Family:Whitney, Jonathan (1816-1892)

Jonathan⁷ Whitney (Ami⁶, Jonathan⁵, Jonathan⁴, Jonathan³, Benjamin², John¹), son of Ami⁶ and Anna (Amsden) Whitney, was born 3 Nov 1816, NY, and died 12 Jul 1892, Allen, MI. He was buried in Allen Cemetery, Allen, MI.^[1]

He married firstly, 5 or 8 Oct 1839, Niagara Falls, NY, Ann Jane Garrett, daughter of William and Margaret (-----) Garrett. She was born 10 Nov 1823, Ramsey, Isle of Man, and died 9 Jul 1879, Allen, MI, aged 57 years, of breast cancer.^[2] She was buried in Allen Cemetery, Allen, MI. Her gravestone says aged 56 years 8 months.^[3]

He married secondly, 5 Oct 1880, Seneca, NY, Ruth Hooper, daughter of Robert and Clara (Culver) Hooper. She born 25 Dec 1821, Seneca, NY, and died 27 Aug 1897, Allen, MI. She was buried in Allen Cemetery, Allen, MI. Her gravestone says aged 56 years 8 months.^[4]

He was a farmer.

"JONATHAN WHITNEY, whose name is familiar among the prominent men and honored pioneers of Allen Township, is the owner of a good farm on section 9, but has his present residence in the village. A man liberal minded and progressive in his ideas, he has formed no unimportant factor in the development of the western part of Hillsdale County, and his own township especially. Here he has been prominent in local affairs, serving as Treasurer and School Inspector, represented the township in the County Board of Supervisors two years, and served as Justice of the Peace for twelve years. Politically, he is a conscientious Republican, and with his excellent wife, a member in good standing of the Methodist Church. ....

"Jonathan Whitney, our subject, was born in Seneca, Ontario Co., N. Y., Nov. 3, 1816. Like his father before him he was reared to farm pursuits, and as was the custom of most of the young men of those days, continued under the parental roof until reaching his majority. He then started out for himself, and for two years thereafter was employed as a farm laborer in his native county. In the latter part of September, 1839, having resolved to see something of the farther West, he migrated to this county, arriving here on the 29th of October, 1839. In the meantime he had stopped in Niagara County, N. Y., and consummated a very important event, namely, his marriage, and with him brought his bride. They commenced housekeeping in Allen Township in a little building south of the turnpike, near John Reed's, which was then known as the "Still House," and which they occupied for a period of three months, during which time Mr. Whitney put up a log house on the land which he had purchased, and of which they took possession on the 4th of February, 1840.

"Our subject has since that time continued in possession of the land which he secured upon first coming to Allen Township, it was 280 acres in extent, in a wild and uncultivated condition, but after the incessant labors of a series of years he effected good improvements, bringing the soil to a productive condition, and erecting substantial frame buildings. He and his family occupied their first dwelling for a period of twelve years, then removed into their present residence.

"The wife of our subject, to whom he was married in Niagara County, N. Y., Oct. 5, 1839, was in her girlhood Miss Ann J. Garrett, and was born at Ramsey, Isle of Man, Nov. 10, 1823. William and Margaret Garrett, the parents of Mrs. Whitney, emigrated to the United States about 1828, and both died in Niagara County, N. Y., in the summer of 1840. Our subject and his wife became the parents of four children, and Mrs. Whitney died at her home in Allen Township, July 9, 1879. She was a most excellent lady, and a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Their eldest son, William G., married Mrs. Bessie Kay, and is carrying on farming in Allen Township; Anna E. became the wife of John M. Watkins, and died in Allen Township, Jan. 2, 1878; Jonathan C. married Miss Fanny Ellis, and resides in the city of Hillsdale; Jennie S. is the wife of Archibald Wier, a well-to-do farmer of Allen Township.

"Mr. Whitney, Oct. 5, 1880, contracted a second marriage, in Seneca, N. Y., with Miss Ruth Hooper, who was born in that place Dec. 25, 1821, and whose parents were Robert and Clara (Culver) Hooper. The mother died when a young woman, July 26, 1829, in New York State. The father subsequently went to California, and died there Sept. 26, 1852."^[5]

Children of Jonathan⁷ and Ann Jane (Garrett) Whitney:

i.	William Garrett⁸ Whitney, b. 13 Dec 1840, Allen, MI; m. Elizabeth (Marshall) Kay.
ii.	Anna E. Whitney, b. 26 Dec 1842, Allen, MI; d. 2 Jan 1878, Allen, MI; bur. Allen Cemetery, Allen, MI;^[6] m. 19 Nov 1868, Allen, MI, John M. Watkins, as his first wife, son of Samuel and Jane Ann (Parry) Watkins, b. 1 Mar 1843, Allen, MI, d. 19 Jul 1903, bur. Allen Cemetery, Allen, MI.^[7]
iii.	Jonathan Charles Whitney, b. 19 Aug 1852, Allen, MI; m. Fanny Esther Ellis.
iv.	Jane Sophia Whitney, b. 12 Oct 1858, Allen, MI; d. 9 Jan 1891, Allen, MI; bur. Allen Cemetery, Allen, MI;^[8] m. Archibald B. Wier, b. 5 Jun 1861, Hillsdale, MI, d. 11 Apr 1937, Allen, MI; res. Allen, MI; bur. Allen Cemetery, Allen, MI.^[9]

Census

1840, Allen, Hillsdale Co., MI: Jonathan Whitney, 1 male 20-29 and 1 female 15-19; 2 engaged in agriculture.
1850, Allen, Hillsdale Co., MI:

151 164 Jonathan Whitney 34 M - Farmer $2500 N.Y. Ann J. Whitney 27 F - Isle of Man William G. Whitney 9 M - Mich. Attended school Anna E. Whitney 7 F - Mich. Attended school Urias Hendricks 16 M - Farmer N.Y. Attended school

1860, Allen, Hillsdale Co., MI:

147 147 Johnathan Whitney 43 M - Farmer $8390 $1640 N.Y. Ann J. 36 F - " I. of Mann Wm. 19 M - " Mich. Attended school Anna 17 F - " do Attended school Chas. 7 M - " do Attended school Jane 1 F - " do Oscar Avery 18 M - Farm Laborer Mich. Attended school

1870, Allen, Hillsdale Co., MI:

159 146 Whitney, John A. 53 M W Farmer $17980 $5225 New York Male citizen over 21 -----, Ann Jane 47 F W Keeping House Isleman -----, Wm. G. 29 M W Farm Hand $2200 -- Michigan Male citizen over 21 -----, Chas. J. 17 M W At school Michigan Attended school -----, Sophia J. 11 F W At school Michigan Attended school Hill, Chester 19 M W Farm Hand New York Peterson, Frances 13 F W Doing Housework Michigan

1880, Allen, Hillsdale Co., MI:

Jonathan WHITNEY 64 Self M W W NY Farmer MA --- J. Charles WHITNEY 27 Son M S W MI Farmer NY IS. OF MAN Jenny S. WHITNEY 21 Dau F S W MI At Home NY IS. OF MAN Delia C. AVERY 42 Oth F S W NY Domestic --- CT Henry CHILSON 21 Oth M S W CAN Farm Laborer CAN CAN Elmer E. BARNES 17 Oth M S W PA Farm Laborer PA PA