Eseck Whitney (a cousin of Franklin) was 18 years older than Franklin. (Franklin was the first settler in Massena Township and platted "Whitneyville.") Eseck was born in Pineville, New York, Oswego County, on March 26, 1815. He married Nancy M. Barber on April 28, 1844. Nancy was born in Kerkemer County, New York, on April 30, 1820. Eseck and Nancy had one child, William S.
Eseck Whitney was the second settler in Massena Township and was head of the first family. He was a farmer and also spent 18 years in the lumber business in New York. In 1855, he sold his farm and lumber business and located in Adair County, Iowa. During the first winter in Iowa, Eseck, his son, William, and Franklin and John Whitney slept in their covered wagon. Nancy slept in a tiny cabin with Grandpa and Grandma Rost and their children. In the spring they moved to a deserted Mormon cabin west of Varithers Grove, where the Sears State Station was located.
In the fall of 1856, Mr. Sear's wife and children ran away with a stage driver, so he hired Eseck, Nancy, and William to operate the stage station and farm temporarily, and Mr. Sears left. He never returned, and the Whitneys continued to operate the station until September of 1857, at which time Eseck purchased 400 acres in what is now Massena Township for $1.00 per acre.
In 1861, Eseck rented his land and moved west from the Whitneyville farm to look for gold in Colorado. There were few women in the mining regions. Mrs. Whitney led a very lonely life in Colorado, and the family was in constant danger because of the Ute Indian fighting.
In 1864 the Whitneys returned with enough gold to equip, stock, and build farm buildings and a store and stage station. Living in a shanty left by Franklin Whitney which had become known as Whitneyville, Eseck carried chain and platted farms as the new settlers came to this area.
Eseck came from a long line of Methodists in New York State, and he moved his religion with him. Eseck Whitney's first cabin in Massena Township was built where the Pine Grove Church now stands. The second home was where John Ortgies, Jr., now lives, and both homes held church services and school as more settlers arrived. Later in the winter months, Grange meetings, box socials, and dances were held in Eseck's home.
Eseck died on March 16, 1876. Nancy, William, and William's family remained at Whitneyville until 1884, when they moved to Massena. Nancy burned to death at her home in Massena on January 27, 1907.
Enid Whitney Jensen, a great-granddaughter of Eseck, and her son, Don, are the only descendants of Eseck Whitney still living in Massena today.
Eseck was the son of Cornelius and Rhoda (Gould) Whitney.
Eseck Whitney was the second settler in Massena Township and was head of the first family. He was a farmer and also spent 18 years in the lumber business in New York. In 1855, he sold his farm and lumber business and located in Adair County, Iowa. During the first winter in Iowa, Eseck, his son, William, and Franklin and John Whitney slept in their covered wagon. Nancy slept in a tiny cabin with Grandpa and Grandma Rost and their children. In the spring they moved to a deserted Mormon cabin west of Varithers Grove, where the Sears State Station was located.
In the fall of 1856, Mr. Sear's wife and children ran away with a stage driver, so he hired Eseck, Nancy, and William to operate the stage station and farm temporarily, and Mr. Sears left. He never returned, and the Whitneys continued to operate the station until September of 1857, at which time Eseck purchased 400 acres in what is now Massena Township for $1.00 per acre.
In 1861, Eseck rented his land and moved west from the Whitneyville farm to look for gold in Colorado. There were few women in the mining regions. Mrs. Whitney led a very lonely life in Colorado, and the family was in constant danger because of the Ute Indian fighting.
In 1864 the Whitneys returned with enough gold to equip, stock, and build farm buildings and a store and stage station. Living in a shanty left by Franklin Whitney which had become known as Whitneyville, Eseck carried chain and platted farms as the new settlers came to this area.
Eseck came from a long line of Methodists in New York State, and he moved his religion with him. Eseck Whitney's first cabin in Massena Township was built where the Pine Grove Church now stands. The second home was where John Ortgies, Jr., now lives, and both homes held church services and school as more settlers arrived. Later in the winter months, Grange meetings, box socials, and dances were held in Eseck's home.
Eseck died on March 16, 1876. Nancy, William, and William's family remained at Whitneyville until 1884, when they moved to Massena. Nancy burned to death at her home in Massena on January 27, 1907.
Enid Whitney Jensen, a great-granddaughter of Eseck, and her son, Don, are the only descendants of Eseck Whitney still living in Massena today.
Eseck was the son of Cornelius and Rhoda (Gould) Whitney.
