Died ‎before. 3 Apr 1673 Watertown, MA

Born ‎before. 20 Jul 1592 Westminster, England, died ‎01 Jun 1673 Watertown, MA‎, at least 80 years, ‎1st marriage to: Judah, ‎2nd marriage to: Elinor
Family:Whitney, John (1592-1673) From WRG http://wiki.whitneygen.org/ John1 Whitney (ThomasA) son of Thomas and Mary (Bray) Whitney,[1] wasbaptized 20 Jul 1592, St. Margaret's, Westminster, England,[2] anddied 1 Jun 1673, Watertown, MA, "widower, aged about 84 years"[3](although actually at age 80). He married first, before 1619, at or near London, England, Elinor-----.[4] She was also known as Ellen and as Ellin.[5] She was bornprobably between 1597 and 1599 somewhere in England, and died 11 May1659, Watertown, MA.[6] He married second, 29 Sep 1659, Watertown, MA, Judah (-----)Clement,[7] as her second husband, widow of Robert Clement. Judah----- was born circa 1595. She married Robert Clement between 1642 and1657 at Haverhill, MA.[8] She died before 3 Apr 1673, Watertown, MA,since her husband did not mention her in his will. The records of the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors show: Feb. 22, 1607, John Whitney, son of Thomas Whitney of the city ofWestminster, yeoman, apprenticed to William Pring of the Old Bailey. March 13, 1614, John Whitney made free by William Pring, his master. March 8, 1624, Robert Whitney, son of Thomas Whitney of the city ofWestminster, gentleman, apprenticed to John Whitney of Isleworth. 1632, Robert Whitney made free by John Whitney, his master, upon thereport of his master.[9] He left a will dated 3 Apr 1673 at Watertown, MA; John Whitny Seniorof Watertown; son John Whitny; son Richard Whitny; son Thomas Whitny;son Jonathan Whitny; son Joshuah Whitny; son Beniamen Whitny; sonsJohn Whitny and Joshuah Whitny, executors; friend William Bond Senior,overseer; witnesses, William Bond senior, Sarah Bond senior; signed bymark. His estate was probated 4 Jun 1673 at Watertown, MA. On thatdate the inventory of Mr. John Whitnie senior, was taken by JosephUnderwood, William Bond, and Nathan Fiske, Junior, and included 50acres of dividend land at £25, 3 acres of meadow at Beaver Brook withan acre and a half of upland to it at £20, and 1 acre of plain meadowat £10; household goods; and stock on the farm. On 17 Jun 1673,Watertown, MA, his will proved by William Bond and Sarah his wife, andhis inventory was exhibited and attested to.[10] John and Elinor (-----) Whitney lived between 1619 and 1624 atIsleworth, England, and between 1627 and 1629 at the parish of St.Mary Aldermary, London, England. Apparently they lived in London from1629 to 1635, when they emigrated to America, but exactly where isunknown. They emigrated in Apr 1635 from London, England, in the "Elizabeth andAnn," Roger Cooper, master. On the passenger list are John Whitney,aged 35; wife Ellin aged 30; sons John aged 11, Richard aged 9,Nathaniel, aged 8, Thomas aged 6, and Jonathan aged 1 year. Their shiplanded in Jun 1635, probably in Boston or Charlestown, MA.[11] He and Elinor ----- lived between Jun 1635 and 1 Jun 1673 atWatertown, MA, on his 16- or 17-acre homestall situated a little northof Belmont Street and east of Common Street.[12] In 1855, Henry Bond said of him the following: "Embarked at Ipswich [corrected to "London"], Engl. Apr., 1635, forNew England, in the Elizabeth and Ann, Roger Cooper, master, JOHNWHITNEY, aged 35; wife ELLIN (Elinor), aged 30; sons JOHN, aged 11;RICHARD, aged 9; NATHANIEL, aged 8; THOMAS, aged 6; and JONATHAN, aged1 year. He was admitted freeman, Mar. 3, 1635-6; was Selectman severalyears between 1638 and 1655 inclusive, and was Town Clerk, 1655. In1642, his homestall lot of 16 acres (where he continued to reside),was bounded E. and S. by William Jennison; W. by Martin Underwood; N.by Isaac Mixer. He at the same time owned 8 other lots, amounting to212 acres. The Registry of Deeds shows that he made additions to thesepossessions. His early admission as a freeman, and his early electionas Selectman, show that he held a respectable social position. Hiswife, Elinor, d. May 11, 1659, and he m. (2d), Sept. 29, 1659, JUDAH(Judith) CLEMENT. He died a widower, June 1, 1673, aged 74. His Will,dated Ap. 3, 1673, attested by William Bond, Sr., and Sarah Bond, Sr.,mentions sons John, Richard, Thomas, Jonathan, Joshua, and Benjamin.Inventory, dated June 4, 1673, 50 acres dividend land, £25; 3 acres ofBeaver Brook meadow, and 1½ acre upland, £60; 1 acre plain meadow,£10. He had probably previously distributed much of his estate in thesettlement of his sons."