Cynthia WHITNEY

Father: Andrew WHITNEY
Mother: Huldah SWEETSER

Family 1: John W. BYRON

(1) Source: Based on birth of first child; via Sedgeley, George Burbank. Micah Whitney, Revolutionary Soldier, and His Twelve Children Settled Early in Phillips, Maine. Farmington, Maine, United States, The Knowlton & McLeary Co., 1943.

  1. John W. BYRON
  2. Orvard BYRON
  3. Cynthia Ann BYRON

Family 2: George STAPLES

(1) Source: Sedgeley, George Burbank. Micah Whitney, Revolutionary Soldier, and His Twelve Children Settled Early in Phillips, Maine. Farmington, Maine, United States, The Knowlton & McLeary Co., 1943.

  1. Betsey Jane STAPLES
  2. Lilla STAPLES
  3. Mary STAPLES
  4. George Alva STAPLES
  5. Hildreth S. STAPLES
                                     _Abel WHITNEY _
                    _Micah WHITNEY _|
                   |                |_Mary CANE ____
 _Andrew WHITNEY __|
|                  |                 _Andrew COBB __
|                  |_Hannah COBB ___|
|                                   |_Hannah GREEN _
|
|--Cynthia WHITNEY
|
|                                    _______________
|                   _John SWEETSER__|
|                  |                |_______________
|_Huldah SWEETSER _|
                   |                 _______________
                   |_Jane RIDEOUT___|
                                    |_______________

Notes

Updated April 21, 2026. Compiled by Howder (www.howderfamily.com) from the following source(s):

(1) Sedgeley, George Burbank. Micah Whitney, Revolutionary Soldier, and His Twelve Children Settled Early in Phillips, Maine. Farmington, Maine, United States, The Knowlton & McLeary Co., 1943. Pages 32-35. Available via Ancestry.com U.S., Family History Books.

"Cynthia, second child of Andrew and Huldah (SWEETSER) WHITNEY, was born in Phillips, Maine, Oct. 18, 1819; married (first) John BYRON, farmer, of Phillips; married (second) Feb. 23, 1848, George STAPLES, farmer, of Phillips. STAPLES was born Oct. 25, 1828, and at time of the marriage he was 20 and she was 29 and it was said his wife paid for his time until he was 21 by giving his father, Hugh STAPLES, a pair of oxen. In 1865 Mr. STAPLES left his wife, children and step-children and went to the middle west. Doubtless the cause of his leaving his family was trouble with the step-children and quite possibly the fretful disposition of his wife, a general characteristic of this branch of the WHITNEY family. After her marriage to STAPLES she continued to live the rest of her life on the farm that came to her from her first husband. Cynthia took a trip to the middle west in search of her husband, she found him, but he did not return with her to Maine. Tradition says he had a family in a western state. STAPLES served in the Civil War."

"Children by first husband, born in Phillips: i. John W. BYRON, born April 1, 1841; lived in Phillips and Livermore. ii. Orvard BYRON, born Oct. 15, 1843; married Clara GAY; lived all his life on his mother's farm in Phillips in the Blethen-Byron district; was a well-to-do farmer and added acres to his farm... iii. Cynthia Ann BYRON, born July 25, 1845; married Nelson ROSS of Madrid, Maine. She worked for many years in shoe shops; lived the last year of her life with her son in New Jersey..."

"Children by second husband, born in Phillips: iv. Betsey Jane STAPLES, born Oct. 23, 1850; died in 1920; married Feb. 12, 1867, Frederick B. SWEETSER, a Civil War soldier, farmer and carpenter, lived in Phillips... v. Lilla STAPLES, born April 27, 1855, died young... vi. Mary STAPLES, born about 1857; married Daniel PLAISTED, a farmer, lived in Phillips, Salem and Kingfield, Maine... vii. George Alva STAPLES, born June 19, 1860; died when about 68; married Ida CALDEN; was a carriage painter; lived in Phillips... viii. Hildreth S. STAPLES, the youngest child of George and Cynthia (WHITNEY) STAPLES was born in 1862; married Eva BUTTERFIELD of Phillips, divorced; was a millman; lived in Dixfield, Maine."

