Biography of Chauncey Belden Whitney



Excerpted from "Collections of the Kansas State Historical Society, 1911-1912", Edited by Geo. W. Martin, Secretary. 

Vol XII., State Printing Office, Topeka, Kansas 1912.



submitted by Teresa Lindquist (merope@radix.net); (copyright) 2001 by Teresa Lindquist

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CHAUNCEY BELDEN WHITNEY was born March 31, 1842. Of his early life nothinG is known, nor when he came to Kansas. Forsyth 

mentions him as among those of his scouts who had had service in the Civil War. He enlisted with Forsyth, serving through 

that short, sharp campaign, and we find him again in service against the Indians in the Second battalion, Kansas militia, 

where he was first lieutenant of company A. This battalion was called into service hy Governor Harvey in July. 1869, and 

mustered out in November. Company A was under the command of Captain Pliley and was stationed at the blockhouse on Spillman 

creek, in Lincoln county. This blockhouse was built by General Sully, and was a one-story log building. While Pliley and 

his men occupied it they put on a second story, placing it diagonally across the lower one. The building was burned in 

1872. Whitney evidently settled in Ellsworth county after his Indian fighting, for he was married at Ellsworth July 23, 

1871, to Miss Nellie V. Henry. He was sheriff of Ellsworth county, and was shot hy Bill Thompson August 18. 1871, dying 

from the wounds on August 21. The trouble originated over a game of cards, where the players were half drunken toughs, and 

two of them went forth to "shoot up" the town. Sheriff Whitney, in a friendly way, endeavored to quiet them, but he was 

unarmed and unaided and was shot down in cold blood by one of the half-drunken rowdies.



(Included with the article: "Diary of Chauncey B. Whitney", page 296)