Family:Whitney, Jeremiah (c1627-1711)

Jeremiah² Whitney/Whitten/Whitton (Thomas¹), son of Thomas¹ and Audrey (Cook)(Morecock) Whitney,^[1] was born about 1627, probably Smarden, Kent, England,^[2] was baptized 6 Aug 1626, Smarden, Kent, England, and died in late 1711, Tisbury, Martha's Vineyard, MA.^[3]

He married before 1666, exact date and place unknown, Elizabeth Doggett,^[4] daughter of John and Alice (Brotherton) Doggett.^[5] She was born about 1638, Watertown, MA,^[6] and died after Nov 1711.^[7]

Before 1657 Jeremiah had removed to Sandwich as he appears that date to take the oath of fidelity. In 1660 the father gave certain property rights to his son Jeremiah. [*Thomas Whitton (Whitney) is frequently mentioned in the Plymouth records and was a juryman every year 1643-1667. He married twice after the death of the wife Audrey (before 1639), and in his will he mentions son Jeremiah and grandson Thomas.]

The four original proprietors of Takemmy admitted, among others, in May, 1671, Jeremiah Whiten to joint proprietory rights, and if this be the Jeremy of 1635, as it undoubtedly is, our Jeremiah was forty-four years old when he took up his residence and cast his lot in the new township of Tisbury. His homestead is thus described in the records:

June the 27 1673 the Record of the lands And Accomadations of Jeremiah Whitin in Takymmy or tisbury on the vineyard. One house Lot which containeth fourty Acres [lying on the west side of the brook where his dwelling house] is this present year or 1673 bounded by the hey [way] And James Allens lot on the south being fourty [rods by the brook] more or less And the brook on the east And runing eight score rods in length westward being fourty Acres more or less. And the sixth part of the neck by John Eddys of [which half] the sixth and furdermost lot next the poynt is Jeremiah whitins Leying Across the neck as the neck is devided to every mans [lot], contained in the neck as before mentioned in the order of the devision of the three necks bareing dates the first of february [1671]. And the sixteenth part of all undevided lands whether purchased or to purchesse or that may be purchased

This is the record of the lands And Accomadations of Jeremiah Whitin

[*This lot was between the cemetery and Scotchman's Bridge road.]

At the time of his coming here he was married to Elizabeth, daughter of John Daggett, of Watertown and the Vineyard. She was born about 1638 and two children were born to them, Thomas and a daughter Mary, b. May 1, 1666, recorded in the town book of Tisbury, though it is probable she owned some other place as her native town. Thomas died young.

Jeremiah Whitten remained in Tisbury the rest of his days, until death terminated his earthly career late in 1711. There is no record of his decease, nor of his wife's, and no gravestones mark their last resting place. His will shows that the "aged Mother Elizabeth my wife" was living in November of that year. The daughter Mary married Benjamin Manter and the son-in-law with his wife were the beneficiaries of his estate, subject to support of the widow during her lifetime. Whitten Manter received a gun "which formerly belonged unto my son Thomas Whitten deceased" (Probate, I, 33). His estate inventoried at £283, 7s.

In his lifetime he made but little impress, if we may judge from the infrequency of appearance of his name in the town records. He was selectman in 1679, and on the committee to rearrange the town books in 1689, and this constitutes all that is known of him. The name became extinct here at his death, but that of Whitten Manter was familiar to past generations, and all the descendants of Benjamin Manter may look to him as a common ancestor.^[8]

Elizabeth Doggett and her husband Jeremiah Whitten are mentioned in the estate of her father as follows:

Plymouth May 17, 1673

I John Doggett finding the symptons of death upon me do make this my last will and testament hereby Revoking all former wills. I give to my Beloved wife all my household goods and all my wearing cloaths and all my debts in any part of Plymouth Collonie: also I give her one ox at Sacconesit in the hands of William Week, Jr.: also I give my said wife that five pounds in goods which I was to receive of John Eddy as part of pay for the two oxen of mine he sold for 10 pounds: also I give her the hide and Tallow of an ox that is at the Vineyard to be sent to Boston, and the four quarters of the ox I give equally to my sons and daughters at the Vineyard.

My lands at Marthas Vineyard undivided and their priviledges which are part of the twenty seventh part of that township called now Edgartown, I give to my two sons John and Joseph to be equally divided betwixt them and to remain to their heirs forever.

My twenty akers of meadow given to me upon the same tearm, my farme upon the said Island was granted to me which is not yet laid out to me, I give 10 akers of it to my son Thomas, 5 akers to my son John, 5 akers to my son Joseph.

