Surame update

Some minor tweaking has been completed with the C surnames. Here is the list on surnames. As always, if anyone is curious about what info I have on any of them, drop me a line.


Direct line: [12]

CAWBY
CHEESMAN
CHRISTOFFELS / CHRISTOPHER
CLARK
COLLIER
COLLINS
CONNINGSBY
CRAIL
CREIGER
CROUSORE
CUNNINGHAM
CURTIS

Collateral: [4]

Cannon
Christlieb
Church
Cool

Isaaac Clark bio

Isaac Clark [1792 KY - 1874 IN]:

Isaac Clark was the son of Samuel Clark, who was a native of Pennsylvania. The elder Clark migrated to Maryland during the 1780s and then to Kentucky. Isaac was born in Kentucky in 1792. The family moved to Fairfield Twp., Butler Co., Ohio, where Samuel purchased government land in 1807.
Isaac married Polly Enyart in 1812. The couple had two sons, Samuel and Lewis. Polly may have died in childbirth in 1814. Isaac remarried in 1815 to Catherine Miller. The couple had twelve children. The 1820 census lists Isaac Clark with neighbors Samuel Clark and Amos Partlow. Lewis Enyart [Polly's father?], John Clark, and Jacob Partlow were also living nearby. It would appear that Isaac's father died sometime during the 1820s, as Samuel was not listed on the 1830 census. [A Martha Clark, presumably Isaac's mother, married James Bartlow in 1827.] Amos, Jacob, and Morgan Partlow and John Wear were among the neighbors. Isaac Clark was still residing in Reily Twp., Butler Co., Ohio in 1840.
Isaac purchased an additional quarter section in 1835/36. He sold tracts of 60 and 87 acres between 1840-1846. Isaac and Catherine loaded up most of their family and set out on a flatboat from Cincinnati to Madison, IN IN 1849. From there the Clarks took a train to Indianapolis. They then moved to Hendricks Co., IN and settled four miles north of Bridgeport. On 15 March 1850, Isaac purchased 200 acres in Washington Twp. from John Triggs for $2800. [SW¼ of Sec. 32 and the E½ of the E½ of the SE¼ of Sec. 31 in Twp. 16N, Range 2E.] Salem Clark, their eldest surviving son, remained in Ohio. Isaac's sons by Polly Enyart also appear to have stayed in Ohio, or died young.
Isaac and Catherine, with minor children Martha Jane, Isaac, and Nancy, were living in Washington Twp., Hendricks Co., IN in 1850. Mary Clark and her husband Isaac H. Pierson were living next to them. Son Carmon was living with the Piersons. Ann Eliza Clark and her husband, James Wear were living nearby. The Wears also took a flatboat to Madison, IN, where they boarded a train for Indianapolis and on to Hendricks Co. Alfred, Daniel, and Almira [Eaker] all joined their parents and siblings during the 1850s.
Isaac died in 1874 and Catherine died in 1879. Both were buried at Shiloh Methodist Cemetery near Avon.

Biography of Samuel Clark

My Clark family received a little attention. I have fleshed out the bio of Samuel Clark [c1750 PA - 1820-26 OH] and done some minor editing on his son, Isaac's bio.

Samuel Clark:

According to the biography of F.M. Clark in Commerative Biographical Record of Prominent and Representative Men of Indianaapolis, Samuel Clark was the father of Isaac and was born in Pennsylvania. Samuel's father was Isaac Clark, who came from England about 1731. The elder Isaac settled in Pennsylvania and engaged in farming.
Samuel grew up in Penn's Colony and eventually migrated to Maryland. F.M. Clark's bio claimed that Samuel went to Butler Co., Ohio from Maryland, but other sources place Samuel in Kentucky before moving to Ohio. His son, Isaac's place of birth is variously given as Maryland or Kentucky.
 A Samuel Clark was taxed in Nelson Co., Virginia [later Kentucky] in 1786. He was taxed for one white male and one horse. I t is likely that Samuel married in Nelson Co. and that his only known son, Isaac was born there. All that is known about Samuel's wife is that her first name was Martha. They probably married about 1790, as Isaac was born in the spring of 1792. He was on the Nelson Co. tax lists until 1795.
Exactly when Samuel moved to Ohio is not known. The name Samuel Clark appears on the 1800 cesus for Ohio, NW Territory.  In 1806, there are two entries for Samuel Clark in Butler Co., three in 1807, two in 1809 and four in 1810.
At least one other Samuel Clark resided in Butler Co., Ohio. That man married Jane or Martha Jane Doty and lived in Fairfield Twp. It is probable that Samuel was in Butler Co. by at least 1806.
Samuel appeared in deed records by 1811, when he purchased land in Sec. 12, Twp. 2, Range 3 from Benjamin and Mary Enyart. Benjamin was probably related to Polly Enyart, Isaac Clark's first wife.
Samuel was listed on the 1812 tax list for Butler Co.
Samuel and Martha sold the property purchased from Enyart in 1814. They purchased land from Jehu and Elizabeth John in 1819. [S34, T4,R1] The Clarks sold land to James Martin that same year. [S11, T2, R2] Martha signed the deeds with her mark.
Samuel and Martha were on the 1820 Census for Reily Twp., Butler Co., OH.
Clark witnessed a deed between Samuel and Mary Davis to Isaac Clark, his son, in 1820.
Samuel died sometime during the next seven years. Martha Clark married James Bartlow on 22 May 1827.
When son, Isaac, moved his family to Indiana in 1849, Martha went with them. She was listed as Martha Partlow, widow, on the 1850 census.
The marriage  record shows the name as Bartlow, but the 1850 census for Hendricks Co., IN gives Martha's surname as Partlow. Beyond the marriage, no records for a James Bartlow or Partlow have been located.
Martha undoubtedly died in Hendricks Co., IN during the 1850s, as she did not appear on the 1860 census. Her place of burial is unknown

Confusion over the Parentage of George Brown[e]

I decided to take a look at the ancestry of George Brown[e], who married Christian Hibbert. Parents are given on several websites/family group pages posted on the web.

