Family:Whitney, George (1817-1897)

Col. George⁸ Whitney (Amos⁷, Levi⁶, Jonas⁵, Jonas⁴, Moses³, Richard², John¹), son of Amos⁷ and Sophia (Harris) Whitney, was born 21 Sep 1817, Royalston, MA,^[1] and died 26 Dec 1897, Royalston, MA, aged 80 years, of cystitis.^[2]

Marriage intentions were published 14 Apr 1842, Royalston, MA, for him and Eliza J. Simpson "of Boston".^[3] He married firstly, 20 Apr 1842, Eliza Jane Simpson. She was born 26 Sep 1823, and died 31 Dec 1884.

He married secondly, 21 Aug 1890, Mary Evelyn Carter, daughter of David and Mary (-----) Carter. She was born 16 Jun 1849,^[4] Winchendon, MA.

Colonel George Whitney is one of the most enterprising and successful business men of Worcester county. He has achieved success. He was brought up on a farm, and drove a team on the highway for ten years. In 1858, soon after the death of Rufus Bullock, he bought the woolen mill at South Royalston, although he already owned a chair shop, and had been engaged in the manufacture of chairs since the year 1848. He thus became the head of two important manufacturing interests. He employs more than one hundred hands in both factories, and during the past years of depression and widespread "panic" has moved steadily on, keeping the full quota of help in both the mill and chair shop. Colonel Whitney has held the position of depot agent continuously since the establishment of a depot at South Royalston; has represented his town in the legislature, both in the house and senate. He has been a member of the governor's council for the years 1873-74-75-76, and 1877, five consecutive years, when he declined to stand longer as a candidate for the office. The vote at the election in 1875, to serve in 1876, as recorded in the office of the secretary of state is; George Whitney, 24,318; scattering, 7. The vote at the election in 1876, to serve in 1877, recorded as above is; George Whitney, 33,354, and no vote against him. We venture to say that no other public man in the commonwealth has a like record of unanimity at any election where 30,000 or more ballots have been cast; resided Royalston, MA.

Children of George⁸ and Eliza Jane (Simpson) Whitney:

i.	Sophia Elizabeth9 Whitney, b. 2 May 1844, Royalston, MA;[5] d. 15 Jul 1844, Royalston, MA, of dysentery.[6]
ii.	Charles Whitney, b. 28 Dec 1845; d. 17 Sep 1861.
iii.	Mary Elizabeth Whitney, b. 11 Oct 1847, Royalston, MA;[7] d. 27 Oct 1865.
iv.	George Ellis Whitney, b. 30 Jan 1864; m. 14 Dec 1889, Elizabeth Clark Esterbrook; resided s. p. West Fitchburg, MA.

Census

• 1850, Royalston, Worcester Co., MA:

136 159 Geo. Whitney 33 M - Chairmaker $2000 Mass. Eliza J. " 27 F - Maine Chas. " 5 M - Mass. Attended school Mary E. " 3 F - " Attended school

• 1860, Royalston, Worcester Co., MA:

690 878 George Whitney 42 M - Chair & Lumber Mfg $6000 $20000 Mass. Eliza J. " 36 F - Maine Charles " 14 M - Mass. Attended school Mary E. " 12 F - " Attended school

• 1870, Royalston, Worcester Co., MA:

205 243 Whitney, George 53 M W Woolen Manfr. $93000 $5700 Mass. Male citizen over 21 -----, Eliza J. 47 F W Keeping house Maine -----, George E. 7 M W Mass. Attended school Averell, Isabelle 17 F W At home Maine Attended school

• 1880, Royalston, Worcester Co., MA:

George WHITNEY 62 Self M M W MASS VT MASS Eliza J. WHITNEY 56 Wife F M W MAINE Keep House MAINE MAINE George E. WHITNEY 16 Son M S W MASS At School MASS MAINE

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), p. 501.

1.^  "George [Whitney], s. Amos and S[o]phia, [born] Sept. 21, 1817," according to Franklin P. Rice, ed., Vital Records of Royalston, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1850 (1906).

2.^  "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1910," from original records held by the Massachusetts Archives. Online database: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004; volume 474, page 704.

3.^  "George [Whitney] and Eliza J. Simpson of Boston, int. April 14, 1842," according to Royalston Vital Records.

4.^  "Mary Evelyn Carter [Whitney], w. Col. George, [born] ____ __, 1849. G.S.3," according to Franklin P. Rice, ed., Vital Records of Winchendon, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (1909).

5.^  "Sophia Elizabeth [Whitney], d. George and Eliza Jane, [born] May 2, 1844," according to Royalston Vital Records.

6.^  "Sophia Elizabeth [Whitney], d. George and Eliza Jane, [died] July 15, 1844, a. 2m. 13d. Dysentery," according to Royalston Vital Records.

7.^  "Mary Elizabeth [Whitney], d. George and Eliza Ann, [born] Oct. 11, 1847," according to Royalston Vital Records.

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Copyright © 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group