Family:Whitney, Prentiss (1787-1870)

Prentiss⁶ Whitney (Stephen⁵, John⁴, Benjamin³, John², John¹), son of Stephen⁵ and Relief (Stearns) Whitney, was born 2 Nov 1787, Lunenburg, MA,^[1] and died 18 Nov 1870, Westfield, NY. He was buried in Westfield Cemetery, Westfield, NY.^[2]

Marriage intentions were published 9 Dec 1815, Lunenburg, MA, for him "of Concord" and Silvia Bicknell "of Lunenburg".^[3] He "of Concord" married, 25 Jan 1816, Concord, MA, Sylvia Bicknell "of Lunenburgh".^[4] She was born about 1788, MA, and died 1872, probably at Westfield, NY. She was buried in Westfield Cemetery, Westfield, NY.^[5]

He resided Boston, MA, Gardiner, ME, and Westfield, NY.

Prentiss Whitney published a beautiful copy of the Declaration of Independence. It is approximately 26" tall by 21" wide. It has a four-line title printed in 4 different fonts. The text of the document is primarily in a handscript, with some words enlarged and bolded in print type of four different fonts. Bottom section contains the signature replicas. The entire document is surrounded by two intertwined vines which encircle 13 state medallions and an eagle and shield Federal medallion. Vines and medallions are fully hand-colored.

Children of Prentiss⁶ and Sylvia (Bicknell) Whitney:

i.	Sylvia Bicknell7 Whitney, b. 1816, MA; d. 1886; bur. Westfield Cemetery, Westfield, NY;[6] m. 8 Jul 1844, Gardiner, ME, John F. Townsend;[7] resided Westfield, NY.
ii.	Mary L. Whitney, b. ca. 1826, MA; unmarried in 1850. No further record found.
iii.	Edward Prentiss Whitney, b. 21 Aug 1828, MA; m. Mary Eliza Dixon.

Census

• 1820, Boston Ward 5, Suffolk Co., MA: Prentiss Whitney, 1 male 26-44, 1 female 26-44, 1 female 16-25, and 1 female 0-9.
• 1830, Boston Ward 6, Suffolk Co., MA: Prentiss Whitney, 2 males 40-49, 1 male 0-4, 2 females 40-49, 1 female 20-29, 1 female 10-14, and 1 female 5-9.
• 1840, Boston Ward 6, Suffolk Co., MA: Prentis Whitney, 1 male 40-49, 1 male 10-14, 2 females 40-49, 3 females 20-29, and 1 female 10-14; 1 engaged in commerce.
• 1850, Gardiner, Kennebec Co., ME:

35 40 Prentiss Whitney 63 M - Com. Mercht. $3600 Mass. Sylvia " 61 F - " Mary L. " 24 F - " Edward P. " 22 M - " Nancy " 67 F - "

• 1850, Boston Ward 2, Suffolk Co., MA:

325 661 L. Cunningham 60 F - Ms. Sally Whitney 40 F - " Louisa Hunting 22 F - " Prentiss Whitney 60 M - Auctioneer " E. P. " 21 M - " " Jos. Hunting 18 M - Tinman R.I. 662 C. Mason 46 M - Restaurant Me. Betsy " 45 F - " Caroline Gookin 23 F - " Samuel " 28 M - Seaman " Mary J. White 21 F - " Daniel " 28 M - Seaman "

• 1860, Westfield, Chautauqua Co., NY:

805 783 Prentice Whitney 65 M - None $3000 Mass. Sylvia " 62 F - Housekeeper " Nancy " 79 F - None " Edward P. " 30 M - Lock Manufact. $1500 -- "

• 1865 State, Westfield, Chautauqua Co., NY:

410 Frame ---- 409 Prentice Whitney 76 M - ---- Mass. - 1 1 - - Farmer 1 - - - - - - - - - - Sylvia Whitney 74 F - Wife Mass. 1 1 1 - - Edward Whitney -- M - Chld Mass. - - - - 1 Nancy Whitney 84 F - Sist Mass. - - - - 1

• 1870, Westfield, Chautauqua Co., MA:

409 390 Whitney, Prentice 84 M W None $2500 $300 Mass. Male citizen over 21 -----, Sylvia 82 F " " " -----, Edward 40 M " Paper Manufacturer " Male citizen over 21 Townsend, Sylvia 53 F " Keeping House " Magennis, Sarah 14 " " Domestic N.Y. Parents foreign born, Attended school

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. 152.

1.^  "Prentice [Whitney], s. Stephen and Relief, [born] Nov. 2, 1787," according to Walter A. Davis, comp., Early Records of the Town of Lunenburg, Massachusetts, Including That Part Which is Now Fitchburg, 1719-1764 (Fitchburg, MA: Fitchburg City Council, 1896), volume 1, page 245.

2.^  Find A Grave Memorial #79459651, Prentiss Whitney.

3.^  "Prentis [Whitney]s, of Concord, and Silvia Bicknell of Lunenburg, int. Dec. 9, 1815," according to Lunenburg Vital Records, volume 3, page 95.

4.^  "Prentis [Whitney], of Concord and Sylvia Bicknell of Lunenburgh, by Rev. E. Ripley, [married] 25 Jan 1816," according to Town of Concord, Concord, Massachusetts. Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1635-1850 (Boston, MA: Todd, 1895), p. 370.

5.^  Find A Grave Memorial #79459691, Sylvia Bicknell Whitney.

XX.^  Find A Grave Memorial #91274505, Sylvia Whitney Townsend.

7.^  "Sylvia B. [Whitney], and John F. Townsend, [married] July 8, 1844," according to Henry Sewall Webster, Vital records of Gardiner, Maine to the year 1892 (1915).

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