WHITNEY-L Archives

Archiver > WHITNEY > 1999-05 > 0927587204


From: "Robert L. Ward" <>
Subject: Re: [WHITNEY-L] WATNEY/WHITNEY connection in 17th Century
Date: Mon, 24 May 1999 19:06:44 -0400


At 01:34 AM 5/23/99 -0400, Duncan Watney wrote:
>Hi everyone,
>
>I have just joined this list as a result of looking at the Whitney Family
>Genealogy Home page.
>
>I was staggered to find that variants of the Whitney name are said to be
>Watney, Watnee, Whatney, Wotney, all of which are names I have been
>researching for some 7 years and this is the first time I have heard this.
>
>Can anyone give me chapter and verse for this supposition please, and if
>possible any data that links these names with Whitney.

The U.S. Census of 1790 lists Nathaniel WHATNEY as a head of household in
Rutland Co., VT. This is the earliest mention of any of the above spellings
in my records. There is no other mention of anyone by that name in the same
time frame, so we believe that his surname probably was WHITNEY.

Other Nathaniel WHITNEY individuals living in 1790, and old enough to be
head of a household:
1. Nathaniel-6 WHITNEY [Samuel-5, Nathaniel-4, Nathaniel-3, John-2, John-1]
who lived in Marlboro, Windham Co., VT, and is listed in the same 1790
Census in Windham Co., VT.
2. Nathaniel-4 WHITNEY [Nathaniel-3, Benjamin-2, John-1], who was living in
Cumberland Co., ME, and is also listed in the 1790 Census of that place.
3. Nathaniel-5 WHITNEY, son of the preceding, whereabouts unknown.
4. Nathaniel-7 WHITNEY [Nathaniel-6, Nathaniel-5, Nathaniel-4, Nathaniel-3,
John-2, John-1], married in 1780 in Grafton/Westborough, MA, whereabouts
unknown.
5. Nathaniel Ruggles-6 WHITNEY [Simon-5, Daniel-4, Benjamin-3, John-2,
John-1], living in Watertown, Middlesex Co., MA, and listed in the 1790
Census of that place.
6. Nathaniel WHITNEY, listed in the 1790 Census of Cheshire Co., NH.

Nathaniel does not seem to be a name used in the Henry WHITNEY family until
much later. It seems reasonable to identify #3 and #4 above with the
individuals #6 and the Nathaniel WHATNEY mentioned above, in some order.

The U.S. Census of 1840 lists Anson WATNEY as a head of household in Bedford,
Cuyahoga Co., OH.

This was Anson-6 WHITNEY [Josiah Anson-5, Richard-4, Henry-3, John-2,
Henry-1] as described in S. Whitney Phoenix, _Whitney Family of Connecticut_.

>My Watney ancestors were in the Thames Valley and around Hayes Middlesex
>and Wimbledon Surrey in the 17th Century, and I cannot find the name before
>that so I will be absolutely delighted if anyone can help me trace the
>family back further.
>
>Grateful thanks for any help.

Sorry I cannot help with your WATNEY family ancestry!

Regards,

Robert

Robert L. Ward

<http://www.erols.com/rlward1/>;
12236 Shadetree Lane, Laurel, MD 20708-2832
301-776-1659

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