Family:Whitney, James Wheeler (1819-a1880)

James Wheeler⁸ Whitney (Philo⁷, James⁶, Samuel⁵, Samuel⁴, Nathaniel³, John², John¹), son of Philo⁷ and Jerusha (Wheeler) Whitney, was born 27 Nov 1819, Newtown, CT, was baptized 7 May 1820, Trinity Church, Newtown, CT, and died after 1880.

He married, 28 Oct 1846, York, NY, Anna Maria Lewis, daughter of Samuel and Anne Maria (Knisell) Lewis. She was born 25 Apr 1824, Mulica, NJ, and died after 1880.

He is a partner in the firm of Hazen, Whitney & Company, importers and jobbers of silks, 392 Broadway; resided 138 Second place, Brooklyn, NY.

Phoenix says the following:

"James Wheeler Whitney, b. at Newtown, Conn., 27 Nov. 1819; bap. in Trinity Church, Newtown, 7 May 1820; a merchant; married 28 Oct 1846, at York, N. Y., where her father then lived, Anna Maria Lewis, who was born at Mullica Hill, N. J., 25 Ap. 1824, dau. of Samuel and Anne Maria (Knisell) Lewis, and g. dau. of Christopher and Elizabeth Knisell. After leaving Newtown, he dwelt in Le Roy, N. Y.; in York, N. Y.; again in Le Roy; and in 1874, was living at 138 Second Place, Brooklyn, N. Y., a partner in the firm of Hazen, Whitney & Co., importers and jobbers of silk goods, at 392 Broadway, New York City."

Pelletreau says:^[1]

"James Wheeler Whitney, third child of Philo and Jerusha (Wheeler) Whitney, was born at Newtown, Connecticut, November 27, 1819. His father died when he was but ten years of age and he was placed in charge of one of his relatives on a farm, where he resided for the next five years, working on the farm during the summer and attending the district school in the winter. At the age of fifteen he went to le Roy, New York, where he was a clerk in the store and afterwards a partner. Ambitious for a wider field and more extensive business operations, he came to New York City in the early fifties, where after four years experience as a salesman in a wholesale dry-goods house he formed a co-partnership with hill, Groves & Company, continuing his connection with its successors under the firm names of Groves, Northrop & Taylor, Northrop, Taylor & Company, Hazen, Whitney & Company, and finally Whitney & Company, from which firm he retired with a competence in 1890. He outlived many of his contemporaries, but the various firms, of unquestioned honor and integrity, with which his name was connected, will ever live in the commercial history of the great metropolis.

"Mr. Whitney was identified with the various interests of Brooklyn for nearly a half century. He became a resident of that city in 1855, and in 1868 purchased a home at 138 Second Place, which was then one of the most fashionable residence parts of the city. He was always interested in church and benevolent work and continued this up to the day of his death. He was a vestryman and later junior warden of Emanuel church (now St. Martin s) for many years, with Mr. Alexander E. Orr as senior warden, and on the latter's retirement he became senior warden. He was a trustee of the Church Charity Foundation for over twenty-five years and was especially active in the construction an management of St. John Hospital, which forms a part of this institution. Without ostentation he assisted in the support of many works of charity and benevolence. Though not active in politics, he was a member of the Young Men's Republican Club, of Brooklyn, and loyal in his support of the party. He was a director of the South Brooklyn Savings Bank, an institution in which he became deeply interested and was one of the auditing committee. At the time of his death the following preamble and resolutions were adopted by this institution and an engrossed copy presented to the family:

"'The Board having learned with deep regret of the very sudden death of their late associate, James W. Whitney, and being desirous of showing their appreciation of the faithful and efficient services rendered by him during his thirteen years connection with the Bank, it is hereby

"Resolved, That in his death this institution loses one who has always manifested great interest in its welfare, as evidenced by his regular attendance at the meetings of its Board and the thoroughness with which as chairman of its examining committee he contributed his share in the investigation of its securities and accounts. A man of retiring disposition whose genial manner and strict integrity won for him the respect and esteem of his fellow trustees.

"Resolved, That the foregoing be embodied in the minutes of this institution and an engrossed copy of the same be sent to the family of the deceased, with the warmest expressions of sympathy for their great loss.'

"This preamble and resolutions were signed by Alexander E. Orr, president, and C. S. Denney, secretary.

"Mr. Whitney was interested in local history and was a life member of the Long Island Historical Society. He married Anne Maria Lewis, daughter of Samuel Lewis, of Genesco, New York, a collateral descendant of William Penn. Their children were: Anna Maria, who married Captain A. L. King, and resides at Arrochar, Staten Island; Joseph Botsford; Isabella Lewis, died January 8, 1874, aged twenty-one years."

Children of James Wheeler⁸ and Anna Maria (Lewis) Whitney:

i.	Anna Maria9 Whitney, b. 12 Jan 1848, LeRoy, NY; m. 24 Aug 1871, Brooklyn, NY, Adolph Ludwig King.
ii.	Joseph Botsford Whitney, b. 3 Sep 1849, LeRoy, NY; m. Martha Hazeltine Cummings.
iii.	Isabella Lewis Whitney, b. 10 Nov 1852, LeRoy, NY; d. 8 Jan 1874, Avon, NY.

Census

• 1850, Le Roy, Genesee Co., NY:

54 60 Jas. W. Whitney 30 M - Conn. Anna M. 26 F - N.J. Anna M. 2 F - N.Y. Jas. P. 10/12 M - " Mary McPhail 14 F - "

• 1860, Brooklyn Ward 6 District 2, Kings Co., NY:

381 457 J. Whitiney 40 M - Mcht. $1000 N.Y. A. M. 36 F - " A. M. 12 F - " Attended school J. Whitney 10 M - N.Y. Attended school J. L. 7 F - " E. O'Brien 16 F - Servant N.Y.

• 1870, Brooklyn Ward 10, Kings Co., NY:

23 25 Whitney, Jas. W. 50 M W Dry Gds. Mercht. $10000 $30000 Conn. Male citizen over 21 -----, Anna M. 56 F W Keeping house N.J. -----, Anna M, Jr. 22 F W At home N.Y. -----, Isabella L. 17 F W At home N.Y. Lewis, Samuel 75 M W Retired farmer $2000 -- N.Y. Male citizen over 21 -----, Isabella 41 F W At home N.Y. King, A. L. 36 M W Storage Sweden Parents foreign born McEdoy, Mary 21 F W Dom. Servt. Ireland Parents foreign born Kennera, Ann 27 F W Dom. Servt. Ireland Parents foreign born

• Joseph not found.
• 1880, Brooklyn, Kings Co., NY:

James W WHITNEY 60 Self M M W CT Dry Goods Merchant CT CT Anna M WHITNEY 56 Wife F M W NJ Keeping House PA PA Jane M WHITNEY 56 Cous F W W CT Housekeeper CT CT Evaline E WHITNEY 27 Cous F S W OH School Teacher CT CT Mary LYNCH 28 Othe F S W IRE House Servant IRE IRE

• 1892 State, Brooklyn Ward 10, Kings Co., NY:

James W. Whitney M 72 - U.S. C. Retired Marie do F 69 - " C. Joseph do M 42 - " C. Silk merchant Martha do F 40 - " C. Isabella do F 13 - " C. Marie Evansen F 24 - Norway A. Servant Hanna Johnston F 28 - Sweden A. "

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. 466-467.

• Stephen Whitney Phoenix, 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; to which is prefixed some account of the Whitneys of England. (New York : Priv. Print. [Bradford Press] 1878), p. 739; and p. 1560.

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