Family:Whitney, Edward Kendall (1824-1897)
Edward Kendall8 Whitney (Freeman7, Enoch6, Moses5, Nathaniel4, Nathaniel3, Benjamin2, John1), son of Freeman7 and Mary S. (Gray) Whitney, was born 9 Sep 1824, Harrison, ME, and died 14 Feb 1897, Harrison, ME.
He married, int. 1 Oct 1848, cert. 24 Oct 1848, 29 Oct 1848, Harrison, ME, Arvilla Caswell,[1] daughter of Marquis DeLafayette and Sally (Nutting) Caswell. She was born 9 Aug 1827, Harrison, ME, and died 25 Oct 1870, Harrison, ME (but was living in the 1880 census).
He is one of the most successful farmers in Harrison, and one of the most progressive agriculturists there. He has engaged largely in stockraising, and fruit growing, and takes an active position in all agricultural, educational, political and religious movements; he is well informed on general topics, and is an honorable and highly respected citizen; resided Harrison, ME.
Edward Kendall Whitney was engaged in brick making, near Cape Monday, three years, about 1850. In 1853, he moved to the homestead of his father-in-law, Mr. Caswell, and settled permanently as proprietor and manager, assuming the care and support of his wife's parents. He instituted a number of progressive schemes for improvement and profit in farm culture, and some of his ideas and innovations upon old, standard habits of farming, produced a startling effect upon the public mind. Yet, in a few years his favorite ideas relative to higher modes of farming "caught on" with many of the most progressive and thrifty farmers in his own and adjoining towns; in fact, his success as a breeder of fine Chester swine and Jersey cows, and his large and productive orchards became objects for imitation and emulation on many other farms. Mr. Whitney was an expert in the art of tree production, and had apple and pear tree nurseries, from which he planted large orchards on his own farm and sold to neighboring farmers, many hundreds of choice trees for new orchards; among them the valuable apple orchard of S. H. Dawes, one of the handsomest and most productive orchards of its size in the State.
Mr. Whitney's herd of Jersey cows, raised on his own farm, generally numbered fifteen, but at one time he had eighteen. His wife was the butter maker for a number of years, until the labor became too arduous for her, when Mr. Whitney assumed the charge and personal manipulation of that department of the farm dairy. It is believed no similar farm dairy--so large in extent and so productive of finest butter has ever existed in town. It must not be forgotten, but ever remembered, that, to the co-operation and intelligent assistance and encouragement of his wife was due successful results of his practical application of his advanced theories. There is abundant evidence of wise foresight in the present aspect of world-wide demand for the precise articles which he produced and which his farm has produced in late years, since his ownership and management ceased. It is sufficient to say, that though he may have erred in judgment as to the prospective profitableness of one or more schemes for money making in a pursuit quite proper for some farmers, the general methods pursued by him were judiciously carried out, and, as the world judges, his career was crowned with triumphant success.
Near the end of the century, Mr. Whitney's increasing cares and infirmities of body and impairment of mental faculties compelled him to relinquish his oversight of his extensive operations, and he was led to retire to the quietude of his home, where, with the beloved companion of his youth and prime, he passed the remaining two years of his life; the object of the kind ministrations of many sympathizing friends. Mr. Whitney made a profession of religion at the age of eighteen years, and joined the Free Baptist Church in Harrison; being baptized with three of his brothers on the same occasion. He was zealous and faithful in his efforts to promote the welfare and prosperity of the church of his choice through all the vicissitudes of its history to the end of his active life. He gave liberally to the cause of the church at home and the Sunday-school, of which he was a teacher and superintendent, and to missions and other institutions for church extension.
Although not possessed of a liberal education in the schools of his early days, Mr. Whitney was, yet, a man of wide information on many subjects pertaining to agriculture and farm management. That was not, however, the limitation of his knowledge or sphere of active interest. He read much and thought deeply on the political questions of the times and on the subject of the future prevalence of the power and influence of Protestant Christianity through the missions among the nations of the world. He was a true friend of public education and gave all his children a course of training in Bridgton Academy, fitting them to become competent teachers in schools of high grade. From that stage of advancement in learning, they each took up the work of self-help, and pushed their way through, without assistance, to the end of a college course, each graduating with the degree of A.B. Thus they attained the object of their ambition as they entered upon a higher sphere of achievement in professional life.
