Family:Whitney, William (1809-1893)

Rev. William⁸ Whitney (William⁷, Silas⁶, Samuel⁵, William⁴, Nathaniel³, John², John¹), son of William⁷ and Lucy (Brooks) Whitney, was born 22 Jul 1809, Ashburnham, MA, and died 1 Dec 1893, Granville, OH.

He married firstly, 7 May 1840, Keene, OH, Julia Ann Emerson, daughter of Timothy and Mary (Trowbridge) Emerson. She was born 18 Sep 1809, Ashby, MA, and died 10 Nov 1864.

He married secondly, 19 Apr 1866, "Mrs." Catherine H. (-----) Courtney. She was born about 1821, NY, and died after

Rev. William Whitney was born in Ashburnham. He attended the public schools of that town and the academy in South Reading. At the age of 21 he traveled by stage, canal and steamboat to the west. At that time it required six weeks to reach the western part of Illinois. He continued his studies at Rock Spring seminary, Alton, IL, and at Granville seminary, Oberlin, OH. He was licensed to preach in 1833, but soon entered upon a continued and useful career as a teacher. He was an instructor four years in Granville, six in Lancaster and eleven in other places in Ohio. In 1865 Mr. Whitney was appointed financial agent of Denison university, and 1870 treasurer of the Baptist Educational Society. He has been an officer in several other religious and educational organizations, and in each position to which he has been summoned has been efficient and faithful in the discharge of duty; resided Granville, OH.

Children of William⁸ and Julia Ann (Emerson) Whitney:

i.	Mary Catherine9 Whitney, b. 24 May 1843, OH; d. 25 Aug 1843, OH.
ii.	(poss.) Lucinda A.9 Whitney, b. ca. 1847, OH; d. after 1860.

Children of William⁸ and Catherine H. (-----)(Courtney) Whitney, if any, unknown.

Notes

There is a biographical of William Whitney in the "Heritage Collection, Biography and History", by Unigraphic. It consists of most of the pages of the "Memorial Record. Licking County, Ohio".

"Centennial History of Licking County, Ohio" by Isaac Smucker, 1876. On page 119 of the biographical section we find the beginning of the two page article on William Whitney. Excerpts are that he was a prominent resident of Granville, Ohio, was born in Ashburnham, Worcester Co., Mass., July 22, 1809. After one year in Boston he came to the "West" in 1830 by stage, canal, steamboat to Shurtleff College at Alton, IL, where he studied at Rock Springs seminary for a year and a half, on returning to Boston by way of Granville he was persuaded to remain there. On the 13th of December, 1831, he became a member of the first class under direction of the old Granville Theological Institute, (now Denison University), and while there was licensed to preach. ..." He was licensed to preach in 1833 but instead chose to teach. He went to Oberlin [Ohio] and continued his studies and taught near there for a year before returning to Granville for six years. He then went to Lancaster [Ohio] for eleven years and returned to Granville in 1865. In 1865 he was appointed Financial Agent at the Denison University, Granville and Treasurer of the Baptist Educational Society in 1870. He is buried in the Maple Grove Cemetery, Granville, Licking Co., Ohio.

1832. He had been received into the Baptist Church by 24 Nov., 1832

1833, 23 March. Genealogical Quarterly, Granville, Ohio, Oct., 1905. Page 275, "Brother" William Whitney was granted a letter of license to preach gospel, Baptist Church of Christ.

1836 about. He is mentioned in "The History of Granville, Licking Co., Ohio", by Bushnell in 1889, page 302 as having been a marcher in a parade of abolitionists; there developed a mob scene. Page 305 informs that William and his two brothers had to defend themselves from the mob at the home of Rev. William S. Roberts. The same information is found on page 80 of "The History of Licking County, Ohio 1808-1889", excerpted from the 1898 Edition of Henry Howe's "Historical Collections of Ohio".

1840. His marriage to Julia Emerson is found to have been in Keene, which is in Coshocton Co., Ohio.

Julia died 10 Nov., 1864. "The only child of this union is deceased." That child could be Lucinda who was 13 in 1870.

1846, Feb. 28. A Licking Co. deed, TT-138, in which William received from Griswold Minor of E. Haddam, Middlesex Co., MA, for $12.50, the south 1/2 of lot #7, block 13, of 1/8th acre, etc. He also purchased lot # 10 from Archibald Cornell.

1850 M432-702 census of Granville, Granville Twp., Licking Co., Ohio. ANC image 15, written page 138, printed page 70. Line 34, dwelling 963, family 1025. William is 40, Teacher, $500, MA. Julia Ann is 40, MA.

1859, 12 July, William and wife Julia E. (Emerson) of Fairfield Co., Ohio, paid $500 to Nancy Wilson of Granville, for lots in Granville. Licking Co. Grantor Index 1855-1864, Book 78-328.

1860. Note that a Rev. M. (Marsena, per Granville business directory) Stone is the principal of the Young Ladies Institute at the west end of town where William Whitney was a teacher.

