WRG: I have previously sent to the group extractions from the Civil War pension files of Augustus and Winfield S. Whitney. They were two brothers who were born in Maine and moved to Minnesota by way of Cleveland, Ohio with their parents Orrin and Hannah (Fairbanks) Whitney. They had been residents of Presque Isle, Aroostook Co., Maine. When I had those pension files pulled, I also had one pulled for Orrin Whitney. It was a widow's claim on the pension by Hannah Whitney. I assumed that the pension was for Orrin, the father of Winfield and Augustus. It was not. It was a claim on the pension of Orrin Whitney, also of Presque Isle, Maine, by his widow, Hannah (Goss) Whitney. So the question became "Who is this Orrin Whitney"? I believe I have convincing evidence of his identity, as well as his father and grandfather. Beyond that, I have not been able to connect the family to the Whitneys. But, I have an interesting conjecture to make. First, below is the information I ex! tracted from the pension file: From the Civil War Pension File of Orrin Whitney Co. C, 15th Maine Infantry Hannah Whitney, Widow Widow's Claim Application #85715, Certificate #48919 National Archives, Washington, DC Orrin Whitney married Hannah E. Goss, both of Presque Isle, Maine, in Fort Fairfield, Maine on 9 May 1857. They were married by Bradford Cummins, J.P. Orin enlisted in Co. C, 15th Maine Regiment on 28 October 1861 in Presque Isle. Sergeant Orrin Whitney was furloughed from the army while his regiment was in New Orleans, LA, and died in Presque Isle, Maine on 30 October 1864. He died of chronic diarrhea. He had no children alive at that time. His widow Hannah applied for pension benefits 23 November 1864 from her residence in Presque Isle, Aroostook Co., Maine. At that time she was 29 years old. Witnesses for her application were Lydia A. Whitney and Fannie W. Hooper. The solution to the identity started with the observation that there was a third Oren Whitney who also lived in Presque Isle, Maine. He was Oren Robbins Whitney, son of Phinehas and Mary Whitney of Phillips, Maine. Could our soldier be related to this Oren? I believe he was. The family of Phinehas and Mary Whitney is registered in the Vital Records of Phillips, Maine twice. The second time was in 1840, at the request of Phinehas. The following copies that registration: Phinehas Whitney, born December 1, 1776 Mary Whitney, born June 1, 1778 Children: Jeremiah C. Whitney, born February 28, 1804 Jonathan Whitney, born March 11, 1805 Nancy W. Whitney, born April 6, 1806 Elizabeth H. Whitney, born May 29, 1807 Sumner Whitney, born March 5, 1809 James F. Whitney, born July 5, 1812 Fanny S. Whitney, born April 10, 1815 Oren Robbins Whitney, born October 24, 1819 Joseph Warren Whitney, born October 27, 1821 You will notice that the place of their births is not mentioned. By 1850, Phinehas must have died, because he is not mentioned. All of his sons but one are accounted for in the 1850 census. Nowhere in the US can be found the oldest son Jeremiah. By 1860, Jeremiah and family appear in the census for Presque Isle, Maine. Also, our soldier Orrin Whitney, who was also not in the 1850 census, appears in the 1860 census for Presque Isle. He is married to Hannah, and has a 2 year old child Blanche. In the 1860 Census, all of Jeremiah's family is said to have been born in Maine. The 1870 census for Presque Isle is most revealing. Jeremiah is said to be born in Waterville, Maine, his wife Susan in Ireland, and his two children still living at home, Lydia A. and George Whitney, were born in New Brunswick, Canada. From all of the information presented, I draw the conclusion that in 1850, Jeremiah and family were in New Brunswick, Canada. Orrin was still living at home with them at the time. By 1860, Lydia A. Whitney was still at home, her brother Orrin had married Hannah Goss, and her sister Fannie W. Hooper, who was born in Bangor, Maine, was still living in Presque Isle. Lydia and Fannie witnessed to the pension application for their sister-in-law, Hannah Whitney in 1864. I am unable to place Phinehas Whitney of Phillips, ME, grandfather of our soldier Orrin Whitney, in the Whitney genealogy. However, I will make a conjecture about him. Living just a small distance south of Phillips in the towns of Carthage and Weld was Jeremiah Whitney. We also do not know his heritage. We do know he was born about 1793. Phinehas was born in 1776. Jeremiah came to Weld from Leeds, Maine, and Phinehas lived in Waterville before coming to Phillips. It is interesting that Phinehas named his first-born Jeremiah. My conjecture is that the two men could have been brothers. Was the father of Phinehas and Jeremiah named Jeremiah? I don't know where that gets the Weld Whitney researchers, but it may be just another piece of the puzzle. Or, maybe not. Ken Whitney Silver Spring, MD