Family:Whitney, Jonathan (1766-1853)

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Jonathan⁶ Whitney (Peter⁵, Josiah⁴, Josiah³, (prob.) Benjamin², John¹), son of Peter⁵ and Mercy (Case) Whitney, was born 20 Feb 1766, Willington, CT,^[1] was baptized [ ] Mar 1766, Willington, CT,^[2] and died 12 Apr 1853, Tunbridge, VT.

He married firstly, 15 Dec 1796, Randolph or Tunbridge, VT, Eunice Story,^[3] daughter of Asa and Abia (-----) Story. She was born 4 Nov 1779, and died 9 Sep 1804.

He married secondly, 2 Jan 1806, Hartford, VT, Dora Marsh.^[4] She was born Nov 1768, and died 25 Sep 1806.

He married thirdly, 17 Mar 1808, Stockbridge, VT, Zylpha Holt.^[5] She was born 2 Feb 1776, and died 8 Mar 1830.

He married fourthly, 14 or 16 Dec 1830, Royalton, VT, Betsey (Goodell) Button^[6] She was born 7 Sep 1783, Preston, CT, and died 12 Oct 1867, Tunbridge, VT, aged 84 years. She had married firstly, 1804, Tunbridge, VT, Robert Button, born 28 Mar 1782, and died 2 Mar 1822.

Jonathan Whitney, the oldest son of Peter Whitney, was born in the state of Connecticut, 20 Feb 1766. He came to the state of Vermont about the year 1787, and was employed as a surveyor. That season he surveyed and lotted the towns of Chittenden and Philadelphia, on the west side of the Green Mountains, going into the wilderness with three men in the month of April, and remaining there until late in October of the same year, not going out to any settlement in the time. His associates, other than the men, were the beasts of the forest, such as panthers, catamounts, bears, wolves, moose and deer, which disputed his right of way into their domain. The next season he surveyed other townships on the east side of the Green mountains, and on his return to Connecticut he succeeded in persuading his father to make a settlement in Vermont, which settlement was commenced in Tunbridge in 1790, he coming with his father and assisting him in building a log house and clearing some land, after which, for 18 years, he taught school in winter, and assisted his father in clearing land and carrying on his farm in summer. He married, 1st, Eunice Story, of Randolph, VT, by whom he had three children, viz.: Zabad, Zebina and Polly. He married for his 2d wife Dora Marsh, of Hartford, who died without issue. He married for his 3d wife Zilpha Holt, of Connecticut, by whom he had six children, three of which died in childhood and three lived to mature age, viz.: Laura, Albert G. and James M. Laura married Daniel Brown and died at Bloomingdale, IL. He married for his 4th wife Betsey Button, of Royalton, VT, who died without issue. He was a self-made man in every respect. His faher being a soldier in the Revolution, the care of the family devolved upon him, therefore, he was deprived of any chance to attend even a district school, never attending school but 18 days in his life. Through his own effort he acquired a good education, was one of the greatest mathematicians of his day, and a man that was sought for as authority on almost any subject. He came into possession of the farm on which his father settled and lived until his death. Being one of the early settlers he had his share of privations and hardships incident to the settlement of a new township. He was a great reader, and well posted in all that was transpiring in the whole country; was a free mason in high standing in the order, and was one of the founders of Whitney chapter, which was named for him. He resided Tunbridge, VT.

Children of Jonathan⁶ and Eunice (Story) Whitney:

i.

Zabad⁷ Whitney, b. 9 or 10 Dec 1797, Tunbridge, VT;^[7] m. Sophia Dewey.

ii.

Zebina Whitney, b. 10 or 9 Dec 1799, Tunbridge, VT;^[8] m. Harriett Cozzens.

iii.

Polly S. Whitney, b. 21 Nov 1801, Tunbridge, VT;^[9] d. 28 May 1848, Northfield, VT; m. 25 Mar 1828, Royalton, VT, Roswell Dewey,^[10] of Royalton. He was a singer and music teacher. Children:

a.	George Dewey, b. -----; m. ----- Walton, d. New York, NY.
b.	Roswell Dewey, b. -----; resided unmarried Northfield, VT.
c.	Mary Dewey, b. -----; m. ----- Pinney.

iv.

