Family:Whitney, Simon (1727-1797)
Simon5 Whitney (Daniel4, Benjamin3, John2, John1), son of Daniel4 and Dorothy (Tainter) Whitney, was born 20 or 30 May 1727, Watertown, MA,[1], baptized 19 Sep 1736, Watertown, MA,[2] and died 16 Oct 1797, Watertown, MA.[3]
Simon married firstly, 26 May 1757, Watertown, MA, Mary Ruggles, "both of Watertown",[4] daughter of Joseph and Joanna (White) Ruggles. She was born 16 Jul 1735, Roxbury, MA, and died 12 Mar 1773, Watertown, MA.[5]
He married secondly, before 25 Jun 1775, Sarah W. Seaver, allegedly that daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth (Boylston) Seaver who was born 14 Dec 1746, Dorchester, MA, and possibly a widow. She may have married firstly, 19 Mar 1767, Joseph Hewes. She also appears in some records as Mary Seaver. Her son Richard's death record says that she was born in Brighton, MA.
On 22 Jan 1758, Simon and Mary Whitney, were admitted to full communion, Watertown, MA.[6]
On 7 Nov 1797, Cambridge, MA, Sarah Whitney, widow, declined administration on the estate of Simon Whitney, late of Watertown, deceased, and nominated Nathl. R. Whitney. On 8 Nov 1797, Watertown, MA, Nathaniel Ruggles Whitney, Esq., of Watertown, was appointed administrator of the estate of Simon Whitney, late of Watertown, deceased, and posted bond with Edmund Fowle and John Fowle, both of Watertown, as sureties. On 20 Dec 1797, Watertown, MA, his inventory was taken by Francis Faulkner, Leonard Bond, and Moses Coolidge, amounting to $988.47, with an addition of $5611.75.
At the time of his death in 1798 his two sons by his second wife, Sarah, both minors over age 14, chose Thomas Clark as their guardian.
Children of Simon5 and Mary (Ruggles) Whitney:
i. Nathaniel Ruggles6 Whitney, b. 19 Mar 1759, Watertown, MA;[7] bapt. 25 Mar 1759, Watertown, MA;[8] m. Abigail Frothingham. ii. Simon Whitney, b. 22 Jul 1760, Watertown, MA;[9] d. 9 Aug 1761, Watertown, MA.[10] This Simon may or may not exist, as his dates appear only once, and his dates are identical to sister Dorothy. Since they both died aged one year, it really doesn't make much difference. Dorothy is in the supplemental Watertown Vital Records as being baptized 27 Jul 1760, and Simon isn't. Since all of the other children of Simon Whitney were listed as baptized, it adds to the evidence that the other entry that shows his birth is in error and that he did not exist. iii. Dorothy Whitney, b. 22 Jul 1760, Watertown, MA;[11] bapt. 27 Jul 1760, Watertown, MA;[12] d. 9 Aug 1761, Watertown, MA.[13] iv. Mary Whitney, b. 10 Jan 1762, Watertown, MA;[14] bapt. 10 Jan 1762, Watertown, MA;[15] d. 26 Jun 1765, Watertown, MA.[16] v. Grace Whitney, b. 12 Jul 1763, Watertown, MA;[17] bapt. 17 Jul 1763, Watertown, MA;[18] d. 5 Sep 1763, Watertown, MA.[19] vi. Lucy Whitney, bapt. 25 Oct 1767, Watertown, MA.[20] vii. Anna Whitney, bapt. 23 Jul 1769, Watertown, MA.[21] She and another Anna Whitney may be the same person. viii. Sally Whitney, b. 25 Jan 1773, Watertown, MA; m. 22 Jul 1792, Watertown, MA, Phinehas Jennison, Jr., "both of Watertown",[22] son of Phineas and Susanna (Newton) Jennison, bapt. 14 Sep 1770, Watertown, MA. It seems possible that she was identical to Sarah below. See Notes below.
Children of Simon5 and Sarah W. (Seaver) Whitney, all born Watertown, MA:
ix. Sarah6 Whitney, b. 25 Jun 1775.[23] It seems possible that she was identical to Sally above. It also seems possible that she was identical to Family:Whitney, Sarah (s1777-a1806). See Notes below. x. Simon Whitney, b. 18 Apr 1778;[24] on 16 Apr 1798, Watertown, MA, Simon and Richard Whitney, minors over 14, sons of Simon Whitney, late of Watertown, deceased, chose Thomas Clark as their guardian. xi. Richard Whitney, b. 2 Jan 1782;[25] bapt. 6 Jan 1782, Watertown, MA;[26] m. Mary Elizabeth Parker; on 16 Apr 1798, Watertown, MA, Simon and Richard Whitney, minors over 14, sons of Simon Whitney, late of Watertown, deceased, chose Thomas Clark as their guardian.
Notes
Compare the above with Family:Whitney, Sarah (s1777-a1806), wife of James Simmons, who lived in Watertown, MA. They apparently had a son named Simon Whitney Simmons. It seems to me that it was likely that a father or brother or uncle or grandfather would have been named Simon Whitney. Now the only Simon Whitney I can find with a relative Sarah not otherwise accounted for is this Simon Whitney, above, and he did, indeed, live in Watertown, MA. There are birth records for two daughters Sarah/Sally to Simon and his wives (one for each wife), one given by Henry Bond and the other from the published Watertown vital records. Those two given names are generally interchangeable, Sally being a common nickname for Sarah.
