Notes for John Whitney: From "Kin of Mellcene Thurman Smith" a privately published genealogy; Call #CS71.S643:
"The surname Whitney was originally a place name. The Parish from which the family takes its name is located in County Hereford, England, upon the extreme western border, adjoining Wales, and is traversed by the lovely Wye River, where the principal castle was located. The estate comprised over 2,000 acres and remained in the family until 1893 when it was sold, there being no member of the family to hold it."
"John Whitney was a descendant of all the Royal lines of Europe. Educated at Westminister School, now St. Peter's College. Apprenticed by his father February 22, 1597, at the age of 14 to William Pring of Old Bailey London. A freeman of the Merchants Tailoring Co. March 13, 1604 at the age of 2, he became a full-fledged member of the Merchants Tailoring Co.. His home was in Isleworth-on-the-Thames eight miles from Westminister, and there three of his children were born. Early in April, 1635, John Whitney registered with his wife Elinor and sons John, Richard, Nathaniel, Thomas and Jonathan as passengers on the ship "Elizabeth & Ann", landing a few weeks later in New England. Settled in Watertown, MA in June, he bought a 16-acre homestall on what is now Bellmont an East Common Streets. Selectman 1638 to 1655. Town Clerk 1655. Was one of the foremost citizens of Watertown for many years.""
References: D.A.C.-- John Woodward, Matthias Farnsworth, Sr. Rec. Williamstown, Vt. Early Rec. of Lunenburg, Mass., p. 228. Geneal. and Biog. Rec. New London Co., Conn., p. 664. Crane's Worcester, Mass., pp 173-394-644-400. N.E. Geneal. and Hist. Reg., Vol. 11, p. 114; Bol. 15, p. 53. Wyndam Co., Conn., Vol. 1, pp. 139-142. Am. Hist. Coc. Enc. Am. Biog., Vol. 45, p. 181. Whitney Geneal. (by F.C. Pierce), Vol. 21. Accepted Apr., 1933, Little.
References used for proof of Royal descent: Betham's Genealogical Tables of the Sovereigns of the World, Charts 250 to 253. Edward S. Lewis Manuscripts, pp. 81 and 142, etc., 232. Jordan's "Your Family Tree," pp. 64-70. Bank's Dormant and Extinct Baronage, Vol. 1, p. 376. Burke's Dormant and Extinct Peerage, pp. 337 and 227. Antiquities of Warwickshire, by Wm. Dugdale (Pub. 1656), Vol. 1, pp. 591-593. Dugdale's Baronage, Vol. 1, p. 407. Montecute-Montague Genealogy. Melville's Genealogy of Whitney Family.
From "Whitney Genealogy", p. 21: WHAT HENRY AUSTIN WHITNEY SAYS. JOHN WHITNEY probably arrived in June, and immediately settled in Watertown, where his son Joshua was born the 15th of July. He purchased a sixteen acre homestall, which had been granted to John Strickland, who was dismissed from the Watertown church May 29, 1635, and was one of that colony from Watertown that went and planted Wethersfield, the oldest town on Connecticut river. This homestead was the permanent residence of Mr. Whitney. In 1668 he requested his youngest son, Benjamin, who had settled in York, Me., to return and live with him on his homestead, with the assurance that it should be his own after his father's decease. In 1671 Benjamin, with his father's consent, conveyed his rights and obligations in this homestead to his brother Joshua, who had settled in Groton, for œ40. After the decease of his father Joshua returned to Groton, and on the 29th October, 1697, sold this ancient homestead to Dea. Nathan Fiske. It was situated at a little distance north of Belmont street and east of Common street. (See the map of the original allotments in Bond's Early History of Watertown.) It is stated above that Mr. Whitney purchased his homestall, but before 1642 the town had granted him nine other lots of land, amounting to 198 acres. The Registry of Deeds, which contains comparatively few of the early conveyances, shows that he made several purchases of land, and it is probable that he had aided all his other sons in their settlements as he did Jonathan, to whom he gave 39 acres about 1659--and Benjamin, to whom he gave the homestead as we have already noticed. Jonathan and Benjamin received these gifts from their father when they were quite young, and it is possible that they shared in some later division of his estate, which may account for the fact that Mr. Whitney in his will, while he bequeathes parcels of land to all his other sons, merely gives to Jonathan "one iron kitle and a great brass skilet;" to Benjamin, "the old mare if she live."
Mr. Whitney was admitted freeman March 3, 1635-6; appointed constable of Watertown by the General Court, June 1, 1641; selectman, 1638 to 1655, inclusive, and town clerk, 1655.
His wife Elinor, the mother of his eight sons, died May 11, 1659, aged 54; and he married Sept. 29, 1769, Judah Clement, who was not living at the date of his will, April 3, 1673. He died June 1, 1673, aged 74. Inventory, dated June 4, 1673: 50 acres dividend land, 3 acres Beaver Brook meadow, and 1« acres upland; 1 acre plain meadow, besides his personal property, consisting of household goods and stock on the farm. This shows that he then held but a small part of his lands granted and purchased, which had probably been distributed to his sons.
More About John Whitney: Baptised: July 20, 1592, St. Margaret's, Westminster, England. Will: April 03, 1673
More About John Whitney and Elinor (Unknown): Marriage: England.
Children of John Whitney and Elinor (Unknown) are:
+John Whitney, b. Bef. September 14, 1621, England511, d. October 12, 1692, Watertown, MA.
John Whitney (b. 1589, d. June 01, 1673)
Notes for John Whitney: