by Frederick Clifton Pierce (Chicago: 1895), pages 401 - 405
Transcribed by the Whitney Research Group, 1999.
[Page 401]
The great fire in New York in 1836 swept away the greatest part of a fortune which
had been built up by years of honest toil, and for a time paralized the energies of the
victims of that calamity. Gathering up the fragments of his shattered wealth, Mr.
WHITNEY embarked for China to recommence life at its meridian. After a few years
residence there and in Europe, he returned to the United States bringing with him
the ripened fruits of a large experience and the well-developed plan of that work to
which it may be said his mature life was unselfishly dedicated. The mighty problem
of connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans by way of a railway was worked out on a
homeward voyage from China, the trade of which, and of Japan, his forecast then
regarded as the basis of its future prosperity. A narrative of the life of Asa
WHITNEY* from 1840 to 1850 is the history of the development, during that period of the
Pacific railway project. This was the aim and object of his life and he devoted his
fortune and energies to that aim and object with all the zeal and persistence of a
fanatic. In the second memorial presented by him to Congress in 1846 he says that
while riding on the Liverpool & Manchester railroad in England, in 1830, and observ-
ing the speed and facility with which its work was done, he foresaw the great future of
railways, and predicted the important part they would perform in abbreviating the
distance between China and the markets of England. In 1842 while on a voyage to
China, his attention was more forcibly called to the matter by information of the
recent conclusion of a peace with China and the opportunity afforded by it for a
more exstensive commerce. He spent about 2 years thereafter in China, during
which time he accumulated much information concernig the commerce of the east,
and in 1844 he returned to America fully impressed with the importance of construct-
ing a Pacific railway. He was finally instrumental in securing appropriations in
1853 for the first surveys of the northern, southern and middle routes and lived to
see communications opened from sea to sea in 1869. He was the author of "A Project
for a Railroad to the Pacific" (New York, 1849), and "A Plan for a Direct Communi-
cation between the Great Centers of Populations of Europe and Asia" (London,
1851). He d. Sept. 18, 1872; res. New York, N.Y., and at Locust Hill in Washington
D.C., s.p.
3333. GEORGE RANSOM Whitney (Appleton D., Asa, Joshua, David, Joshua,
John), b. in Pittsfield, Mass., Mar. 14, 1801; m. in Euclid, O., Feb. 22, 1829, Harriett
Maria BRONSON; b. Oct. 19, 1807; d. Oct. 17, 1884. George R. WHITNEY was born in
Pittsfield, Mass., in 1801. His mother died when he was ten days old. At an early
age he was apprenticed to learn the blacksmith's trade. About 1825 he moved to
Ohio, and settled near Cleveland. In 1829 he was married to Maria BRONSON. In
1836 moved to Coldwater, Mich., but, not having good health there, he returned to
Ohio in 1837, and located at Berea, where he carried on a shop for a number of years,
latterly working land that he had bought. He died in 1871, respected by all who
knew him. He was a blacksmith. He d. Sept. 11, 1871; res. Berea, O.
6118. i. HARRIETT ANN, b. Oct. 3, 1831; m. Oct. 25, 1853, Franklin A. MOE.
She was educated at Baldwin seminary, Berea, O. She d. Dec.
21, 1890. Ch.: Ida, b. -----; m. ----- STEPHENS; res. 100
Braodway, Denver, Col.
6119. ii. MARY ESTER, Sept. 2, 1841; m. Apr. 29,
1869, Rev. Burton J. HOADLEY; res. Me-
dina, O. She attended Baldwin univer-
sity at Berea, O., and graduated in the
classical course in 1868. Rev. B. J.
HOADLEY is also a graduate of Baldwin [Photo]
university. Being fond of study in
addition to the duties developing upon a
minister's wife, she has carried on the
Chautauqua course of reading for many
years. He was b. Nov. 29, 1843. Ch.:
Helen Louise, b. June 23, 1873; d. Nov. MARY E. HOADLEY.
11, 1884: Geo. Whitney, b. June 13, 1876.
6120. iii. JAMES W., b. Sept. 2, 1843; m. Lizzie TOLBERT.
6121. iv. GEO. A., b. Nov. 28, 1838: m. Mary A. PATTERSON.
