Family:Whitney, Lemuel (1743-1813)
Dea. Lemuel6 Whitney (Joshua5, Nathaniel4, Nathaniel3, John2, John1), born Leicester, Massachusetts, in 1743; married in 1769, Thankful Griffeth, born Plymouth, Massachusetts, 1745; died 1818. He lived successively in Spencer, Massachusetts, Tolland, Connecticut, and Springfield, Vermont.
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 S., of which he was the first deacon. The church rates then were mostly paid in wheat and cattle, and Mr. W. 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 died Feb 1, 1813, of epidemic pneumonia. He was a man of large frame and great endurance. It is said that he once walked from Springfield, Vermont, to Spencer, Massachusetts, 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 died 18 Feb 1813; resided Leicester, Massachusetts, Tolland, Connecticut, and Springfield, Vermont.
Children of Lemuel6 Whitney:
i. John7 Whitney, born Oct 20, 1774; married Elizabeth Safford. ii. Cyrus Whitney, born 20 Sep 1770; married Ruth Mayo. iii. Benjamin Whitney, born in 1774; married Betsey Bragg. iv. Lemuel Whitney, born 3 Jan 1779; married Ellen Kimball. v. Sally Whitney, born 29 Sep 1780; married in Springfield, Daniel Safford. Sally Whitney moved with her husband to Essex County, New York, about 1818, and settled on an extensive farm one mile west of Whalonsburgh. She was a woman beloved by all who knew her; an exemplary Christian, and a member of the Presbyterian church. - Ch.: Parmelia H., born Dec 11, 1808; died 11 Sep 1811; Whitney, born 19 Jul 1806; married Ruth Mather, resided Whalonsburgh, New York; Henrietta M., born Jan 24, 1810; d unmarried, 14 Sep 1883; Thankful R., born 22 Jun 1813; married Orrin Reynolds, died Essex, New York, Sept. 20, 1870, son W. A., resided Whalonsburgh; Lydia L., born Sept. 17, 1815; died unmarried 6 Feb 1878; Daniel Henry, born 22 Dec 1817; died 29 Sep 1831; William E., born 27 May 1820; died 28 Apr 1826.
vi. Elijah Whitney, born 3 Jul 1788; married Susannah Oaks and Susan James. vii. Joseph Whitney, born 21 Feb 1786; married 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 res.: Spencer, Massachusetts, Tolland, Connecticut ,and Springfield, Vermont-- Leicester, Massachusetts, Tolland, Connecticut, and Springfield, Vermont - Transcriber
References
1. 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.
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