Family:Whitney, Rebecca (1842-a1900)
Rebecca Whitney (Rebecca8, Hannah7,James M.6, Jacob5, Benjamin4, John3, Benjamin2, John1), was born abt 1842, ME, and died ?, .
He married 22 , , Charles Ellis, daughter of . She was born 11 17 1808, St. Johnsbury, VT, and died 09 22 1888, Brown Co., WI.
Census Data:
1850 ME Census, Phillips, Franklin Co., ME All born in Maine: James M. Whitney, 59 ,male, Carpenter Reliance Whitney, 51, Female Jacob Whitney, 27, Laborer James Whitney, 19 Laborer Rebecca Whitney 7, female in school
1855 Wisconsin Census: Wrightstown, WI; James M. Whitney, 1 male, 2 females
1870 Census: 1870 Census, Wrightstown, Brown Co., Wisconsin: Charles Ellis, 61, Farmer, b. VT Rebecca Ellis, 28, b. ME George Ellis, 7, b. WI Rosann Ellis, 3, b. WI Reliance Whitney, 76, b. ME; lives with granddaughter Hannah Whitney, 51, b. ME; lives with daughter Charles Whitney, 16, b. WI; works on farm
1880 Census: Wrightstown, WI; Reliance and Hannah Whitney no longer live with Rebecca & Charles Ellis.
1900 Census: Iron River, Iron Co., Michigan; Rebecca Ellis, widow; resides with 3 sons; says her father was born in Nova Scotia
Conjecture: 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”; 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. In 1850, Rebecca resides in Phillips, ME in the household of Hannah’s parents, James M. & Reliance Whitney.
In 1851, James M. Whitney is recorded buying land in Brown Co., WI. In the 1855 Wisconsin State Census, he is recorded in Wrightstown, WI with 2 white females. The females are in all likelihood his wife Reliance and granddaughter Rebecca.
1860 Census: Yellowhead, Kankakee Co., IL Wm L. Dennis, 41, b. MA Hannah Dennis, 41, b. ME Charles Dennis, illegible age, b. WI Isaiah Dennis, 1/12, b. IL (twin) Anna Dennis, 1/12, b. IL (twin)
1860 Federal Mortality Schedule: Kankakee Co, IL Isaiah Dennis d. July 1860 Anna Dennis d. June 1860
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.
Children of Rebecca and Charles (Ellis) Whitney:
i. George Ellis, b. abt 1863, WI; d. , . ii. Rosina Ellis, b. abt 1867, Greenleaf, WI; d. , . iii. Joseph Ellis, b. 09 05 1870, Greenleaf, WI; d. 06 29 1951, Menominee, WI. iv. Orick Ellis, b. 08 18 1873, Greenleaf, WI; d. 03 10 1937, Breitung, MI. v. Peter Ellis, b. 03 09 1877, WI; d. 08 19 1905, Atkinson, MI. vi. , b. , ; d. , . vii. , b. , ; d. , . viii. , b. , ; d. , . ix. , b. , ; d. , . x. , b. , ; d. , .
References
Copyright © 2019, Kenneth L. Whitney and the Whitney Research Group.
