John WHITNEY

Notes:

Name:
"Whitney Genealogy": The Whitney family is very numerous in America; not only in New England are they abundant, but in nearly every state and territory in the United States. A very large share of those who bear the name are descendants of John and Elinor Whitney of Watertown, in the Massachusetts colony. No relationship is traced between this family and that of Henry Whitney of Norwalk, Conn., who located there in 1685, and the genealogy of whose descendants, both male and female lines, has been published by S. Whitney Phoenix, being the most exhaustive and expensive work of this kind ever published in America. (The Whitney Family of Connecticut and its Affiliations, Being an attempt to trace the Descendants, as well in the Female as the Male lines, of Henry Whitney, from 1649 to 1878)

John Whitney was born in England in 1589, and dwelt in the Parish of Isleworth-on-the-Thames, opposite Richmond, nine miles from London, from may, 1619, to January, 1623-4. The record "of persons permitted to embark at the port of London after Christmas, 1634," manuscript folio page 35 in Rolls office, Chancery Lane, gives the following names and ages: John Whitney 35, Elinor Whitney 30, John 11, Richard 9, Nathaniel 8, thomas 6, Jonathan 1.....

They settled in Watertown, in the Massachusetts colony, in June, 1635, where his son Joshua was born the 15th of July following, he being the first of this line born in America. JohnWhitney was admitted freeman 3d of March, 1636, and the following year was for the first time elected by his associates as one of the Select Men of the town. he held the office for many years afterward, until 1655, at which time he was elected town clerk. June 1, 1641, he was appointed constable at Watertown by General Court at their quarter session held in Boston.

At that time, constables were appointed by the General Court, and besides the duties attached to the office in latter ties, they were required to collect the taxes of the town and the levies by the General Court; to pay the debts of the colony due to individuals in their respective towns; to supply the town with sealed weights and measures; to set or order in those towns where no captain dwelt, and to inflict the punishments ordered by judicial authority, "where there was not another appointed to do it within his own town, unless he can get another to do it." As a badge of his office a constable was required to carry a black staff five or five and a half feet long, with a tip or head five or six inches long.

His very early admission as a freeman and his election as a Select Man show that he held a respectable social position in the community...

Family/Spouse: Elinor UNKNOWN. Elinor was born in 1599; died on 11 May 1659 in Watertown, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Judith CLEMENT on 29 Sep 1659 in Watertown, Massachusetts. Judith died before Jun 1673. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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"Whitney Genealogy": He was admitted freeman May 26, 1647 age 23; was selectman 1673-80, inclusive. The will of Robert Reynolds, of Boston, dated Apr 20 1658, mentions his dau., Ruth Whitney and her eldest son; his dau. Sarah Mason and her son Robert. John's estate was admr. upon by Ruth and sons, John and Benjamin. Inventory dated Oct 26, 1692, taken by Elnathan Beers and Thomas Hammond. It embraced 18 lots or parcels of land amounting to 210 acres and prized at L197:15. It embraced one lot of 17 acres, "purchased of father Arnold". Hie will was not proved, it was written Feb. 27, 1685, subscribed in the year 1690. This will, written by himself, though informal and not on record, may be found, in the fils at the Middlesex Probate office and provides "inter alia" as follows: "If any of my sonnes or sone-in laws or daughters be quarelsom by going to law or troublesom to the brethren I say they shall lose the share of what I have bequeatted to them. I desire they should live in love to God and one toward another."

Mr. Whitney first settled (1643) and always resided on a three-acre lot on the east side of Lexington Street, on land granted to E. How, and the next lot south of the residence of the Phillips family, and is probably the same lot occupied by his great-grandson, Bradshaw Whitney. The ground is somewhat elevated, and there is little doubt that it is the "Whitney Hill" sometimes mentioned in the records....

In 1675, in a warrant issued to the people of Watertown (just a few months prior to the attack on Sudbury) for impressing twenty soldiers with provisions, arms and ammunition and good clothing for the defense of the colony, Capt. Hugh Mason made a return, and in the list is found the names of John Whitney, Sr., and Moses Whitney ( the later was probably his nephew).

John married Ruth REYNOLDS in 1642. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

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"Whitney Genealogy": He was admitted freeman May 7, 1651. He was proprietor of Stow June 3, 1680, and probably moved there when it was a part of Concord or belonged to it. His eight children were born in Watertown.
Apr 7, 1697, Richard Whitney of Stow, being 70 years of age, was released from training by the court.

Richard married Martha COLDAM on 19 Mar 1650. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: 18 Apr 1690, Admitted freeman

Thomas married Mary KEDALL/KETTLE on 11 Jan 1654. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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Jonathan Whitney was admitted an inhabitant of Sherborn in 1679. That year he signed the social compact entered into by all the inhabitants. In 1681 he was one of a committee about division of common lands and signed an agreement about building a church.
He died in Sherborn in 1702, where he was as early as 1679, and settled near Chestnut Brook. About 1659 his father gave him 39 acres of land, which he had purchased of Richard woodward. Nov. 7, 1664, Jonathan Whitney and wife Lydia sold for L40 this land, was situated in the little plain in Watertown, to Thomas Flagg. Nov 7, 1664, he sold to Richard Child 5 acres of meadow, situated on a branch of Stony Brook. Jonathan Whitney took the oath of fidelity in 1652. His will is dated Jan. 12, 1702. The agreement of his heirs is dated Charlestown, Jan. 21, 1714. Res. Watertown and Sherborn, Mass.

Jonathan married Lydia JONES on 30 Oct 1656. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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Joshua Whitney was the first of the family who was born in America. He was one of the earliest settlers, a deacon and original proprietor at Groton, Mass., and dwelt there probably until it was burnt by the Indians, during King Philip's war, in the spring of 1676. he returned to Watertown for a few years and died in 1719. His will is dated Apr 17, 1713, and proved Oct. 6, 1719. It mentions several children whose births are not recorded. He was buried in the old burying ground in Groton. He served as a soldier in King Philip's war with his son, Joshua, Jr., in 1691-2.

Family/Spouse: Lydia UNKNOWN. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Mary UNKNOWN. Mary died on 17 Mar 1671 in Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Joshua married Abigail TARBALL on 30 Sep 1672. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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In 1685 Benjamin and Jane Whitney, of York, sell to Jonathan Saywood for L10 and 14s, 'a certain tract and par cel of land which I have improved, possessed and have builded a small tenant upon planted and lived upon these several years,; which was granted by the town of York in 1680, and ten other acres granted by the town of York in 1674. It is probable that his wife died about this time and soon after, leaving his young children with relatives of his wife, he returned to Watertown and soon located in Sherborn, near the Natick town line. He married his second wife in marlboro in 1695 and lived on land belonging to Harvard College, which he leased of Gov. Danford. In 1718 he received a legacy of 10s. per annum from his nephew, Benjamin, son o his brother Jonathan. he d. in 1723; res. York and Cocheco, Me., and Sherborn, Mass.

Family/Spouse: Jane ?. Jane died on 14 Nov 1690. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Benjamin married Mary POOR on 11 Apr 1695. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]