Family:Whitney, Peter (1744-1816)

Rev. Peter⁶ Whitney (Aaron⁵, Moses⁴, Moses³, Richard², John¹), son of Aaron⁵ and Alice (Baker) Whitney, was born 6 Sep 1744, Petersham, MA, and died 19 Feb 1816, Northborough, MA.

He married, 11 Mar 1768, Julia Lambert, daughter of William, of Reading. She was born 9 Apr 1742.

Rev. Peter Whitney, A. M., the son of Rev. Aaron Whitney, was born in Petersham, MA, 6 Sep 1744. After attending the schools of his native town he entered Harvard College, from which institution he was graduated in the class of 1762. When he entered the university he was only thirteen years and ten months old-an age much younger than but few have entered since. One of the first acts of the newly incorporated town of Fitchburg was to note in town meeting, 26 Nov 1764, "To have Sabbath days preaching the winter insuing." It was also voted, "To have preaching in Thomas Cowdin's house,"and the committee on preaching were instructed "to apply to Peter Whitney," among others Accordingly the committee applied to and secured the Rev. Peter Whitney, who went there and preached in the tavern of Thomas Cowdin, during the summer and winter. In the year 1766 there was not any preaching, and the inhabitants of the town were obliged to attend in Lunenburg. In 1767 application was made to Rev. Peter Whitney, but having received a call elsewhere, he declined. He was ordained minister at Northborough, MA, 4 Nov 1767. He was the author of an excellent history of Worcester County (Worcester, 1793), single sermons and papers in the "Memoirs of the American Academy." He was a very methodical man, always walking with his wife to meeting, followed by his ten children, always in the exact order of their age. He was an easygoing man, perhaps more absorbed in the political issues of his day than in direct aggressive work. We give the following as illustrating a state of things which was once a matter of importance, but which has entirely passed away: A family in Northborough lost a member, and Dr. Puffer, of Berlin, was invited to officiate at the funeral. He complied, whereupon Rev. Peter Whitney, the minister of the town, wrote that unless the matter was satisfactorily explained, all ministerial intercourse must cease. This was founded on the fact that the old parishes had territorial limits, beyond which a minister was regarded as an interloper. Dr. Puffer recognized this claim, but explained his action in this case in such a way that Mr. Whitney was satisfied, and amicable relations were restored. The correspondence is a fine specimen of precise, dignified and courteous composition. But what a change! No one would think of restricting a protestant family in the choice of a minister on the sad occasion of a funeral. The following notice of Mr. Whitney is quoted from the "History of Northborough," by his successor, as a just tribute to his memory: Distinguished for the urbanity of his manners, easy and familiar in his intercourse with his people; hospitable to strangers, and always ready to give a hearty welcome to his numerous friends; punctual to his engagements; observing an exact method in the distribution of his time; having a time for everything, and doing everything in its time, without hurry or confusion; conscientious in the discharge of his duties as a Christian minister; catholic in his principles and in his conduct; always taking an interest in whatever concerned the prosperity of the town and the interests of religion-he was for many years the happy minister of a kind and affectionate people." His will was probated 28 Sep 1813. Nahum Fay, Esq., of Northborough, was executor, and the document mentions his wife Julia; daughter Elizabeth; son Maj. Thomas Whitney; son Rev. Peter Whitney; daughter Julia, married Capt. Antipas Brigham; daughter Margaret, married Dr. Josiah Adams; son Capt. William Whitney; son Abel Whitney; son John Whitney; son Aaron Whitney; daughter Sally, married Lemuel Bracket. He resided Northborough, MA.

Children of Peter⁶ and Julia (Lambert) Whitney:

i.	Thomas L.7 Whitney, b. 10 Dec 1768; d. Jun 1812, m. Mary Lincoln.
ii.	Peter Whitney, b. 19 Jan 1770; m. Jane Lambert Lincoln.
iii.	Julia Whitney, b. 25 Aug 1772; d. 29 Nov 1800; m. 1799, Capt. Antipas Brigham.
iv.	Margaret Whitney, b. 12 Feb 1774; d. 3 Feb 1849; m. Dr. Josiah Adams, of Quincy.
v.	Elizabeth Whitney, b. 6 Sep 1775; d. s. p. 26 Sep 1856; m. Quincy, MA, Ebenezer Adams.
vi.	William Whitney, b. 14 Dec 1776; m. Zilpah Eager.
vii.	Julia Whitney, b. -----; d. in infancy.
viii.	Aaron Whitney, b. 17 Aug 1778. Went west.
ix.	Abel Whitney, b. 3 Nov 1781; m. Susanna White.
x.	Sally Whitney, b. 3 Nov 1781; d. 3 May 1864; m. 6 Jan 1806, Lemuel Brackett, of Quincy. He was b. 8 Sep 1780; d. 14 Feb 1869. Was in real estate business. Ch.: Sally Whitney, b. 7 Jan 1808; m. 16 Sep 1828, Quincy, Jeffrey Richardson, of Boston; d. 2 Dec 1837; Samuel Eaton, b. 7 Oct 1806; m. 11 Jun 1834, Boston, Carolina S. Callender; d. 3 Nov 1890; Rebecca Richardson, b. 26 Mar 1809; m. 28 Jul 1840, Quincy, William L. Whitney, of Cambridge; d. 3 Dec 1881; James, b. 26 Nov 1810; m. 31 Jan 1856, S. Elizabeth Whitney; d. 21 Aug 1827; Julia Lambert, b. 18 Jun 1812; m. 27 Jun 1839, Quincy, Jeffrey Richardson; d. 13 Mar 1886; Nancy, b. 31 Aug 1813; unmarried; living; Jeffrey Richardson, b. 27 Oct 1815; m. 24 Feb 1851, Sarah C. Richardson, of Boston; d. 26 Oct 1871; son of Samuel Eaton, George C. Brackett, 227 Clinton St., Brooklyn, NY; dau. of Sally, Mrs. Charles F. White, 213 Commonwealth Ave., Boston; dau. of Rebecca, Miss Lucy N. Whitney, 31 Hawthorne St., Cambridge; no children of James; son of Julia Lambert, Dr. William L. Richardson, 225 Commonwealth Ave., Boston; Nancy, unmarried and living; son of Jeffrey, Jeffrey R. Brackett, 10 Madison St., W. Baltimore, MD.
xi.	John Whitney, b. 29 Sep 1785; m. Sophia Vinal.

Census

• 1790, Northborough, Worcester Co., MA: Rev^d Peter Whitney, 2 males over 16, 4 males 0-15, and 5 females.
• 1800, Northborough, Worcester Co., MA: Rev^d Peter Whitney, 1 male over 45, 1 male 10-15, 1 female over 45, and 3 females 16-25.
• 1800, Northborough, Worcester Co., MA: Thomas L. Whitney, 1 male 26-44, 1 male 16-25, 1 female 26-44, 1 female 10-15, and 1 female 0-9. This was his son.

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. 161-163.

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