Family:Whitney, Lemuel (1743-1813)

Dea. Lemuel⁶ Whitney (Joshua⁵, Nathaniel⁴, Nathaniel³, John², John¹), son of Joshua⁵ and Mehitable (Wilson) Whitney,^[1] was born 5 Jan 1742, Spencer, MA,^[2] and died 1 or 18 Feb 1813, Springfield, VT, of epidemic pneumonia.

He married in 1769, Thankful Griffith, daughter of Jesse and Sarah (Russell) Griffith. She was born 19 Jan 1745/6, Plymouth, MA, and died 24 Feb 1818, Springfield, VT.

He lived successively in Spencer, MA, Tolland, CT, and Springfield, VT.

He and all his brothers and all his brothers-in-law were in he Revolutionary army, but perhaps his chief help to the country was in the manufacture of saltpetre, which was made into gunpowder. This he made, both in Massachusetts and Connecticut, from earth dug from under old buildings. He was both a farmer and a carpenter, and after he went to Vermont he engaged in the manufacture of brick, of rope and of chairs. He was a man of strong faith and religious character and much interested in the Congregational church in Springfield, of which he was the first deacon. The church rates then were mostly paid in wheat and cattle, and Mr. Whitney used to redeem these with money received from his manufactures and send them to Boston receiving money again, an almost unknown article to the average farmer in the new state then. I suppose the amount he received would seem small to the modern farmer, but it was comfort, if not wealth, then. He was a man of large frame and great endurance. It is said that he once walked from Springfield, VT, to Spencer, MA, a distance of 80 miles, in a day. His wife was small, fair, with auburn hair, a shrewd, capable woman and a notable housewife. She was of Welch descent. He resided Leicester, MA, Tolland, CT, and Springfield, VT.

Children of Lemuel⁶ and Thankful (Griffeth) Whitney:

i.	Cyrus7 Whitney, b. 23 Sep 1770, Spencer, MA;[3] m. Ruth Mayo.
ii.	Benjamin Whitney, b. 20 Jul 1772, Spencer, MA;[4] m. Betsey Bragg.
iii.	John Whitney, b. 20 Oct 1774; m. Elizabeth Safford.
iv.	Lemuel Whitney, b. 3 Jan 1779, Springfield, VT;[5] m. Ellen Kimball.
v.	Sally Whitney, b. 29 Sep 1780, Springfield, VT;[6] m. 20 Feb 1806, Springfield, VT, Daniel Safford.[7] Sally Whitney moved with her husband to Essex County, NY, about 1818, and settled on an extensive farm one mile west of Whallonsburg. She was a woman beloved by all who knew her; an exemplary Christian, and a member of the Presbyterian church. Children: a. Parmelia H. Safford, b. 11 Dec 1808; d. 11 Sep 1811. b. Whitney Safford, b. 19 Jul 1806; m. Ruth Mather, resided Whallonsburg, NY. c. Henrietta M. Safford, b. 24 Jan 1810; d. 14 Sep 1883, unmarried. d. Thankful R. Safford, b. 22 Jun 1813; m. Orrin Reynolds, d. Essex, NY, 20 Sep 1870, son of W. A., resided Whallonsburg, NY. e. Lydia L. Safford, b. 17 Sep 1815; d. 6 Feb 1878, unmarried. f. Daniel Henry Safford, b. 22 Dec 1817; d. 29 Sep 1831. g. William E. Safford, b. 27 May 1820; d. 28 Apr 1826.
vi.	Elijah Whitney, b. 3 Jul 1788, Springfield, VT;[8] m. Susannah Oaks and Susan James.
vii.	Joseph Whitney, b. 21 Feb 1786, Springfield, VT;[9] m. Orinda Stafford.

Notes

When I was typing the info for #765 Dea. Lemuel Whitney, I noticed a conflict in his death date -- Feb. 1 and 18 Feb 1813. Also there is a conflict in his residences: Spencer, MA, Tolland, CT, and Springfield, VT -- Leicester, MA, Tolland, CT, and Springfield, VT - Transcriber

Census

• 1791, Springfield, Windsor Co., VT: Lemuel Whitney, 4 males over 16, 3 males 0-15, and 3 females.
• 1800, Springfield, Windsor Co., VT: Lemuel Whitney, 1 male over 45, 1 male 16-25, 2 males 10-15, 1 female over 45, 1 female 16-25, and 1 female 10-15.
• 1810, Springfield, Windsor Co., VT: Lemuel Whitney, 1 male over 45, 3 males 16-26, 1 female over 45, 2 females 16-26.

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. 138-139.

1.^  His parentage is proven by his birth record.

2.^  "Lemuel [Whitney], s. Joshua and Mehitable, [born] Jan. 5, 1742," according to Franklin P. Rice, ed., Vital Records of Spencer, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (Worcester, Massachusetts: The Systematic History Fund, 1909).

3.^  "Cyrus [Whitney], s. Lemuel and Thankful, [born] Sept. 23, 1770," according to Spencer Vital Records.

4.^  "Benjamin [Whitney], s. Lemuel and Thankful, [born] July 20, 1772," according to Spencer Vital Records.

5.^  Vermont, Vital Records Index, All Births.

6.^  Vermont, Vital Records Index, All Births.

7.^  Vermont, Vital Records Index, Marriages.

8.^  Vermont, Vital Records Index, All Births.

9.^  Vermont, Vital Records Index, All Births.

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