SEVENTH GENERATION

41. Abigail Olivia Bennett was born on Aug 31 1857 in Northwestern county in Illinois bordering Wisconsin. In the United States Census for Arena, Iowa County, Wisconsin, taken July 12, 1870, Abigail's (Abby as it is written in the census) birthplace is recorded as Illinois. Her birthplace is probably in the same area that her parents Elisha R. Bennett and Rachel Dodge Bennett were married. This would possibly be Jo Davies County where Galena, Illinois is located. She died on May 14 1879 in Arena, Iowa County, Wisconsin. Abigail's death is also recorded in the Bennett Family Bible. Abbie O. Whalen died about three weeks after giving birth to her daughter Abigail (Bennett) Stephens.

The published newspaper obituary reads: The funeral services of Mrs. Abbie O. Whalen were held at the Congregational Church instead of at the residence of Mrs. Bennett as stated last week. The occasion was a sad one indeed and the house was well filled with sympathizing friends. Rev. Alvirus Hitchcock preached a very able and pleasing sermon, at the close of which he paid a fit tribute of respect to the departed one. She was buried on May 16 1879 in Spring Green, Iowa County, Wisconsin. The inscription on the gravestone of Abigail reads:

"Rest then daughter, rest in peace, Though the grave be dark and drear; For the time is swiftly speeding, And our Saviour must be near."

"Abbie O. Wife of Geo. H. Whalen, Died May 14, 1879, age 21 years, 9 mo."

She was married to George Hustus Whalen (son of Nelson Whalen and Eunice Dodge) on Oct 7 1878 in Black Earth, Dane County, Wisconsin. George and Abigail were married at the residence of clergyman E.H. Sackett and was witnessed by John Ford and M.A. Sackett. George Hustus Whalen was born about 1855 in Nova Scotia, Canada. George's birth year is recorded from a Family Group Record completed March, 1995 by Patricia Hudson Stephens, wife of Dr. Harley W. Stephens who was a grandson of George H. Whalen. On his Registration of Marriage to Abbie Bennett, he records his birthplace as "Nova Scotia, British America." He died about 1946 in Massachusetts. The actual death date and burial location for George H. Whalen is not yet known. This information about his death in Massachusetts comes from Miriam Seagren's daughter Nancy Meikle. George's death in the states is probable because he had a daughter Named Carrie by his second marriage that was a school teacher in Massachusetts. George was a farmer living in Arena, Iowa County, Wisconsin.

According to Grace Naomi Marquis (the daughter of Abigail (Bennett) Stephens), after the death of his wife Abigail O. (Bennett) Whalen, George gave custody of their daughter (Grace's mother) to his mother-in-law Rachel Dodge Bennett and then moved to Canning, Kings County, Nova Scotia. George remarried there and later had six children in Nova Scotia. The story goes that Ma Bennett, in grief, ran off George after her daughter Abbie died. Abigail Olivia Bennett and George Hustus Whalen had the following children:

+45 i. Abbie Bennett.

Return to Table of Contents