Mary Jerusha (Ely) Whitney (1827 - 1854) Colonial CT roots. Dies young newly married…

Question

Mary Jerusha (Ely) Whitney was born about 1827 and died pre U.S. Civil War on or about April 17, 1854 in Pennsylvania. However we need collaboration in determining how she died so very young and being newly married. It appears she had at least one child. A beautiful photo of herself is on her FindAGrave memorial. Any collaboration in her genealogy is appreciated. Maybe your in her ancestry.

Thank you

Note: Is this her husband George Whitney’s memorial https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/137181178/george-whitney

Appears to be her only child her daughters memorial who died young after marriage also https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7946880/mary-ely-outerbridge

Answer 1

This looks to match her - handwritten death record on Family Search

Says she died of Pulmonary Consumption.

Comments

Hi Denise,

That took some good researching to find. I wasn’t able to! It definitely matches her. The last part is challenging to read/decipher the writing of the recorder. In my research of the husband it appears they were very well to do (at end of his life his property and holdings plus art work was valued) it’s interesting that she had TB; maybe an outbreak in Philadelphia of TB in 1854?

 Thank you

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Just a quick follow up her daughter would of been about age 4. Husband appears to never remarry probably had hired someone to care for her with his status as well to do man

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Andrew, just saw from your later post on finding more of this family since this morning.  Glad this matched up for her, I may not have found her either if I wasn't just in the Philadelphia death collection a while ago, I tired there first and she came up.  Tuberculosis was very prevalent in the 1800's and worse in cities or populated areas. She was so young, it's so sad and ironic that her daughter survives through her mother's disease only to die young of another one.

The note on the record page on FS says "resided 4 yr in Phila", I should have put that link in for you too it's here if you need it for what is at the bottom of the death record of which I can't make out all the words either - " ? of New York, married, four years ? in Philadelphia."

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Says “Native of New York” maybe Resident in Philadelphia ?

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Thank you the link is helpful. Only 4 years in Philadelphia and succumbs to TB but I’m sure she fought if for maybe a year or more

Maybe says merchant in New York tough to read last word

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I could not make native out of that good work - I think it's resident there's a dot for an i over what should be the d.

Answer 2

Mary and I are 11th cousins 7 times removed.

Comments

I’m much more closer in relation to her husband but I’m her 13th cousins 8 times removed. I added an obit death entry for April of 1854 she was very young just married husband very successful in his own right. Possibly childbirth? It was pre civil war era maybe a pandemic? Needs researching to find exact cause of death but apparently her daughter died a same fate young and married. Interesting genealogy