[13] In 1857, Henry Austin Whitney wrote: "JOHN WHITNEY, of Watertown, Mass., was the progenitor of verynumerous descendants, who are to be found probably in every county ofNew England, and in every State in the Union. He embarked at London inApril, 1635, then aged 35, in the Elizabeth and Ann, Roger Cooper,master, with his wife ELINOR, aged 30, and sons JOHN, aged 11 yrs.,RICHARD aged 9 yrs., NATHANIEL aged 8 yrs., THOMAS aged 6 yrs., andJONATHAN aged 1 yr. He probably arrived in June, and immediatelysettled at Watertown, where his son Joshua was born the 15th of July.He purchased a 16-acre homestall, which had been granted to JohnStrickland, who was dismissed from the Watertown church, May 29, 1635,and was one of that colony from Watertown that went and plantedWethersfield, the oldest town on Connecticut River. This homestead wasthe permanent residence of Mr. Whitney. In 1668 he requested hisyoungest son, Benjamin, who had settled in York, Me., to return andlive with him on his homestead, with the assurance that it should behis own after his father's decease. In 1671 Benjamin, with hisfather's consent, conveyed his rights and obligations in thishomestead to his brother Joshua, who had settled in Groton, for £40.After the decease of his father Joshua returned to Groton, and on the29th Oct., 1697, sold this ancient homestead to Dea. Nathan Fiske. Itwas situated at a little distance north of Belmont street and East ofCommon street. [See the map of the original allotments in Bond's EarlyHistory of Watertown.] "It is stated above that Mr. Whitney purchasedhis homestall; but before 1642 the Town had granted him nine otherlots of land, amounting to 198 acres. The Registry of Deeds, whichcontains comparatively few of the early conveyances, shows that hemade several purchases of land, and it is probable that he had aidedall his other sons in their settlemens as he did Jonathan, to whom hegave 39 acres about 1659--and Benjamin to whom he gave the homesteadas we have already noticed. Jonathan and Benjamin received these giftsfrom their father when they were quite young, and it is possible thatthey shared in some later division of his estate; which may accountfor the fact, that Mr. Whitney in his will, while he bequeaths parcelsof land to all his other sons, merely gives to Jonathan "one ironkitle and a great brass skilet;" to Benjamin "the old mare if shelive!" "Mr. Whitney was admitted freeman March 3, 1635-6; appointedConstable* of Watertown by the General Court, June 1, 1641; Selectman1638 to 1655 inclusive, and Town Clerk, 1655. "His wife ELINOR, themother of his eight sons, died May 11, 1659, aged 54, and he married,Sept. 29, 1659, JUDAH CLEMENT, who was not living at the date of hiswill, April 3, 1673. He died June 1, 1673, aged 74. Inventory, datedJune 4, 1673; 50 A. Dividend land; 3 A. Beaver Brook meadow, and 1-1/2A. upland; 1 acre plain meadow, besides his personal property,consisting of household goods and stock on the farm. This shows thathe held but a small part of his lands granted and purchased, which hadprobably been distributed to his sons."[14] In 1860, James Savage wrote: "[WHITNEY,] JOHN, Watertown, came from London 1635, aged 35, in theElizabeth and Ann, with w[ife] Elinor, 30, and five s[ons] John, 11;Richard, 9; Nathaniel, 8; Thomas, 6; and Jonathan, 1; but a slightreason may be seen for think[ing] one of these ages too low; as in therec[ords] of W[atertown] the f[ather] is call[ed] at his d[eath] 1June 1673, 84 y[ea]rs old; and Richard was releas[ed] from train[ing]in 1691, "being 70 yrs. of age," when he could only be 65, if thecustom-ho[use] rep[ort] be accept[ed]; was a man of prop[er]ty andrelig[ious] charact[er], adm[itted] freem[an] 3 Mar 1636, was by theGen[eral] C[our]t made constable 1641, a selectman sev[eral] timesbetw[een] 1638 and 55, and in 1655 he was town cl[er]k; had b[orn] atW[atertown] Joshua, 5, but the Register's vol[ume] for W[atertown](preserv[ed] at Boston, giv[es] the name John) makes the date 15, July1635, see Geneal[ogical] Reg[ister] VII 159; Caleb, bur[ied] 12 July1640, prob[ably] very young; and Benjamin, b[orn] 6 June 1643. Hisw[ife] d[ied] 11 May 1659, and he m[arried] 29 Sept. foll[owing]Judith Clement, wh[o] prob[ably] d[ied] bef[ore] he made his will, 3Apr. 1673, nam[ing] all the s[ons] exc[ept] Nathaniel and Caleb, andd[ied] 1 June foll[owing]. That Nathaniel prob d[ied] under 20y[ea]rs."