Nathaniel Whitin (i), the immigrant ancestor of the Whitin family of Whitinsville, Massachusetts, was born in 1609, in England. He is mentioned in the will of his grandfather, John Smith, who bequeathed to his mother, Sarah (Smith) Whiting, lands in Hoxden, Middlesex county, England. He had a brother, Samuel Whiting, also mentioned in this will. Nathaniel Whiting came first to Lynn as early as 1638, when he was a proprietor of that town. In the first records his name is spelled Whiting, Whyting and Whitinge, most of the descendants having used the form Whiting. He removed to Dedham a few years after he came to New England and was a proprietor there in 1640. He was admitted to the church, July 30, 1641, and was made a freeman, May 18, 1642. He died at Dedham, January 15, 1682-83. His will was dated May 15, 1677, and proved April 19, 1683. He gave his whole estate to his wife Hannah to distribute at her discretion. The widow died November 4, 1714, aged eighty- nine years.

He married, November 4, 1643, Hannah Dwight, daughter of John and Hannah Dwight, of Dedham, progenitors of a famous old family. She came to Dedham from England with her parents and brothers John and Timothy. Her father was at Watertown in 1635, removed to Dedham, was admitted a freeman March 13, 1638-39, owned half the water- mill. Nathaniel Whiting was also a miller. His descendants at Whitinsville seem to have inherited their predilection for mills and machinery from both immigrant ancestors named.

Children of Nathaniel and Hannah Whiting were: I. Nathaniel, born September 26, 1644. married Joanna Gay, daughter of John Gay, of Dedham ; settled in the adjoining town of Medfield, where he resided on North street, not far from the present Pine street; was burned out by the Indians in King Philip's war; had five children—Joanna, Nathaniel, John, Samuel, and Hezekiah. 2. John, born September 28, 1646, died November 26, 1646. 3. John, born November 3, 1647, died September 25. 1656. 4. Samuel, born December 20, 1649, mar(twin), born July 8, 1656, died October 29, 1656. 9. Mary, born October 12, 1658. ip. Sarah, born December 3, 1660, married Nathaniel Farrington. ii. Abigail, born June 7, 1663, died October 25, 1721; married James Draper. 12. John, born July 19, 1665, settled Wrentham (see Goodwin's Genealogical Notes). 13. Jonathan, see forward. 14. Judith, born March 30, 1670, married Barachiah Lewis. 15. Anna, born January 25, 1672.

(II) Jonathan Whiting, son of Nathaniel Whiting (i), was born in Dedham, Massachusetts, October 9, 1667, died at Roxbury, Massachusetts, September 4, 1728 (gravestone in First Parish cemetery at Dedham). He married at Dedham, December 3, 1689, Rachel Thorp, daughter of James and Hannah (Newcomb) Thorp. She was born at Dedham, August 17, 1671, died after 1728. Administration was granted on his estate October 21, 1728, to widow Rachel, and the heirs entered into an agreement, dated November 22, 1728, for the settlement of the estate and providing for the support of the widow. He was a member of Captain Whittington's company in the expedition against Canada in 1690. Their children were : i. Rachel, born at Dedham, September 27, 1690, married at Roxbury, April 20, 1715, Ebcnezer Healey, of Stoughton. 2. Eliphalet, died at Roxbury, November 30, 1693. 3, Mary, born at Dedham, April 13 1694. 4. Jonathan, born at Dedham, November 8, 1696. 5. Eben- ezer, born at Roxbury, July n, 1699. 6. Eliphalet, born at Roxbury, March i, 1701-02. 7. Nathaniel, see forward. 8. Moses, born at Roxbury, August 7, 1706, sold some of his father's lands to his brother Aaron, December 13, 1733. 9. Aaron, born at Roxbury, July 18, 1709. io. Hannah, born at Roxbury, July 20, 1711, died there about 1765; married October 26, 1732, Seth Tucker, son of Ebenezer and Jemima (Danieli) Tucker.

