Archive:The Descendants of John Whitney, page 554
Archives > Extracts > Archive:The Descendants of John Whitney > The Descendants of John Whitney, page 554
The Descendants of John Whitney, Who Came from London, England, to Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1635, by Frederick Clifton Pierce (Chicago: 1895)
Transcribed by the Whitney Research Group, 1999.
| Previous page | Next page |
| 554 | WHITNEY GENEALOGY. |
for himself. He sold his business to his sons, Geo. B. and E.F. WHITNEY, who have retained the old firm name unchanged. In his business as jeweler, Mr. WHITNEY was distinguished for his advanced ideas in regard to methods and his ingenuity in designs. He was one of the exhibitors at the Paris exposition, and opened an office in London soon after, keeping it open until about two years ago. He crossed the ocean many times in the interests of his large export trade and on his last visit in 1882, noted with interest the same London pier where he had tied his ship forty years before! A pro- gressive man, Mr. Whitney was active in all public affairs. He was interested in starting the North Attleboro library, and served in many district offices and town committees. In politics he was a life-long Democrat, and in 1874 represented, largely by the assistance of Republican votes, the first Bristol representative district in the general court. He was once director of the North Attleboro National Bank and of the Attleboro Branch railroad. Mr. WHITNEY married Catharine J. BRIGGS, daughter of Rufus BRIGGS and sister of Wm. BRIGGS of Attleboro and Mrs. Walter BALLOU of N. Attleboro. They had sons of whom all save two died in childhood. Their married life was singularly happy. Then only did the vicissitudes, the labor, the reverses of years demand reprisals of his vigorous constitution and had their claims allowed. Age seems, in a measure, to rob success of its intoxication, failure of its pangs, honor of its allurements, and to reduce life to Longfellow's simple creed, "To live for those that love us." And when his lifelong companion was taken, Mr. WHITNEY expressed a willingness to follow. He d. Nov. 7, 1887; res. N. Attleboro, Mass. 8457x. i. HENRY F., b. June 11, 1851; d. May 21, 1853. 8458x. ii. GEO. BARBOUR, b. Nov. 6, 1852; m. Annie L. NORTON and Mary L. BICKFORD. 8459x. iii. FRANK R., b. Feb. 1, 1854; d. Oct. 12, 1856. 8460x. iv. EDWIN F., b. Sept. 8, 1856; m. Annie A. DAVENPORT. 8461x. v. WM. ORNE, b. Jan. 16, 1862; d. Sept, 1871. 5479. DR. JAMES ORNE WHITNEY (Martin, James, Benjamin, James, John, Jona- than, John), b. Attleboro, Mass., Mar. 2, 1823; m. at Lincoln, R.I., Apr. 20, 1850, Elisabeth Slack MILLER, b. Jan. 29, 1816. Dr. WHITNEY was born in Attleboro. When a boy 12 years of age and exceed- ingly active and athletic he went skating one day, but overdid to such an extent that hip disease set in, partially disabling him for life. He was attended during this trouble by Dr. Thaddeus PHELPS of Attleboro, and from that time he adopted the study of medicine as his life work. Later he studied under Dr. PHELPS and in 1845 graduated from the medical academy at Berkshire. He commenced practice in that village, but in a few years removed to Pawtucket where he resided. About fourteen years ago, after an unusually happy and prosperous summer he broke down from overwork. About five years ago an abscess which had formed in his side some years before was lanced, and since that time he has been out of his house but very little. Dr. WHITNEY was a strong alopathic supporter, and was regarded by physicians as an exceptionally acute diagnostician, his judgement in this regard being well nigh infallible. He was one of the founders and the first physician of the Pawtucket dispensary, and a member of the Rhode Island and Massachusetts Medical societies. At the time of the war he endeavored to enter the service as hospital surgeon at Washington, but was not admitted, owing to his infirmity. He was, however, examin- ing surgeon under the draft act. He was a member of the Rhode Island Historical Society, a stanch supporter of Trinity church, where he was vestryman for a num- ber of years, and a member of Union Lodge, A.F. & A.M. He has written a number of articles for medical journals throughout the country, and has introduced a number of original surgical appliances into the profession. He d. Jan. 24, 1895; res. Pawtucket, R.I. 8402. i. ANNA RUSSELL, b. Feb. 8, 1851; res. P. 8403. ii. MARY, b. Nov. 28, 1852; m. Mar. 1, 1887, Dr. Charles Crawford CARTER; res. Rock Island, Ill. He is a well-known physician at Rock Island, Ill., is a surgeon in the Third Brigade Illinois Militia. Ch.: James Orne, b. Feb. 6, 1888; d. Dec. 12, 1889; Charles Crawford, b. Sept. 5, 1889; lived only three weeks; Rich- ard Whitney, b. Aug. 14, 1890. 8404. iii. SYLVIE, b. Dec. 31, 1854; m. Oct. 18, 1881, Winthrop Carver DURFEE; res. Jamaica Plains, Mass. Ch.: Walter Chaloner, b. Jan. 29, 1883; Pauline Elizabeth, b. Feb. 11, 1885; Philip Sherwood, b. June 11, 1891. 8405. iv. JAMES ORNE, b. Aug. 18, 1860; d. Aug. 11, 1861.
| Previous page | Next page |
Copyright © 1999, 2006 The Whitney Research Group
