John Whitney

The Norwalk miller, father of Eleanor (Whitney) Fairchild. Of full age by January 1665/6, when the town granted "John Whitne the sonne of Henry Whitney" land beside his father's home lot, he followed his father's trade as millwright and miller and inherited the corn mill at the falls of the Norwalk River. "At a towne meting desember 27th 1677 ... it was voted and agreed on between the towne and the miller, John Whitne, that the towns men are to carry their corne to the mill vpon the third and sixt dayes of the weak, comonly called Tuesday & Fryday, which days he is to Attend to grinde in," and if he could clear the mill of the corn in those two days, "then the Rest of the dayes of ye week he may take to atend his own ocations" (source).

"He built a fulling-mill at Norwalk, which he gave, 14 Ap. 1707, to his son John Whitney," for as long as a corn mill was kept for the town. In 1706/7 he renewed with the town the mill covenant his father had made. In 1712 he sold the grist mill to his son John, who died the next year, and in 1713 to his son Joseph, who was to pay his debts, give him half the tolls for life, and "after ye decease of ye said John Whitne, to maintain his mother, Elizabeth Whitne (if she survive) Honourably During her natural life." He died about 1720.

He married Elizabeth Smith, "dau. of Richard Smith," on 17 March 1674/5. Their children, all born at Norwalk: John, 12 March 1676/7; Joseph, 1 March 1678/9; Henry, 21 February 1680/1; Elizabeth, about 1684 (wife of Joseph Keeler); Richard, 18 April 1687; Samuel, 1688; Anne, about 1691 (wife of Matthew St. John); Eleanor, 27 January 1693/4; Nathan; and Sarah.

The family's descent from him rests on the identification of Jonathan Fairchild of East Jewett with his great-grandson Jonathan, born at Norwalk in 1744, which is only possible (see Jonathan Fairchild).

Research: Notable connections of Frances Fairchild Holbrook: the Fairchild branch and the families that married in.