The Whitney Family of Winneshiek County, Iowa

LEWIS B. WHITNEY.

A foremost representative of commercial and financial interests of Decorah and Winneshiek county is Lewis B. Whitney, who in 1897 helped to establish the National Bank of Decatur, of which institution he has served as president ever since. Born in Jefferson county. New York, on March 29, 1855, he is a son of Brayton and Martha M. (Rockwood) Whitney, natives of New York. The father was for many years a sailor on the Great Lakes, his run being from Oswego to Chicago, at a time when that city was yet Fort Dearborn. He subsequently moved to Wisconsin and there successfully operated a farm until 1861, when he enlisted for service in the Civil war with Company B, Twentyninth Wisconsin Volunteers, being afterward transferred to the Sixteenth Ohio Battery, with which he served until the close of the war. At the cessation of hostilities he returned to Wisconsin and there again followed agricultural pursuits until 1867, when he removed to Winneshiek county, Iowa, where he farmer until his death, which occurred in August, 1892. His wife survived him until December, 1896.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

PERRY H. WHITNEY.

Perrv H. Whitney, prominently identified with commercial interests of Burr Oak as a partner in the conduct of the business operated by the Burr Oak Mercantile Company, was born near Watertown, in Jefferson county, Wisconsin, May 29, 1858. He is a son of Bravton and Martha (Rockwood) Whitney and is the second in a family of seven children.

Perrv H. Whitney came to Winneshiek county with his parents in 1867 and was reared upon his father's farm in llesper township, acquiring his education in the district school. He remained at home until 1881 and then removed to Ransom county. North Dakota, making the journey with his father and his brother, L. B. Whitney. For a number of years he went back and forth between Winneshiek county and North Dakota, spending his winters in the latter place until 1884, when he married and turned his attention to agricultural pursuits upon the old homestead. After the death of his father, which occurred in August, 1894, he sold his North Dakota interests and in connection with his brothers, Milton D. and Claude R., operated the farm until 1898, when Claude Whitney died. The subject of this review and his brother Milton remained upon the homestead for one year thereafter and at the end of that time Perry H. sold his interests and removed to Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, where he spent one year and a half. He next removed to Clark county, that state, and there engaged in farming until 1912, when he formed a partnership with Dr. W. H. Emmons, organizing the Burr Oak Mercantile Company. They control a large and profitable general store in Burr Oak and in one year have secured an excellent patronage, accorded them in recognition of their reliable and honorable business methods and their straightforward dealings.

In 1884 Mr. Whitney was united in marriage to Miss Ellen Loretta Keefer, a native of Columbus, Wisconsin, and they became the parents of three children: Ray, who was killed at the age of eight years; Lottie, who died at the age of eleven months; and Bessie, who lives at home. Mr. Whitney is a man of many sterling qualities and these have gained him the respect and high esteem of all with whom he is associated.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.