[15] In 1875, Henry Austin Whitney wrote: "The record of embarkation, April, 1635, gave the names and ages ofthe family as follows :* -- John Whitney [the father] 35 Nathaniel 8 Elinor Whitney [the mother] 30 Thomas 6 John 11 Jonathan 1 Richard 9 (To be found in a "manuscript volume in folio, containing the names ofpersons permitted to embark at the port of London, after Christmas,1634, to the same period in the following year." This volume is now inthe Rolls Office, Chancery Lane, London, the entry referred to beingon page 35. See, also, same record in Vol. III. of the Third Series,Mass. Hist. Collections ; Vol. XIV. Genealogical Register ; and inDrake's "Founders of New England," Boston, 1860 and 1865.) "Other sons were born in Watertown, Joshua, Caleb (wo died in 1640),and Benjamin. "Shortly after preparing (in 1857) for the Genealogical Register, amore complete account of the earlier generations of the descendants ofJohn and Elinor Whitney than was given in Bond's History andGenealogies of Watertown, I was convinced that at least the ages ofthe father and the two older sons, as given in the custom-house list,were understated. That these lists were not always exact, and weresometimes purposely incorrect, we have many examples ; and, in thisinstance, the ages were doubtless given too young through design,either to avoid some clause in the subsidy act, or some of the manyembarrassments thrown in the way of emigrants. "My belief was based upon data which escaped the critical andsearching eye of Dr. Bond, the historian of Watertown, and which areas follows:-- "FIRST. The death of John Whitney is thus registered in the churchrecords of Watertown: 1673. "John Whetny, widdower, deceased first ofJune, aged abought eighty-four years," so that, in 1635, he would havebeen about forty-five instead of thirty-five years of age. "SECOND. His eldest son John, whose age was given as eleven in thelist of 1635, was married in 1642, when he would have been buteighteen or nineteen years old. "THIRD. Richard, the second son, said to be nine years of age in 1635,was excused from military training by the Court in 1691, as being"seventy years of age," when he could not have been over sixty-five bythe record of embarkation. "These facts were made known to the late Mr. James Savage, which ledto the following cautious language in his " Genealogical Dictionary,"published in 1862. After giving the custom-house ages, he adds, "But aslight reason may be seen for thinking one of these ages too low; as,in the record of Watertown, the father is called at his death, 1 June,1673, eighty-four years old, and Richard was released from training in1691, 'being seventy years of age,' when he could only be sixty-five,if the custom-house report be accepted."* "At the time, the reasons given for thinking the custom-house reportincorrect seemed far from slight; but, in 1871, my theory wasconfirmed by the discovery of the dates of baptism of the two oldersons, together with that of a daughter Mary, of whom we know nothing,and who probably died previous to the emigration, at which time, ifliving, she would have been sixteen or seventeen years old. "The late Mr. H. G. Somerby wrote to me from London, under date ofJanuary 11, 1871, that the previous day he had occasion to search theparish register of Isleworth; about nine miles from London on thebanks of the Thames, opposite Richmond, and that he had thereaccidentally found the registry of baptism of three of John and ElinorWhitney's children, namely : Mary, May 23, 1619; John, September 14,1621; and Richard, January 6, 1623-24. "It will be noticed that John the eldest son was fourteen years old ormore in 1635; instead of eleven, and twenty-one years old when marriedin 1642; and that Richard was twelve years or more in 1635, instead ofnine, and in 1691 was at least in his sixty-eighth year when excusedfrom "training." It is probable that John and Elinor left Isleworthshortly after the baptism of Richard in 1624; as no further trace bfthem is to be found there."