Family:Whitney, John Russell (1813-1880)
Dea. John Russell8 Whitney (John7, Lemuel6, Joshua5, Nathaniel4, Nathaniel3, John2, John1), born Wadhams Mills, New York, 18 Apr 1813; married at Waitsfield, Vermont, 3 Mar 1840, Elmina Eliza Fisk; born 20 Aug 1811; died 22 Apr 1892.
John R. Whitney was born, 18 Apr 1813, on the farm, owned and occupied by him till his death, about one mile north of Wadham's Mills. His father, John Whitney, was one of the pioneers who settled that region early in the present century, coming about 1808. Among these settlers were Benjamin Whitney and Daniel Safford, who married Sally Whitney. John was a shoemaker by trade. He was one of the pioneers in the temperance cause, and his house, still standing, was the first building in that region raised without intoxicating liquor (1829). He, with others responded to the call for the militia in 1812-14, but arrived at Plattsburg too late to participate in the fight. Taken away in the prime of life, 1834, he left an honored name to his family. After the death of his father, John Russell Whitney was obliged to assume the care of the home, and lived with his widowed mother several years. He was married, 3 Mar 1840, to Elmina E. Fisk, daughter of Dea. Moses Fisk, of Waitsfield, Vermont. Having been deprived of educational privleges in his younger days, he was determined to give his family every possible advantage, often making great sacrifices to secure school privileges to his children; for several winters he had a family school. He was deeply interested in the Congregational church at Wadham's Mills, of which he became a member at the early age of fourteen. He was elected deacon about 1863, to fill a vacancy caused by the death of the senior deacon, and held this office till his death in 1880. He was especially active in all church affairs, and did much for the maintenance of public service. Enjoying the advantages provided for them, his children, sought to improve themselves, and have all honored the name and memory of their parents. Dea. Whitney passed away after a severe and painful illness of heart disease. He died 23 Jul 1880; resided Wadham's Mills, New York.
Children of John Russell8 Whitney:
i. Elizabeth Hannah9 Whitney, born 11 Jan 1841; died 11 Mar 1865. ii. Marietta Thankful Whitney, born 2 Feb 1842; married 3 Oct 1866, Rev. A.T. Clarke; resided Shelby, Alabama - Ch.: Almon Taylor, born 7 Oct 1867; married Elizabeth Perry; resided Parishville, New York, ; Susan Elmira, born 17 Dec 1872; Maud Elizabeth, born 10 Nov 1875; John Paul, born 17 Oct 1880; Harvey Fisk, born Mary 13, 1883; Lena M., born Mar. 1, 1886.
iii. Joel Fisk Whitney, born mar. 30, 1843; married Louisa M. Bailey. iv. Sarah L. Whitney, born 4 Sep 1844; married 4 Sep 1873, Edward D. Sturtevant, and d.s.p. 1 Apr 1874. v. John R. Whitney, born 29 Jul 1847; married Lena Groll. vi. Moses Fisk Whitney, born 18 Apr 1849; married Ella Burt. vii. Lemuel Whitney, born 12 Dec 1850; resided Wadham's Mills, New York. viii. Rosabelle Whitney, born 15 May 1853; married 6 Oct 1877, Rev. Wm. H. Wolcott; resided Moreno, California - Ch.: Lucy, born 1878; Sarah A., born 1881; Vernon H., born 1882.
ix. Elmira Eliza Whitney, born 7 Sep 1855; resided Wadam's Mills.
References
1. 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. 445.
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