Andrew Benton (1620 - 1683)

Born 15 Oct 1620 in Essex, England

Ancestors

Husband of Hannah (Stocking) Benton — married about 1644 in Hartford or Milford, Connecticut Colony [uncertain]

Husband of Anne (Cole) Benton — married before 1673 in Hartford, Connecticut

Descendants

Died 31 Jul 1683 at age 62 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut

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Biography

Andrew Benton was baptized October 15, 1620 at Epping, co Essex, England, the first child of John Benton and his wife Mary (Southernwood) Benton. Andrew's parents, John and Mary, were married at Epping on May 25, 1618.^[1]

Siblings

1. Thomas was baptized August 25, 1622.
2. Marie was baptized June 29, 1625.
3. Elizabeth was baptized August 31, 1628
4. John was baptized March 10, 1639.

Other siblings may have been born between 1628 & 1639 as there was a "register hiatus" for 8 years. The New England Historical and Genealogical Register in its article entitled "Edward Benton of Guilford (Conn.) and His Descendants," states that Andrew and Edward Benton were brothers.^[2]

Migration

According to John Benton on page 3 of his book "David Benton Jr., and Sarah Bingham..." Andrew migrated sometime before 1639 for it was that year that he was allotted parcel #64 at the apportionment in November, 1639 at Milford, Connecticut.^[1]"Milford Proprietors," in Great Migration Newsletter, volume 20, page 31 says, however, that his land grant at Milford was between 1643 and 1646.^[3] So the year of his arrival is uncertain.

Residence

Andrew Benton resided in Milford, Connecticut and united with the church there on March 5, 1648.^[4] Besides the three acres he received in Nov., 1639, several other parcels were added.^[1] Sometime prior to March 1666 he moved with his family to Hartford for on that date the church of Milford dismissed them to Hartford.^[5][4]

Marriages

About 1644 at Milford, Connecticut, Andrew married (1st) Hannah Stocking.^[6][7] Hannah was the daughter of George Stocking of Hartford, who settled there in 1636.^[1] She emigrated with her parents and three siblings in 1633.^[8] Hannah united with the church at Milford on October 13, 1650.^[1]

After Hannah died, probably in 1672,^[9] Andrew married Anne Cole by about 1673 at Hartford.^[10] Anne was the daughter of John Cole.^[11]

Anne was afflicted with seizures, and it was during one of these times that she accused Nathaniel Greensmith and his wife, as well as Mary Barnes of witchcraft.^[12] The Greensmiths and Mary Barnes were hanged on January 25, 1663.^[9][13] It was reported that after the hanging, "the maid was well." Cotton Mather's Magnalia, in 1684 says that "she is restored to health, united with the church, and living in good repute."^[9][14]

Andrew Benton purchased the Greensmith's house in 1668, where (after 1673) he and his 2nd wife Anne Cole raised their family and lived the remainder of their lives.^[14]

Children of Andrew and Hannah (Stocking)

(All born in Milford except the last Dorothy, born in Hartford.)^[15]

1. John was born April 9 and baptized April 14, 1650. He died in May 1650.
2. Hannah was baptized November 23, 1651; married John Camp Jr. died prior to 1675.
3. Andrew was baptized August 12, 1653 and died February 5, 1704. Married Martha, the daughter of Sergt. Thomas Spencer. Children: Hannah, Martha, Andrew, Mercy, John, Dorothy, Mary, Ebenezer, Elizabeth.
4. Mary was born April 14 and baptized April 15, 1655. He married Nathaniel, son of John Cole who died April 20, 1708. Mary married (2nd) Jonathan Bigelow who died January 9, 1711. She married Deacon John Shepard on March 19, 1713. He was buried December 23, 1752.
5. John was born October 7, 1656. He died prior to May 30, 1680.
6. Samuel was born August 15, 1658 and died April 10, 1746. He married in 1679 Sarah, daughter of William and Sarah Chatterton of New Haven. Children: Samuel, Sarah, Hannah, Abigail, Caleb, Daniel, Jacob, Moses, Lydia.
7. Joseph was born in 1660 and died August 12, 1753. He married (1st) Martha daughter of Deacon Paul Peck of Hartford. Married (2nd) on February 10, 1698 Sarah, daughter of Bevil Waters of Hartford. Children: Joseph, Ruth, Sarah, Isaac, Aaron, Jemima, Jehiel, Kezia.
8. Dorothy was born probably in 1662. She was named in the distribution of her father's estate on December 18, 1683 and March 24, 1689.

