Thank Goodness For Internet Connections

Thank goodness for the Internet these days. I use Ancestry.com quite a bit and have made wonderful connections with people via message boards or who have viewed information on my tree. One of these connections was from a gentleman who is descended from an Augustus Whitney (b. abt 1840--date of death-before 1910) who just so happens to be the brother of my 2nd Great Grandfather, Samuel Whitney (b. 1856--d. 1916). When I received these messages from him I was so happy to have someone finally back up family oral history regarding Portuguese lineage.

Here's the conversation:

• jgibman
• Dec 6 8:26 PM

I am a decendant of margaret whitney she is my great, great, great grandmother. Her daughter Lillie had 4 daughters Sarah, Ellen, Julia, and Edna in that order I believe. My great grandmother Ellen had 3 sons with the last name of Whitney-- Edward, Charles Augustus, and Alvin Henry in that order. Charles (my maternal granddad) is the only one still alive. Maybe we can tie the loose ends soon.

• akellmurr72
• Dec 7 1:20 PM

Hi there. I need some help clarifying the connection to my family tree. When you say Margaret Whitney are you referring to a Margaret Merritt Whitney born abt. 1810 and married to a Thomas Whitney or are you talking about a Margaret Whitney born abt. 1866 and married to a Tully Green. Does your family have any connections to the Azores?

• jgibman
• Dec 7 7:26 PM

I was referring to Margaret who married Tulley Green and I believe the connection goes back to Portugal.

• akellmurr72
• Dec 7 9:28 PM

Okay this is getting interesting. I have been trying to verify my family's Portuguese connection for the longest time. This is what I know. I am descended from Thomas Whitney born about 1810 and a Margaret Merritt Whitney. He had a son Samuel Whitney who I am descended from, his brother Augustus was the father of your Margaret Whitney and I have her mother being Susan Burns. A great-aunt of mine told me that her grandfather Samuel and his father were of Portuguese descent via the Azores Islands off the coast of Portugal. Apparently, they first went to Bermuda and then came to America sometime afterward. She said her grandfather was very light-skinned and had green eyes and reddish blond hair and spoke fluent Portuguese. So it looks like we're some sort of cousin. My name is Andrea. Nice to meet you.

• akellmurr72
• Dec 7 9:37 PM

Oh by the way. Lillie Whitney--who was her father? I show that Margaret Whitney married Tulley Green in about 1885. Was Tulley her father or someone else? This is so interesting. Can't wait to hear from you.

• akellmurr72
• Dec 7 9:52 PM

Okay this keeps getting more interesting. Okay, I just went back over census records. On the 1880 census it show Margaret E Whitney living with her parents Augustus and Susan. She is listed as being about 13 years old. (these ages we all know are approximates) but when you go down further on the census it shows she has a sister listed as Lilla F Whitney. Is this Lillie? Did Margaret since she was so young have her parents raise Lillie. Okay? now I am really interested in your response. I'll be patient now. I just got a little excited because this is my first lead regarding the Portuguese connection.

• jgibman
• Dec 7 10:39 PM

I don't believe that Tulley Green was the father of lillie however, they were from the new bern, craven, N.C. area. George XXXX is a cousin of my grandad Charles and he is 90 years old I'm sure he can tie some of these loose ends together. By the way my name is XXXX XXXX originally from New york but I reside in Maryland now.

• jgibman
• Dec 7 10:43 PM

The funny thing is that I was actually trying to find some native american lineage through the Whitney's.

• akellmurr72
• Dec 7 11:36 PM

Pleased to meet you XXXX. Wasn't Susan Ann Burns Whitney supposed to be of Native American descent. I remember some time ago when I was doing some research, I came across someone else who was researching Susan Burns. That's where I got the date and her place of death. I have to see if I can remember where I found that. Anyway, I will eagerly await what you find out when you speak to XXXX and your grandfather.

• jgibman
• Dec 7 11:44 PM

The pleasure is all mine. Would you happen to know what tribe Susan Burns decended from? my grandfather isn't much help however I'm going to contact his cousin George XXXX to further my research.

• akellmurr72
• Dec 8 12:01 AM

Now I remember where I found this info. On the Message Boards. If you go to the message boards, click on United States, North Carolina, and then type in Augustus Whitney. There's someone by the ID AsheGreen who back in 2001 posted a couple of questions about Susan Burns. The March 31, 2001 entry, I have copied and is listed as follows:

NEED ANY INFO ON SUSAN ANN BURNS, she married a black man named AUGUSTUS WHITNEY, in HYDE COUNTY N.C. They had ten children, one of which, the oldest named MARGARET, who was my grandmother's mother.SUSAN's family may have lived at one time in MANTEO N.C. She may have been separated from her family, who lived on the reservation. Thanks for any info.

The town of Manteo was named after a Native American of the Croatan tribe. Perhaps she was Croatan.

• gibman
• Dec 8 12:21 AM

Thank you i can really use that.

• jgibman
• Dec 8 8:45 PM

To my understanding there were many settlers from portugal and other places who colonized in the carolinas integrating with the natives of that area. I believe Samuel Whitney born around 1780 was of portuguese descent.

• akellmurr72
• Dec 8 9:23 PM

That's my thinking too. It would seem like he was the father of Thomas Whitney b.1805. Genealogy is so addictive. I started my tree in July of 2009 and it has kind of taken on a life of it's own. Don't get me started on my husband's side. He is of Irish and English descent and everyone had like at least 10 kids all named Patrick, John, Joseph, or Margaret, Hannah, and Mary. It can get kind of hairy keeping track of it all. Anyway, I will keep my eyes out on any info regarding Susan Burns and any other leads on the Whitney family.

• jgibman
• Dec 8 10:02 PM

I was reading a post that ashegreen left and he believes that Susan Burns was displaced from the reservation and her family in Manteo N.C. He also believes that Susan's last name could have originally been Pitttman. Only if I had one of her parents names. In the meantime enjoy this addictive geneology crack, lol. 

 

• akellmurr72
• Dec 8 10:38 PM

Yes it is crack, my friend. LOL. Too funny. I have given myself the 10:00pm cut-off and then I must go to bed. But now that you have mentioned this last name of Pittman....No that will have to wait for tomorrow for me. Keep me posted.

• jgibman
• Dec 8 10:41 PM

I will goodnight you've got about 20 minutes left, lol.