John Benson (abt. 1686 - 1770)

Born about 1686 in Hull, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Elisabeth (Washburn) Benson — married 4 Dec 1710 in Bridgewater, Plymouth, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died 30 May 1770 at about age 84 in Bridgewater, Plymouth County, Province of Massachusetts Bay

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Biography

This is the profile of John Benson who lived in Bridgewater from 1710 to 1770.

Parentage

John was the son of Joseph Benson and Sarah (Unknown) Benson of Hull. His parentage is established by a deed dated March 26, 1708 in which John Benson of Bridgewater, weaver, is described as "one of the sons of Joseph Benson of Hull" and pursuant to which John quitclaimed his rights to the land in Hull of Joseph Benson, deceased, to his elder brother Joseph.^[1][2]

Date and Place of Birth

John Benson's date of birth is uncertain. Based on the date of his marriage (1710) and date of death (1770), John was probably born sometime between 1685 and 1690. The 2003 The Benson Family of Colonial Massachusetts estimates that he was probably born about 1686, based apparently in part of the dates of birth of his siblings.^[2] Since John's father lived in Hull, John was no doubt born there.

Removal to Bridgewater

John Benson settled in South Bridgewater, Massachusetts.^[3] Commingling of livestock and the need to identify their ownership was a standard concern in colonial American and town records often record the brands or marks that each owner used to distinguish his livestock from others. A Bridgewater record from around 1724 records John Benson's mark as "two slits in the top of the right ear, the slits right down the ear."^[4]

First Marriage; Children

John was married to Elizabeth Washburn in Bridgewater on December 4, 1710 in a ceremony performed by Elihu Brett, justice of the peace.^[5][6][2][3]

John and Elizabeth had the following children, all in Bridgewater:

• Susannah, b. about 1715,^[2] m. February 25, 1735/6 Jonathan Cushman in Bridgewater^[6][2][3]
• Jonathan, b. about 1717, m. November 7, 1740 Martha Snell in Bridgewater, d. December 16, 1788 in Bridgewater. (See Jonathan's profile for discussion and sources.)
• Benjamin, b. about 1719,^[2] m. October 30, 1745 Keziah Snell in Bridgewater,^[7][3] d. February 14, 1749 in Bridgewater^[8]
• Mary, b. about 1721,^[2] m. probably September 5, 1741 Samuel Burge in Bridgewater,^[2] d. before 1770^[2][3]
• Elizabeth, b. say 1723, d. before 1770.^[2][3] (Possibly the Bety Benson who died in Bridgewater on March 15, 1742.^[8][2])
• Hannah, b. about 1725,^[2] m. January 22, 1745 James Dunbar Jr. in Bridgewater,^[6][2] d. June 19, 1757 in Bridgewater^[9][2][3]

John's first wife, Elizabeth died in Bridgewater on March 9, 1765.^[8][2]

Second Marriage

John married his second wife, widow Sarah Williams, at Bridgewater on September 24, 1765.^[6][2]

Will; Death

John Benson made his will on February 1, 1770. In his will, he made bequests to his wife Sarah, daughter Susannah and son Jonathan. He names his son Jonathan as executor. He noted that his children Benjamin, Hannah, Elizabeth and Mary were all decased and that parts of his estate had been given to them while they were living and their children were not to expect more.^[2][10]

John died on May 30, 1770 at Bridgewater^[11][2] and his will was probated on August 6, 1770.^[2]

Research Notes

• From John Maltby: Wealthea Washburn, dau. of Ezra Washburn and Susanna Leach, married Benjamin Dunbar, son of James Dunbar and Hannah Benson, of Bridgewater ^[12] and grandson of James Dunbar and Experience Hayward, and of Lt. John Benson and Elisabeth Washburn.^[13]

^{[9] [11] [8] [7] [6] [2] [5] [3] [1]}

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Suffolk County Deeds, Vol. 26, p. 172. FHL Film # 007442503, image 183. Link to image at familysearch.org.
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19} Benson, Richard H. The Benson Family of Colonial Massachusetts. (Boston: Newbury Street Press, 2003) pp. 65-69. Link to pages at archive.org.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7} Mitchell, Nahum. History of the Early Settlement of Bridgewater in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. Kidder & Wright, 1897. p 115. Link to page at archive.org.
4. ↑ Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 (database on-line). Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 (database on-line). Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4} Vital records of Bridgewater, Massachusetts to the Year 1850. Volume II - Marriages and Deaths. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1916. p. 50. Link to page at archive.org.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Vital records of Bridgewater, Massachusetts to the Year 1850. Volume II - Marriages and Deaths. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1916. p. 49. Link to page at archive.org.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3} Vital records of Bridgewater, Massachusetts to the Year 1850. Volume II - Marriages and Deaths. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1916. p. 436. Link to page at archive.org.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Vital records of Bridgewater, Massachusetts to the Year 1850. Volume II - Marriages and Deaths. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1916. p. 459. Link to page at archive.org.
10. ↑ "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-997D-J3ZN : 20 May 2014), Probate records 1763-1771 vol 19-20 > image 553 of 641; State Archives, Boston.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} Vital records of Bridgewater, Massachusetts to the Year 1850. Volume II - Marriages and Deaths. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1916. p. 437. Link to page at archive.org.
12. ↑ Mitchell, History of Bridgewater, p. 148.
13. ↑ Mitchell, History of Bridgewater, pp. 115-116, 147.

See also:

• John A. Maltby Genealogies - Ezra Washburn - # 1259