(2) Maine, U.S., Wills and Probate Records via Ancestry.com

Cynthia [WHITNEY] BYRON's husband John W. BYRON died intestate and the estate went to probate in Phillips, Maine in November 1845. Cynthia was appointed administratrix. Some real estate had to be sold to cover debts of the estate, and Cynthia received $288.49 when the estate was finally settled on June 30, 1847.

(3) 1850 United States Census for Maine, Franklin Co., Phillips: Page 147; August 16, 1850.

Cynthia [WHITNEY] STAPLE is married to George STAPLE, head of household. She is 30 years old and born in Maine. Cynthia's three children from her previous marriage live in the household: John W. BYRON (age 9), Orvand BYRON (age 6), and Cynthia A. BYRON (age 4), all born in Maine. Cynthia's sister, Betsey R. WHITNEY is also a resident.

(4) 1860 United States Census for Maine, Franklin Co., Phillips (Phillips Post Office): Page 21; June 15, 1860.

Cynthia [WHITNEY] STAPLE is married to George STAPLE, head of household. Children in the household are Betsy STAPLE (age 9), Lillie STAPLE (age 5), Mary STAPLE (age 3), and George STAPLE (age 1 month). Cynthia's children from her previous marriage are also in the household: John W. BYRON (age 19, farm hand), Orvand BYRON (age 16, farm hand), and Cynthia A. BYRON (age 14). All children were born in Maine.

- Age: 40
- Estate: $200 in Personal Estate in her own name
- Birthplace: Maine
- Occupation: House wife

(5) 1870 United States Census for Maine, Franklin Co., Phillips (Phillips Post Office): page 29; August 24, 1870.

Cynthia [WHITNEY] STAPLES resides in the household of her son, Orvand BYRON (age 26, a farmer). She is 50 years old and is a domestic servant. Four of her children from her marriage to George STAPLES are also residents: Lillie (age 15), Mary (age 13), George A. (age 9), and Hildreth S. (age 8). Everyone in the household was born in Maine.

(6) 1880 United States Census for Maine, Franklin Co., Phillips: Supervisor's District 1; Enumeration District 78; Page 8; June 5, 1880.

Cynthia [WHITNEY] STAPLES a 60-year-old widow who is keeping house. She is living with children from both of her previous marriages. Her son, Orvand BYRON (age 36) is head of household and is a farmer, and resides there with his wife Clara and his infant daughter Nettie born the previous October. Two other sons, George A. STAPLES (age 19) and Hildreth S. STAPLES (age 18) are also residents and work on the farm. In this record Cynthia is explicitly listed as Orvand BYRON's mother. Everyone in the family was born in Maine.

(7) Death Announcement via Newspapers.com: Lewiston Evening Journal; Lewiston, Maine; Friday, December 02, 1887; Page 4.

"DIED... Phillips -- Nov. 26, Mrs. Cynthia STAPLES, aged 68 years."

(8) Find a Grave via Ancestry.com

- Name: Cynthia WHITNEY STAPLES
- Birth: Oct. 18, 1819
- Death: Nov. 26, 1887 (aged 68)
- Inscription: "Age 68 yrs 1 mo 8 dys"
- Burial: Byron Cemetery; Phillips, Franklin County, Maine, USA
- Memorial ID: 45227672

(9) Whitney Research Group.

- "Cynthia WHITNEY, b. 18 Oct 1819, Phillips, ME; m.(1) ca. 1840, John BYRON; m.(2) 23 Oct 1850, George STAPLES, b. 25 Oct 1828." Cites Phillips, Maine vital records; "18 Oct 1819 Cynthia, d. Andrew WHITNEY and Huldah [born]."

(10) Wade, Gail Morrow, Researcher and Compiler. Our Pioneering Families, Genealogies of Whitney, Groathouse and Lignitz, First Edition. Self-published manuscript available at DAR Library, Washington DC., 1986. Page 70.

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Additional Notes.

Mayflower lineage: Howland/Tilley -1; Hope Howland -2; Hope Chipman -3; Samuel Cobb -4; Chipman Cobb -5; Andrew Cobb -6 (DAR/SAR ancestor); Hannah Cobb -7; Andrew Whitney -8; Cynthia Whitney -9.