Anne Whitney was born in Watertown, Massachusetts, on September 2, 1821.
She was the youngest child of Nathaniel Ruggles Whitney, Jr.—a justice of the peace—and Sally, or Sarah, Stone Whitney, both of whom were descendants of Watertown settlers of 1635.
She had a sister and five brothers.
The family moved to East Cambridge by the time that Whitney was 12 years old and returned to Watertown in 1850.

Her family were  Unitarians and abolitionists.
They fought for women's and education rights, as well as abolition of slavery.

Except the 1834–1835 school year that she attended at a private school run by Mrs. Samuel Little in Bucksport, Maine, she received her education from private tutors.
Her year at private school allowed her to teach.
 Whitney enjoyed writing poetry and had an interest in sculpture.
Anne Whitney was born in Watertown, Massachusetts, on September 2, 1821. She was the youngest child of Nathaniel Ruggles Whitney, Jr.—a justice of the peace—and Sally, or Sarah, Stone Whitney, both of whom were descendants of Watertown settlers of 1635. She had a sister and five brothers. The family moved to East Cambridge by the time that Whitney was 12 years old and returned to Watertown in 1850.
Her family were  Unitarians and abolitionists. They fought for women's and education rights, as well as abolition of slavery.
Except the 1834–1835 school year that she attended at a private school run by Mrs. Samuel Little in Bucksport, Maine, she received her education from private tutors. Her year at private school allowed her to teach.  Whitney enjoyed writing poetry and had an interest in sculpture.
Anne Whitney