Children of Andrew and his wife Anne (Cole)

(All born in Hartford.)^[15]

1. Ebenezer was baptized January 4, 1674. Called "an impotent," he was living on April 20, 1708 at the death of his uncle, N. Cole.
2. Lydia was baptized February 13, 1676. She united with the Second Church on April 25, 1697.
3. Hannah was baptized January 26, 1679.
4. John was baptized May 30, 1680; died young, prior to September 4, 1683.

Church and Community

At Hartford, Andrew was a fenceviewer in 1663 and 1664; a juror in 1664 and 1667; made freeman in May, 1665 and in the church he was a suppressor of "disorders during public worship" during the Hartford Controversy; a collector of minister's rates in 1667.^[9]In February of 1670, Andrew, with some family members, separated to the Second Church.^[9]

Death

Andrew Benton died July 31, 1683.^[1] In the record of his probate, his children by both his wives are mentioned.^[16] His tombstone is found in Hartford and reads that he died "aged 63 yrs."^[1][17] Anne (Cole) Benton, his second wife, died April 19, 1686; recipients of her legacy were her three living children.^[16]

Research Notes

NOTE: Not listed in the PGM Directory.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6} Benton, John Hogan. "David Benton Jr., and Sarah Bingham, Their Ancestors and Descendants and Other Ancestral Lines." Press of David Clapp & Son, Boston. 1906. p. 3,4. see at hathitrust
2. ↑ "Edward Benton of Guilford (Conn.) and His Descendants," in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847-. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2013.) V. 54, p. 175. link for subscribers
3. ↑ "Milford Proprietors," in Great Migration Newsletter, V.1-20.(Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015.) V. 20; Page 31. (land grant at Milford between 1643 & 1646) link for subscribers
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Benton JH, p. 3
5. ↑ "Milford Church Records," in The American Genealogist. New Haven, CT: D. L. Jacobus, 1937-. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009 - .) V. 16, p. 31. (dismissed from Milford Church to Hartford Church-March 1666) link for subscribers
6. ↑ Torrey. New England Marriages to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. V. 1, p. 134; link for subscribers
7. ↑ "George Stocking," in Great Migration 1634-1635, R-S. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume VI, R-S, by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009. p 544. (marriage to Hannah Stocking by 1650 based on admitted to Milford Church 13 Oct.1650.) link for subscribers
8. ↑ Stocking, Charles Henry Wright. "The Stocking Ancestry: comprising the descendants of George Stocking, founder of the American family" Lakeside Press, Chicago. 1903. p. 2. see at hathitrust
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4} Benton JH p. 4
10. ↑ Torrey, V. 1, p. 135; link for subscribers
11. ↑ Richard G Tomlinson, "The Great Witchcraft Panic of 1662," in Connecticut Nutmegger, Glastonbury, CT: Connecticut Society of Genealogists, 1970-. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009.) Vol. 13, pp. 7,10. (married Ann Cole)link for subscribers
12. ↑ Tomlinson, pp 4-10
13. ↑ Tomlinson, p. 9
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} Tomlinson, p. 10
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1} Benton JH p. 4,5
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1} Manwaring, Charles William. "A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records" R. S. Peck & Co., Printers, Hartford, Conn. 1904. V. 1, p. 273.see at archive.org
17. ↑ Tomlinson, p. 7. (burial) link for subscribers

See also:

• "Andrew Benton of Milford and Hartford, Conn., and His Descendants" by John H. Benton, in New England Historic Genealogical Register, Boston, MA: NEHGS, Vol. 60 (1906) p. 300 ff. link for subscribers
• Adams, Charles Collard. "Middletown Upper Houses" Grafton Press, New York. 1908. link
• Andrew Benton, 1620-1683: A Sketch by Benton, Josiah H. [1]
• The Connecticut Quarterly (Hartford, Conn., 1898) Vol. 4, Page 81: "Names On The Gravestones Standing in 1835"