitney Goodfellow, and the Whitney Research Group.
