ESECK WHITNEY
& WILLIAM S. WHITNEY
Eseck Whitney, a cousin of Frank H., was the second settler of Massena township. He settled on section 8, in the fall of 1858.
Eseck Whitney was born in Oswego county. New York, in 1815, and was raised to follow the occupation of a farmer, but spent some eighteen years of his life in the lumber business, commencing when quite a young man. He was united in marriage, in the county of his birth, on the 28th of April, 1844, to an estimable young lady, Nancy M. Barber, who first saw the light in Herkimer county, in the "Empire State," on the 30th of April, 1820. Mr. Whitney owned a farm in Oswego county, but sold it out and came west to Iowa, locating at first in Adams county, where he farmed rented land for about two years, when he came here and took up a claim, in 1858, on section 8, as above mentioned, where he farmed two years. In 1861, the family went to Colorado, where they remained until 1864, when they returned to this place. Mrs. Whitney speaks of the very lonely life she led in that land of mountains, as it was often six months between the times she saw or spoke to one of her own sex. On account of the trouble with the Ute Indians, in 1864, then growing quite alarming, the family determined to return to civilization, and did so. Mr. Whitney died, March 16, 1876, leaving his family and a large circle of mourning friends. He was one of the few men that are found nowadays, who unite a sterling honesty and purity of purpose with intense energy, and who are always looked up to by all their friends. Mrs. Whitney, his widow, still lives on the old homestead, with her son, William S. Whitney. The latter was born in Oswego county, New York, September 28, 1845, and came to Iowa with his parents in 1856. He was married, on the 18th of February, 1872, to Harriet O. Strong, a native of Grand Detour, Illinois, born February 18, 1857. She is the daughter of Marvin O. and Charlotte Strong, who are now living in the town of Washington, Adams county, where they settled in I87l. Mr. and Mrs. Whitney have an interesting family of five children---Etta M., born in 1875; Nina O., born in 1876; Leon E., born in 1878; Vira R., born in 1880, and an infant. Mr. Whitney served as postmaster at Whitneyville for thirteen years, from 1866 to 1879. He is recognized as a worthy scion of a worthy sire, and ranks among the best citizens of Massena.
Contributed by Lisa Varnes-Rex from "History of Cass County, Iowa. Together With Sketches of its Towns, Villages and Townships, Educational, Civil, Military and Political History: Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Old Settlers and Representative Citizens." Springfield, Ill.: Continental Historical Company, 1884, pp. 777-778.
