Family:Whitney, Hannah M. (1819-a1870)

Hannah⁷ Whitney (James M.⁶, Jacob⁵, Benjamin⁴, John³, Benjamin², John¹), daughter of James M.⁶ and Reliance (?Hinckley?) Whitney, was born 4 Oct 1819, Phillips, ME, and died after 1870.

She married, before 1850, William L. Dennis, probably son of Ambrose and Sophia (Jenkins) Dennis. He was born about 1828, NS, and died before 1870.

They resided near Phillips, ME, Yellowhead, KS, and Wrightstown, WI.

Children of William L. and Hannah⁷ (Whitney) Dennis:

i.	Rebecca8 Whitney, b. 1842, apparently illegitimate; m. Charles Ellis.
ii.	Charles Dennis (alias Charles Whitney), b. ca. 1854, WI; d. aft. 1870.
iii.	Isaiah Dennis, b. ca. May 1860 (twin), Yellowhead, IL; d. Jul 1860, Yellowhead, IL.
iv.	Anna Dennis, b. ca. May 1860 (twin), Yellowhead, IL; d. Jun 1860, Yellowhead, IL.
ii.	George Dennis, b. ca. 1863, WI; d. aft. 1870.
ii.	Rosan Dennis, b. ca. 1867, WI; d. aft. 1870.

Notes

The 1870 Census of Wrightstown, WI reveals the household of Charles and Rebecca Ellis. Residing with them are their two children, George and Rosina, as well as Charles Ellis, a child of Charles Ellis’ first marriage. Also in the household are Reliance Whitney, age 76, b. ME, the widow of James M. Whitney of Phillips, ME, “living with granddaughter”, and Hannah Whitney, age 51, b. ME, “living with daughter.” This census establishes Reliance Whitney residing with her daughter Hannah, and Hannah’s daughter Rebecca. Also, the Charles Whitney residing in the family is probably the Charles Dennis found in 1860 In Yellowhead, IL (see below).

The death records of two children of Charles and Rebecca Ellis are available at present: Orick and Peter. Joseph’s Social Security application is also available. All three records state that Rebecca’s maiden name was Dennis. In the 1900 Census, Rebecca says her father was born in Nova Scotia. So, who can be found in a Phillips, ME census, last name Dennis, born in Nova Scotia, who could be the father of Rebecca, born in 1842? The 1850 Census of Township 3, Range 2 (now Dallas Plantation, near Phillips), Franklin Co., ME reveals William L. Dennis, age 32, b. Nova Scotia residing with Hannah Dennis, age 30, born ME. They fit the profile of Rebecca’s parents.

The following scenario could have developed (speculation): Hannah Whitney has the child Rebecca with William L. Dennis. As was common in those days, Rebecca was struck off to Hannah’s parents. Shortly after the 1850 census, the whole family, including William and Hannah Dennis, removed to Brown Co., Wisconsin. There, Rebecca remained with Hannah’s parents, and Hannah and William had the son Charles. William and Hannah then removed to Yellowhead, IL, where the twins were born and died in 1860. Sometime between 1860 and 1870, William either died, or he and Hannah split up. Hannah and Charles (who became a Whitney, like his sister Rebecca) moved back to her family in Wrightstown, WI.

Census

• 1850, Township 3, Range 2 (now Dallas Plantation, near Phillips), Franklin Co., ME:

18 19 William L. Dennis 32 M - Laborer Nova Scotia Hannah Dennis 30 F - Maine

• 1860, Yellowhead, Kankakee Co., IL:

1544 1470 Wm. L. Dennis 41 M - Laborer Mass. Laborer Hannah " 41 F - Wife Maine Charles " 6 M - Wis. Attended school Isaiah " (twin) 1m M - Ill. Anna " (twin) 1m M - Ill.

• 1860 Mortality Schedule: Kankakee Co., IL:

Isaiah Dennis d. July 1860 Anna Dennis d. June 1860

• 1870, Wrightstown, Brown Co., WI:

73 73 Ellis, Charles 61 M W Farmer $500 $172 Vermont -----, Rebecca 28 F W Keeping house Maine -----, George 7 M W Wisconsin -----, Rosan 3 F W Wisconsin Whitney, Reliance 76 F W Lives with Granddaughter Maine -----, Hanah 51 F W Lives with daughter Maine -----, Charles 16 M W Works on farm Wisconsin

• 1880: not found.

References

• Census records.

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Copyright © 2019, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group.