1860 Census M653-960. Written page 103, printed page 52, ANC image 104. 11 July, Lancaster City, Fairfield Co., Ohio, line 31, dwelling 751/family 723. William Whitney 50 years, School teacher, $1,000, $ 500, MA; Julia E. Whitney 50 years, MA; Lucinda A. Whitney, 13 years, MA; Elizabeth Willison 24 years, Domestic, OH; Marian (Fuller?) 25, School teacher, PA; Mary Backet 66, Widow, IRL; Jane W. Backet 31, Teacher, IRL; (James or Daniel) Ripes 36, Supertendent xxxxxx, $300, Germany; Lucy A. Fuller 51, Widow, NY State; Augustus Reed 24, Painter, Ohio.

Immediately above William on this census, line 27, 750/722, is the family of a Charles A. Whitney 33 [b 1837], Machinist, VT; Roxana (J?) 23, OH; Gertrude A. 5, OH; Charles (H?) 2, OH. Who is he?

1870 census M593-1232, Granville Village, Licking Co., Ohio. Written page 49, printed page 113, ANC image 49 and 50, 28 June, line 40, 370/392. William Whitney 60, Agent of college, $8,000, $1,500, MA; ont he following page on line 1 is Catherine Whitney, 49, Keeping House, NY; Mary Courtney 23, At home, OH; Jas. L. Smith 17, At college, OH; Lawson A. Tussing 19, At college, OH; Maggie Bowman 19, Domestic servant, OH.

In 1875 a William Whitney still owns a lot at the S.E. corner of Liberty and Equality Streets and next door the first name initial on the name French, is now shown as D. The township map for this year, page 152, shows the large lot once belonging to C.L. Whitney/Whiting nows belongs to G.W. Wheeler, though it is reduced in size. Any relation to the Wheeler Whitney of South Bloomfield Twp., Morrow Co.?

1880 T9-1040 census of Granville, E.D. #174, on written page 13, printed page 150 A, ANC image 13, 18th of June, line 7, Dwelling 137, family 156, Whitney, Wm., Age 70, married, Teacher, MA MA MA; Catherine, wife, married, age 60, Keeping house, NY PA NY; Lizzie Curtis, 30, boarder, single, at school, MI NY NY.

1893, Dec. 1. His death date on his stone in the Maple Grove cemetery in Granville. His death notice was published in the Granville Times newspaper on 14 Dec., 1893. Later the notice of Catherine's death in the newspaper stated she was then "of Columbus" , her surname was Hall, she was born in December of 1819 in Canaan, Columbia Co., NY, and died 14 Sep., 1899. They both are buried in the Maple Grove Cemetery in section 4, lot 54.

Also in this cemetery [Maple Grove, in Granville] is a Paul E. Whitney who was born 4 June, 1908 in Fitchburg, Worcester Co., MA, about ten miles from Ashburnham, and died 7 Feb., 1977. He donated his body to medical science. He might be a grandson of William's although we have no record of him having a son. Paul's wife, Helen A. is buried there and she was born 5 Nov., 1906 and died 27 Nov., 1972.

Granville death records in "Licking County Death Records Book #2, 1882-1901, indicated William was married, death age 84y 4m 26d [18 July, 1809] and died in Granville Twp. He was born in Mass., a teacher, died of La Grippe.

A Confusion

There was a certain William B. Whitney who also lived in Granville, OH, at the same time.

1860 M653-998, census of Granville, written page 46, printed page 54, ANC image 47, 18 Aug. Bldg. #327, family #349. A William B. Whitney was in the Wallas Carpenter dwelling. Wallas was 36, Carpenter, $1,200, $75, (NJ?); Elizabeth 23, of MD; Nora 6, OH; Adeline Broks 35, Domestic, NJ. William B.'s age is 60, Farmer, $200, MA; Lois S. [Stone?], age 58, House keeping, VT.

Pierce says William Barrett Whitney, Pierce pg. 453, was born 14 June, 1801, Winchendon, MA, the s/o Capt. Phinehas and Bethia (Barrett) Whitney, is this them?. There was published the intention to marry of Lois Stone of Fitzwilliam, NH to William B. Whitney. The LDS Online collection, IGI shows in film 2034529, that Lois Stone married William Barrett Whitney on 27 Dec., 1827 at Fitzwilliam, Cheshire Co., New Hampshire. In addition to Charles Milton they had three daughters. NOTE: Pierce and Ancestry's data base of Winchendon, MA shows a Charles MILTON Whitney, the son of a William Barrett Whitney & Lois Stone and he was born 31 Dec., 1828 and died 24 Jan., 1843 at Orange, Franklin Co., MA.. Lois was born on 25 May, 1802 in Greensboro, VT, this makes her the correct age for the above 1860 census. This Lois died 20 Oct., 1870 at Vineland, Cumberland Co., NJ. An older Lois Stone was buried in Center Cemetery, Fitzwilliam, on 2 Dec., 1827. Our Milton Whitney was born between 1817 and 1819 in Licking Co., Ohio according to the pension applications he made, he died in Morrow Co,, Ohio in 1891.

