James B. Whitney, president of the Miners’ Deposit Bank, Lykens, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, was born in Framingham, Massachusetts, 22 August 1842, a son of Simon Whitney.
Nathaniel R. Whitney, grandfather of James B. Whitney, was town clerk and teacher in his native town.
Simon Whitney, father of James B. Whitney, was the next to the youngest of three children reared by Nathaniel R. Whitney. He graduated from the medical department of Harvard College in 1848, and in 1822 began to practice medicine in Framingham, where he became eminent in his profession and where he died 2 September 1867. He was married 6 May 1824 to Miss Mary Walker, daughter of Timothy Walker, of Charlestown, Massachusetts. She died 3 March 1872. Their children are:
Elizabeth W. Whitney, Mrs. John W. Osgood;
Mary Whitney, deceased;
Allston W. Whitney, died 11 November 1881;
Abby Walker, died in 1879, C. S. Adams;
Henry A. Whitney, born 1831, drowned in 1840;
Harriet L. Whitney, born 1833, died in 1863;
Clarence Whitney, born in 1838, died in 1881;
James Bradish Whitney, born 22 August 1842.
James B. Whitney was educated in the common schools of Framingham, Massachusetts. He first started a general mercantile business in Framingham. He was one year in Boston, and then became clerk in a commission house in Chicago and there five years. In 1869 he became connected with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and was dispatcher at Millersburg for ten years, and for five years conductor of a passenger train on the branch road. About 1885 he was made president of the bank in Lykens. He is a director and the largest stockholder in the Millersburg Standard Axle Works. He also has large farming interests near Millersburg. He is a stockholder of the Lykens Water Company.
In politics, Mr. James B. Whitney is a Democrat. He was elected school director in Lykens on the independent ticket.
Mr. James B. Whitney was married in November 1877 to Miss Mary A. Leffler, daughter of David Leffler of Millersburg, Pennsylvania. They have five children:
Abby W. Whitney;
Nathaniel R. Whitney;
Helen Elizabeth Whitney;
Allison L. Whitney; and
Leslie A. Whitney.
The family are members of the Lutheran church.
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The above information was modified/edited from Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, published in 1896 by J. M. Runk and Company of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. A free download is available from the Internet Archive.
See also:
Findagrave Memorial #151062613. James Bradish Whitney died in 1906. He is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery, Millersburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.