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Archiver > WHITNEY > 1998-11 > 0910447208


From: "Eleanore Dilello" <>
Subject: Whitneys in Windham County VT
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1998 09:00:08 -0500


>From the Gazetteer and Business Directory of Windham County, Vermont
by Hamilton Child 1724-1884

Town of ATHENS, Windham County, VT

MAJOR TIMOTHY H. WHITNEY, a native of Wilton, N.H., took command of a
regiment during the war of 1812, and was present at the battle of
Plattsburgh, though he arrived too late to take an active part in the
engagement. He afterwards settled in Brookline VT and subsequently in
this town (Athens VT) Three of his 10 children are living, Ralph and
Abial in Athens, and Hiram in Brookline.

FROM TOWN OF BRATTLEBORO VT

J.D. WHITNEY & SON, organ reed manufacturers.- JOSIAH DAVIS WHITNEY
was born in ASHBY, MASS, November 7, 1818. when old enough to use
tools(perhaps fifteen or sixteen) he began to work in the shop of his
father, Jonas P. Whitney, who was a manufacturer of church organs.
when 21 years of age he was takeninto partnership and continued to
make church organs until 1844, when he removed to SPRINGFIELD, MASS,
and engaged in the mfg of melodeons, pianos and church organs. In
1851, he removed to FITCHBURG, MASS. where he was employed by his
father in making melodeons or reed organs. He removed to WORCESTER,
MASS. in 1853 where he formed a partnership with Messrs. Rice &
Robinson, for the manufacturing of organ reeds. He remained in
Worcester only one year and then went back to Fitchburg, and soon
after got up a set of reed machinery and commenced making reeds. In
1865 Messrs J. Estey & Co. of BRATTLEBORO purchased the machinery, and
Mr. Whitney was hired by them to run it. He remained with this
company until 1874, the last 8 years working by contract when he sold
them the machinery he had invented during his stay with them, and for
a year or two went out of business. About 1876 he commenced a new set
of machinery with which he began to make reeds in 1878 in Harmony
block. July 1 1879 he took his son EDWIN D. WHITNEY into partnership
under the firm name of J.D. Whitney & Son. They are now located in
Harmony block and mfg over 1/2 million organ reeds a year which are
almost entirely used by the Wilcox & White Organ Co. of Meriden,
CONNECTICUT.

Eleanore Dilello

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