Thomas Besson (1646 - 1717)

Born 12 Jan 1646 in Lavenham, Suffolk, England

Husband of Margaret (Saughier) Besson — married 5 Mar 1667 in South River, Maryland

Descendants

Died 1717 at about age 70 in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland

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Biography

Thomas Besson was a Maryland colonist.

According to Besson family historian Reverdy Orrell,^[1] Thomas Besson was born circa 1638 in Virginia. His parents were Thomas and Ann Besson. Thomas Besson is often referred to in records as Thomas Besson "the Elder," because his father remarried and named a son of his second wife Thomas Besson "the Younger."

In 1649, Thomas Besson and his wife Ann Unknown Besson moved their small family from Virginia to Maryland. Land Patents were granted to anyone who transported themselves into Maryland at this time. Thomas Besson's father collected on himself, his wife Ann, his son Thomas Besson and a daughter named Ann.^[2] The family named their new plantation Bessenten.

On Febuary 11, 1658, Thomas' father was granted a Maryland Land Patent for 450 acres on Beeson's Branch of the South River, Chesapeake Bay based upon "Thomas Beeson hath transported himself, Anne his wife, Thomas & Anne his children & Edward Cox his servant" into the Province "bearing at date att London ye Second day of July in ye of Our Lord God 1649 & remayning in uppon record in Our Province".^[3]The Besson family plantation, Bessenten, was located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The family would have been the first to enter the land and it certainly would have needed a lot of work. Thomas Besson Senior also transported 4 indentured servants to help with clearing the land. (Thomas Jones, Robert Sawley, Alecia Crowder and Edward Cox)^[4] Shortly after the move, Thomas Besson's mother, Anne, died. His father, Thomas Besson was remarried by 1658 to a woman named Hester, the widow of Henry Caplin.

Thomas and his sister Anne were being raised by their father and a step-mother, Hester. Hester provided them with several more half-siblings, including another brother named Thomas Besson. Due to the complications of three close relatives all being named Thomas, research can be a bit confusing.

Thomas Besson Senior signed a deposition in a Maryland Chancery Court proceeding on March 10, 1674. He swore that he was 58 years old on that date.^[5] This marker helps somewhat to develop a timeline for his eldest son, Thomas Besson.

Timeline for Thomas Besson "the Elder"

• Thomas Besson Senior was born circa 1616.^[6]

• Thomas Besson Senior and his wife Ann entered Maryland from Virginia in 1649.^[7] Two children were declared with this immigration: Thomas Besson and Ann Besson.

• Thomas Besson was married to Margaret Saughier circa March 5, 1667.^[8]

• Firstborn son, named Thomas Besson III, was born in December of 1667,^[9]

• A daughter named Ann Besson was born on December 26, 1670. Ann married Richard Cromwell on October 26, 1697.^[10]

• A daughter named Margaret Besson was born on January 31, 1674. Margaret married John Rattenbury on December 30, 1701.^[11]

• A son named Nicholas Besson was born on December 22, 1677. Nicholas married Diana Tilley, the widow of Matthew Haile on September 3, 1722.^[12]

• Thomas Besson's will, proved on April 28, 1679, named two sons named Thomas. The man in this biography, Thomas Besson, was called "Thomas the Elder" and was named an "overseer" in the will of his father. His younger brother, Thomas the Younger, was named to inherit some land. Other children named in this will were: Anne, the wife of Nicholas Gassaway, William Besson, John Besson, and Martha Besson.

• A daughter named Elizabeth Besson was born in 1683.^[13]

The sibling group of Thomas Besson contained two full siblings: Thomas and Anne Besson Gassaway; and four half-siblings: William Besson, John Besson, another Thomas Besson, and Martha Besson.^[14]

Research Notes

The Maryland Land Grant indicates the family arrived from London, but other sources say Virginia. Further research is needed.

Sources

1. ↑ Descendants of Thomas Benson (Besson) of Anne Arundel County Maryland, by Reverdy Lewin Orrell, page 1, page 51.
2. ↑ Maryland Patents Q:404-406, FHL microfilm 0,013,064. (His parents, Thomas and Ann Besson, entered Maryland from VIrginia with two children, Thomas and Ann.)
3. ↑ Original Maryland Patent Records, 1657-1658, p. 58 Available at the Maryland State Archives
4. ↑ http://home.netcom.com/~fzsaund/besson.html
5. ↑ Maryland State Archives, Chancery Court Records 1669-1679, Volume 51, page 155, dated March 10, 1674.
6. ↑ Maryland State Archives, Chancery Court Records 1669-1679, Volume 51, page 155, dated March 10, 1674.
7. ↑ Maryland Patents Q:404-406, FHL microfilm 0,013,064. (His parents, Thomas and Ann Besson, entered Maryland from VIrginia with two children, Thomas and Ann.)
8. ↑ Descendants of Thomas Benson (Besson) of Anne Arundel County Maryland, by Reverdy Lewin Orrell, page 1, page 51.
9. ↑ Descendants of Thomas Benson (Besson) of Anne Arundel County Maryland, by Reverdy Lewin Orrell, page 1
10. ↑ Descendants of Thomas Benson (Besson) of Anne Arundel County Maryland, by Reverdy Lewin Orrell, page 1
11. ↑ Descendants of Thomas Benson (Besson) of Anne Arundel County Maryland, by Reverdy Lewin Orrell, page 1
12. ↑ Descendants of Thomas Benson (Besson) of Anne Arundel County Maryland, by Reverdy Lewin Orrell, page 51
13. ↑ Descendants of Thomas Benson (Besson) of Anne Arundel County Maryland, by Reverdy Lewin Orrell, page 1
14. ↑ Descendants of Thomas Benson (Besson) of Anne Arundel County Maryland, by Reverdy Lewin Orrell, page 1, page 51.

1. Lavenham, Suffolk, England

Christening 12 Jan. 1646, Thomas son of Thomas Beeson [1]

References

• Descendants of Thomas Benson (Besson) of Anne Arundel County Maryland, by Reverdy Lewin Orrell, page 1, page 51.

• https://archive.org/details/DescendantsOfCapt.ThomasBensonbessonOfAnneArundelCountyMaryland , page 51.

• Anne Arundel Gentry, by Harry Newman. page 615.

• Maryland Historical Magazine, published by The Maryland Historical Society, Volume XIV, Baltimore, 1919. p 77. "Jones Bible Records."

• Maryland State Archives, Chancery Court Records 1669-1679, Volume 51, page 155, dated March 10, 1674.

• Maryland Patents Q:69, FHL microfilm 0,013,064.

• Maryland Patents Q:404-406, FHL microfilm 0,013,064. (His parents, Thomas and Ann Besson, entered Maryland from Virginia with two children, Thomas and Ann.)

• http://home.netcom.com/~fzsaund/besson.html

• https://books.google.com/books?id=9SgUAAAAYAAJ&dq , page 77.

• http://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I075913&tree=Tree1