Catalog of Manuscript Collections

Creators: Whitney family; Eli Whitney (1765-1825); Eli Whitney, Jr. (1820-1895); Eli Whitney Blake (1795-1886); Elizabeth F. Whitney (b. 1819) Extent: 100 items Description: The Whitneys were residents of Whitneyville and New Haven and were descendants of John Whitney (1592-1673), of Watertown, Massachusetts. The collection contains correspondence, business papers, estate and land records, legal documents, and other materials of Eli Whitney (1765-1825), inventor; his son, Eli, Jr. (1820-1895), businessman; grandson, Eli (1847-1924); nephew, Eli Whitney Blake (1795-1886), administrator of his estate; and other family members. It also includes a deed (1798) for the grist mill near Hamden, CT, which was later used for Whitney's firearms factory; records of payment from South Carolina citizens for cotton ginning patents; a Valentine poem written by Eli (1765-1825) to his future wife, Henrietta (Edwards) Whitney (1785-1870) proposing marriage; materials of Eli, Jr., relating to firearms and land purchases for the New Haven Water Company; and poetry of Elizabeth F. Whitney (b. 1819). Research Topics: History of the Whitney family in New Haven; Eli Whitney as inventor