James Raynor Whiting, Jr.

Son of extremely wealthy real estate magnate and former New York Supreme Court Justice (1856-57) James R Whiting (1803-1872), in 1860 he was a prosperous 25 year old lawyer living with his parents and 11 siblings in Yonkers, NY. He enrolled and was appointed First Lieutenant of Company K, 9th New York Infantry on 3 September 1861 and was promoted to Captain on 23 November 1861. His company was designated as artillery and provided with naval howitzers in late December 1861.

He was in command of the battery in Maryland, attached to General Isaac Rodman's Division. They were in action at Antietam on 17 September 1862, initially posted overlooking the creek at Snavely's Ford downstream from the Lower Bridge. After the division crossed the creek there, they returned to the Lower Bridge area and, at General Burnside's orders, the gunners were issued rifles. They served as infantrymen or sharpshooters for the rest of the day.

He resigned and was discharged on 30 September, but was appointed Major of the reorganizing 9th Infantry in May 1863, but not commissioned, as the they never completed organization.

In 1870 he was a lawyer in New York, again living with his parents in Yonkers, but by 1880, still an attorney, had his own household (including 5 servants) at King's Bridge in New York City. In 1879 he also built the Hop Extract Works in Waterville, NY, and and operated it to at least 1892 (by which time he'd made the New York Tribune Monthly's millionaire's list) and possibly as late as 1902. He was President of the Hawkins' Zouaves Association by 1899.

His service from the State of New York1 and Phisterer.2. Antietam details from Rosebrock.3 Personal details from family genealogists, the US Census of 1860-1880, and the Marshall (NY) Historical Society. His memorial is on Findagrave.

He married Gertrude Ingersoll Allen (1844-1882) in November 1868 and they had 4 children.

06/30/1835; New York City, NY

02/04/1908; Bridgeport, CT