(III) Nathaniel Whiting, son of Jonathan Whiting (2), was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, March 20, 1703-04, died at Roxbury, January 19, 1790. He married (first), at Roxbury, May i, 1729, Hannah Lyon, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Ald- ridge) Lyon. She was born at Roxbury, December 25, 1712. He married (second), at Dedham, April 6, 1774, Hannah Richards, widow of Josiah Richards, daughter of Nathaniel Whiting. He was a blacksmith by trade. David Weld was the administrator of his estate, appointed February 8, 1700, as also of the estate of his first wife, the division of which names the children—heirs of Isaiah, deceased ; heirs of Benajah, deceased ; Paul Whiting, the only son of Nathaniel, deceased ; widow Mary Richards: heirs of Hannah Williams, deceased; Rachel Whitney; Keziah Vose; widow Sarah Draper and heirs of Lucy Everett, deceased. Their children, all recorded as born at Roxbury : I. Mary, born July 7, 1730, married, at Roxbury, January 19, 1748-49, Nathaniel Richards. 2. Isaiah, born June 24, 1732. 3. Hannah, born December 25, 1734, married (first), at Roxbury, April 26, 1753, Thomas Dudley; (second) Joseph Williams. 4. Rachel born April 19, 1737, married, at Roxbury, November 15, 1759. Jacob Whitney. 5. Benajah, born June 18, 1738. 6. Keziah born January 29, 1740-41, died atRobury, August 27, 1816; married there, September 24, 1707, William Draper; (second) at Roxbury, February 5, 1778, Oliver Vose. 7. Rebecca, born December 15, 1742, died at Roxbury, May 6, 1743. 8. Nathaniel, born May 28, 1744, died at Roxbury, December 26, 1/44. 9. Sarah, born October 6, 1745, married Paul Draper. 10. Nathaniel, see forward. 11. Lucy, born April 26, 1751, died at Roxbury, September 20, 1788; married i'eter Everett.

(IV) Nathaniel Whiting, son oí Nathaniel Whiting (3), was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, April 28, 1748, died at Roxbury, June 21, 1769 (gravestone) ; married at Trinity Church, Boston, September 23, 1767, Sarah Draper, daughter of Moses and Mary (Aldis-Allen) Draper. She Vas born at Roxbury, June 5, 1748, died at Northbridge, December 8, 1831. Moses Draper, of Roxbury, was appointed guardian of Paul Whiting, only son of Aalhaniel. She married (second), December 21, 1770, Lieutenant James Prentice, of Sutton, son of Samuel and Phebe Prentice. He died at Spencer, May 20, 1837, aged ninety-one years. Prentice was lieutenant in Captain Mark Chase's company of Sutton and served in the revolution at Roxbury, Massachusetts, and Providence and Newport, Rhode Island. The only child of Nathaniel, Jr., and Sarah Whitin was Paul, see forward.

V) Paul Whitin, son of Nathaniel Whitin (4), was born at Roxbury, Massachusetts. December 3, 1767, and was baptized after his father's death in the Dcdham church, November 5, 1769. When a young lad of fourteen Paul was apprenticed to learn the blacksmith's trade to Jesse White, of Northbridge. His advantages for education were exceedingly limited ; his whole attendance at school probably did not amount to six months. Few men have ever entered upon business life with less encouraging prospects. When he closed his apprenticeship his health was poor and continued so for some years. He had no capital of his own and no relatives to whom he could look for aid. But he improved every opportunity to supplement his education and fit himself for a business career. By perseverance and diligent improvement of those intervals of labor that many young men spend in idleness, he acquired a good knowledge of those branches of study necessary for the successful prosecution of business. He was essentially self-educated; he was naturally studious. When he was twenty- eight years old he was elected town clerk of North- bridge, and filled this position thirteen successive years. He was often elected to other town offices. He was active in the state militia and rose through the various grades to the rank of colonel. He was for several years justice of the peace. He was repeatedly urged to run for the office of representative to the general court, but he refused because of the demands of business on his time. Indeed, it was his custom to make up by extra labor all the time taken from his business by military duties and the town business.

Ref: Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Worcester County ... By Ellery Bicknell Crane, Published 1907, Lewis Pub

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There are various opinions on who his parents were. Other (less likely) choices are...

John Whiting, born 1565 in England; died 1647 in Dedham, Norfolk, Ma.. He married Sarah Smith WFT Est. 1597-1630. Sarah Smith, born 1569 in Bocking, Essex, Eng.; died WFT Est. 1611-1664. She was the daughter of John Smith and Mrs. John Smith.

NATHANIEL3 WHITING (GILES2, GILES1). He married (1) FRANCES BUNNING, daughter of RICHARD
BUNNING. He married (2) ELIZABETH HEATH.


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Nathaniel is mentioned in the will of his father-in-law John Dwight, written in 1658: "I giue vnto my sonne, Nathaniell Whiteing, 20s. ... My will is, that my dwelling house, land, and moveables in ye Towne of Dedham, or elsewhere, which shall be founde to my estate, at my decease, be equally devided into fiue pts, two pts whereof I giue vnto my sonne, Timothy Dwight, and one part vnto ye Children of my son, Nathaniell Whiteing, and of Hannah, his wife, or soe many of them as shall be surviueing at my decease, to be payde by my Executor, as in his discretion will best conduce for their benefitt. Alsoe, that my sonne, Nathaniell Whiteing, shall enjoy all that 6 Acres of land, be it more or lesse, which lyeth in ye low playne; and ye 2 Acres of meadow lyeing In foule meadow, which I bought of Lieut. Joshua Fisher. "