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530

ANCESTRY OF EVA BELLE KEMPTON

his baptism at Isleworth and his age at death are more nearly in tune. Likewise, his sons' ages are somewhat understated in this list and Elinor was more likely 35 than 30. At Watertown, John was admitted a freeman 3 March 1635/6. He was of a comfortable social standing and had a better than average education, but claims to a stunning royal descent have been disproven (TAG 10:84- 88).

His property was in keeping with his status as a Watertown proprietor and reflected a modest amount of trading and selling, as well. His homestail of sixteen acres was bounded to the east by William Jennison, west by Martin Underwood, north by Isaac Mixer and south by William Jennison (WTR 1:120). In the third division of Watertown lands he received lot 16 containing fifty acres (WTR 1:5). In the grant of the plowlands at Beaver Brook plains, with an allowance of one acre per person and likewise for cattle, John Whitney received ten acres, 28 February 1636 (WTR 1:6). The next year he received another ten acres (WTR 1:10). His other possessions granted to him included two acres of meadow at Beaver brook, ten acres of remote meadow and the eighty- third lot, ten acres of plow land, one acre of meadow in Pond Meadow, one acre of meadow, eighteen acres of upland beyond the further plain and the forty fifth lott, six acres of upland (WTR 1:85).

Richard Woodward sold John Whitney nine acres in Watertown on the little plain bordering Whitney's land on 16 limo 1646 for "six pounds...forty shillings a yeare in Corne...in wheate, or Rie, or pease, or Indian, some of each as God shalbe pleased to afford us" between limo 1647 and 1649 (Middlesex Deed 1:150-151). Thomas Arnold discharged the debt and acknowledged Whitney's title to the land in another deed dated 27 October 1661 (Middlesex Deed 3:445). John Whitney, "Taylor" bought six acres of land near the "Little Playne" from Robert Daniel on 6 2mo 1653 (Middlesex Deed 1:192). After moving from Watertown to Providence, RI, Thomas and Phebe Arnold sold seventeen acres of land in Watertown to John Whitney on 20 October 1662 (Middlesex Deed 2:259).

John Whitney is seen many times in the records with Thomas Arnold, in both friendly and adversarial relationships. He accused Arnold in court for absenting himself from public worship.

Mr Jno. Whitney & Henry Bright attested uppon oath that Thomas

Arnold had to their best knowledge absented himself from the publike ordinances of Christ on the Lords dayes for a full yeare last past. Thomas Arnold pleaded that he had bin absent severall dayes by warding and cow keeping &c. wch he could not make appeare (Pulsifer, 72).

Arnold was given a reduced fine 3 2mo 1655.

In 1649 when Thomas Arnold was granted a small patch of land near his house, John Whitney Sr. was to set it out so that it did not prejudice the

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WHITNEY

531

highway (WTR 1:19). For an unspecified service to the town, John Whitney received 2s 9d in 1651 (WTR 1:25).

John Whitney was a selectman in 1637 (WTR 1:3) and served again in 1647 and 1650 (WTR 1:10, 20). "Mr Whetny is chosen to take the Invoyce for the towne: and to have lOs for his paines; and to take Land and cattell as it was to the Country rate" (WTR 1:14).

He was paid £1.1.0 by the town in 1653 (WTR 1:41) and as town clerk, wrote out the receipt of the town's account that year (WTR 1:4041). In 1654 Mr. Whitney testified against Robert Daniel when Daniel was charged with failing to fence his land like the rest of the commoners (WTR 1:37). He was charged with making the ministry rate in 1654 (WTR 1:39).

In 1663, Watertown paid Thomas Torball 8s "for Tho whitnies Child" perhaps indicating that Whitney had a grandson who was a town charge (WTR 1:77) which seems likely in light of "Thomas whetney (in regard of his present nessesity) shall have the one half of his Sallery payd him in hand" for whipping dogs out of the meetinghouse upon the Sabbath (WTR 1:81).

John Whitney witnessed the deed of Reana Daniel to John's son, John Jr. on 7 limo 1656 (Middlesex Deed 3:364).

John Whitney gave a tract of thirty-nine acres to his son, Jonathan, in 1659, but never made a formal deed for it. Five years later, on 10 November 1664, John acknowledged that he had given the land to his son (Middlesex Deed 3:79).

About two months before his death, John Whitney Sr. made his will:

I John Whitney Senior of Watertown, in ye County of Middlesex: being

perfect and sound in memory and understanding blessed be God for it: doo declare this to be my last will and testament in manner and form as followeth
  F[ir]st I commit my spint into ye hand of god yt gave it; and my body unto ye earth whence it was taken:
  2 ly. I give unto my son John Whitney: my meadow called beever- brook meadow with ye upland yt doth apertane thereto: and a yoake of oxen: or nine pounds ten shillings: and ten acres of my land called devedent land and a trunke and one palre of sheets and one paire of piliow beers and two pewter dishes a great one and a small one: and the bed whereon I lie with all ye furniture thereunto belonging.
  3 ly. I give unto my son Richard Whitney: ten acres of my land called devedend and two cows and a great sea chest.
  4 ly. I give unto my son Thomas Whitney ten acres of my land called devedend and two cows and a sad colored sute namely a paire of breeches and a close coate and pewter dish.
  5 ly. I give unto my son Jonathan Whitney: one fron kittle and a great brass skillit.

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