S. Whitney Phoenix, The Whitney Family of Connecticut, and Its Affiliations (1878), vol. 1

A compiled genealogy built closely on the Norwalk, Southold, Huntington and Jamaica town records, deeds and Fairfield probate, often transcribed at length. Read in the archive.org full text for research/mcmillan/Fairchild_Raymond_Woodworth.md (October 2026).

Henry Whitney (pp. 1-10): “born in England, probably about the year 1620. No record of him has been found prior to 8 Oct. 1649,” when he joined Edward Tredwell and Thomas Benedict in buying land at Hashamommock, Southold, Long Island. At Huntington on 17 Aug 1658 he bought of Wyandance, “sachem of Pammanake or by the English called Long Iland,” “three whole necks of meshepeake Land … ffor the vse of the whole towne of Hvntington”; there he built a corn mill for Rev. William Leverich, which led to lawsuits; his receipt of 1 Nov 1660 for “forty pounds for the bulding of his mill” acquits Leverich of all demands “from the begining of the world to this prsent daye.” On 11 June [1660] he complained at Huntington against Joseph Whitmore (Whitman) “for steling of his daftars afections contray to her mothars mind” (the first mention of his wife, “possibly Sarah, the widow of Edward Ketcham, of Stratford”). Sued on 25 Oct 1660 for “breking the mill and grinding seueral times with out his leue,” he “confesed he opened the dore, and went and groune his corne, his family being all scik … and his family with himselue being like to famish he was constrayned to doe it: yet notwithstanding he gaue the miller his just towle”; the court found he “was necessitated to yt he did and the plaintiff sufered no damage.” At Jamaica, 1662-1664. At Norwalk on 24 July 1665 he “agreed and incaged with the towne to make, build, and erect a goode and sufficient grounde corne mill … at the mouth of Norwalk River by the falles,” taking no more than “the sixteenth part for Tole”; townsman, freeman (11 Oct 1669), a petitioner in 1672 for the plantation that became Danbury. Will of 5 June 1672, “being weake and crazy in body,” leaving “vnto my Sonn John Whitnee, the Mill and all the Lands belonging to the same,” and the house to “my beloued wife” during widowhood; inventory £244 6s, attested by “John Whitne the son of Henr Whitne deceased … Nouembr the eighth 1673.” He “probably died in the autumn of 1673”; his second wife was a widow Ketcham.

John Whitney (pp. 11-12): of full age by 20 Jan 1665/6, when the town granted “John Whitne the sonne of Henry Whitney” land by his father’s home lot; millwright and miller, he “succeeded him in the possession of the mill and homestead; and there married, 17 March 1674-5, Elizabeth Smith, dau. of Richard Smith.” On 27 Dec 1677 the town agreed with “the miller, John Whitne,” that the townsmen bring their corn “vpon the third and sixt dayes of the weak, comonly called Tuesday & Fryday.” “He built a fulling-mill at Norwalk, which he gave, 14 Ap. 1707, to his son John.” In 1713 he sold the grist mill to his son Joseph, who was “to maintain his mother, Elizabeth Whitne (if she survive) Honourably During her natural life.” “He probably died, at Norwalk, in 1720, as his son-in-law, Joseph Keeler, was appointed administrator of his estate, 11 Oct. 1720. His widow was a member of the First Congregational Church in Norwalk in 1725, and was living as late as 3 Ap. 1741.”

Eleanor Whitney (p. 19), eighth child of John and Elizabeth: “b. at Norwalk, Conn., 27 Jan. 1693, O. S.; 6 Feb. 1694, N. S.; married, 13 June, 1717, Jonathan Fairchild, a fuller and cloth-dresser, of Norwalk, who was born 10 Oct. 1692. He owned a £50 right in the commonage of Norwalk, 4 Dec. 1721; and they were members of the First Congregational Church, in Norwalk, in 1725. His will, dated 2 June 1769, and proved 2 Dec. 1772, disposed of his home-lot, buildings, and fulling-mill, at the upper end of Norwalk, on Mill Brook, which, in the inventory of 12 Dec. 1772, were prized at £100; with fifteen acres of land at Toilsome, prized at £40; and four acres at New Dam Bogs. He died at Norwalk, 28 Nov. 1772. She died at Norwalk, 25 Jan. 1777, aged 81 years, 11 months, and 19 days; from which facts, the date of her birth has been computed. They were buried in one of the old cemeteries at Norwalk.” (Her nephew John Whitney sold land “to his uncle, Jonathan Fairchild, 19 Nov. 1735.”)

Children of Jonathan and Eleanor (Whitney) Fairchild (pp. 36-37), all born at Norwalk: “I. Thomas Fairchild, b. in Norwalk, Conn., 3 June, 1718; had a part of his father’s estate in 1772, including 4 acres of land at New Dam Bogs, and a third of 15 acres at Toilsome, all in Norwalk; was of Bedford, N. Y., 18 Feb. 1779, at which time he sold land in Norwalk; married, as early as 1742, Ann ——, of whom nothing is known.” Then Abraham 10 Jan 1720; Sarah 4 Oct 1722, “mentioned in her father’s will, 2 June 1769”; Ezekiel 7 Mar 1725; Daniel 21 Aug 1727; Eleanor 18 May 1730; Samuel 22 Apr 1733, “a fuller and weaver,” who had “his father’s homestead and buildings, with the fulling-mill at the upper end of Norwalk, on Mill Brook.”

Children of Thomas and Ann Fairchild: “I. Sarah Fairchild, b. at Norwalk, Conn., 14 Nov. 1742. II. Jonathan Fairchild, b. at Norwalk, Conn., 29 Aug. 1744. He, and Ebenezer Fairchild, were witnesses to a deed from Thomas Fairchild, his father, to Abraham Fairchild, 18 Feb. 1779. III. John Fairchild, b. at Norwalk, Conn., 5 Ap. 1747. IV. Mary Fairchild, b. at Norwalk, Conn., 31 Jan. 1748-9.”