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From:
Subject: Re: [WHITNEY-L] John Hay Whitney
Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2001 00:04:01 EDT


Hi,

There is an excellent biography of William Collins (not Courtney) Whitney by
Swansberg, "Whitney Father, Whitney Heiress" published by Scribner & Sons,
about 1979 (don't hold me to that date -- I have the book, but it's packed
for moving): William Collins Whitney was the kingmaker credited with electing
Grover Cleveland to both (not consecutive) of his Presidential wins and,
according to all late 19th Century accounts (such as the New York Times),
Whitney could have had the Presidency himself in 1896 had he decided to run.
He served in the Cleveland Administration as Secretary of the Navy.

This is the New York "400 List" of high society Whitney, patriarch of the
moneyed and "horsey set" family (actually, he married his money: His wife,
Flora Payne Whitney, was the daughter of an Ohio heavyweight, and very
wealthy, politician and Flora's continued "allowance" subsidized their lavish
dinner parties and social obligations in a manner that a mere cabinet
member's salary could not have achieved). Whitney later did make his own
fortune, and was a moving force behind development of the NY transit system.

Gertrude Vanderbilt (sister to Cornelius and aunt to Gloria Vanderbilt)
married William's/Flora's son, but I'm not certain if that was Payne (there
were two sons and one daughter, Dorothy Whitney Straight -- another daughter
died quite young).

There was a John Hay Whitney, but I'm not certain whether he was directly
linked to the Wm C. Whitney family. I do know that John Hay was a secretary
to Abraham Lincoln, and I have a vague recollection of reading about a
Hay-Whitney marriage, but I don't know which Whitney that might have been,
possibly a John Hay daughter to the other son.

If your Bernice Whitney is tied into this Whitney line, you should have no
problem finding the links. William Collins Whitney's line goes to Nathaniel
(John & Elinor-1, Nathaniel-2).

Hope some of this is helpful, and good luck with the hunt.

Merry

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