Family:Whitney, Nathan (1791-1891)

Col. Nathan⁷ Whitney (Nathan⁶, Jonathan⁵, Jonathan⁴, Jonathan³, Benjamin², John¹), son of Nathan⁶ and Olive (Whitney) Whitney; born Conway, Massachusetts, 22 Jan 1791; married at Seneca Castle, New York, 1811, Sarah Gray; born 16 Jan 1791; died 23 Apr 1864.

Colorado. Nathan opened a farm near Allison, New York, and another at Elba, New York. He visited Lee county, Illinois, in 1835, and later in 1836 and 1837, his family following in 1838. He was one of the commissioners to organize the county of Lee, and since then held the office of county commissioner. His nursery was the first north of the Illinois river. From De Witt Clinton, Governor of New York, he has three military commissions, those of captain, lieutenant-colonel and colonel. At the time of his death he was the oldest Mason in the Northwest. During the Morgan excitement he was among the "faithless faithful found." Colonel Nathan Whitney was tendered a reception in Jan., 1891, by his Masonic bothers at his home in Franklin Grove, it being the one hundredth anniversary of his birth, and prominent Masons from Chicago, Dixon, Ashton, Creston, Amboy, De Kalb and Sterling were present. A. B. Fich, in behalf of Nathan Whitney Chapter, No. 129, Royal Arch Masons, named in honor of Father Whitney, presented him with a solid silver platter suitably inscribed. Letters and telegrams of congratulation poured in upon Father Whitney all day. Over two hundred guests and four generations sat down to a bounteous repast. He served in the war of 1812 and was mentioned for brave service in the battle at Fort Erie. He was one of the oldest Masons in the state at the time of his death, having received his first degree in 1817. He died 11 Jun 1891; resided Albion, New York, and Franklin Grove, Illinois.

Children of Nathan⁷ and Sarah (Gray) Whitney:

i.	DeWitt Clinton8 Whitney, born 1812; died young.
ii.	Olive Whitney, born 14 Jul 1814; married Dec 1831 at Careyville, Jesse L. Knowlton. She died 14 Feb 1890. He died s.p. 25 Jun 1883.
iii.	Pully G. Whitney, born 20 Apr 1816; married Sep 1834, in Careyville, New York. William Smith, merchant; resided Dixon, Illinois Ch.: Harriett, born Nov., 1839; died 1853.
iv.	Fidelia Whitney, born 10 Apr 1818; married in Unionville, Ohio, Nov 1837, Dr. Jerome B. Gregory. She died Apr 1861. Ch.: Jerome B., born May 1850; married and died Dec 1883; his widow resided 608 7th St., Peoria, Illinois.
v.	Cornelia Whitney, born 10 Apr 1818; married 15 May 1844, Abram Brown; resided Dixon. he was born 17 Nov 1816. Ch.: Virginia H., born Aug. 21, 1846, Dixon, Ill; Olga, born 2 Apr 1849, Dixon, Illinois; Mary, born Sept. 30, 1850, Dixon, Illinois; Charles Abram, born 17 Oct 1852; died Sept. 20, 1855; Henry Ammi, born 10 Aug 1855, Dixon, Illinois; George Marshall, born 10 Nov 1857, Van Buren, Arkansas; Mary, married 1 Oct 1881; Henry A., married 17 Jun 1884.
vi.	Harriett Whitney, born Mar 1820; married 20 Jan 1840, James Mckinney; resided Dixon.
vii.	Eliza Ann Whitney, born Nov 1821; married Sep 1842; D. B. Mckinney; resided Dixon.
viii.	Alexas R. Whitney, born 22 Feb 1824; married Mary J. Oakley.
ix.	Hellen Whitney, born 1826; died young.
x.	Nathan Whitney, born 1824; died young.

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. 414-415.

---

Copyright © 2006, the Whitney Research Group