Henry WHITNEY

Notes:

Name:
"Whitney Genealogy": In 1873, one of his descendants said: "My great-grandfather, Henry Whitney, while cutting wood in the morning before sunrise, heard music, and, looking up, saw some witches in a hog's trough, go sailing along over-head, singing: 'Hoity cock, hoity cock, day breaks on;" and genealogists are compelled to read and consider many traditions and legends which are not better than this. Another tradition says that when he was eighteen years old, he was at Ebenezer Lobdell's house, saw a babe in the cradle, and said, " I will wait till this little girl is a woman and take her for my wife," a pledge which he redeemed when he was forty years old.

Henry married Elizabeth LOBDELL on 05 Dec 1755 in Ridgefield, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. Elizabeth (daughter of Ebenezer LOBDELL and Rebecca BENEDICT) was born on 21 Sep 1733 in Ridgefield, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA; died on 14 Aug 1816 in Ridgefield, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
"Whitney Genealogy": .....His father had already given to him, 18 Oct.1709, "my now Dwelling House, Barn ad Home Lott, containing four acres of land." He returned to his father, 19 Oct. 1709, a life-lease of the same, as follows:

For and in Consideration of Love, good will and Affection, which I have and do bear towards my Honoured and Well Respected Father, Mr. John Whitney, of the aforesaid Town and County, Do give and grant, and by these presents do fully & Absolutely give and grant unto him, my said Father, John Whitney, the free use and Improvement of one half of ye now Dwelling House, Barn & home Lott that he now dwells in & Improves, During ye Term of his Natural Life, as also, ye Improvement of Half of said House, & what convenience may be needful in ye Barn unto my Honoured Mother, if she survive my said father, During her continuance of Widowhood.

He sold this property, 8 July 1712, to his brother, john Whitney, subject to the foregoing lease; and removed, among the early settlers, to Ridgefield, Conn., where we find his ear-mark recorded 1 Dec 1712. Here he was chosen townsman, 17 Dec 1717; fence-viewer, 5 Dec 1720, 19 Dec 1723, 14 Dec 1724, and 22 Dec 1726.

The Townsmen Do Order that ye White Oak Tree standing near Henry Whitne's be recorded their Sign Post. Recorded Janry 7th 1727-7, Per me
Thomas Hawley, Registr.

He died at Ridgefield, 26 April 1728, and was, doubtless, buried in the old graveyard south of the village, where only two gravestones yet stand, neither of which is his. In exchanging land with Joseph Northrop, Sen., of Ridgefield, 26 Apr. 1727, he styled himself "Henry Whitney, Senr, of New England, Weaver." Four days before his death, 22 Apr 1728, he conveyed land to Rev. Thomas Hawley, and probably on account of weakness, signed the deed by his mark. Many grants of land were made by the town, on his right, to his heirs, from 16 May 1729 to 1742, and, perhaps, even later. It is said that his widow live to a great age, and died at Ridgefield, but no record of her death has been found.....

Henry married Elizabeth OLMSTEAD on 14 Jun 1710 in Norwalk, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. Elizabeth (daughter of John OLMSTEAD and Mary BENEDICT) was born about 1684 in Norwalk, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA; died after 1728 in Ridgefield, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]