Archive:Civil War Pension File, Constant Freeman Whitney
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Civil War Pension File of Constant F. Whitney
Widow: Maria J. H. Whitney
National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
He is identified as Constant Freeman7 Whitney (Constant Hopkins6, Barnabas5, Isaac4, Nathaniel3, Benjamin2, John1)
Constant Freeman Whitney was born in Boston, MA 12 August 1836, the son of Constant and Caroline R. Whitney. He enlisted in the 39th Massachusetts Infantry at Sherborn, MA 4 August 1862. He was discharged in Boston, MA 6 March 1863, LOS [Length of Service] 7 mo., 3 days. He was 5 feet, 4 and 1/4 inch tall, light complexion, blue eyes, light hair. His occupation was farmer.
Constant Freeman Whitney married Maria Jane Houchins Colburn, the daughter of Rueben H. Colburn. She was born 6 May 1841. They were married by Rev. A.S. Lyon in Natick, MA 16 June 1855. Constant was 19 years old, and Maria 15 years old when they married.
After his discharge from the army, they lived in Natick, MA until 1874, and then removed to Norwood, MA. They had the following children (from two separate listings dated 1898: living children; and 1915, all children):
- Constant H., b. 17 Sept 1861 (not listed as living in 1898)
- Hiram H., b. 10 March 1864
- Carrie Maria, b. 10 Sept 1867 (or, 23 Sept 1867)
- Elvira Colburn, b. 10 Sept 1869 (or, 23 Sept 1873)
- Bertha Estelle, b. 23 Dec 1875 (or, 1876)
Death Certificate contains the following:
Constant F. Whitney died 16 January 1916 at 47 Nichols St., Norwood, MA of a cerebral hemorrhage. He was 79 years, 5 mo., 4 days old. He was born in Boston, MA, the son of Constant A(sic) Whitney and Caroline Morton. His father was born in Freeman, Maine and his mother was born in Boston, MA.
Maria J. H. Whitney died in Norwood, MA 8 August 1928. A filing in 1926 was addressed from 96 Nichols St., Norwood, MA. There was a filing in 1906 from her husband addressed from West Southport, Lincoln Co., Maine.
Military history: Constant F. Whitney was a teamster in the army, and was injured in an incident at Offutt's Crossroads, Maryland. Today, that is the intersection of Falls and River Roads in Potomac, Maryland. He was riding a horse in camp on 30 November 1862 when it threw him against a tree, where he was kicked in the head and chest. He suffered head and spinal injuries which totally incapacitated him. There is much testimony in the file about him not being able to work again because of these injuries.
Copyright © 2006, Kenneth L. Whitney and the Whitney Research Group
