Archive:Civil War Pension File, Ai Everett Whitney
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Civil War Pension File of Ai E. Whitney
Widow: Emily Maria Abby Whitney
Invalid Applic. # 1375831 Cert. # 1150384
C2473833
National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
He is identified as Ai Everett8 Whitney, son of Zebulon7 and Susan (Morton) Whitney of Gorham, Maine (Eli6, Zebulon5, Abel4, Nathaniel3, Benjamin2, John1).
Private, Company K, 25th Regiment of Maine Volunteer Infantry
Ai E. Whitney signed a Declaration for Pension on 18 July 1908 from Suffolk Co., Massachusetts. He declares he is sixty-three years old and a resident of Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts. He was enrolled at Gorham, Maine on 29 September 1862 as a private in Company K, 25th Regiment of Maine Volunteer Infantry. He was honorably discharged at Portland, Maine on 10 July 1863. His personal description at enlistment was: 5 feet 8 ½ inches in height; dark complexion; dark eyes; dark hair; and his occupation was farmer. He was born at Gorham, Maine on 21 April 1845. His post office address is 455 Columbus Avenue, Suite #84, Boston, Massachusetts. The declaration is attested by Howard T. Richardson and Nathan H. Taylor.
On 13 August 1908, Ai answered an interrogatory from the Bureau of Pensions. He answers that he was born 21 April 1845 in Gorham, Maine. He enlisted 29 September 1862 at Gorham, Maine, where he had lived before his enlistment. His post office address at that time was West Gorham, Maine, and he was a farmer by occupation. He was discharged 10 July 1863 at Portland, Maine. Since his discharge he has lived in Portland, and mostly in Boston. He is presently not employed in any occupation. His physical description at this time is 5 feet 8 ½ inches in height, 200 pounds in weight, with dark eyes, dark hair, although now white. His complexion is dark, and he has no distinguishing marks or scars. His full name is Ai Everett Whitney. Witnessing the interrogatory are Howard T. Richardson and Mrs. Emily M. A. Whitney.
Ai also answered another interrogatory from the Bureau of Pensions on the same date. He is married to Emily Maria Abby Whitney, maiden name Merrian. They were married 7 August 1894 in New York City by Rev George Houghton, Rector of the Church of the Transfiguration. The marriage is recorded at the church, and he also has a marriage certificate. He was never previously married. He has one living son, Harold E. Whitney.
On 18 March 1915, Ai answered another interrogatory from the Bureau of Pensions. He now resides in San Diego, California, where he is living with his wife. Answers are consistent with previous testimony, with new information added. His wife was previously married to John Henry Kennison on 24 April 1872. He was killed by accident in Somerville, Massachusetts on 7 July 1893. He had belonged to the National Lancers (Cavalry). They had two children: Harold Everett Whitney, now living, and Sumner Whitney, who died in infancy.
Ai was last paid at nineteen dollars per month to 4 March 1916. He was dropped from the pension roll because of his death on 2 June 1916 (sic).
Emily Maria Abby Whitney signed a Declaration of a Widow for Accrued Pension from San Diego County, California on 17 July, 1916. She is sixty-three years old, and a resident of Kensington Park, San Diego County, California. She is the widow of Ai E. Whitney, who died 27 May 1916. She was married under the name of Emily Maria Abby Kenneson to said pensioner at the City of New York on 7 August 1894 by George N. Houghton, Rector. She had been previously married, but the soldier had not. John Henry Kenneson had died at Somerville, Massachusetts on 8 June 1893. Her post office address is R. #2, Box 322 H, Kensington Park, San Diego Co., California. Witnessing the declaration are Harold W. Everett and Charles B. McCoy, who have known Emily for 21 and 1 year respectively.
Included with the application is a death certificate for Ai Everett Whitney, issued by the California State Board of Health. He was a resident of 4668 Edgware Road, Kensington Park, California. He was born 21 April 1845, and died 27 May 1916, aged 71 years, 1 month, and 6 days. He was a retired merchant, and died of liver cancer. His father was Z. Whitney, born in Maine, and his mother's maiden name was Morton, born Maine. He had resided in California, and in this particular residence, for four years. He had formerly resided in Boston, Massachusetts. He was cremated in San Diego, and buried 1 June 1916. His wife was the informant for the death record.
Emily also provided a certified extract of her marriage record from the Church of the Transfiguration, New York, New York. They were married at the church by Rev. George N. Houghton on 7 August 1894. Ai Everett Whitney was a forty-eight year old bachelor and a resident of Montreal, Canada. His father's name was Zebulon, and his mother's maiden name was Susan Morton. Emily Maria Abby Kenne (sic) was a forty year old widow, nee Merrian, and a resident of Boston, Massachusetts. Her father's name was Benjamin, and her mother's maiden name was Emily Dinert.
Her application also includes the death record from the City of Somerville, Massachusetts of Emily's first husband, John H. Kenneson. He died 7 July 1893, supposed age 44 years, 3 months, and 1 day. The cause of death was accidental fracture of the ribs by an electric car. He was a resident of Boston, and died at Somerville Hospital. His occupation was motorman, and he was born at Somerville, Massachusetts. His parents were Albert Kenneson, born in Epsom, New Hampshire, and Nancy J. Eaton, born in Sedgewick, Maine. He was buried at Mount Auburn on 10 July 1893.
In a letter to the Pension Office dated 5 October 1916, Emily's attorney, Charles B. McCoy, explains that Emily died in August of 1916. The letter explains that Emily's son, a man of 28 years of age, is, to his knowledge, her only relative. Her son had been in Mexico for about three years before her death, and was in California for only a short time following her death. He knows of a sister of Emily who lives in Massachusetts, but cannot locate her. Emily had been married very shortly after the death of her former husband. They had not been living together for some time. Until about six years ago, Mr. Whitney was in business and enjoyed a considerable degree of prosperity. It was not until their change in circumstances that Mr. Whitney applied for a pension. Emily had bills as a result of her last illness, and the funds from the accrued pension would have satisfied them. However, the demands for proof from the Pension Bureau cannot now be met.
Note: In attesting his mother's Declaration for Accrued Pension, Harold Everett Whitney signed his name Harold W. Everett. It appears that for some reason he has changed his name. (KLW)
Copyright © 2006, Kenneth L. Whitney and the Whitney Research Group