3334. ALBERT APPLETON WHITNEY (Appleton D., Asa, Josua, David, Joshua
John), b. Dec 10, 1811; m. 1833, Jenette BROWN; d. 1849, in Wellington O. He was
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Davis' History, Union Pacific R. R.
[Page 402]
a farmer, and was extensively engaged in buying and selling cattle. He d. Oct. 1854;
res. New London O.
6122. i. GEORGE E., b. June 2, 1836; m. -----.
6123. ii. ALBERT A., b. Oct. 2, 1844; m. Catherine HAIGHT.
6124. iii. ROBERT S., b. Sept. 14, 1835; m. Emily HICKS.
6125. iv. MAY, b. -----; d. ae 17.
6126. v. RODELLE, b. -----; d. ae 4.
6127. vi. MARTHA, b. -----; d. ae 8.
3335. Col. ASA WATROUS WHITNEY (Milton, Asa, Joshua, David, Joshua,
John), b. Pittsfield, Mass., Jan. 11, 1810; m. at Pittsfield, O., Feb. 19, 1838, Mary Ann
WIGHTMAN; b. Mar. 23, 1818; d. Bellevue, O., Apr. 26, 1891.
Col. Asa Waltrous WHITNEY, son of Milton WHITNEY, was a colonel in the Ohio
Militia, and was called upon to name the town of Pittsfield, Lorain Co., O., when it
was organized as a town; was elected town clerk and held that office for seven years;
was later elected justice of the peace and held that office for six years. He was a
kind man to the poor and highly respected. He d. May 23, 1868; res. Pittsfield, O.
6128. i. MILTON, b. Aug. 18, 1839; m. Susan L. WARE.
6129. ii. LYDIA, b. Aug. 25, 1841; m. Nov. 29, 1866, Carlos A. WEST; res.
Wellington, O. He was b. Oct. 18, 1843; d. Mar. 12, 1880; was a
farmer and a soldier in the late war. Ch.: Wealthy Eva, b.
Oct. 31, 1867; m. to John H. PEMBER, Dec. 25, 1890; Etta
MESSENGER, b. Dec. 2, 1869; Edna Lucie, b. Apr. 2, 1872; Edith Mary, b.
July 11, 1874, and d. June 21, 1879. All born in Pittsfield, Lorain
Co. O.; P.O. address, Wellington, Lorain Co., O.
6130. iii. EDWARD, b. Sept. 12, 1844; m. Celia Adelaide SPICER.
6131. iv. SYLVANUS, b. June 22, 1846; d. Oct. 3, 1849.
6132. v. ASA W. b. Nov. 16, 1848; unm.; res. Belevue, O.
6133. vi. JAMES JAY, b. Aug. 16, 1858; m. Alice Amelia STOUT.
6134. vii. FREDERICK C., b. Aug. 18, 1854; m. Emma J. HOLLINSWORTH.
3339. OLIVER WALCOT WHITNEY (Milton, Asa, Joshua, David, Joshua, John), b.
Pittsfield, Mass., Feb. 23, 1817; m. Esther RISING; 3 ch. He d. Jan. 3, 1864; res.
-----.
6135. i. CHARLES, res. Omaha, Neb.
3340. SILAS DAGGET WHITNEY (Milton, Asa, Joshua, David, Joshua, John) b.
Pittsfield, Mass., Mar. 3, 1820; m. there Nov. 11, 1841, Electa N. PARSONS; b. Sept.
21, 1824. He is a farmer; res. Pittsfield, O.
6136. i. ANN CLARISSA, b. Apr. 26, 1846; d. July 24, 1877.
6137. ii. ALMA E., b. May 10, 1848; m. Oct. 9, 1873, Chas. E. ARCHER; res.
Massillon, O. He was b. Jan. 28, 1851; is a carriage maker.
Ch.; George Silas, b. Nov. 22, 1874; Electra Jane, b. July 11, 1881;
Edmund William, b. Mar. 18, 1887.
6138. iii. ABBIE E., b. Sept. 3, 1850; m. Oct. 20, 1874, Florus C. WILLIAMS;
res. Lodi, O.
6139. iv. ARTHUR E., b. Dec. 19, 1843; m. Katherine HEISWERDINGER.
6140. v. AGNES E., b. June 13, 1853; m. Nov. 22, 1893, Frank COLEMAN; res.
