Thomas Whitten (abt. 1718 - abt. 1790)

Born about 1718 in Scarborough, Cumberland, Massachusetts Bay

Husband of Margaret (McRoy) Whitten — married 1744 in Scarboro, Cumberland, Maine

Descendants

Died about 1790 at about age 72 in Gorham, Cumberland, Massachusetts, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Chris Whitten [send private message] and Keith Whitten [send private message]

Biography

In 1719, publisher William Taylor of London, England, published the first edition of Daniel Defoe’s novel titled Robinson Crusoe. Across the ocean in New Hampshire, someone planted the first potato in America, and in Scarborough, Cumberland County, Maine, Thomas Whitten was born.

Thomas lived about seventy-five years and passed away in about 1790, ^[1] around the time of the first session of the United States Senate was open to the public.

It appears that Thomas never moved far away from his home region of Scarborough, ME except perhaps for his stint during the Revolutionary War. He is enumerated in Gorham along with 2243 others, in the 1790 Census.

When Thomas was about 25, he married Margaret McRoy in Scarborough, and together they produced, according to online genealogies, about 8 children.

Revolutionary Service

Private Thomas Whitten served with Col. Edmund Phinney's Regiment, Massachusetts Militia during the American Revolution.

"Whitten, Thomas, Scarborough, MA [Maine], Captain John Rice's Co.; billetting allowed from date of enlistment, May 18, 1775, to date of marching from Scarborough to headquarters, July 4, 1775; credited with 47 days allowance; 'also' PrivateCapt. Rice's co., Col. Edmund Phinney's regt.; Company return dated Sept. 29, 1775."^[2] Col. Phinney's regiment was named the 31st Regiment of Foot, and retained that name until the Continental Army was formed.^[3]

Research Notes

• More on the connection of Richard Whitten to this Thomas and Margaret McRoy Whitten.

Location Records Search

York, Massachusetts Bay/Massachusetts/Maine

York encompassed a massive area which was cut into smaller pieces forming counties. Some early records from York could be at any point in the large area.

From the History of York: ^[4]

• Samuel Whitten, who married a Poindexter (October 8, 1759 ^[5]), and Humphrey Whitten who married a Lassel, came from Cape Porpoise and settled in Beck Street (Alfred, Maine)...their father came from Salisbury Mass." p. 250. If this is true and all the Genealogical connections are correct this family originated with the Whidden's of New Hampshire. See, John Whidden of Greenland, New Hampshire. No YDNA connection.

• A complete list showing settlers of Francisboro' Plantation, "from a tax list of all settlers" before it was incorporated into Cornish Maine February 26, 1794...James Whitten, Richard Whitten."^[6]

• John a Selectman 1842, 1843 and 1856-57, p.356

• Listed as a proprietor (Early Landed settler) "1737, John Whitten" p. 380

• April 1775, John Whitten on a committee to borrow money to furnish the town of Kennebunkport with ammunition. p. 381

• List of Revolutionary Soldiers from Kennebunkport, Samuel Whitten, Corporal, Joseph Whitten, Samuel Whitten, Jr., Israel Whitten. P. 382

Gorham and Scarborough

No Whitten's appear in the November 28, 1681 Tax list for the town of Scarborough, ME.^[7]

To further research into this Thomas and Margaret (McRoy) Whitten and into their son, Richard, a request was sent to the Town Of Scarborough's Clerk's Office to look into the possibility of records in the Town's' Archives...

Letter from Town Clerk snipit.

• No Whittens appear in the Gorham 1770 or 1771 Tax Valuation

There is a Thomas Witten in the 1790 census for Gorham and Scarborough^[8]

living with a boy under 16 and a woman.

Name of head of family: Witten, Thos

Number of free white males of 16 years and upward, including heads of families: 1

Number of free white males under 16 years: 1

Number of free white females, including heads of families: 1

1790 Census - click for larger image.

Presumably, this is this Thomas and his wife Margaret. If this Thomas, who is the child? Thomas would have been about 71 years old in 1790. His youngest son, Richard, would have been 39.

