Archive:Civil War Pension File, Timothy Whitney
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Civil War Pension File of Timothy Whitney
Widow: Avis Whitney
Widow Applic. # 541382 Cert. # none
National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
He is identified as Timothy8 Whitney (Amos7, Jonathan6, Jonathan5, Samuel4, John3, Benjamin2, John1). The pension file of Ingerson Whitney, his brother, has also been posted.
Private, Company I, 17th Maine Infantry Regiment
On 6 February 1892 from Washington Co., Idaho, Avis Whitney signed a Declaration for Widow's Pension. She is sixty-nine years old and a resident of the town of Gunderson, Silver Bow Co., Montana. She is the widow of Timothy Whitney, who enlisted at Bangor, Maine on 1 March 1865 as a Private in the 17th Regiment of Maine Volunteer Infantry. He was discharged on 13 May 1865, and died 11 February 1873. He died of disease contracted in the U.S. Army. She was married to Timothy under the name Avis Douglas on 1 September 1845 at Corinth, Maine by Martin Pierson, J.P. Neither party had been previously married. She has not remarried since the soldier's death. Children who were under 16 years of age at the time of their father's death are: Sadie Whitney, born 3 May 1858; Emma Whitney, born 3 March 1860; and Ella Whitney, born 14 October 1862. The Declaration was witness by J. R. Thomas, and was signed by Avis by making her mark.
In a Claimant's Affidavit Avis testifies that she was married in Corinth, Maine in 1844, but received no marriage certificate, and there was no record made of it that she is aware of. The intentions were published prior to the marriage.
The file contains a sworn statement concerning the death of Timothy Whitney from Waushara County, Wisconsin. On 14 August 1893, E. L. Pierse, a resident of Wautoma, Waushara Co., Wisconsin testifies that he is a farmer and was present at the death of Timothy Whitney At Wautoma, Wisconsin. He has examined the records of the Town of Wautoma and can supply a true copy of the record. Timothy Whitney died in Wautoma, Waushara Co., Wisconsin on 11 February 1873, aged 52 years, 1 month, and 6 days. He was present at the death.
In support of the marriage of Timothy Whitney and Avis Douglas is the testimony of Joseph Goodwin. He is 71 years old, and a resident of Hudson, Penobscot Co., Maine. Joseph knew Timothy Whitney from the month of May 1838, the year that his father and family moved into the town. That spring Joseph was 15 years old. Timothy lived there until the year 1868, and in the fall he and his family moved to the State of Wisconsin. In the year 1844 he married a lady by the name of Avis Douglas in the Town of Bradford, six years after he came to town. He was married the year that Joseph was 21 years old. Joseph was acquainted with Avis for about a year and six month before the marriage by the Justice of the Peace named Bradbury Robinson in the Town of Corinth. Joseph knows that neither party had ever been previously married. He knows this statement to be true because he lived in the same part of town as Timothy for thirty years. Timothy's father's farm and Joseph's father's farm joined, and Joseph still lives on the old farm. The testimony is witnessed by Henry W. Briggs and signed by Joseph Goodwin.
The pension application of Avis Whitney was twice rejected under two different pension laws. She could not show that her husband's death was due to his military service, and he did not serve the required ninety days. The claim was abandoned.
Copyright © 2006, Kenneth L. Whitney and the Whitney Research Group.
