Family:Whitney, Asa Hammond (1819-1858)

Asa Hammond⁸ Whitney (Asa⁷, Elisha⁶, Elijah⁵, Daniel⁴, John³, John², John¹), son of Asa⁷ and Mary (Hammond) Whitney, was born Boston, 17 Jun 1819, and died 7 Oct 1858, Vicksburg, MS.

He married, 3 Oct 1842, Leicester, MA, Laura Leffingwell Henshaw.^[1] She was born 23 Jun 1820, and died 20 Apr 1886.

He was born in Boston and was graduated at Harvard college in 1838. After leaving college he made a voyage to the Mediterranean for his health and subsequently went to Rio de Janerio as supercargo. On his return he embarked in business as a junior partner in the house of Henshaw & Whitney, wholesale druggists, in Boston. He resided in Cambridge, but subsequently removed to Norfolk, VA, where he managed the financial affairs of the Seaboard & Roanoke R.R. He was a man of great energy and earnestness of character. He resided Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Children of Asa Hammond⁸ and Laura Leffingwell (Henshaw) Whitney:

i.	Laura Leffingwell9 Whitney, b. 10 Jun 1843, Cambridge, MA;[2] d. 24 Jan 1870.
ii.	Anna Henshaw Whitney, b. 30 Nov 1844; resided Lancaster, MA. She was born in Cambridge, MA, spent her childhood there and in Norfolk, Virginia, and in 1856 was sent to boarding school with elder sister, at Keene, NH. In 1858 they entered Lasell seminary, Auburndale, MA, graduating in 1860. The following autumn she returned there as teacher remaining two years after which she taught one year in a private school in Worcester. In Feb 1864, she went to Lancaster, MA, to be assistant in the academy, it was afterwards changed to a public free high school. With the exception of a year in Europe, 1880-81, she continued at any work until 1888, when it seemed best to take up something different for the sake of health. Since then she has been farming on a small and unremunerative scale. Always fond of nature and of animals, especially dogs, in earliest days she had greyhounds, then Newfoundlands, Mexicans, King Charles, and mongrels. In 1875 Mr. L. B. Collins, the principal of the high school here, imported some pure bred St. Bernards. She had owned two before, but of doubtful pedigree. Mr. Collins offered her the first choice of the first litter. She selected a female, and, with it founded her kennels. During her connection with the schools here had the honor of serving as a member of the school committee for several years, during a part of the time as chairman. She was also a member of the public Library board of trustees, serving as secretary and treasurer. In each case she was the only lady member. 1870 to 1880 she was able to do some work in drawing and painting, teaching drawing in the public schools of an adjoining large town and private classes elsewhere, besides having a studio with a friend here. Of late years she has endeavored to live out of doors as much as possible, and with most satisfactory results as to health. Most unintentionally she has become somewhat a public character in connection with dogs. Several years ago she was asked to judge St. Bernards, Newfoundlands and pugs at the New York annual exhibition. She accepted and has done it ever since, officiating at various other places here and in Canada also.
iii.	Richard Sullivan Whitney, b. 19 Jun 1847, Cambridge, MA;[3] d. 21 Aug 1847, Cambridge, MA, aged 11 days [sic] or 20 Aug 1848, aged 1 year 2 months.[4]
iv.	Catherine Dean Whitney, b. 17 Jun 1849; m. on the English frigate Narcissus, off Havana, Cuba, 31 May 1871, Robert George Lawton, of Hudson, NY; b. 1839; Mr. Lawton is a resident of Havana, a member of Lawton Bros., bankers. Ch.: Robert Henshaw, b. 3 Apr 1872, Havana; d. Lancaster, MA; Sydney Allan, b. 2 Nov 1873, Lancaster, MA; Ethel Whitney, b. 4 Oct 1875, Lancaster, MA; Richard Henshaw, b. 23 Mar 1888, Lancaster, MA; Sydney Allan is a member of the Class of 1895, Harvard university.
v.	Hammond M. Whitney, b. 28 Jun 1851; m. Catherine Reed.
vi.	Emily Starks Whitney, b. 10 Jul 1854.

Census

• 1850, Norfolk, independent city, VA:

703 782 Hammond Whitney 31 M - Treasu Rail Road Massachusetts Laura " 27 F - Ohio Laura " 7 F - Massachusetts Attended school Annie H. " 5 F - " Attended school Kate V. " 2 F - " L. V. Paddock 25 F - Vermont

• 1860, Cambridge, Middlesex Co., MA:

138 183 L. L. Whitney 49 M - Housekeeper $3000 - Ohio L. L. " 17 F - Mass. Alice H. " 16 F - " Catherine D. " 11 F - " Attended school Amanda M. " 9 F - Va. Attended school Emily S. " 6 F - " Attended school Alice Flanagan 25 F - Servt. Ireland

• 1870: not found.
• 1880, Lancaster, Worcester Co., MA:

Laura L. WHITNEY 58 Self F W W OHIO Keeping House MASS. OHIO Anna H. WHITNEY 34 Dau F S W MASS. Teacher MASS. OHIO Emma S. WHITNEY 26 Dau F S W VA. At Home MASS. OHIO

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), pp. 426-427.

1.^  "Hammond [Whitney] of Boston and Laura Leffingwell Henshaw, [married] Oct. 3, 1842," according to Franklin P. Rice, ed., Vital Records of Leicester, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (1903).

2.^  "Laura Leffingwell [Whitney], d. of Hammond and L. L., [born] June __, 1843," according to Vital Records of Cambridge, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Boston, MA: 1914-1915). Also, "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1910," from original records held by the Massachusetts Archives. Online database: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004; volume 5, page 8a.

3.^  "Rich[ar]d Sullivan [Whitney], s. of Hammond and Laura L., [born] June 19, 1847," according to Cambridge Vital Records.

4.^  "Richard Sullivan [Whitney], s. of Hammond and Laura M., [died] Aug. 21, 1848, a. 11d. G.R.3," and also, "Richard S. [Whitney], [died] Aug. 20, 1848, a. 1y. 2m. G.R.3b," according to Cambridge Vital Records. Also, "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841–1910," from original records held by the Massachusetts Archives. Online database: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004; volume 40, page 144.

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