Whitney men of Buffalo NY via VT?

Question

After 40+ years of searching for the ancestors of Charles W Whitney-2359 we may have a lead to this Whitney branch.  

We have indication that "Joseph Whitney moved from VT to Buffalo, NY in the arly days of that city.  Later one dau and 3 sons, including Henry S Whitney-4542 move to (Spencer Co,) IN."--Whitney-L Archives

We have so much info (from Spencer Co, IN) on Charles Whitney-2359, Henry Whitney-4542, Joseph Whitney-4540 and Joshua Whitney-4509 that we have determined, with some certainty, that Joshua Whitney is the father of Charles W and that Henry and Joseph are Joshua's brothers.  There is no other info on the dau indicated in the Whitney-L Archives that we have found except she may be the female enumerated as 10-15 yrs of age in the 1840 Spencer Co, IN census for Joseph L Whitney-4540.  

The Whitney-L Archives indicate that the father of Henry Whitney-4542 is Joseph Whitney of VT and later of Buffalo NY having arrived in Buffalo as early as 1801.

Does any of this look familiar to any other WikiTree Member out there? Thanks so much in advance for taking a look!

Answer 1

There were some Whitneys in Peru, Vermont, where some of my  ancestors lived in the 1800s. Those ancestors of mine weren't named Whitney, but some of them were descendants of the John Whitney family of Watertown, Massachusetts.  I think it's likely that their neighbors named Whitney were also descendants of the Whitneys who lived in Watertown, Massachusetts.

Vermont birth-marriage-death records can be hit or miss. I've gotten some useful hints about my Peru ancestors from these sources, found somewhere on the Internet (probably archive.org) and downloaded:

• Batchelder, Ira K. Reunion Celebration, Together with an Historical Sketch of Peru, Bennington County, Vermont. E.L. Hildreth and Company, Brattleboro, Vermont. 1891.
• Whitney, Mabel E. History of the Congregational Church of Peru, Vermont. Manchester, Vt.: Journal Press, 1932. 14 pgs.

If you are not already familiar with the Whitney Research Group, check out their work. Their coverage of the early Watertown family is at http://wiki.whitneygen.org/wrg/index.php/John_Whitney_Family

Comments

That Whitney Research Group page I linked to is hard to branch out from. Here's a link to a page for one member of the family: http://wiki.whitneygen.org/wrg/index.php/Family:Whitney,_John_(1662-b1731)

You should be able to branch out from there.

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Ellen, thank you so very much for the info.  We do believe that this Joseph Whitney line is descended from John and Elinor Whitney of MA as DNA has shown.  I am familiar with the whitneygen.org but have not had much success with them BUT will give them a new and fresher look! Thanks for that and the books leads.

Kind Regards, Carol

Answer 2

Some Whitneys came to Chautauqua County (75 miles south of Buffalo), specifically Westfield and in the Magnolia section along Lake Chautauqua.  It appeared that these were of the Connecticut Whitney family, I believe, and they remained in upstate New York for some time.  

I'll try to find out more about them from local descendants.  (I'm descendant of the Massachusetts Whitneys and looked to see if related to the local families, concluded that there is no New World connection - but not definitive as it was a quick look.)

Comments

Hi Robin, Thank you so very much for this info about Chautauqua Co, NY.  I will definitely keep this info under advisement and check out possible leads there!  We definitely believe that the Joseph Whitney family is descended from John and Elinor Whitney of MA according to some DNA matches a male cousin has received.  

I appreciae your efforts.  

Kind regards,

Carol