Family:Whitney, Baxter (1812-1889)

Baxter⁸ Whitney (Chester⁷, Aaron⁶, Nathan⁵, Nathan⁴, Thomas³, Thomas², John¹), son of Chester⁷ and Polly Waite (Green) Whitney, was born 27 May 1812, Waterbury, VT, and died 17 Apr 1889, Topeka, KS.

He married, 8 May 1836, Waterbury, VT, Mary A. Kneeland.^[1] She was born 27 Jun 1814, and died 15 Oct 1887, Topeka, KS.

He was born on a farm in Waterbury and resided with his parents, while his only brother left his home to seek his fortunes in the west. Soon after his marriage, in 1838, he left on a visit to his brother in the west, going via the Erie canal. He was absent eight months. In 1859 he went west to the extreme border of civilization at that time, twenty miles beyond Manhattan, KS, much nearer the Indians than was comfortable. In 1877 he moved to Topeka and died there. He Waterbury, VT, and Topeka, KS.

Children of Baxter⁸ and Mary A. (Kneeland) Whitney:

i.	Katherine A.9 Whitney, b. 31 Aug 1838; m. 15 Nov 1858, Waterbury, VT, Albe B. Whiting, son of Harris and Mary D. (-----) Whiting;[2] resided Topeka, KS. He was b. 10 Nov 1835; resided 1157 Filmore St. Children: a. Harris L. Whiting, b. 12 Nov 1861; m. 18 Aug 1885, Georgia L. Murdock, of Cambridgeport, MA. b. Mary Helen Whiting, b. 12 Jul 1863; m. 15 Nov 1883, H. L. King, 702 N. 5th Ave., Atchison, KS. c. Katharine L. Whiting, b. 22 Jul 1866; m. 1 Jun 1892, Talmage S. Hand, 7 W. 19th St., New York City. d. Lillian B. Whiting, b. 14 Feb 1868; m. 3 Jan 1889, Hampton L. Shirer, 1157 Filmore St., Topeka, KS. e. Annie J. Whiting, b. 16 Jul 1872; d. 28 Jul 1876. f. (son) Whiting, b. 17 Oct 1864; d. 29 Oct 1864.
ii.	George Baxter Whitney, b. 11 Apr 1837; d. Dec 1851.
iii.	Emeline B. Whitney, b. 10 Apr 1844; m. 25 Dec 1865, Montgomery Wisner; resided Bozeman, MT. He was b. 7 Oct 1839. Children: a. Lewis Baxter Wisner, b. 12 Jul 1867. b. Irenaeus Kneeland Wisner, b. 28 Sep 1872.
iv.	William Wallace Whitney, b. 7 Jul 1840; d. in the army from the hardships of war in the fall of 1864.
v.	Arthur Barton Whitney, b. 30 Aug 1846; m.(1) Emma J. Patch; m.(2) Carrie M. Tyler.

Notes

- Baxter's middle name was likely William as he is recorded in the 1850 census as Baxter Willy Whitney. Baxter and wife Mary; their son Arthur and his first wife Emma are buried together in the Milford (Kansas) cemetery.

- William Wallace Whitney died as a sergeant in the 1st Vermont Cavalry on December 29th, 1864. His headstone can be seen under Cemeteries (Old Waterbury Centre Cemetery).

- Katherine Amelia's baby boy, who died at 12 days of age, was named William Wallace Whiting, presumably named after Katherine's brother who at that time was serving in the Civil War. Both William Wallace's died within two months of each other.

Census

• 1840, Waterbury, Washington Co., VT: Baxter Whitney, 1 male 20-29, 1 male 0-4, 1 female 20-29, 1 female 15-19, and 1 female 0-4; 1 engaged in manufacturing or trades.
• 1850, Waterbury, Washington Co., VT:

1952 1962 Chester Whitney 66 M - Farmer $2500 Mass. Polly 66 F - [Mass.] Baxter Willy 38 M - Farmer Vt. Mary 36 F - [Vt.] George 13 M - [Vt.] Attended school Amelia 12 F - [Vt.] Attended school Walace 9 M - [Vt.] Attended school Emeline 6 F - [Vt.] Attended school Arthur 4 M - [Vt.] Attended school Martha Parker 11 F - [Vt.] Attended school

• 1860, Waterbury, Washington Co., VT:

1460 1554 Baxter Whitney 48 M - Farmer $2700 $660 Vt. Mary A. " 46 F - do William W. " 20 M - Farming do Emeline B. " 16 F - do Attended school Arthur D. " 13 M - do Attended school Otis Whitney 13 M - do Attended school Emeline " 10 F - do Attended school

• 1870, Manhattan, Riley Co., KS:

132 134 Baxter Whitney 58 M W Farmer $5500 $2910 Vermont Male citizen over 21 -----, Mary 56 F W Keeping house Vermont -----, Arthur 24 M W Works on farm $425 Vermont Male citizen over 21 -----, Emma 23 F W Keeping house Vermont Whitney, Frank 8/12 M W Kansas

• 1880, Milford, Davis Co., KS:

Baxter WHITNEY 68 Self M M W VT Farmer VT VT Mary A. WHITNEY 65 Wife F M W VT Keeping House VT VT Arthur B. WHITNEY 33 Son M W W VT Manufacturer VT VT Frank A. WHITNEY 10 GSon M S W KS At School VT VT Mary FOX 27 Oth F W W IN Servant KY TN Lettie FOX 5 Oth F S W IN IN IN William G. DAVIS 21 Oth M S W PA Works In Grist Mill PA PA

References

• All data imported from Frederick Clifton Pierce, The Descendants of John Whitney, Who Came from London, England, to Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1635, (Chicago: 1895), p. 537.

• Additional information is provided by Hugh Gordon Whitney, great-grandson of Arthur Barton Whitney, 2007.

1.^  Vermont, Vital Records Index, Marriages.

2.^  Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954, at FamilySearch.org.

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Copyright © 2006, 2009, 2010, 2014, Robert L. Ward, Hugh Gordon Whitney, and the Whitney Research Group.