[16] In 1895, Frederick C. Pierce, quoting Henry Melville, said of him thefollowing: "John [Whitney], in whom we are most interested, probably received,for those days, a good education in the famous "Westminster School,"now known as St. Peter's College, and February 22, 1607, at the age offourteen, was apprenticed by his father to William Pring of the OldBailey, London. The latter was a "Freeman" of the Merchant Tailors'Company, then the most famous and prosperous of all the great tradeguilds, numbering in its membership distinguished men of allprofessions, many of the nobility and the Prince of Wales, and, onMarch 13, 1614, Whitney at the age of twenty-one became a full-fledgedmember. Marrying soon after he took up his residence atIsleworth-on-the-Thames, eight miles from Westminster, and there threechildren were born, baptized on the following dates: May 23, 1619,Mary; September 14, 1621, John; and January 6, 1623-4, Richard. There,too, November 8, 1624, his father apprenticed to him his youngestbrother, Robert, who served seven years. Soon after the latter date hemoved from Isleworth, probably back to London. Entries in theregisters of the parish of St. Mary Aldermery indicate that he livedthere - in "Bowe lanne," near Bow church, where hang the famous bells- for several years, during which time Mary died, and his son Thomaswas baptized December 10, 1627. In September, 1631, he placed hiseldest child, John, Jr., in the Merchant Tailors school - where,according to the registers, he remained as long as the family were inEngland - and, early in April, 1635, registered with his wife Elinorand sons John, Richard, Nathaniel, Thomas, and Jonathan as a passengerin the ship 'Elizabeth and Ann, Roger Cooper, Master,' which, a fewweeks afterward, completed her lading and set sail for the New World."Extracts from the books of the Merchant Taylors' Company, of the cityof London, England. .... "Feb. 22, 1607, John Whitney, son of ThomasWhitney of the city of Westminster, yeoman, apprenticed to WilliamPring of the Old Bailey. "March 13, 1614, John Whitney made free byWilliam Pring, his master. .... "March 8, 1624, Robert Whitney, son ofThomas Whitney of the city of Westminster, gentleman, apprenticed toJohn Whitney of Isleworth. "1632, Robert Whitney made free by JohnWhitney, his master, upon the report of his master."[17] Pierce continued as follows: "John Whitney was born in England in 1589, and dwelt in the Parish ofIsleworth-on-the-Thames, opposite Richmond, nine miles from London,from May, 1619, to January, 1623-4. The record "of persons permittedto embark at the port of London after Christmas, 1634," manuscriptfolio page 35 in Rolls office, Chancery Lane, gives the followingnames and ages: John Whitney 35, Elinor Whitney 30, John 11, Richard9, Nathaniel 8, Thomas 6, Jonathan 1. "The record reads as follows:"The Elizabeth and Ann, Roger Cooper Mr., April, 1635. "These p'tieshereunder expressed are to be imbarqued for New England, having takenthe oaths of Allegeance and Supremacie and likewise broughtCertificate both from the Ministers and Justices when their abidingswere latlie, of their conformitie to the Discipline and order of theChurch of England, and yet they are no Subsedy Men. Jo. Whitney, 35;Jo. Whitney, 11; Richard Whitney, 9; Nathaniel Whitney, 8; Tho.Whitney, 6; Jonathan Whitney, 1; Ellen Whitney, 30. "The ages of JohnWhitney and his five sons, as thus given, were all too young. Theparish resister of Isleworth contains the following entries: "1621,Sept. 14, John Whitne and Ellin had John their son baptized. "1623-4,Jan. 6, John Whitne and Elinor his wife had their son Richardbaptized. "It is suggested that the non-conformity acts might have hadsome influence in making the ages of the several members of the familyyounger than they were. "They settled in