• Whitten, Anna, and Samuel Melsher McDonald, of Standish, Dec. 25, 1794.Maine Archives

• No Whitten's appear in the 1799 Gorham Land owners list

New Hampshire Connection? No YDNA Genetic Connection

A History of the First Century of the Town of Parsonsfield, Maine ^[9] includes this under the heading "WHITTEN":

It is claimed the three brothers, Thomas, Samuel and John, emigrated from England early in the 17th Century: settled in N. H. John married an English lady, Margaret McRoy, to whom was born a son, Richard, 1751. He m. Mercy Jose, Scarborough, Me., Nov. 22, 1766; d. April 3, 1845. Their son, Simon J., b. Feb. 27, 1786; m. Mary B. Pike, Oct. 25, 1810; d. in Parsonfield ...

It goes on to include a lot of information about Simon J.'s descendants.

This text suggests:

1. That our Thomas was the immigrant, along with two brothers. However, it says they emigrated in the early 17th century (early 1600s) but having a son, Richard, in 1751, would make that impossible.
2. That a brother of Thomas, John, is the one who married Margaret McRoy and was the father of Richard.

No YDNA connection to John and Samuel Whidden in NH

There is support for a John and Samuel Whidden in NH in the 1600s, though this family is not connected to the Gorham, Cumberland, Maine Whittens.

In the records for Portsmouth, NH, ^[10] there is a list of people providing maintenance for the minister. Under "ffree Subscriptions towards rn r Moodys Mayntenance for y e yeare 1671, began to be taken the 17th day of March at the Meeting house" there is included:

• Whidden, John, 12.
• Samuel, 12.

There are later mentions of a "Rebecer Whiten" and a "Whitten, Rebecca" in this book. Though this could be a misquote of the name Whitten or others in this family took the spelling Whitten instead of Whidden at some point.

YDNA is available from the family which traces it's genealogical pathways back to Samuel Whidden. He and the Gorham, Maine Whitten's are both R-M269, however, they diverge from this branch of the YTree. There may be some common ancestor, but in a time much further back than the genealogical time frame (1000 years plus or minus).

A connection between these two families does exist via autosomal DNA. This Thomas Whitten's son, Richard, married Mercy Jose who is Samuel Whiddens gggrandaughter.

Other leads

Presumably Thomas, and his sons, Thomas, Jr. and John served with their father under Capt. John Rice's, Colonel Edmund Phinney's Thirty-first regiment of foot.^[11] "all from Scarborough... "Sept. 29, 1775 with an abstract of pay due from the last of July inclusive."

• Thomas Whitten, Jr.
• Thomas Whitten
• John Whitten

Thomas Sr.'s youngest son, Richard, served as a "Private in Capt. Williams's Co., Col. Sprout's Regt., Mass. line.Revolutionary Soldiers of York County^[12]

For more on this discussion on the Whittens of Troy, Maine Page.

Jack Holloway research

Thomas and Margaret on Genealogy.com states that Thomas served in the Revolutionary War with two sons, Thomas and John.

List of Children from this post: "Children of Thomas and Margaret (McRoy) Whitten, b. Scarborough, Me.: [8]

1. Child, buried [probably before 13 Feb] 1744 (p. 29).
2. Catherine, bap. 7 Apr 1745; d. aft. 1826 m. Scarborough 22 Dec 1763 JOSIAH GRAFFAM,[9] enumerated in Saco, Me., 1820. Josiah born 1725 in Scarborough, son of Caleb (b. abt 1683 in Portsmouth (NH) and Rebecca (Hinkson) Graffam (b. abt 1678 in Scarboro ME), grandson of Stephen GRAFFAM b. abt. 1635 in England. ...
3. JOHN, b. 5 Jan 1745/6; m. Scarborough 23 Apr 1767 SARAH HOGDON [10]
4. THOMAS, [JR.], b. 15 Appril 1748, bap. 15 May 1748, d. Newfield, Me. between 1820-1827; Thomas Whitten Jr from Newfield. Thomas Whitten Jr. married Lucy and had son named John (b.1783)
5. MARY, bap. 2 Apr 1749/50; m. Scarborough 30 Nov 1767 [16] RICHARD DEARBORN.
6. Child, buried 19 Apr 1759.[17]
7. RICHARD, b. 1764 [18]
8. Child buried about 6 Feb 1766 [19]"

This list confused Josiah Graffam, husband of Catherine as child 3 of Thomas and Margaret Whitten corrected here.