Roswell Whitney, b. 15 Oct 1803, Tunbridge, VT;^[11] d. 16 Sep 1806.

Children of Jonathan⁶ and Zylpha (Holt) Whitney:

v.

Rebecca Whitney, b. 25 Jun 1811, Tunbridge, VT;^[12] d. infancy.

vi.

Laura Fiske Whitney, b. 24 Jul 1813, Tunbridge, VT;^[13] m. Tunbridge, VT, Daniel N. Brown, of Northfield, VT. He was a farmer, and resided in Bloomingdale, IL. Children:

a.	Lucy Brown, b. -----; m. Gilbert Cass. He has been passenger conductor on the railroad from Chicago to Elgin for 20 years; resided 206 Center St., Elgin, IL.
b.	Lucia Brown, b. -----; m. Henry L. Woodworth; resided 440 Concord St., Aurora, IL.
c.	Charles D. Brown, b. -----; resided 291 South 4th St., Aurora, IL.

vii.

Roswell Whitney, b. Oct 1815, Tunbridge, VT; d. young.

viii.

Albert Gallatin Whitney, b. 27 Jul 1817, Tunbridge, VT;^[14] m.(1) Adaline Leonard; m.(2) Wealthy Connor.

ix.

James Monroe Whitney, b. 4 Nov 1821, Tunbridge, VT,^[15] or 4 Nov 1820, Tunbridge, VT; m. Eliza Cozzens.

Census

1790: not found.
1800, Tunbridge, Orange Co., VT: Whitney, Jona., 1 male 26-44, 2 males 0-9, and 1 female 16-25.
1810, Tunbridge, Orange Co., VT: Jon^a Whitney, 1 male over 45, 1 male 26-44, 2 males 10-15, 1 female over 45, 2 females 26-44, and 1 female 0-9.
1820, Tunbridge, Orange Co., VT: Jonathan Whitney, 2 males over 45, 3 males 18-25, 1 male 10-15, 1 male 0-9, 1 female 26-44, 1 female 16-25, and 1 female 0-9; 4 engaged in agriculture.
1830, Tunbridge, Orange Co., VT: Jonathan Whitney, 1 male 60-69, 1 male 30-39, 1 male 15-19, 2 males 10-14, 1 male 5-9, 3 females 30-39, and 1 female 15-19.
1840: not found. Probably the male aged 70-79 in the family of his son Zebina.
1850, Tunbridge, Orange Co., VT:

2 2 Zebina Whitney 50 M - Farmer $1800 Vt. Harriett " 50 F - " Cordelia H. " 20 F - " Lucius C. " 17 M - " Charles C. " 14 M - " Jonathan " 84 M - Ct. Betsey " 67 F - Farmer " Nelson W. Vincent 23 M - Farmer Vt.

1860, Royalton, Windsor Co., VT:

1765 1703 Sabina Whitney 60 M - Farmer $2000 $500 Vt. Harriett " 60 F - " Betsy " 76 V - R.I. Abbie Russ 17 F - Servant Vt.

References

Bible Record of Jonathan and Eunice (Story) Whitney.

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. 206-207.

1.^ "Jonathan [Whitney], s. Peter & Marcy, b. 20 Feb 1766," according to the Barbour Collection of Connecticut Vital Records, Willington B:7.

2.^ "Jonathan, s. Peter & Sarah ["Mercy&qupt; overwritten], bp. [ ] Mar 1766, by Rev. Gideon NOBLE," according to the Index of Connecticut Church Records, Willington Congregational Church 1-A:27, NER-67:117.

3.^ Vermont, Vital Records Index, Marriages.

4.^ Vermont, Vital Records Index, Marriages.

5.^ Vermont, Vital Records Index, Marriages.

6.^ Vermont, Vital Records Index, Marriages.

7.^ Vermont, Vital Records Index, All Births.

8.^ Vermont, Vital Records Index, All Births.

9.^ Vermont, Vital Records Index, All Births.

10.^ Vermont, Vital Records Index, Marriages.

11.^ Vermont, Vital Records Index, All Births.

12.^ Vermont, Vital Records Index, All Births.

13.^ Vermont, Vital Records Index, All Births.

14.^ Vermont, Vital Records Index, All Births.