Watertown, in theMassachusetts colony, in June, 1635, where his son Joshua was born the15th of July following, he being the first of this line born inAmerica. John Whitney was admitted freeman 3d of March, 1636, and thefollowing year was for the first time elected by his associates as oneof the Select Men of the town. He held the office for many yearsafterward, until 1655, at which time he was elected town clerk. June1, 1641, he was appointed constable at Watertown by the General Courtat their quarter session held in Boston. "At that time constables wereappointed by the General Court, and, besides the duties attached tothe office in latter times, they were required to collect the taxes ofthe town and the levies by the General Court; to pay the debts of thecolony due to individuals in their respective towns; to supply thetown with sealed weights and measures; to set or order in those townswhere no captain dwelt, and to inflict the punishments ordered byjudicial authority, "where there was not another appointed to do itwithin his own town, unless he can get another to do it." As a badgeof his office a constable was required to carry a black staff five orfive and a half feet long, with a tip or head five or six inches long."His very early admission as a freeman and his election as a SelectMan show that he held a respectable social position in the community."He was grantee of eight lots in Watertown and purchaser of 16 acres,his home-stall lot, where he continued to reside. This latter propertywas granted to John Strickland,+ and was bounded east and south byWilliam Jennison, west by Martin Underwood, north by Isaac Mixer. Hiseight lots amounted to 212 acres, to which he subsequently madeadditions, as shown by the Registry of Deeds. Later the homestallbecame the property of his son, Joshua, of Groton, who sold it to Dea.Nathan Fiske, Oct. 29, 1697. "The death of John Whitney is registeredin the church record of Watertown, 1673, thus: "John Whetny, Widdower,Deceased first of June, aged abought eighty-four years." His wife,Elinor, mother of his eight sons, died in Watertown May 11, 1659, agedabout 60 years (though called 54). He married Judah (Judith) Clement,Sept. 29, 1659. "His will, dated April 3, 1673, is as follows: "I JohnWhitney senior of Watertowne in ye county of midlesexx being perfectand sound in my memory and understanding blessed be god for it: I dodeclare this to be my last will and testemant In maner and form asfolloweth "1ly I committ my spirit into ye hands of god yt gave it:and my body unto the earth from whence it was taken: "2ly I give untomy Son John Whitney: my meadow called beeverbrook meadows with ytupland yt doth appertain thereunto: and a yoke of oxen: or nine poundsten shillings: and ten acres of my land called devedent and a trunkeand one pair of sheets and one pair of pillows beers and two pewterdishes a great one and a small one and ye bed whereon I lie with allthe furniture thereunto belonging. "3ly I give unto my son RichardWhitney my ten acres of land called devident and two cowes and a greatsea chest "4ly I give unto my son Thomas Whitney ten acres of my landcalled devident and two cowes and a sad colered sute namely a payer ofbreeches and a close coate and a puter dish. "5ly I give unto my sonJonathan Whitney an iron kitle and a great brass skilet. "6ly I giveunto my son Joshua Whitney twenty acres of my land called devident anda cubbard and a little table and a chest and a great kitle and awarming pan and a skillett. "7ly I give unto my son Benjamin Whitneythe old mare if she live. "8ly My will is yt what of my estate be leftafter all is paid out as ye aboves namely of my moveables yt it beequaly devided between my execeutors and I doe nominate and apoynt mywell beloved sones John Whitney and Joshua Whitney to be my execeutorsto this my will and testament and I doe desire my loveing friendWilliam Bond sen to se yt this my will be performed acording to yetrue intent of it as is aforesaid and doe set to my hand this 3d ofAprill 1673. "Ye centerline in ye line 24 ye wood devided was donbefore any subscribing or sealining. "The marks of X "Jon Whitney senand a seale, "In ye presince of us "William Bond sen "Sarah