Albert Russell Whitney was born on September 17, 1840, in Almond, New York, to Rufus Whitney and Laura Pickett. His father was a farmer who owned $6,500 of real estate in 1860. Whitney grew up and attended school in Almond, and by 1860, he was working as a farm laborer. He married Sarah Ann Treat around 1860, and their son Lewis was born around 1861.
He enlisted in the Union army on August 11, 1862, and mustered in as a private in the 130th New York Infantry four days later. According to his service records, he was 5 feet, 10 inches tall, with light hair and blue eyes. The army converted the regiment into the 19th New York Cavalry in July 1863 and finally to the 1st New York Dragoons in September 1863. Confederate forces captured him on May 1, 1864, and sent him to Andersonville Prison and then to Camp Lawton. He died there of “chronic diarrhea” on November 5, 1864.