Mailing List:1996-05-22 01, Mercy Robinson & Nathaniel Whitney, by Jeanne Muse
Mailing List Archives > 1996-05-22 01, Mercy Robinson & Nathaniel Whitney, by Jeanne Muse
Date: 22 May 96 21:52:46 EDT From: Jeanne Muse <[email protected]> To: Philip John Ainsworth <[email protected]>, Ross Andrews <[email protected]>, Jon Aston <[email protected]>, Ted Bates <[email protected]>, Donald Whitney Becker <[email protected]>, "Rita (Whitney) Bernier" <[email protected]>, Louise Bradshaw <[email protected]>, "Evelyn (Thorsen) Brown" <[email protected]>, "R. Brown" <[email protected]>, CGPesch <[email protected]>, "Margaret (Whitney) Carey" <[email protected]>, "D. J. Goulette" <[email protected]>, Allan Green <[email protected]>, "Karen B. Grubaugh" <[email protected]>, "Walter H. Hall" <[email protected]>, Joan Hicks <[email protected]>, JROOTS <[email protected]>, Clark Harold Jillson <[email protected]>, Mary Ellen Jones <[email protected]>, KTROUVAT <[email protected]>, Marion L <[email protected]>, Mary Ann Lindsay <[email protected]>, Mary Jean Manroe <[email protected]>, Carole McIntosh <[email protected]>, "Brena (Nixon) Parsons" <[email protected]>, Donna Patt <[email protected]>, Herb Phelps <[email protected]>, PoGoes <[email protected]>, "J. Michael Poston" <[email protected]>, RSFAHRN <[email protected]>, STOVEL <[email protected]>, Julie Scheuerman <[email protected]>, Mary Ellen Sharp <[email protected]>, "Francis D. Southwick" <[email protected]>, "J. A. Stafford" <[email protected]>, Beth Stakes <[email protected]>, Eleanor Stratton <[email protected]>, Carolyn Vosburg <[email protected]>, Kim Walters <[email protected]>, Lisa Whitney <[email protected]>, "J.C. Whitney" <[email protected]>, "H. Ray Whitney" <[email protected]>, "A.James Whitney" <[email protected]>, Michael Ray Whitney <[email protected]>, "Alan C. Wright" <[email protected]> Subject: Mercy Robinson & Nathaniel Whitney Hi. Once again GenServ has given me some valuable information. While we have much of what is given here, the conflicting dates for Mercy Robinson's birth as well as her son Nathaniel's death date are solved. Again this information was provided by Matthew Adair (see the last part of the GenServ report for his addresses & phone numbers). He has done substantial research on this line. Since I don't know if the e-mail address is still current, I have sent him an e-mail message asking him to join our group. I hope he responds, as I believe he can help many of us with our searches. Here is the report I received about Mercy Robinson which resulted in a complete family group record with VERY interesting notes on her son, Nathaniel Whitney & his wife Mary Child. Enjoy! :-) Jeanne Genserv Report Output: rv3 21 May 1996 Mercy ROBINSON (Idno I312), born 7 Aug 1676, Cambridge Vllg., died 31 Dec 1740, Watertown, Massachusetts, daughter of William ROBINSON (Idno I1315) and Elizabeth CUTTER (Idno I1316). Married 7 Nov 1695, Watertown, Massachusetts, Nathaniel WHITNEY (Idno I311), born 25 Mar 1675, Watertown, Massachusetts, died 23 Sep 1730, Watertown, Massachusetts, son of Nathaniel WHITNEY (Idno I1306) and Sarah HAGAR (Idno I1307). Children of Mercy ROBINSON and Nathaniel WHITNEY: 1 Nathaniel WHITNEY (Idno I283), born 23 Jan 1695, Watertown, Massachusetts, died 27 Jan 1776, Westborough, Worcester, Massachusetts. The birth record of Nathaniel Whitney lists his birth date as January 23, 1695-6, which would mean his mother was seven months pregnant at the time of her wedding. While not unheard of, these circumstances were certainly un- usual. Normally in a case like this, there would be some punishment dictated by the courts, and I have not come across any such record. Were it not for the fact that Nathaniel's age at death is provided to us, it would seem a mistake had been made in the recording of his birth, espe- cially since it is recorded on a page of births from late 1696 and early 1697.[7/2:9] The marriage of Nathaniel Whit- ney and Mary Child can be found in the Weston Vital Records.[2] However since there is no known birth record for Mary in existence, her ancestry had to be found by other means. One clue comes from Parkman's diary entry of Novem- ber 11, 1755 "At Eve also Mr. Whitney and his wife with their Brother Child return from the Funeral of his Sister Liscomb who has dy'd somewhat suddenly ...".[4/297] The terms "Brother" and "Sister", as was customary for the times, covered relationships of brother and sister but also brother-in-law and sister-in-law, as did the terms father, mother, etc. Thus this passage indicates Nathaniel and Mary with her brother attended the funeral of Hannah Liscomb, who was Mary's sister. Thus finding the parents of Hannah would also give Mary's parents. However Hannah's birth is not recorded either. Furthermore Hannah's name was Fay at the time of her marriage: "Samuel Liscomb of Southborough mar- ried Hannah Fay at Westborough on March 7, 1733-4".