There is a W. W. Carpenter on the 1866 wall map of Granville and the business directory legend indicates he was an architect and builder. He had a double lot (3 & 4) facing Market St. with Green St. on the west and Morning St. on the east. At the rear of his two lots was a single lot belonging to M. Carpenter facing Bowery St.

There was a Joseph Whitney, also born in Winchendon, whose grandfather was also William, the same as William Barrett Whitney's, and he married in 1820 an Abigail Flint, they did have a son named Milton whose birth date is unknown but it could have been in 1821. Is this our Milton who could have been in NJ with Lois Stone Whitney after his mother had died? According to the old letter copy we have Milton's mother died soon after his birth which he said was 1817-1818-1819 in his Civil War pension aplications.

1875, the city map of Granville found in the "1892 Licking County Atlas" by L.H. Everts, page 171, shows lots 215 through 218 in W.B. Whitney's name. Is this William Barret Whitney who married Lois Stone? If so, what is he doing here? Stone St. is on the west, Fair St. on the north and front of the lots, Case St. on the east and Maple St. on the south. These lots were owned by G.N. Harris on the 1866 map, Harris also owned adjoining farm land. Is this William Barret Whitney or does the William Whitney, school teacher, also have the middle initial, B.? The teacher is not likely to be William B. as he was never married to a Lois S. (that we know of).

In 1847 a wall map of Granville Twp. shows a piece of land just south of Granville that has the owner's initial of his given name obscured, his last name is Whiting. On the 1854 wall map of the same land the name is C.L. Whitney. On the 1866 map a Whiting owns the lot at the S.E. corner of Liberty and Equality Streets. A Mrs. French owns the lot next door and on the 1854 map the larger lot at the south edge of town has the name French on it and six lots below that lot is a lot of 100 acres belonging to C.L. Whitney.

Regarding Christopher Leffingwell (Whitney/Whiting); in the "History of Licking County", by N.N. Hill, page 788. "Whiting, C.L. Son of John and Lydia Whiting, was born in Columbia county, New York, May 4, 1806. He was reared a farmer, and has followed farming as his vocation. He married Sophronia Hamilton, August 31, 1831, daughter of James and Waity Hamilton, born January 22, 1810. They settled in Columbia county, New York, and remained six years. In 1837 they migrated to Michigan, remained there two years. In 1839, moved to Licking county, Ohio, purchased a farm in Granville township, on which they have lived twenty-six years, and in 1865 they sold their farm and moved to Granville, where they are now living a retired life. Their union resulted in four children-one son and three daughters. Their son, George B. Whiting, enlisted in company D, twenty-second Ohio volunteer infantry, September, 1861; served until November 1864, his time having expired, was discharged from the service and returned home. ..."

1860 census M653-998, Granville, Ohio, 7 August, page 16, ANC image 16, line 14, 115/118, C.L. Whiting 54, Farmer, $4,500, $1965, NY; S.H. Whiting, female, 50, House kepping, NY; Mary L. 19, OH; George B. 17, OH; Harriet (I?) 16, OH.

1870 census M593-1232, Granville Village, Granville, Ohio, 29 June, written page 52, ANC image 52, line 23, 390/418. Whiting, Christopher 63, Clerk in P.O., $2,100, $1,000, NY; Sophronia 60, Keeping house, NY; George B. 27, Post Master, OH.

Census

• 1850, Granville, Licking Co., OH:

963 1025 Wm. Whitney 40 M - Teacher $500 Mass. Julia Ann " 40 F - "

• 1860, Lancaster, Fairfield Co., OH:

751 723 William Whitney 50 M - Scool Teacher $1000 $500 Mass. Julia E. " 50 F - " Lucinda A. Whitney 13 F - " Attended school Elizabeth Willison 24 F - Domestic Ohio Maria Fuller 25 F - Scool Teacher Penn. Mary Backet 66 F - Widow Ireland Jane M. Backet 31 F - Teacher " Daniel Riper 36 M - Superintendant Public School $300 Germany Lucy A. Fuller 51 F - Widow New York State Augustus Reed 24 M - Painter Ohio

• 1870, Granville, Licking Co., OH:

370 392 Whitney, William 60 M W Agent of College $1500 Mass. Male citizen over 21 Whitney, Catharine 49 F W Keeping House N.Y. Courtney, Mary E. 23 F W At home Ohio Smith, Jas. L. 17 M W At College Ohio Attended school Tussing, Lanson A. 19 M W At College Ohio Attended school Bowman, Maggie 19 F W Domestic Servant Ohio 393 Haydock, Thos. T. 23 M W At College $150 Indiana Attended school, Male citizen over 21 ... 394 Browning, Harriet 45 F W Keeping house $2500 Ohio ... 395 Christy, Dyer M. 21 M W At College Indiana Attended school, Male citizen over 21 ...

• 1880, Granville, Licking Co., OH:

W. M. WHITNEY 70 Self M M W MA Teacher --- --- Catharine WHITNEY 62 Wife F M W NY Keeping House PA NY Lizzie CURTIS 30 Oth F S W NY At School NY NY

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), p. 460.

• Census records.

---

Copyright © 2006, 2007, 2013, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group.