Nelson, Neb. He was b. July 1859; is a lawyer; s. p.
6141. vi. ADELIA FRANCES, b. Dec. 22, 1855; res. Pittsfield.
6142. vii. EDMUND M., b. jan. 19, 1859; m. Feb. 14, 1891, Annie PURCELL. He
is a manufacturer; res. 17 Glen Park Place, Cleveland, O.
3341. CHARLES HENRY WHITNEY (Milton, Asa, Joshua, David, Joshua, John)
b. Pittsfield, Mass., Apr. 6, 1824; m. in Lagrange, O., Dec. 9, 1843, Elvira SHELDON.
Her brother was Gen. Lionel A. SHELDON, who was with Gen. GRANT all through the
civil war; was representative in congress, and govenor of New Mexico six years.
Charles Henry WHITNEY was born in Massachuaetts, but removed to Ohio at an
early age with his parents. By the death of his father he inherited 200 acres of land
In the Buckeye state. In Apr., 1854, he disposed of his Ohio property, and with his
family started for Iowa. He traveled with his own team, stopping nights at hotels.
He entered a half section of land in Marion Co., Ia.; the next year he traded the land
for a business house and stock of general merchandise, including dry goods, grocer-
ies, boots and shoes, and queensware. He soon increased the business so that he
carried a stock of $15,000. He conducted the business for about two years alone,
when he took in a partner, and they conducted it for six years. During this time
[Page 403]
they traded land and town lots in Topeka, Kan., and western Iowa and Nebraska.
During the civil war they lost heavily, Mr. WHITNEY's loss aggregating nearly $35,000.
In 1863 he moved to Mt. Pleasant, Ia., and sent his children to school, the three eld-
est going to high school for two and one-half years; then in 1867 he left Iowa with
his family and located in Montgomery Co., Kan. There he pre-empted one quarter
section of land, was very comfortably fixed with stock of all kinds around him, but
that was a very unhealthy county, and in 1874 he sold again and started overland for
the mountains in Colorado; brought with him 100 head of fine bred cows, two fine
mule teams, ponies, tent, a colored cook, and everything to make a fine trip, but he
was sick most of the journey. He landed July 4, 1874, in Del Norte, Colo., and lived
there just one week and died. He d. July 11, 1874; res. Pittsfield, O., and Del Norte,
Colo.
6143. i. FRANK STOUGHTEN, b. Jan.7, 1845; m. Margaret Orilla KARNS.
6144. ii. ALLEN SHELDON, b. Mar. 17, 1846; d. Knoxville, Ia., Oct., 1854.
6145. iii. MARY ELIZA, b. June 5, 1848; m. Apr. 15, 1869, Geo. M. CLAY; res.
Byrer, Colo. He was a lawyer and she a school teacher when
married. He d. Dec. 31, 1877. Ch.: Henry C., b. Feb 3, 1870;
res. Denver, Colo.; Allie P., b. June 11, 1871; d. Aug. 10, 1872;
Alta Jay, b. May 4, 1877. The mother m. 2d, May 12 1891, Jer-
emiah J. MANN. He is a stock grower; owns 1,400 acres of land
50 miles from Denver.
6146. iv. EDNA FRANCES, b. Feb 16, 1850; m. June 16, 1870, W. O.
HARTSHORN; d. 1884, near Fort Smith, Ark., leaving 5 ch. He res.
Thayer, Kan.
6147. v. LIONEL ALSTON, b. Aug. 10, 1851; d. Feb. 1, 1892; non compos
mentis, Pueblo, Colo.
6148. vi. JAMES MILTON, b. Aug. 14, 1855; m. Elizabeth BON and Anna
STEWART.
6149. vii. HERBERT C., b. Mar. 11, 1859.
3347. CHARLES WHITNEY (David, Samuel, Solomon, David, Joshua, John),
b. Almond, N. Y., Jan. 30, 1834; m. in Wood Co., Ohio, Mar. 25, 1855, Orrilla
PAINE; b. May 8, 1834.
