Family:Whitney, William Earl (1898-1967)
William Earl9 Whitney (Charles Louis8, John Drury7, Ebenezer6, Micah5, Abel4, Nathaniel3, Benjamin2, John1), son of Charles Louis8 and Florence Jessie (Gibson) Whitney, was born 30 Jul 1898, Hyde Park, MA,[1] and died 5 Mar 1967, Trumbull, CT.
He married 23 Jul 1923, Hyde Park, MA, Eleanor May Crosby, daughter of Gilbert S. and Stella B. Crosby. She was born 14 May 1902, Dorchester, MA, and died 6 Oct 1979, Trumbull, CT.
William Whitney, as with other males of his generation, was known by his middle name: Earl. During the First World War, being under age in the U.S.A., he went to the province of Quebec (Ottawa) in Canada on 8 Sep 1917 and enlisted in the 236th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Forces, known as "The MacLean Kilties of America". He went overseas, where they became part of "The 13th Canadian Black Watch Battalion".
In France, during battle he was wounded (a victim of mustard gas and shell shock), and was buried alive. According to the story, a lieutenant came along and tripped over his exposed foot, saw it move, and dug him up. He was transported to 8 different hospitals in Great Britain. He did not speak for a year, until his male nurse found a picture of his sister Grace, and possibly, also his mother in his belongings, and showed it to him. It was then that he began to speak again and to recover. His trip home was very difficult, as he was very ill. He was discharged on 10 Apr 1919, winning "The British War" and "The Victory" medals. His mother took him to West Point, ME, to recover. During World War II he served in the Connecticut State Guard as a 2nd Lieutenant, Co. G, 10th Battalion. He was also a member of the American Legion in Milford, CT, and an Air Raid Warden in Nichols, CT.
He was employed as a commercial artist at Park City Engraving Co. from 1938 to 1965 and at Swan Engraving Co. from 1965 until his death in 1967. Both companies are in Bridgeport, CT. His hobbies were painting and etching, mainly landscapes and seashores. He was an avid camper, and spent summers camping in the State of Maine (south of Bath in Small Point and West Point), where he would paint the rugged Maine coastline. He is buried in the Nichols Cemetery, Trumbull, CT.
11-1-98: Extracted from The Military Record of Earl Whitney, Canadian National Archives Acc. 92-93/166 RG. 150 Volume 10326 File/Dossier Whitney, Earl #1031342 Seq. 10
- Address at time of enlistment: Suit 1, Way Building, Hyde Park, MA, where he lived with his parents.
- Trade or Calling: Art Student and clerk in the accounting dept., Express Co.
- Agreed to serve on the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force.
- Took Oath of Allegiance to His Majesty King George the Fifth on Sept. 8, 1917.
- Enlisted in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada Sept 8, 1917 in 236th O.S. Battalion (The New Brunswick Kilties - Sir Sam's Own)
- Discharged with rank of Private on April 10, 1919 in Montreal, Quebec as Medically Unfit.
- History of medical condition: Aug. 8, 1918, a shell explosion blew him up and buried him after he had been in France for 6 months. This caused him to be nervous, stutter, have tremors, and general weakness. He was easily excited, irritable, and afraid of crowds. Sent to England where he caught influenza. Recovered, but as the armistice was signed, he was sent to Canada for disposal.
Canadian Expeditionary Force
1031342, Private Earl Whitney- Born at Hyde Park, Mass. U.S.A., July 30, 1898
- Enlisted at Fredericton, N.B., with the 236th Battalion September 8, 1917.
- Embarked for Britain, October 30, 1917
- Transferred to 20th Reserve Battalion March 14, 1918.
- Proceeded to France for service with the 15th battalion, May 10, 1918.
- Invalided to Britain, October 18, 1918.
- Sailed for Canada, Feb. 24, 1919
- Discharged at Montreal, Que., April 10, 1919
- Service Awards: British War Medal Victory Medal
Eleanor Crosby Whitney was born in Dorchester, MA. She grew up in Milton, MA, and spent summers in Digby, NS, where her father, Gilbert Crosby, had a homestead. After marriage, Earl and Eleanor Whitney resided in Farmington, ME, and Attleboro, MA, before settling in Connecticut. She married second, in 1970, Edwin Noble Black. Eleanor is buried in Nichols Cemetery, Trumbull, CT.
Earl and Eleanor Whitney had two children:
Children of William Earl9 and Eleanor May (Crosby) Whitney:
i. Weldon Wayne10 Whitney, b. 6 Oct 1935, Bridgeport, CT; d. 2 May 2011, Port St. Lucie, FL. ii. (private) Whitney.
References
1.^ "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1910," from original records held by the Massachusetts Archives. Online database: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004; volume 476, page 547.
Copyright © 2009, 2015, Kenneth L. Whitney, Robert L. Ward, and the Whitney Research Group.
