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- Joshua was born in the town of Groton, Mass., resided there with his parents until their removal to Plainfield, where he was among thefirst settlers. He was one of the signers of the covenant of the firstchurch there Jan. 5, 1751. He ever after lived there and died of old age.
Joshua Whitney, will made and dated at Plainfield, Conn., Oct. 15,1751.
Joshua Whitney, will recorded at Plainfield, Conn., Jan. 8, 1754.
Maker of will, Shubah Conant, justice of peace; residence atPlainfield.
Sarah Whitney, widow of Joshua Whitney, letter of administration, May 23, 1759.
His will mentions William Whitney, Cornelius Whitney, and DavidWhitney, brothers; and Abigail Hutchings, Mary Peirce, Elizabeth Harmon, Martha Williams, Elinor Shephard, and Sarah Tylor, sisters. Mary Lawrence and John Crery, names mentioned in the will of J. Whitney; also the namesof two negroes are mentioned, Sandy and Ceaser, he leaving property to both.
Dea. Joshua Whitney was born in Groton, Mass., and served as a soldier in King Philip's war in 1692 from Groton. He soon after movedtoQuinebaug, Conn., for, Nov. 13, 1699, with thirty-eight others, he signed apetitionto the Massachusetts General Court in relation to the land boundaries. In1702he was elected collector. He resided on the east side of Quinebaugriver,which later became Plainfield. In 1704 he was appointed a committeetoapportion the enclosing fence to the several proprietors. In 1705 he was chosento finish the laying out of the divisions of meadows. In 1706 he hadtwelve acres of land bound over to him in security for four pounds inmoneyloaned the town. After the township was incorporated, he waselectedrepresentative to the General Court. In 1710 he gave part of the land for ahighway,from Quinebaug river to the east bound of the town. In 1719 he waselecteddeacon of the church, and that year, when the new meeting house was erected,he gave a sum much larger than many others and only equaled by one other.
According to Miss Larned's valuable History of Windham County, he was one of the most prominent citizens of Plainfield. Deacon Whitney, inhis will, made by Shubah Conant, justice of the peace, made provision forhis negro servants, and it shows the conscientious scrupleness with which some good men of that day fulfilled the responsibility of ownership.Not only did he make Sandy, Ceaser, Judith and their childrenabsolutelyfree, but bequeathed to each household six acres of land and farming tools.He gave to one his "oldest little Bible," and to the others severalgoodbooks; enjoined Sandy to take care of Bess, his wife, and give herdecentburial, and directed Ceaser and Judith "to see that their children were in noway left to perish."
He d, s. p., Dec. 1, 1753; res. Groton, Mass., and Plainfield, Conn.
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1666 - 1753 (87 years)