At the age of eighteen years he left home in Ohio and crossed the plains to Cali-
fornia, spending two and a half years in the mines. Returning home in the fall of
1854, he attended the district school during the winter, and married the following
spring, and settled on a claim near Rochester, Minn., which he rented in the fall of
1855, and sold in the fall of 1858, and spent the following season in the mountains
of Colorado. Went into manufacturing and merchandising in the spring of 1860 in
Rochester, Minn.; sold out in 1869, and together with his brother John organized the
Whitney Manufacturing Company, to perfect and make automatic grain binders,
and in connection with him went to St. Louis, and organized the Sumner & Whitney
Manufacturing Company, for perfecting and making grain binders. He operated in
this until 1876, and in 1877 entered into an arrangement with C.W. and W. W. MARSH,
of Sycamore, Ill., to operate in inventing and perfecting harvesting machinery. In
1885 he left this business, and for several years his business was making settlements
with the various infringers of his grain binder patents, and also operating as prac-
tical, theoretical, and mechanical expert in patent cases, and for the last three years
(1889-92) made some valuable inventions in photographic cameras of the hand type,
being the first to make a field-glass and roll-holder camera all in one instrument:
also the first to make a cut-off roll-holder camera, whereby each exposure is severed
from the roll as taken. These, together with a number of other features of value,
and some inventions in the same class made by his sons George and Frank in the
line of magazine cameras, which he has charge of as attorney of record, are now
being manufactured for the market by the Blair Camera Company, of Boston; the
Sevil Adams Company, of New York City, and the Rochester Optical Company,
of Rochester, N. Y. Res. 804 No. Park Av., Chicago, Ill., Riverside and Winnetka, Ill.
6150. i. GEORGE, b. Mar. 25, 1856; m. Louise JONES.
6151. ii. FRED, b. Oct., 1858; d. July 1881.
6152. iii. FRANK, b. Apr., 1860; m. Cora NESBIT.
3353. EDWIN HENRY WHITNEY (Rufus, Tarball, Solomon, David, Joshua,
John), b. Almond, N. Y., Sept. 21, 1842; m. Mar. 17, 1861, Adelia PERRY; b. Aug. 23,
1824; d. Mar. 1875. He was in the railroad business and killed in an accident. He
d. June 6, 1864; res. Almond, N. Y.
[Page 404]
6153. i. ADDIE, b. Mar. 2, 1863; m. Feb. 2, 1882, Olney BENJAMIN; b. Sept.
20, 1860. He is a farmer; res, Almond, N. Y. Ch.: Ethel Mae,
b. June 8, 1884; Earl Whitney, b. Oct. 16, 1894.
3354. LAWRENCE T. WHITNEY (William, Tarball, Solomon, David, Joshua,
John), b. Andover, N. Y., Sept. 14, 1827; m. May, 1856, Josephine Barber; b. July 16,
1831, in Newport, R. I. He was a farmer. He d. July 11, 1873; res. Almond, N. Y.
6154. i. CHARLES W., b. Dec. 26, 1860; unm.; res. Almond.
6155. ii. EMMA MAUDE, b. 1865; m. W. H. OWENS; res. Hornellsville,
N. Y.
6156. iii. LOIS MARION, b. Mar. 12, 1867; m. Mar. 8, 1891, Herbert E. BARBER;
res. Almond. He was b. Feb. 5, 1865. Is a farmer.
6157. iv. KATE MAY, b. Sept., 1868; unm.; res. A.
3355. JOHN ALLEN WHITNEY (William, Tarball, Solomon, David, Joshua,
John), b. Almond, N. Y., Dec 14, 1829; m. at Taylor's Falls, Minn., Diantha FULLER;
b. Aug. 14, 1836. He is a carpenter and boatbuilder; res. Edgerton, Wis.
6157 1/2. i. IDA MAY, b. Sept. 30, 1859, d. June 15, 1890.
6158. ii. MINNIE A., b. Sept. 30, 1859, d. Mar. 20, 1871.
6159. iii. MYRA E., b. Oct. 16, 1860; m. June, 1883, J. W. RICHARDSON;
res. E.
6160. iv. CLYDE ARTHUR, b. Feb. 1, 1862.
6161. v. BERTHA L., b. Aug. 18, 1873; m. W.C. BRYANT; res. Milton
Junction, Wis.
3359. AMI WHITNEY (Solomon, Tarball, Solomon, David, Joshua, John), b. Al-
mond, N. Y., July 28, 1815; m. at Niles, Mich., Mar. 1844, Elizabeth FERGUSON; m. 2d,
July 3, 1860, Caroline BORDERS. He d. Feb. 26, 1872; res. Berrien Springs, Mich.