Judy Howland's Whitten lore

A post by Judy Howland on the Ancestry.com Whitten message board ^[13] includes this interesting tidbit:

John Whitten b. 1783 and his father was Thomas Whitten b. 1748 and his father was also Thomas b. 1718 his father was Richard b. 1654 all born and most died in MAINE.... been told that our Whittens originally came to Maine from Scotland. Something about 3 brothers jumping off a ship in the Americas, Maine, swimming to shore and marrying Indian maidens. No documents but a fun story. Judy

This mentions our Thomas and a son and grandson we do not yet have on WikiTree, as well as a potential father for Thomas, but the sources for this are unclear so the profiles haven't been created yet.

Dana E. Edgecomb research

• Rootsweb Post: Have emails out to try and contact this poster.

• Ancestors of Ruth Mae Pendexter, Standish, Maine Genealogy Project. This information is riddled with good research AND huge mistakes and misattributions and may be the source of the majority of what has been dispersed on the internet. Attempts at contacting Dana for further information have no replies.

Sources

1. ↑ There is no source for his birth or death.
2. ↑ Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of The Revolution, A Compilation for The Archives, Prepared and published by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Vol 17, p.274, Boston, 1896. Image
3. ↑ Goold, Nathan, 1846-1914. History of Colonel Edmund Phinney's Thirty-first Regiment of Foot: Eight Months' Service Men of 1775, With Biographical Sketches of the Commissioned Officers And Rolls of the Companies. Portland: The Thurston Print, 1896.
4. ↑ The History of York County, Maine: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, W. Woodford Clayton, Higginson Book Company, 1880.
5. ↑ Records of the Congregational church in Biddeford, The Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, Volume 6, Image
6. ↑ History of York County, Maine: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, p. 343, W. Woodford Clayton, Higginson Book Company, 1880 - York County (Me.)Image
7. ↑ November 28, 1681 Tax list for the town of Scarborough, ME, Contributed by Jeana Gallagher, Maine Genealogy Trails History Group, Cumberland County, Scarborough.[1]
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1790", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHKK-1PL : 29 May 2015), Thos Witten, 1790.
9. ↑ History of the First Century of the Town of Parsonsfield, Maine, p. 412, Jeremiah Wadleigh Dearborn, B. Thurston, 1888.
10. ↑ The New Hampshire genealogical record : an illustrated quarterly magazine devoted to genealogy, history, and biography: official organ of the New Hampshire Genealogical Society
11. ↑ History of Colonel Edmund Phinney's Thirty-first regiment of foot, eight months' service men of 1775, with biographical sketches of the commissioned officers and rolls of the companies, PP. 51 & 52 BY : NATHAN : GOOLD, HISTORIAN.: MAINE : SOCIETY : SONS : OF : THE AMERICAN : REVOLUTION. PRESS OF THE THURSTON PRINT, PORTLAND, MAINE, 1896. full text.
12. ↑ "Statement showing the Names, Ranks, &c. of Invalid Pensioners residing in the State of Maine," U.S. Serial Set, Number 249 Senate Document No. 514, 23rd Congress, 1st Session. Report from the Secretary of War, in Obedience to Resolutions of the Senate of the 5th and 30th of June, 1834, and the 3d of March, 1835, In Relation to the Pension Establishment of the United States. [Maine Section]. Washington, D.C.: Duff Green, 1835, p. 28.
13. ↑ Message board thread entitled "Whitten, Hiram" by JHowgate posted: 30 Oct 2010 5:46AM GMT

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Keith Whitten, Jr., for initiating this line of research. Thank you to "The Book Doctor" for a biography draft.