The following was posted to the Whitney Family Genealogy Forum at Genealogy.com: I have an ancestor with the name of Mercy Jane Whitney Married to a Sylvester. They have a daughter named Winnifred Sylvester married to Alfred Freland Godfrey Babcock Winnifred born in 1862 Maine. Died 18 Oct 1887 Alpena Michigan. I was told by my grandmother years back that I am related to Eli Whitney (cotton gin) inventer. I have no information on a family line does anyone know who my family is? Please contact me. Thanks Jody I posted the following reply: The 1870 census of Gardiner, Kennebec Co., Maine Shows William A. Sylvester, age 39, "Works in Saw Mill", and his wife Jane L., age 35 and their children Nelly, Hattie, Winnie, and Willie. Also listed with the family were Nelly Whitney, age 22 and Olive Whitney, Milliner, age 61. All were born in Maine The 1860 census for Gardiner also has Olive Whitney, Millliner, age 50 listed with William and Jane Sylvester, along with Frances Whitney, Harriet Whitney, Chester Whitney, Zilpha Whitney, and Ellen Sylvester. The 1850 census of Newcastle, Lincoln Co., Maine has Gorham Whitney, age 44, Cooper, Olive, Ruth A, Caroline P., Jane M., Frances, Gorham M., Harriet, Chester, and Zylpha Whitney, all born in Maine. The 1840 census shows Gorham Whitney and his family living in Gardiner. The 1830 census does not list a Gorham Whitney, but based upon the ages of his children in 1840, he was probably just married in 1830, and probably living with relatives. This was almost certainly Gorham-6 Whitney (Abel-5, Nathan-4, Nathaniel-3, Benjamin-2, John-1), son of Reuben and Mercy (Baker) Whitney whose brother Abel Whitney died in Gardiner, Maine, July 8, 1892. See http://wiki.whitneygen.org/wrg/index.php/Family:Whitney%2C_Reuben_%281771-18 36%29 for more information on this family.