Mr. and Mrs. Andrew C. Whitney

Of all the home circles created in Alden and still remaining as a part of our community, that which came into being by the union of Andrew C. Whitney and Miss Mary Todd is entitled to especial respect as being the oldest. Its founders were united in marriage and partook of their first dinner in the home Mr. Whitney had already constructed with his own hands, and which, with the additions affixed as the family increased in size, has served as a comfortable home shelter ever since. This makes more than fortysix years without moving. A family of nine children has grown to manhood and womanhood, claiming the house as home, and it has been kept in such a state of repair that it seems well able to do as good service for another generation.

Mr. Whitney began the house in the winter of 1857-8. When he began the excavation of the cellar there was not a house, nor a tree, nor a shrub between it and the building now occupied by James Barnes, which was then a hotel. The giant elms now overshadowing the house were set out, as saplings, by Mr. Whitney a few years later.

Mr. Whitney was born in Franklin county, Vermont, on August 11, 1833, and began learning the carpenter trade when sixteen years of age. He became a resident of Iowa in 1855, stopping first at, Independence where he worked at his trade until June 1857 when he and his brother Irving, in company with Charlie White and Harry Hecker drove through to Alden. They spent the first night under the hospitable roof of the hotel then being operated by Mr. Cowles, which building, as previously referred to in these articles, is now the rear part of the Bigelow.

Miss Mary Todd was born in Broom County, New York, on November 26, 1839, and came to Iowa as a member of the family of her stepfather, Jesse Rogers, in 1856, preceding Mr. Whitney in the matter of arrival about half a year. One of her earliest impressions of the west was the contrast she discovered between divine services at her old and new home. The ministers were not only densely untaught but a large proportion of the congregation was made up of an incongruous mixture of people, many of whom would sit partially reversed in their seats during the sermon for the purpose of staring at the people behind.

Mr. Whitney's first occupation when he arrived in Alden was to assist in the construction of the Peabody house, now occupied by August Butt. Next he assisted in building the Jordan house, now the home of L. Rummel. During this time he boarded with a family where John Adam Rink lives, and plainly, from that place, saw the bolt of lightning which killed Hoeing and Peters in August 1857 in the building now occupied by H. Briese. The coffins Mr. Whitney made for these two men were the first ones he remembers making in Alden.

In the years afterward he made many in his shop standing about where C. A. Rummel's residence is. They were made to order only, of the best seasoned black walnut lumber and freshly varnished just before the funeral.

Mr. Whitney was in the furniture business in Alden for thirty years and probably would still be in it but for the fire which destroyed his establishment seven years ago. He was a member of the first town council and served in that capacity ten terms. He was also a member of the school board for several terms, town treasurer, etc.

Children of Andrew Clow Whitney and Mary Gardner Todd were:

• Andrew Melvin Whitney was born on 14 Jan 1871 in Alden, IA. He died on 11 Oct 1953 in Radcliffe, Iowa. Andrew finished high school in Alden and taught school for some time. Then he started work at the Alden Creamery. After attending school in Ames he worked in creameries of his own at Steamboat Rock, Garden City, Whittemore, Owasa, and various other Iowa towns. He lived at Radcliffe for the 25 years before his death. At the time of his death his sister Mabel lived in Alden, and his brother Charles Irving lived in San Pedro, Calif. At the time of his Andrew Clow's death (1909) the family was living in Whittemore. The family was living in Steamboat Rock in 1918.
  He was married to Augusta Vieth on 22 Mar 1906 in Gowrie, Iowa. Augusta Vieth was born in 1879 in Germany. She died on 22 Aug 1965 in Eau Claire, Wis. Augusta came to the US from Germany at age 16 (1893 or 1895). She settled at Hubbard first, and then moved to Alden. She was married at Gowrie. She and Andrew had three children, one, a son (Donald), preceeded her in death. Besides her five grandchildren and six great grandchildren, she was survived by a sister, Mary Ward, of Des Moines.

  Children of Andrew Melvin Whitney and Augusta Vieth were:

  • Harvey Whitney.
  • Gladys Whitney.
  • Donald Whitney. Died at age 1 month
• Effie Whitney was born on 12 Oct 1880 in Alden, IA. She died in Alden, IA.
• Mabel Whitney was born on 18 Oct 1876. In 1909, at the time of her father's death, Mabel was teaching school in the Alden high school.
• Charles Whitney was born on 4 Dec 1874. He died in Ft. Dodge.
• Minnie S Whitney was born on 15 Mar 1868. She died in Alden, Iowa. In 1909, at the time of her father's death, Minnie was teaching school in the Iowa Falls high school.
• Leona A Whitney was born on 25 Oct 1865 in Alden, IA. She died in Alden, Iowa. Leona attended the Alden schools, but felt it her obligation to leave before graduating to care for and maintain the home, since her father, mother, and sister Edith were in poor health.
• Louis H Whitney was born on 6 Aug 1863 in Alden, IA. He died on 25 Aug 1935 in Libertyville, Ill. Louis grew to young manhood in Alden and attended public school there. He took up the occupation of plumber and tinner early in life, and worked for Wm. Keating, John Hoskin, and Wm Miller. Following his marriage his family moved to Dow, and then to Allison. They moved to Libertyville about 1900.
  His wife, Grace McPherson was born on 25 Jul 1870.

  Children of Louis H Whitney and Grace McPherson were:

  • Lee Whitney.
  • Blanche Whitney.
  • Maude Whitney.
  • Kenneth Whitney.
• Edith F Whitney was born on 18 May 1861 in Alden, IA. She died in Alden, IA. Edith was in business as a milliner in Alden.
• Ida May Whitney was born on 31 Mar 1860 in Alden, IA. She died on 13 Feb 1925 in Alden. She was married to Lyman Beecher Rogers on 30 Jun 1886 in Alden. Lyman Beecher Rogers was born on 8 Jun 1860. He died on 28 Jul 1931 in Alden, IA. The 1900 census lists Lyman as a dry goods salesman. Both his parents were born in New York. Ida May Whitney and Lyman Beecher Rogers had no known children.

Submitted by James WHITNEY