Bond sen "This is an inventory of the estate of Mr. John Whitnie, sene, takenthis 4th of June, 1673, by us whose names are hereunto subscribed. Impe Wearing Clothes. A sad coleired sute coats andbreeches...............................001 10 00 The rest of both linin and woollen and shooes stocking hats gloves being much worne...................................................00210 00 The bed wheareon he lay wth all the furniture thereuntobelonging.....05 00 00 Three pillows beers three sheets and three small old tableclothes...001 00 00 An old feather boulster and feather pillows a seachest..............000 10 00 Two old chests an old trunke an old box and an oldCubbard...........000 14 00 Two old tables one forme 3 oldchaires...............................001 00 00 Three pewter platters one basson a sacer and old great pott and old pewter bottle and a chamber pott...................................00012 00 A brass kitle 2 brass skillets a brass skimer a warming pan a small brass morter a little ladell of brass..............................00102 00 An iron pot and pott hooks a tramell a iron kittle a spit a smoothing iron and two old frying pans.......................................00105 00 Three earthen vessels a great grater 2 chuny dishes a dozen of trenchers a wooden dish 3 cheese moats.............................00003 00 A small trevit a pair of tongs and a small payer of scales pound and half in waits a spindell for a wheelle and an iron bullet..........00002 00 A churne and otherlumber............................................000 05 00 Fourcowes...........................................................010 0000 Twooxen.............................................................00910 00 A oldmaer...........................................................002 1000 An old sadle anpillion..............................................000 10 00 An old paire of soops and boxes for a cart a payer of iron pins forthe extree a payer of lines pins and washers...........................00010 00 A chaine a iron bar a spoone of iron an old adsc a set for a saw two wedges and an iron pin for a cart a hay crome and other old iron 00012 00 A grind stone with the iron to it...................................000 04 00 An old haire a cart rope an old bage two old cushins................000 02 00 Fifty acres of land caled devident..................................025 00 00 Three acres of meadow at beaver brooke with an acre and half of ap- land to it....................................................... 02000 00 An acre of meadow called plaine meadow..............................010 00 00 A forke and a shovell...............................................000 02 00 All so of...........................................................000 14 00 Joseph UNDERWOOD William BOND Nathan FISKE"Massachusetts Colony Records "A quarter Court, held at Boston, the first of the 4th mo., 1641. "John WHITNEY was chosen constable at Watertowne and tooke oath. "There was granted to Goodm. NUTT, Marten UNDERWOOD, John WHITNEY,Henry KEMBALL and John WITHEREDGE alowance for 881/2 yrd. of cloth,valued at 12 d. p. yrd. "1655. In answer to the peticion of Mr. Lymon EIRES, Jno. STONE, Jno.WHITNEY, William PAGE, etc, the Court judgeth it meete to referre thepeticioners to the retourne of the commissiones appointed to settlethe matters in difference betweene them those acts this Court dothapproove of and continew, as they are presented to this Court, and areon file." Pierce goes on to quote Henry Austin Whitney as follows: "JOHN WHITNEY probably arrived in June, and immediately settled inWatertown, where his son Joshua was born the 15th of July. Hepurchased a sixteen acre homestall, which had been granted to JohnSTRICKLAND, who was dismissed from the Watertown church May 29, 1635,and was one of that colony from Watertown that went and plantedWethersfield, the oldest town on Connecticut river. This homestead wasthe permanent residence of Mr. WHITNEY. In 1668 he requested hisyoungest son, Benjamin, who had settled in York, Me, to return andlive with him on his homestead, with the assurance that it should behis own after his father's decease. In 1671 Benjamin, with