Family:Whitney, Elijah (1754-1834)

Elijah⁵ Whitney (Abraham⁴, Isaiah³, Thomas², John¹), son of Abraham⁴ and Sarah⁵ (Whitney) Whitney,^[1] was born 15 Feb 1754, Harvard, MA,^[2] and died 6 Jan 1834, Bolton, MA, aged 79 years.^[3]

He "of Harvard" married 14 Apr 1772, Bolton, MA, Sarah Stearns "of Bolton",^[4] daughter of Benjamin and Dinah (Wheeler) Stearns.^[5] She was born 29 Dec 1751, Bolton, MA,^[6] and died 3 Oct 1812, Bolton, MA, aged 59 years.^[7]

He was a farmer. In 1779 he purchased a farm and settled in Bolton, MA, where his wife died.

He resided Bolton and Lancaster, MA.

Children of Elijah⁵ and Sarah (Stearns) Whitney, all born Bolton, MA:

i.	Elijah6 Whitney, b. 7 Jul 1772;[8] died bef. 1781.
ii.	Sarah Whitney, b. 13 Jul 1774;;[9] "3d" m. 15 Dec 1797, Bolton, MA, James Townsend, Jr.,[10] of Bolton, MA. Ch.: Hannah, James, Nancy W., Samuel, Sarah (m. Charles A. Lyman), Lucinda, and Alfred.
iii.	Dinah Whitney, b. 23 Sep 1776;[11] m. 27 Nov 1800, Benjamin W. Worcester,[12] of Bolton, MA. Ch.: Daniel, Arad, Luke, Samuel, Alice, Horace, and an infant child.
iv.	Samuel Whitney, b. 10 Sep 1778;[13] m. Lucy Handley.
v.	Elijah Whitney, b. 25 Feb 1781;[14] d. 18 May 1866, Bolton, MA, aged 85 years 2 months 26 days, of lung fever; unmarried; resided Charlestown, MA.[15]
vi.	Daniel Whitney, b. 10 Feb 1783;[16] d. bef. 1860.
vii.	Abraham Whitney, b. 17 Apr 1785;[17] d. 9 Aug 1883, Shirley, MA, aged 97 years 4 months, of catarrh of the bladder, basketmaker and gardner, born Bolton, son of Elijah (b. Harvard) and Sarah (b. Bolton), unmarried;[18] resided in the Shaker Community, Shirley, MA. His gravestone says he died 9 Aug 1882, aged 97 years 4 months, Lancaster-Shirley Shaker Burial Ground.[19] The Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1910, agrees with 1882, as does the birthdate and age at death.
viii.	Alice Whitney, b. 1 Sep 1787;[20] d. 9 May 1860, Bolton, MA, aged 72 years, unmarried.[21] R. M. Priest was administrator of her estate, 2 Apr 1861. In the report is mentioned brothers Samuel, Elijah, and Abraham, sisters Sophia Fleming, Nancy Priest, Elizabeth Bailey, Sarah Townsend, and Dinah Worcester.
ix.	Sophia Whitney, b. 20 Nov 1789;[22] m. 1 Dec 1817, Tewksbury, MA, Jesse Flemings.[23]
x.	Nancy Whitney, b. 4 Aug 1792;[24] m. 20 Oct 1814, Harvard, MA, Charles Priest,[25] of Harvard, MA.
xi.	Elizabeth Whitney, b. 26 Aug 1795;[26] m. (int. 2 Dec 1815, Berlin, MA)[27] 28 Dec 1815, Horace Bailey "of Berlin";[28] resided in Westborough.