[3] Pro- bate records can be used to clear up the entire issue howev- er. John Child of Waltham, MA, in his will dated April 6, 1742 and proved Dec. 14, 1747, mentions his daughter Hannah Liscomb, a married daughter Mary (married name not given), as well as other children. "I give and Bequeath unto my five Grand children, being children of my Daughter Hannah Liscum which she had by her former Husband John Fay ... I Give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Mary the Sum of Thirty pounds which sum together with what she hath already had at marriage is her portion".[1/25:218] In 1720 Nathaniel Whit- ney, Jr. of Weston purchased lot 77 in Turkey Hills (later Lunenburg) for four pounds, five shillings.[8/16, 20, 23] It is not clear whether he ever settled there, but at some point later, Richard Estey was in possession of the house lot.[8/56] Nathaniel resided in Westborough early in the 1720's. Possibly his marriage to Mary Child is what took him to Westborough rather than Lunenburg. Many of Mary's family moved to Westborough about this time. Nathaniel and Mary settled in Westborough where they were admitted to the church Jan. 21, 1728. He owned the covenant at Concord Oct. 15, 1727.[9] Nathaniel and his family lived about a mile southwest of the current center of Westborough on what is now called Eli Whitney Street. He had an apple orchard that was probably on the site of a present day orchard that is very old looking and in sad shape. Nathaniel was a good neighbor and respected citizen. He often helped the town's minister. This he did by cutting fire wood for him each year and did much of the carpentry work when the minister put up a new house. He was always being chosen as a dele- gate for different committees and affairs and was even cho- sen as a deacon of the church in 1755 but declined. Nathaniel's wife Mary had a habit, as did some others at the time, of crying out in public - even in church meetings. Research into this maladay might possibly prove it was con- nected with some sort of spiritual beliefs at the time. Nathaniel died on the evening of January 27, 1776 while the town's minister was with him. Reverend Parkman's diary en- try of January 30 states, " ... to ye Funeral of Mr. Nathaniel Whitney, who expired when within about seven Days of Eighty years of Age".[6] On the morning of Dec. 3, 1776 "old Mrs. Whitney died" while in her 77th year. She was buried on Dec. 5th. Her devotion to the church may be some- what suspect as Parkman wrote in his diary that there was reason to hope she died in glory to the riches of Christ's grace.[6] REF: [1] Middlesex County Probate (First Series Docket 4412) [2] Weston Vital Records [3] Westborough Church Records [4] The Diary of Reverend Ebenezer Parkman - Francis G. Walett, 1974 [5] Southborough Vital Records [6] The Diary of Reverend Ebenezer Parkman (hand written version at West- borough Public Library) [7] Watertown Records, 1894 (Births, Marriages, and Deaths) [8] The Early Records of the Town of Lunenburg - Walter A. Davis, 1896 [9] Descendants of John Whitney - Frederick Clifton Pierce, 1895 (pg.67) Married 22 Jun 1721, Weston, Middlesex, Massachusetts, Mary CHILD (Idno I284), born 1699, of Westboro, Worcester, MA, died 3 Dec 1776, Westboro, Worcester, Massachusetts, daughter of John CHILD (Idno I325) and Hannah FRENCH (Idno I326). 2 Sarah WHITNEY (Idno I313), born 3 Mar 1698, Watertown, Mas- sachusetts. Married Ephraim RICE (Idno I1317). 3 Amos WHITNEY (Idno I314), born 19 Apr 1701, Watertown, Mas- sachusetts. 4 Elizabeth WHITNEY (Idno I315), born 23 Jul 1702, Watertown, Massachusetts. Married Daniel BIGELOW (Idno I1318), died 1789. 5 Jonas WHITNEY (Idno I316), born 15 Dec 1703, Watertown, Mas- sachusetts. 6 James WHITNEY (Idno I317), born 2 Mar 1704, Watertown, Mas- sachusetts. 7 Israel WHITNEY (Idno I318), born 1710. Married Hannah (Idno I1319). 8 Susanna WHITNEY (Idno I319), baptized 17 Jun 1711. Married 31 May 1736, Abraham GREGORY (Idno I1320), born 24 Aug 1704. 9 Solomon WHITNEY (Idno I320), baptized 17 Jun 1711. Married 5 Mar 1731, Martha FLETCHER (Idno I1321). 10 Samuel WHITNEY (Idno I321), baptized 17 Jun 1711, died 2 Aug 1788, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. Married 7 Apr 1735, Eliza- beth HASTINGS (Idno I1322), died 23 Oct 1800, Marlboro, Ver- mont. 11 Ebenezer WHITNEY (Idno I322), baptized 25 Apr 1714, died 23 Jan 1743. 12 Joshua WHITNEY (Idno I323), born 25 Mar 1714. Married 21 May 1739, Spencer, Massachusetts, Mehitable WILSON (Idno I1323), died 1 May 1785. 13 David WHITNEY (Idno I324), born 1716, died 19 Apr 1754, Nat- ick, Massachusetts. Married 17 Nov 1743, Needham, Mas- sachusetts, Mehitable PARKER (Idno I1324). Information from database(s): adairm1 Submitter: Adair, Matthew Email address: [email protected] Street Address 1: 409 Bent Oak Street Address 2: City: Fenton State: MI ZIP: 48430 Country code: USA Telephone: 810-750-9491 Remarks:
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