hisfather's consent, conveyed his rights and obligations in thishomestead to his brother Joshua, who had settled in Groton, for £40.After the decease of his father Joshua returned to Groton, and on the29th October, 1697, sold this ancient homestead to Dea. Nathan FISKE.It was situated at a little distance north of Belmont street and eastof Common street. (See the map of the original allotments in BOND'sEarly History of Watertown.) "It is stated above that mr. WHITNEYpurchased his homestall, but before 1642 the town had granted him nineother lots of land, amounting to 198 acres. The Registry of Deeds,which contains comparatively few of the early conveyances, shows thathe made several purchases of land, and it is probable that he hadaided all his other sons in their settlements as he did Jonathan, towhom he gave 39 acres about 1659-and Benjamin, to whom he gave thehomestead as we have already noticed. Jonathan and Benjamin receivedthese gifts from their father when they were quite young, and it ispossible that they shared in some later division of his estate, whichmay account for the fact that Mr. WHITNEY in his will, while hebequeathes parcels of land to all his other sons, merely gives toJonathan "one iron kitle and a great brass skilet;" to Benjamin, "theold mare if she live." "Mr. WHITNEY was admitted freeman March 3,1635-6; appointed constable of Watertown by the General Court, June 1,1641; selectman, 1638 to 1655, inclusive, and town clerk, 1655. "Hiswife Elinor, the mother of his eight sons, died May 11, 1659, aged 54[sic: the source for her age at death is unknown--RLW]; and he marriedSept. 29, 1659, Judah CLEMENT, who was not living at the date of hiswill, April 3, 1673. He died June 1, 1673, aged 84. Inventory, datedJune 4, 1673: 50 acres dividend land, 3 acres Beaver Brook meadow, and1 1/2 acres upland; 1 acre plain meadow, besides his personalproperty, consisting of household goods and stock on the farm. Thisshows that he then held but a small part of his lands granted andpurchased, which had probably been distributed to his sons."[18] In 1996, Smith and Sanborn wrote: John Whitney, son of Thomas Whitney, of the city of Westminster,yeoman, was apprenticed to William Pring of the Old Bailey, a freemanof the Merchant Taylors Company, on 22 February 1607[/8] (ApprenticeBinding Book, Vol 5, 1606-1609, Guildhall Library MS. 314[13], page170): As an apprentice he learned clerical duties and studied a variedcurriculum, as well as a trade. William Pring probably dealt in cloth,since John Whitney is called a tailor in Watertown deeds (vide post). When he reached his majority in 1614, John was made free by hismaster, William Pring (Court Minute Book, vol.6, Freemen 1607-1618,Guildhall Library Ms. 327 (31), page 483: Freedoms), and ten yearslater, on 8 November 1624, "Robert Whitney, son of Thomas Whitney ofthe city of Westminster, Gentleman, was apprenticed to John Whitney inThistleworth" (another name for Isleworth). Robertus Whitney filius Thome Whitney de Civitate Westminster Gentpose appren[tice] John Whittney modo Comanone in Thistleworth proSeptem annis a die dat hor[umm] pr[e]d[i]c[tu]m dat Octavo dieNovembris, Anno Dm 1624 Annoque regis Jacobis Anglie vicesimo secundo(Apprentice Binding Book, Vol.9, 1623-1628, Gulldhall Library Ms 315[18], page 93: Apprenticeships) Robert, in turn, was made free by his brother on 14 January 1632(Court Minute Book: Freemen 1630-1642, Guildhall Library Ms 329 [33],unpaginated). John Whitney's London in the 1620s In the 1620s, his children's baptisms in the St Mary Aldermary'sparish register showed that John lived on Bow Lane and that he was atailor. John sent his eldest son to the Merchant Taylors' School, affordinghim the finest education available to the son of a yeoman intended forbusiness. The younger John Whitney appears in the Merchant Taylors'School Register from 11 December 1631 until 1634 (Merchant Taylors'School Register, 132). This attendance was contemporary with theKemptons, who likely knew the Whitneys (see Kempton chapter). Bond says the Whitneys embarked at London, England in April of 1635for New England in the ship Elizabeth and Ann, Roger Cooper, master.The family consisted of Jo