When Marcella Yaw Whitney was born on 23 January 1841, in Franklin, Vermont, United States, her father, Edward Charles Whitney, was 23 and her mother, Elvira T Yaw, was 21. She had at least 1 son and 1 daughter with Ezra James Chaffee. She lived in Berkshire, Franklin, Vermont, United States in 1860 and Albany, Orleans, Vermont, United States for about 30 years. She died on 25 July 1916, at the age of 75, and was buried in Albany Village Cemetery, Albany, Orleans, Vermont, United States.