From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Harry Whitney
Harry Whitney
Harry Whitney in 1905, where he spent some time ranching in the West.
He eventually became known as a big game hunter, or
"sportsman".[3]
Arctic
In July 1908, when Whitney was 34 years old, he and
two "sportsman" friends found berths on the Roosevelt
and the Erik, the ships carrying Peary’s expedition north
Harry Whitney and Inuit Women, 1910
for his final attempt to reach the Pole. Whitney and his
Born December 1, 1873(1873-12-01) friends hoped to hunt musk ox, polar bears, and other
New Haven, Connecticut arctic game and then return on the ship. However, upon
Died May 20, 1936(1936-05-20) (aged 62) reaching Etah, Greenland, they learned that musk ox
Montreal, Canada could only be hunted in the late winter. Whitney decided
to overwinter in a small shack made from packing ma-
Nationality United States
terials on the shore. His friends returned to New York
Occupation Explorer, "sportsman" aboard the Erik. The Roosevelt continued on to Peary’s
base camp at Cape Sheridan, Ellesmere Island.[1]:42
Known for Arctic adventure, Peary-Cook controversy,
author, photographer With the help of the local Inuit, Whitney was able to
hunt walrus, narwhales, polar bear, and other game. In
Harry Whitney (December 1, 1873 – May 20, 1936) was an the spring, the native people brought him to Ellesmere
American sportsman, adventurer, and author. He trav- Island to hunt musk ox. Whitney attempted to keep a
eled to northern Greenland with Robert Peary in 1908, musk ox calf alive to bring back to the Philadelphia Zoo,
staying over the winter with the Eskimos at Etah and An- but the calf did not survive.[1]:304–325
noatok. In the spring of 1909 Whitney found himself at On April 18, 1909, Whitney met Frederick Cook and
the center of the controversy between Frederick Cook his two Inuit companions on the ice on Smith Sound.
and Peary over who had reached the North Pole first. A Cook claimed that the previous year the three men had
year after his return, he published a book on the trip.[1] been to the North Geographic Pole, and then had over-
He is sometimes confused with his contemporary Harry wintered on Ellesmere Island. Cook left some items with
Payne Whitney, who was no relation.[2] Whitney and headed to southern Greenland to report his
triumph. When Peary came south on the Roosevelt lat-
er that summer, he refused to allow Whitney to bring
Early life and education Cook’s belongings on his ship. Cook would later claim
Harry Whitney was born on December 1, 1873[3] in New that proof of his discovery had been among the papers
Haven, Connecticut, to a wealthy family. His given name Peary refused to embark.[5] When Whitney reached St.
was "Henry", but he was known professionally as "Harry John’s, Newfoundland in September, he found himself at
Whitney" throughout his adult life. His great grandfather the center of the rival claims of Cook and Peary. He de-
was Stephen Whitney, one of the first millionaires in New clined to take sides in the controversy.[6] The following
York City. His mother was Margaret Lawrence Johnson, a year Whitney published his book Hunting With the Eski-
daughter of Bradish Johnson (1811–1892) who had owned mos,[1] illustrated with his own photographs and repro-
a sugar plantation in Louisiana, and distillery and real es- ductions of pencil drawings done by the Inuit at Etah.
tate in New York.[4] He attended the Hopkins Grammar
School in New Haven and St. Paul’s School in Garden City,
Long Island.
Later life
Whitney worked briefly at Wallace & Sons, a wire In 1910, Whitney went back to Greenland with his friend
manufacturing company in Ansonia, Connecticut, in 1901 Paul Rainey. On their return, they presented the Bronx
and 1902. In 1903 he went by sailing vessel to Australia. Zoo with two live polar bears.[7] In 1916, Whitney mar-
There he spent two years learning about the sheep busi- ried Mrs. Eunice Chesebro Kenison, with Captain Bob
ness and mining. Whitney returned to the United States Bartlett serving as an usher.[8] When the United States
entered World War I, Whitney served as a captain in
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Harry Whitney
the Ordnance Section of the United States Army. After [8] "Weds Arctic Explorer", The New York Times,
the war he attended Cornell, where he studied agricul- January 16, 1916
ture. He continued to hunt in Alaska, the Rocky Moun- [9] "Harry Whitney, 62, Explorer, Is Dead; Hunter of
tains, and the Arctic, providing skins and specimens to Big Game Was With Peary’s Ship—Became Center
the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences and the of Polar Controversy". The New York Times: p. 23.
Philadelphia Zoo as well as the Bronx Zoo. The Whitneys May 21, 1936. http://query.nytimes.com/mem/
lived in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, at the time of his archive/
death. He died at a hospital in Montreal on May 20, pdf?res=F20C12FF3B5B1B7B93C3AB178ED85F428385F9.
1936.[9]
External links
References • Stephen Whitney Phoenix (1878). The Whitney family
[1] ^ Whitney, Harry (1910). Hunting With the Eskimos: of Connecticut, and its affiliations: being an attempt to
The Unique Record of a Sportsman’s Year Among the trace the descendants, as well in the female as the male
Northernmost Tribe - The Big Game Hunting, The Native lines, of Henry Whitney, from 1649 to 1878. 1. Bradford
Life, and the Battle for Existence Through the Long Press. pp. 913, 1812–1813.
Arctic Night. The Century Company. http://wiki.whitneygen.org/wrg/index.php/
http://books.google.com/ Family:Whitney,_Stephen_(1841-a1900). with census
books?id=vydJAAAAMAAJ. data
[2] Wright, Theon (1970). The Big Nail:The Story of the • Smithsonian Magazine, April 2009, pp 60–69
Cook-Peary Feud. John Day Co.. pp. 155, 162, 166 Persondata
(Harry Whitney confused with Harry Payne
Name Whitney, Harry
Whitney).
[3] ^ Who Was Who In America Volume I. Marquise. Alternative
p. 1340. names
[4] "Obituary: Bradish Johnson". The New York Times. Short descrip- American sportsman, author and ad-
November 5, 1892. http://query.nytimes.com/ tion venturer
mem/archive-free/ Date of birth December 1, 1873
pdf?res=F30911FC345515738DDDAC0894D9415B8285F0D3.
Place of birth New Haven, Connecticut
[5] Berton, Pierre (1988). The Arctic Grail. Penguin
Books. pp. 596–598. Date of death May 20, 1936
[6] "Whitney Saw None Of Cook’s Records",The New Place of death Montreal, Canada
York Times, September 29, 1909
[7] "Beat Fighting Bear With Ammonia Gun", The New
York Times, September 25, 1910
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harry_Whitney&oldid=468515037"
Categories:
• 1873 births
• 1936 deaths
• Discovery and invention controversies
• American hunters
• People from New Haven, Connecticut
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