6162. x. IVA MAY, b. Dec. 5, 1871; m. ----- STEEL; res. Haselton, Mich.
6163. i. SARAH ANN, b. Jan. 15, 1845; m. ----- TYRON; res. Benton Har-
bor, Mich.
6164. ii. WM. ANDREW, b. Jan. 14, 1847.
6165. iii. MARY ADELAIDE, b. Jan. 18, 1851.
6166. iv. AMI, b. May 7, 1861.
6167. v. ALMEDA, b. Oct. 14, 1862.
6168. vi. CHARLES, b. Nov. 10. 1863.
6169. vii. PHEBE, b. Dec. 10, 1865.
6170. viii. SOLOMON, b. Nov. 9, 1867.
6171. ix. ASENETH, b. May 27, 1869.
3363. SOLOMON WHITNEY (Solomon, Tarball, Solomon, David, Joshua, John), b.
Alleghaney Co., N. Y., Mar. 22, 1827; m. in 1859, Sarah STRUBLE; m. 2d, Oct. 15, 1874,
Mrs. Selena LOMAX. He is a farmer; res. Vistula, Ind.
6172. i. CARSON W., b. Nov. 19, 1858; m. Minnie RATHFON.
6173. ii. SARAH, b. May 13, 1876.
6174. iii. MAUD, b. July 4, 1880; d. Feb. 25, 1881.
3365. RUFUS WHITNEY (Solomon, Tarball, Solomon, David, Joshua, John), b.
Almond, N. Y., Sept. 28, 1829; m. Sept., 1849, Lodema BORTLE; b. Egypt, N. Y.,
Jan. 27, 1827; d. Aug. 9, 1873. He was a farmer. He d. Dec. 13, 1890; res. Van
Buren, Ind., and Chesaning, Mich.
6175. i. ALBERT R., b. Mar. 21, 1851; m. Louisa FITCH, Jane DAY and
Emma KIDWELL.
6176. ii. BRUCE E., b. Nov. 22, 1857; m. Mary LEE.
6177. iii. ORA E., b. Apr. 23, 1861; m. Feb. 22, 1878, John GINTER; res. C.; b.
Feb 9, 1856. Ch.: Lena, b. Feb. 10, 1879; Lytle, b. July 31, 1883.
6178. iv. BELDEN L., b. Apr. 20, 1865; m. Bertha Edella FINDLEY.
6179. v. ETTA L., b. May 14, 1868; m. July 19, 1888; George MINER; res. C.;
b. June 23, 1867. Ch.: Mabel, b. Mar. 13, 1891; Leo, b. Oct. 3,
1894.
3365. ALBERT WHITNEY (Solomon, Solomon, Solomon, David, Joshua, John), b.
East Poultney, Vt., Jan. 14, 1820; m. Nov. 2, 1844, Mary MARSHALL; b. July 26, 1819; d.
Rochester, N. Y., June 31, 1893. He is in the hardware business; res. Rochester,
N. Y., 408 Plymouth Ave.
6180. i. MARIETTA, b. Sept. 29, 1861; d. Feb. 23, 1865.
[Page 405]
6181. ii. ALTA EUDORA, b. Oct. 3, 1850; m. Mar. 6, 1872, Dr. WALDREN;
res. 408 Plymouth Ave.
6182. iii. JOANNA, b. Dec. 4, 1855; m. Jan. 23, 1876, ----- GREEN; res. Roch-
ester, N. Y.
6183. iv. ELON ANGUS, b. Sept. 6, 1852; d. Mar. 1, 1865.
6184. v. CHARLOTTE EMOGENE, b. Feb. 12, 1845; d. Dec. 20, 1851.
3366. NEWTON WHITNEY (Solomon, Solomon, Solomon, David, Joshua, John),
b. Poultney, Vt., Sept. 26, 1822; m. Oct., 1858, at Deep River, Ia., Catherine DILLON;
b. Nov. 27, 1833; d. July 10, 1870. He was born in Poultney, Vt., where his ancestors
were early settlers. Residing with his father until after thirty years of age, in 1855
he migrated westward, and settled in Des Moines, Iowa, where he has since resided.
