Family:Whitney, Harwood Otis (1844-a1880)

Harwood Otis⁹ Whitney (Leonard⁸, Otis⁷, Aaron⁶, Nathan⁵, Nathan⁴, Thomas³, Thomas², John¹), son of Leonard⁸ and Ann Jennett (Harwood) Whitney, was born 17 Apr 1844, Bennington, VT.

He married, 14 Jul 1870, Warsaw, IL, Helen J. Hay. She was born 13 Sep 1844, and died 13 Jun 1873.

Harwood Otis Whitney was born at Bennington, VT; parents removed to the west while he was an infant, and settled permanently in Keokuk, IA. He attended public and private school in Keokuk until the age of fourteen, and was then sent to Williston academy, Williston, VT, and remained there two years. Returned to Keokuk, IA, and entered the army at age of seventeen as a private in Company C, 3d Regiment, Iowa Volunteer Cavalry. Served in the field through the campaign of the Army of the Southwest, in command of General S. R. Curtis, of Iowa. Marched from Saint Louis through Missouri and Arkansas to Helena, AR, and was engaged in the battle of Pea Ridge, in the Ozark mountains, in 1862. Upon arrival at Helena, AR, Gen. S. R. Curtis was placed in command of the department of the Missouri, with headquarters at Saint Louis, MO. By his order he was detached from his regiment and ordered to St. Louis to serve as a clerk in the adjutant-general's office, Department of the Missouri. Served the remainder of his three year's term of service as a clerk in adjutant-general's office, and was recommended by General S. R. Curtis, General Halleck, and others, for a lieutenancy in the regular army, but preferred his discharge, and returned to Keokuk, IA, and engaged in railroad business. Served at several points as general agent for railroads, and his last position in railroad service was as general agent for the C., B. & Q. Railway, at Keokuk, IA. He has since engaged in speculative business of his own, using some capital acquired in a long term of remunerative work and economy; resided Keokuk, IA, s. p.

Census

• 1870, Keokuk Ward 3, Lee Co., IA:

307 306 Whitney, Ann 45 F W Keeps House $2000 $200 Vermont -----, Howard 26 M W Agt. R.R. Vt. Male citizen over 21 -----, Leonard 20 M W Home N.Y. -----, C. P. 9 M W Home Iowa Attended school Thorne, G. C. 38 M W Contractor N.J. Male citizen over 21 -----, Jennie 26 F W Boards Ohio Moulton, Laura 18 F B Dom. Servt. Mo.

• 1880, Keokuk, Lee Co., IA:

Ann J. WHITNEY 54 Self F W W VT Keeping House MA VT Harwood O. WHITNEY 36 Son M W W VT Agent R R VT VT Leonard WHITNEY 30 Son M S W NY R R Accountant VT VT Maggie GORDON 21 Oth F S W IA Servant IRE IRE

• 1900, 525 North 9th St., Keokuk city Ward 3, Jackson Township, Lee Co., IA:

408 442 Whitney, Anna C. Head W F Jan 1825 75 wid 6ch 2liv Vermont Massachusetts Vermont N. G., Owns free house -----, Harwood O. Son W M Apr 1843 57 sgl Vermont Vermont Vermont Capitalist Neyens, Hanna Srvt W F Jun 1877 22 sgl Iowa Hollard Iowa Servant

Harwood was a widower, and not single.

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. 648-649.

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