The elder of the two daughters I have given a marriage to Phineas Jennison, based on Henry Bond's Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts, ... (1855-1859), p. 309 and 648. The younger is an outstanding candidate for the marriage to James Simmons. This would explain much. The fly in the ointment is that both daughters would have had to live to maturity. That and the similarity of the birth dates (Jan vs. Jun and 1773 vs. 1775) are why I wrote what I did above under the two daughters' accounts.
So were there two daughters of the "same" name living at the same time, half-sisters? Or was there just one daughter, and which marriage did she contract? The fact that Simon did not leave a will means that we cannot use that means to answer the question. The administration of his estate does not mention either daughter, who would be adults and already married, which is not a surprise.
Looking more closely at Phineas Jennison, it seems that Bond gives his birth year as 1743, and makes Sarah Whitney his second wife. It seemed odd to me that his second wife was thirty years younger than he. In fact, Bond has the wrong Phineas in his account. The marriage record in question calls Phineas "Jr.", so probably it was Phineas Jennison, Jr., bapt. 1770, son of Phineas Jennison by his wife, Susanna Newton, who was Sarah's husband.
Census
- 1771 (tax list): Not found
- 1790, Watertown, Middlesex Co., MA: Simon Whitney, 3 males over 16, 2 males 0-15, and 3 females.
- 1800: not found.
- 1810, Watertown, Middlesex Co., MA: Sarah Whitney, 2 females over 45.
- 1820, Watertown, Middlesex Co., MA: Sarah Whitney, 2 females over 45.
- 1830: not found.
References
1.^ "Simon Whitney, s. Daniel & Dorothy Whitney, b. 20 May 1727," according to Watertown Records, Comprising the Fourth Book of Town Proceedings and the Second Book of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, from 1738 to 1822 (Watertown, MA: Historical Society, c1903), volume 3, page 116.
2.^ "19 Sep 1736, Simon, Daniel, Joanna, Abigail, Mary, Dorothy, ch. of Daniel Whitney, bapt.," according to Watertown Records, Comprising East Congregational and Precinct Affairs, 1697 to 1737. Also, Record Book of the Pastors, 1686-1819 (Watertown, MA: Historical Society, 1906), volume 4, page 142.
3.^ Scott Andrew Bartley, "Watertown, Massachusetts, Marriages, Deaths, and Other Events, 1797-1837," NEHGR 165 (2011), 200. Also, "Simon Whitney, d. 16 Oct 1797, aged 70 years 4 months 26 days," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 185.
4.^ "Simon Whitney & Mary Ruggles, b. of Watertown, m. 26 May 1757," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 139.
5.^ "Mary Whitney, wf. Simon, d. 12 Mar 1773," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 175.
6.^ "22 Jan 1758, Simon and Mary Whitney, adm. full comm.," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 4, page 184.
7.^ "Nathaniel Ruggles Whitney, s. Simon & Mary Whitney, b. 19 Mar 1759," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 141. Also, "Nathaniel Ruggles Whitney, s. Simon & Mary Whitney, b. 19 Mar 1759," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 175.
8.^ "25 Mar 1759, Nathaniel Ruggles, s. of Simon Whitney, bapt.," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 4, page 159.
9.^ "Simon Whitney, s. Simon & Mary Whitney, b. 22 Jul 1760," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 175.
10.^ "Simon Whitney, s. Simon & Mary Whitney, d. 9 Aug 1761," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 175.
11.^ "Dorothy Whitney, d. Simon & Mary Whitney, b. 22 Jul 1760," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 143.
12.^ "Dorothy Whitney, d. Simon & Mary Whitney, d. 9 Aug 1761," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 144.
13.^ "27 Jul 1760, Dorothy, d. of Simon Whitney, bapt.," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 4, page 160.
14.^ "Mary Whitney, d. Simon & Mary Whitney, b. 10 Jan 1762," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 145. Also, "Mary Whitney, d. Simon & Mary Whitney, b. 10 Jan 1762," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 175.
15.^ "10 Jan 1762, Mary, d. of Simon Whitney, bapt.," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 4, page 161.
16.^ "Mary Whitney, d. Simon & Mary Whitney, d. 26 Jun 1765," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 175.
17.^ "Grace Whitney, d. Simon & Mary Whitney, b. 12 Jul 1763," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 175.
18.^ "17 Jul 1763, Grace, d. of Simon Whitney, bapt.," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 4, page 161.
19.^ "Grace Whitney, d. Simon & Mary Whitney, d. 5 Sep 1763," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 175.
20.^ "25 Oct 1767, Lucey, d. of Simon Whitney, bapt.," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 4, page 165.
21.^ "23 Jul 1769, Anna, d. of Simon Whitney, bapt.," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 4, page 166.
22.^ "Phinehas Jennison, Jr. & Sally Whitney, b. of Watertown, m. 22 Jul 1792," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 182.
23.^ "Sarah Whitney, d. Simon & Sarah Whitney, b. 25 Jun 1775," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 175.
24.^ "Simon Whitney, s. Simon & Sarah Whitney, b. 18 Apr 1778," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 175.
25.^ "Richard Whitney, s. Simon & Sarah Whitney, b. 2 Jan 1782," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 3, page 175.
26.^ "6 Jan 1782, Richard, s. of Simon Whitney, bapt.," according to Watertown Vital Records, volume 4, page 170.
Copyright © 1999, 2006-2008, 2010, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group