Census

• 1790, Bolton, Worcester Co., MA: Elijah Whitney, 2 males over 16, 4 males 0-15, and 5 females.
• 1800, Bolton, Worcester Co., MA: Elijah Whitney, 1 male over 45, 2 males 16-25, 1 male 10-15, 1 female over 45, 2 females 16-25, 1 female 10-15, and 2 females 0-9.
• 1810, Bolton, Worcester Co., MA: Elijah Whitney, 1 male over 45, 2 males 26-44, 1 female over 45, 2 females 16-25, and 1 female 10-15.
• 1820, Bolton, Worcester Co., MA: Elizah Whitney, 1 male over 45 and 1 female over 45; 1 engaged in agriculture. This is an apparent error for "Elijah".
• 1830, Lancaster, Worcester Co., MA: Elijah Whitney, 1 male 70-79 and 1 female 30-39.
• 1840, Bolton, Worcester Co., MA:Elijah Whitney, 1 male 50-59 and 1 female 50-59; 1 engaged in agriculture.
• 1850, Bolton, Worcester Co., MA:

84 94 Samuel Whitney 71 M - Farmer $2500 Mass. Lucy " 62 F - " Elijah " 69 M - Farmer "

Elijah was living with his brother Samuel.

• 1850, Lancaster, Worcester Co., MA:

150 163 Deborah Stearns 57 F - $7000 Mass. Martha " 57 F - " Alice Whitney 62 F - "

• 1850, Shirley, Middlesex Co., MA:

195 -- Daniel Willared 48 M - Gardener " Edward B. Bolton 47 M - Farmer " John Osmant 48 M - Broom Maker " Abram Whitney 64 M - Farmer " ... Lucy Whitney 97 F - " ... Francis Whitney 34 F - " ...

• 1855, Shirley, Middlesex Co., MA:

268 277 John Osmorst 54 M - Broom Maker Mass. . . . Abram Whitney 70 M - Mass. . . . Frances J. Whitney 39 F - Mass. . . .

• 1860, Bolton, Worcester Co., MA:

460 472 James Townsend 62 M - Farmer $3000 $600 N.H. Hannah 55 F - Mass. Elijah Whitney 79 M - Farmer $1250 $300 " Alfred Symon 25 M - Farm laborer "

Elijah was living with his nephew, James Townsend.

• 1865, Shirley, Middlesex Co., MA:

[?Shaker community?] 4 4 William H. Wetherbee 49 M - Mass. S Gardner - - 1 1 - Abraham Whitney 80 M - Mass. S Clothier - - 1 1 - Walter Williard 67 M - Mass. S Shoe Maker - - 1 1 - Alpheus Davis 84 M - Mass. S Farmer - - 1 1 - Bennett Bolten 62 M - Mass. S Farmer - - 1 1 - Lorenzo Prouty 42 M - Mass. S Mechanic - - 1 1 - William Dresser 15 M - Mass. S Laborer - - - - - Paulina Pearson 55 F - Vermont S Spinster - - - - - Frances Whitney 49 F - Mass. S Spinster - - - - - Clarissa Hazen 58 F - Mass. S House work - - - - - Nancy Atherton 67 F - Mass. S Dairy work - - - - - Hannah Pattersen 32 F - Mass. S Spinster - - - - - Nancy Elston 32 F - England S Tailoress - - - - - Julia Pearson 27 F - Mass. S House work - - - - - Anna Hume 24 F - Maine S Dress Maker - - - - - Caroline Baxter 22 F - Mass. S Teacher - - - - - Rosa Morse 15 F - Ohio S Spinster - - - - - Agnes Jenks 15 F - R.I. S Spinster - - - - - Carrie Clayton 15 F - Mass. S Spinster - - - - - Ellen Callahan 15 F - Ireland S Spinster - - - - -

• 1870, Shirley, Middlesex Co., MA:

[Probably Shaker community] 263 315 Wetherbee, William H. 55 M W Gardner Mass. Male citizen over 21 Whitney, Abram 84 M W Basket Maker " Male citizen over 21 ...

This is his son Abraham, who died in Shirley.

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. 104.

1.^  His parentage is proven by his birth record, plus his age at death.

2.^  "Elijah [Whitney], s. of Abraham and Sarah, [born] Feb. 15, 1754," according to Thomas W. Baldwin, ed., Vital Records of Harvard, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Boston, MA: Wright & Potter Printing Co., 1917).

