WHITNEY, William from the "Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa"

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William WHITNEY, one of the representative citizens of Center 
Township, Pottawattamie County, came to his present location in 1881. 
He as born in Ontario, March 25, 1836.  His father, William E. Whitney, 
was born near Rochester, New York, the son of Jeremiah Whitney, a 
native of New England.  The mother of our subject, nee Mary Scott, was 
born in Niagara County, New York, September 7, 1815.  Her father, 
William Scott, was born in Connecticut, and her mother, Joanna (Crane) 
Scott, was a native of Elizabeth, New Jersey.  Mrs. Scott was a 
daughter of Colonel Jacob Crane, an officer under Washington in the 
Revolutionary war.  Mr. Whitney has in his possession a pewter pan, 
that was owned and used by Colonel Crane during the struggle for 
independence.  It has been handed down to him by his ancestors, and is 
highly prized.  Colonel Crane had a son-in-law, Crowell Wilson, a 
Captain in the British army, who received a grant of land in Ontario, 
where he settled and where others of the relatives also located. 
Colonel Crane also had a son-in-law in the American army.

Mr. Whitney lived in Ontario until thirteen years of age, when the 
family moved to Jackson County, Michigan, and later to Ingham County, 
same State.  His father and mother had ten children, two of whom died 
in childhood.  The names of those who reached adult age are Lucy A., 
William, Martha, F. S., Hannah E., Joanna C., D. A. and Sarah G. The 
father was a mechanic by trade.  He was a minister of the Gospel in the 
Free-will Baptist Church, and was a zealous and faithful worker in the 
cause of his Master.  He enlisted in the service of his country during 
the late war, and at the siege of Savannah lost a leg, having been 
shot through the knee.  From the effects of the wound he died, in 
September, 1873, at the age of seventy-three years.  His widow now 
receives a pension.

The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm and educated in the 
public schools of St. Thomas, Ontario, Jackson and Ingham counties, 
Michigan.  When a young man he went to Whiteside County, Illinois, 
where in 1862, he entered the service of his country, enlisting in 
Company B, Seventy-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry.  He participated 
in the battles of Perryville, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, 
Missionary Ridge, Resaca, Marietta, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta, 
Georgia, Franklin, and Nashville, Tennessee, and many other battles 
and skirmishes.  After a service of three years he was honorably 
discharged at Camp Harper, Tennessee.  He then returned to Illinois and 
settled in Bureau County, where he lived until 1867.  In that year he 
moved to Franklin County, Iowa. After a residence of six years there 
he went to Cass County, same State; in 1881, he came to Pottawattamie 
County.  Here he bought eighty acres of wild prairie land, on which he 
has since made many improvements.  He has a good house and barn and 
suitable buildings for grain and stock, and a fine orchard and grove. 
In fact, everything about the place indicates the push and enterprise 
of the owner.  Mr. Whitney has a good graded stock of cattle, horses 
and hogs.

In Whiteside County, Illinois, October 3, 1858, Mr. Whitney wedded 
Miss Elizabeth C. Berry, a native of Darke Connty, Ohio, and a lady of 
intelligence and refinement.  Her parents were Joseph and Jane 
(Harbison) Berry, the former a native of New Jersey and the latter of 
Ohio. They subsequently removed to Bureau County, Illinois, where the 
father died, November 5, 1876 at the age of sixty-three years.  The 
mother returned to Darke County and died there, in 1883, at the age of 
sixty-five years.  Mr. and Mrs. Whitney have three children: Ada L., 
Mary A., a successful teacher of Center Township, and William B.

Politically our subject affiliates with the Republican party.  He is a 
member of Robert Provard Post, No. 414, of Carson, and has served as 
chaplain of the post.  He and his wife and two daughters are members of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church of Spring Creek.  He has served as 
class-leader and also as superintendent of the Sunday-school.  Mr. 
Whitney takes an active interest in both religious and educational 
matters.  He is one of the esteemed citizens of the township.

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If you would like more information about anyone mentioned in this
biography, please write to the Pottawattamie County Genealogical
Society at:

PO Box 394
Council Bluffs, IA 51502-0394

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