He was one of the California pioneers of 1849, and resided in the Golden State
two years. He d. 1894; res. Des Moines, Iowa, 328 E. 5th street.
6185. i. ERWIN F., b. Sept. 10, 1860; m. Ella M. ADAIR.
6186. ii. ION, b. Apr 5, 1874.
6187. iii. ELMETTA, b. Nov. 23, 1858; d. Sept. 24, 1864.
6188. iv. ELENA, b. June 2, 1864; d. Jan 28, 1871.
6189. v. ELETHA, b. June 2, 1864; d. Jan 28, 1871.
6190. vi. JOHN, b. June 8, 1868; d. Jan. 19, 1871.
3368. MYRON WHITNEY (Solomon, Solomon, Solomon, David, Joshua, John),
b. Poultney, Vt., Mar. 10, 1826; m. Sophia GREER. He d. 1888; res. Deep River, Ia.
6191. i. EVAN, b. -----. 6193. iii. RUDOLPH, b. -----.
6192. ii. EUGENE, b. -----. 6194. iv. EDITH, b. -----.
3373. EBENEZER WHITNEY, JR. (Ebenezer, Samuel, Samuel, John, Benjamin,
John), b. -----; m. -----; res. Litchfield and West Gardner, Me.
6195. i. EBENEZER, b. -----. 6196. ii. JAMES, b. -----.
3376. THOMAS R. WHITNEY (Thomas G., Samuel, Samuel, John, Benjamin,
John), b. Maine; m. Harriett WAITE; m. 2d. Emeline WYMAN; res. Maine.
6197. i. LUCY, b. -----. 6201. v. THOMAS, b. -----.
6198. ii. MARTHA, b. -----. 6202. vi. ELIZA ANN, b. -----.
6199. iii. WYMAN, b. -----. 6203. vii. OLIVE, b. -----.
6200. iv. JAMES, b. -----.
6204. viii. FRANKLIN, b. Apr. 2, 1847; m. Ella S. PULLEN.
6205. ix. ADALINE, b. Aug. 5, 1848; m. Frank APPLEBY; has one child,
Grace, res. 4 Westerly St., Jamaica Plain, Mass.
6206. x. FRANCIS E., b. Dec. 25, 1849; unm.
6207. xi. CATHERINE, b. July 5, 1851; m. Cassius SWIFT; res. 641 Huntington
St., Boston.
6208. xii. AUGUSTINE, b. -----; unm.; res. Farmingdale, Me.
6209. xiii. ALICE, b. July 5, 1855; m. ----- COGSWELL.
6210. xiv. OLIVE, b. Feb. 28, 1859; d. Aug. 8, 1871.
6211. xv. ERNEST, b. 1862; unm.; res. 117 No. Sheldon St., Chicago, Ill.
3381. SIMEON WHITNEY (Amos, Jonathan, Samuel, John, Benjamin, John), b.
Bath, Me., Aug. 19, 1800; m. 1825, Rosanna SMITH; res. Bingham, Me.
6212. i. DAVID S., b. -----; res. Bingham, Me.
6213. ii. FRANK W., b. -----; res. Brownsdale, Minn.
3382. DAVID WHITNEY (Amos, Jonathan, Samuel, John, Benjamin, John), b.
Bath, Me., May 2, 1802; m. 1825, Mercy REED; res. Lincoln, Me.
6214. i. ISAAC REED, b. -----; res. Bangor, Me.
6215. ii. DAVID CATHCART, b. -----; res. Sabula, Ia.
6216. iii. SIMEON, b. -----; res. Indiantown, St. John, N. B.
3386. MELVIN STOW WHITNEY (Benjamin, Abraham, Benjamin, John, Benja-
min, John), b. Oct. 9, 1812; m. at Bangor, Me., pub. Sept. 30, 1834, Sarah LANGLEY.
She res. In Worcester, Mass., at the Wellington. He d. Jan. 19, 1865; res. New York,
N. Y.
6217. i. ELIZABETH, b. Nov. 22, 1857 (adopted); m. Apr. 17, 1879, Wm. S.
FORREST. She d. 1895. Wm. S. FORREST was born at Baltimore,
Md., on July 9, 1852, and received an excellent preparatory edu-
cation; he entered Dartmouth college, was honored with an
election to the Psi Upsilon fraternity, and graduated in the class