3.^  "Elijah [Whitney], [died] Jan. 6, 1834, a. 79. G.S.3," according to Franklin P. Rice, ed., Vital Records of Bolton, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (1910).

4.^  "Elijah [Whitney] of Harvard and Sarah Stearns, [married] April 14, 1772," according to Bolton Vital Records. Also "Elijah [Whitney] and Sarah Stearns of Bolton, in Bolton, [married] Apr. 14, 1772," according to Harvard Vital Records. See also Frederic W. Bailey, ed., Early Massachusetts Marriages Prior to 1800 (1897-1914), 3 vols.

5.^  Her parentage is proven by her birth record, together with her age at death.

6.^  "Sarah [Stearns], d. Benjamin and Dinah, [born] Dec. 29, 1751," according to Bolton Vital Records.

7.^  "Sarah [Whitney], w. Elijah, [died] Oct. 3, 1812, a. 59. G.S.3," according to Bolton Vital Records.

8.^  "Elijah [Whetney], s. Elijah and Sarah, [born] July 7, 1772," according to Bolton Vital Records.

9.^  "Sarah [Whitney], d. Elijah and Sarah, [born] July 13, 1774," according to Bolton Vital Records.

10.^  "Sarah [Whitney] 3d and James Townshend Jr., [married] Dec. 15, 1797," according to Bolton Vital Records.

11.^  "Dinah [Whitney], d. Elijah and Sarah, [born] Sept. 23, 1776," according to Bolton Vital Records.

12.^  "Dinah [Whitney] and Benjamin W. Worcester, [married] Nov. 27, 1800," according to Bolton Vital Records.

13.^  "Samuel [Whitney], s. Elijah and Sarah, [born] Sept. 20, 1778," according to Bolton Vital Records.

14.^  "Elijah [Whitney], s. Elijah and Sarah, [born] Feb. 25, 1781," according to Bolton Vital Records.

15.^  "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1910," from original records held by the Massachusetts Archives. Online database: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004; volume 194, page 174.

16.^  "Daniel [Whitney], s. Elijah and Sarah, [born] Feb. 10, 1783," according to Bolton Vital Records.

17.^  "Abraham [Whitney], s. Elijah and Sarah, [born] April 17, 1785," according to Bolton Vital Records.

18.^  "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1910," from original records held by the Massachusetts Archives. Online database: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004; volume 338, page 174.

19.^  Lancaster-Shirley Shaker Burial Ground, Shirley, MA.

20.^  "Alice [Whitney], d. Elijah and Sarah, [born] Sept. 1, 1787," according to Bolton Vital Records.

21.^  "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1910," from original records held by the Massachusetts Archives. Online database: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004; volume 140, page 171 and 1860 Mortality Schedule.

22.^  "Sophia [Whitney], d. Elijah and Sarah, [born] Nov. 20, 1789," according to Bolton Vital Records.

23.^  "Sophia [Whitney] and Jesse Flemings, [married] Dec. 1, 1817," according to Vital Records of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (Salem, MA: Essex Institute, 1912).

24.^  "Nancy [Whitney], d. Elijah and Sarah, [born] Aug. 4, 1792," according to Bolton Vital Records.

25.^  "Nancy [Whitney] and Charles Preist, [married] Oct. 20, 1814," according to Harvard Vital Records.

26.^  "Elizabeth [Whitney], d. Elijah and Sarah, [born] Aug. 26, 1795," according to Bolton Vital Records.

27.^  "Elizabeth [Whitney], unm., of Bolton, and Horace Bailey of B[erlin], int. Dec. 2, 1815," according to Frances L. Eaton, comp., Martha F. Duren, ed., Vital Records of Berlin, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1899 (Marlboro, MA: Eaton, 1935), p. 284.

28.^  "Elizabeth [Whitney] and Horace Bailey of Berlin, [married] Dec. 28, 1815," according to Bolton Vital Records.

---

Copyright © 2006-2008, 2010, 2013, Robert L. Ward and the Whitney Research Group.