Eseck Whitney (a cousin of Franklin) was 18 years older than Franklin. (Franklin was the first settler in Massena Township and platted "Whitneyville.") Eseck was born in Pineville, New York, Oswego County, on March 26, 1815. He married Nancy M. Barber on April 28, 1844. Nancy was born in Kerkemer County, New York, on April 30, 1820. Eseck and Nancy had one child, William S.
Eseck Whitney was the second settler in Massena Township and was head of the first family. He was a farmer and also spent 18 years in the lumber business in New York. In 1855, he sold his farm and lumber business and located in Adair County, Iowa. During the first winter in Iowa, Eseck, his son, William, and Franklin and John Whitney slept in their covered wagon. Nancy slept in a tiny cabin with Grandpa and Grandma Rost and their children. In the spring they moved to a deserted Mormon cabin west of Varithers Grove, where the Sears State Station was located.
In the fall of 1856, Mr. Sear's wife and children ran away with a stage driver, so he hired Eseck, Nancy, and William to operate the stage station and farm temporarily, and Mr. Sears left. He never returned, and the Whitneys continued to operate the station until September of 1857, at which time Eseck purchased 400 acres in what is now Massena Township for $1.00 per acre.
In 1861, Eseck rented his land and moved west from the Whitneyville farm to look for gold in Colorado. There were few women in the mining regions. Mrs. Whitney led a very lonely life in Colorado, and the family was in constant danger because of the Ute Indian fighting.
In 1864 the Whitneys returned with enough gold to equip, stock, and build farm buildings and a store and stage station. Living in a shanty left by Franklin Whitney which had become known as Whitneyville, Eseck carried chain and platted farms as the new settlers came to this area.
Eseck came from a long line of Methodists in New York State, and he moved his religion with him. Eseck Whitney's first cabin in Massena Township was built where the Pine Grove Church now stands. The second home was where John Ortgies, Jr., now lives, and both homes held church services and school as more settlers arrived. Later in the winter months, Grange meetings, box socials, and dances were held in Eseck's home.
Eseck died on March 16, 1876. Nancy, William, and William's family remained at Whitneyville until 1884, when they moved to Massena. Nancy burned to death at her home in Massena on January 27, 1907.
Enid Whitney Jensen, a great-granddaughter of Eseck, and her son, Don, are the only descendants of Eseck Whitney still living in Massena today.
Eseck was the son of Cornelius and Rhoda (Gould) Whitney.
Eseck Whitney was the second settler in Massena Township and was head of the first family. He was a farmer and also spent 18 years in the lumber business in New York. In 1855, he sold his farm and lumber business and located in Adair County, Iowa. During the first winter in Iowa, Eseck, his son, William, and Franklin and John Whitney slept in their covered wagon. Nancy slept in a tiny cabin with Grandpa and Grandma Rost and their children. In the spring they moved to a deserted Mormon cabin west of Varithers Grove, where the Sears State Station was located.
In the fall of 1856, Mr. Sear's wife and children ran away with a stage driver, so he hired Eseck, Nancy, and William to operate the stage station and farm temporarily, and Mr. Sears left. He never returned, and the Whitneys continued to operate the station until September of 1857, at which time Eseck purchased 400 acres in what is now Massena Township for $1.00 per acre.
In 1861, Eseck rented his land and moved west from the Whitneyville farm to look for gold in Colorado. There were few women in the mining regions. Mrs. Whitney led a very lonely life in Colorado, and the family was in constant danger because of the Ute Indian fighting.
In 1864 the Whitneys returned with enough gold to equip, stock, and build farm buildings and a store and stage station. Living in a shanty left by Franklin Whitney which had become known as Whitneyville, Eseck carried chain and platted farms as the new settlers came to this area.
Eseck came from a long line of Methodists in New York State, and he moved his religion with him. Eseck Whitney's first cabin in Massena Township was built where the Pine Grove Church now stands. The second home was where John Ortgies, Jr., now lives, and both homes held church services and school as more settlers arrived. Later in the winter months, Grange meetings, box socials, and dances were held in Eseck's home.
Eseck died on March 16, 1876. Nancy, William, and William's family remained at Whitneyville until 1884, when they moved to Massena. Nancy burned to death at her home in Massena on January 27, 1907.
Enid Whitney Jensen, a great-granddaughter of Eseck, and her son, Don, are the only descendants of Eseck Whitney still living in Massena today.
Eseck was the son of Cornelius and Rhoda (Gould) Whitney.
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