Children of Edward Kendall8 and Arvilla (Caswell) Whitney:
i. Edward9 Whitney, b. 19 Aug 1851; m. Mary Eliza Stone. ii. Harrison Whitney, b. 21 Oct 1858; m.(1) Theresa Althea Brown; m.(2) Cora Alice Brown. iii. Fairfield Whitney, b. 20 Feb 1862, Harrison, ME; m.(1) Alma Maria Brackett; m.(2) Caroline A. Sprague. iv. Mary Florence Whitney, b. 28 Apr 1866, Harrison, ME; m. 18 Aug 1896, Dr. Charles Bradford Sylvester, M.D., b. 12 Feb 1865, Casco, Me., son of Samuel C. and Rebecca B. (Stuart) Sylvester; m.(1) Flora Bell Bray of Harrison, ME. Dr. Charles B. Sylvester has resided in Harrison nearly twenty years, where he is a popular and esteemed physician. He takes much interest in civic affairs, and has served very acceptably on the school board as superintendent of schools. He is much identified with the progress of medical science and is a member of the medical associations of Cumberland and Oxford counties. He has been a contributor to various medical publications, and is a member of several fraternal organizations: Lakeside Grange, P. of H., Harrison; Oriental Lodge, Oriental Chapter and Oriental Commandery of Masons, Bridgton; Oxford Council of Norway; Kora Temple Mystic Shrine, Lewiston. She graduated from Bridgton Academy in class of 1885; taught in the public school one year; afterward for five years working as stenographer in Bridgeport and New Haven, Conn. She was a constant nurse and attendant to her father during the years of his last illness. Children: a. Allan Whitney Sylvester, b. 27 Jul 1898. b. Miriam Caswell Sylvester, b. 31 Dec 1900.
Census
556 566 Edward K. Whitney 25 M - Brickmaker Maine Arvilla Whitney 23 F - do
422 426 Edward K. Whitney 35 M - Farmer $3000 $1150 Harrison Me. Avilla " 32 F - Wife " " Edward " 8 M - " " Attended school Harrison " 1 M - " " Fidelia Caswell 30 F - Teacher of Com School $300 Harrison Me. Peter Jordan 21 M - Farm Laborer Bridgton "
22 22 Whitney, Edward K. 45 M W Farmer $4000 $2107 Maine Male citizen over 21 -----, Arvilla 42 F W Keeping House Maine -----, Edward 18 M W Works on Farm Maine Attended school -----, Harrison 11 M W Attending school Maine Attended school -----, Fairfield 8 M W Attending school Maine Attended school -----, Mary F. 4 F W Maine
Edward K. WHITNEY 55 Self M M W ME Farmer ME MA Arvilla WHITNEY 52 Wife F M W ME ME MA Edward WHITNEY 28 Son M S W ME School Teacher ME ME Harrison WHITNEY 21 Son M S W ME Student ME ME Fairfield WHITNEY 17 Son M S W ME Works At Home ME ME Mary F. WHITNEY 14 Dau F S W ME ME ME Marquis D. CASWELL 88 FatL M W W ME Farmer MA MA Samuel A. KNEELAND 34 Oth M S W ME Laborer ME ME
References
- All data imported from Frederick Clifton Pierce, The Descendants of John Whitney, Who Came from London, England, to Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1635, (Chicago: 1895), pp. 578-579.
- Moulton, Alphonso, Howard L. Sampson, and Granville Fernald, comps. and eds., Centennial History of Harrison, Maine: Containing The Centennial Celebration of 1905, and Historical and Biographical Matter (Portland: Southworth Printing Company, 1909), pp. 374, 412, 631, 706-709.
1.^ "Edward K., s. Freeman Whitney (b. Standish) and Mary S. (Gray) (b. Beverly, Mass.), b. Harrison, d. 14 Feb 1897, aged 72 years 5 months 5 days, of cerebral hemorrhage, male, white married, farmer, according to Harrison, Maine, Vital Records.
2.^ Harrison, Maine, Vital Records.
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