A small parcell of meadow I have at Chappaquiddick Joining to my son Thomas, his meadow there; I give it to my son, Thomas. fourty akers of upland and two akers of meadow that at one of Elyzabeth Islands namely that Island which Mr. Peleg Sanford Bought which upland and meadow I bought of Francis Vssleton who had said land of aged Mr. Mayhew, this said upland and meadow I give to my son Thomas. My whole farm I have already equally divided betwixt my three sons. My ten akre lot uppon the line now where John Gee dwelt I give equally to be divided between my two sons John and Joseph. My land at Aquampache and at Felix neck and at Konomache and a piece of meadow at Sangekantackett and any other portion fo land I have not before named I give to be equally divided betixt my two daughters Elizabeth and Hephzibah.

All My cattle and horse kind at Marthas Vineyard I give to be equally divided between my two daughters.

My will is that my son John send my wife two payer of shoes and then to discharge him of all further debt.

With Reference to my estate at the Islands above mentioned I desire my loving friends Isaac Robinson and John Eddy my son in law to be overseers of this my will and to see that et be performed and concerning my estate in this Collonie, my desire is that Lieutenant Morton and Andrew Ring be overseers of this will and that they take care to see it performed. The Marke of JOHN DAGGETT senr\

The said John Doggett senr did attest the above written to be his last will and Testament before us, he being then of sound mind and understanding
Witnesses JOHN COTTON JOHN ATWOOD ANDREW RING

This will is legally and orderly proved and Recorded at the Court of his majesties holden at Plymouth the 4th of June 1673 as attesteth Nathaniel Morton Secretary to the Court for the Jurisdiction of New Plymouth.

This will is by the court held at Edgartown upon Mart. Vineyard Oct. 1, 1673 accepted and approved as legall with this proviso only, that the farm is to contain 500 akers of upland and 20 akers of meadow and no more and so ordered to be recorded, as attest,

MATT. MAYHEW, Secretary


Inventory of John Doged of Plymouth on oath of Bathsheba Dogged, Widow, 26 May 1673, at court 4 Jume 1673, amts to
£ s d
16 18 9

also due 16 4 EPHR. NORTON

due funeral 19 f ANDREW RINGE

Whereas there hath been som controversie concerning some particulars in the Will and Testament of John Dogget senr on the other side recorded, it is agreed and concluded as followeth, viz.

That whereas it is said in the said will that land undivided and their privileges are given to his sons John and Joseph: yet notwithstanding in the subsequent of the said will a certain parcell of land called called Aquompache undivided is otherwise dispose of viz: to his two daughters:

The said John and Joseph do Hereby wholly relinquish any right, Tythe, or interest which they might claim by vertue of any clause in the said will unto the said land at Aquompache to be held as in the subsequent part of the will is declared to be gived and for confirmation thereof we have desired this our account to be recorded in his Magesties Court of Records at Marthas Vineyard and have hereunto in witness thereof subscribed with our hands in this publique record, May 29, in the 27th year of his Magesties Reign A. D.1675.

JOHN DOGGETT
JOSEPH DOGGETT

Recorded this 29 May 1675 pr Matt Mayhew Secretary [Dukes Co., MA Deeds,1-322]

On 29 May 1675, John Edy and Jeremiah Whitten, husbands of Elizabeth & Hephzibah, quitclaimed their rights in land near the Neck to Josepth Daggett.^[9]

Children of Jeremiah² and Elizabeth (Daggett) Whitney/Whitten/Whitton:

i.	Thomas3 Whitney/Whitten/Whitton, b. unknown; living at the time of his grandfather's will in 1673, but d. unmarried.
ii.	Mary Whitney/Whitten/Whitton, b. 1 May 1666, Tisbury, MA;[10] m. Benjamin Manter.

References

1.^  His parentage is inferred by his inclusion with his father and mother on the ship list of the "Elizabeth and Ann" in 1635.

2.^  His birth date is estimated from his age of eight years on the ship list in 1635.

3.^  His will was written in Nov 1711 and proved shortly thereafter.

4.^  His wife's name is proven by her father's will.

5.^  Her parentage is proven by her birth record and her father's will.

6.^  Her birth date is estimated from her husband's, her oldest child's, and her siblings' birth dates. The place is the residence of her father at the time.

7.^  She was mentioned in her husband's estate.

8.^  Charles Edward Banks, The History of Martha's Vineyard, Volume II, Annals of West Tisbury, pp. 25-65.

9.^  Dukes County, Massachusetts, land records, 1:322.

10.^  "Whitny, Mary, [born] May 1, 1666," according to Vital Records of Tisbury, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1910), p. 93.

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