The couple is George Browne and Jone Threeder. Their births are given around 1566 and 1567 with some consistency. The big stumbling block is the place of birth: Chestnutt, Hartford, England. Neither place exists in that context!  There is a village of Hartford, but not a county. There is a locale in suburban London named Cheshunt in Hertfordshire.

Is that the place meant by whoever first recorded Chestnutt? Was the researcher just careless in recording the place?

The christening of a George Browne, son of George Browne and Jone took place 19 May 1592 at Easton Royal, Wiltshire.

A George Browne, b. 12 Apr 1566 in Hartford, Cheshire. A marriage date of 22 Jan 1589 to Jone Threeder in that place is recorded.

I also checked Ancestry.com and met with more frustration. Very little documentation was associated with the Browne trees.

More work to be done!

Moving along the Surname Trail

After aa few grueling days of sorting out the Blessing conundrum, I have proceeded examining surname files. I am through the letter B - there are a slew of them!

The most intriguing of the remaining B's is BOWATER. I am satisfied for the moment that I have done all I can on the Bowater issue. The argument at hand is: Was Mary Bowater the wife of Quaker James Wright? The issue seemed to be settled for some time, but arguments have resurfaced that Mrs. Wright was Mary Davis. For my long debate on the subject see my posts from about Jan 30 - Feb 9, 2017.

A-B Surnames:

ACIE            BAKER            BAYNTON    BLESSING     BOWATER
ADAM         BALLINGER   BELKNAP     BLOM             BRACKETT
ALLEN        BARLOW        BENEDICT    BOETTLER    BREWSTER
ALMY         BARLOWE      BERRY          BONNEY        BROWN
ARNOLD    BARNARD      BILLIOU        BORDING

A-B Collateral Surnames:
Atkinson
Blanchan
Brannan

If any of these names generate interest, drop me a line.

Wrapping up the Blessing Girls

Welcome back to the Blessing adventure!

The Yarmouth, Norfolk, England marriage records include the following:

23 Aug 1613: Margaret Blessing to Robert Buffram.

28 Apr 1620: Jone Blessing to William Towne.

31 Jul 1622: Julian Blessing to Thomas Goose.

Margaret would have been 23, Jone 25 and Julian 51. Unless this was a second marriage for Julian, her age doesn't ring true under normal circumstances.

What about Alice, the fourth Blessing daughter?

Souces have her born about 1593. Alice probably married about 1615 to a Firmage or Vermaes. Recent research suggests her husband's given name was Mark. He died in England or on the voyage to America. Alice appears in Salem records as the Widow Firmage. She appeared before the Salem Town Meeting on 19 October 1638 to ask for accommodation. Alice Firmage was granted 50 acres on 4 February 1639. Her will was proved in Boston on 24 April 1656. In the will, Alice mentions "her sister Joane Towne."

And Julian? Was the Blessing sister referred to born in 1571 or later?

Three options have been given for Julian's birth in various sources, 1571, 1596 and 1602. A WikiTree entry for Julian gives her death as 1651 in Boston. Some sources claim she was the legendary "Mother Goose" of nursery rhyme fame. No other record beyond the 1622 marriage has been located. At least one source claims Thomas and Julian Goose had children, so that would support a 1596-1602 birth range.

Was Davis wrong in making Julian, Margaret, Jone and Alice sisters? Were they indeed sisters and aunt?

Working theory, for now....

Gen. 1: John Blessing & Joane Preaste
            possible issue: John [b. 1568-1570], Julian [b. 1571], William [b. 1575]
Gen. 2: John Blessing & Margaret [Swaine?]
             issue: Margaret [1590], John [1593], probably Alice [1593 or earlier]
             John Blessing & Jone _______
             issue: Jone [1595]

Theory Option 2: Jone was a record error and Jone was the daughter of John and Margaret.

I hope you folks are less confused than I am!

Mixed Blessings: the next generation

Returning to the Blessing family, once again, here is the possible first generation:
John Blyssynge/Blessing & Joane Preaste m. 12 Oct 1569 Somerleyton, Suffolk, England
children: Julian - bp. 22 Sep 1571
               William - b. 1575 [no record found]
other possible children: John - b. c1568 [note this predates the parents' marriage]

I still doubt that the Juilan above is the same Julian who married in 1622.

Several sources have William Blessing and Margaret [in some sources her maiden name was Swaine] as the parents of Joanna Blessing and her siblings. In an effort to clarify and/or complicate matters, we now move ahead to the 1590s and Yarmouth, Norfolk, England.

We have records from Caistor-next-Yarmouth or Caistor-on-sea [the former from familiysearch.org records. Actual tanscripts are available on Ancestry.com].

The following baptisms are recorded there:
Margaret: 20 Aug 1590, daughter of John and Margaret
John: 13 Jan 1593, son of John and Margaret; buried: 29 Jan 1593/4
Jone: 22 Jun 1595, daughter of John and Jone

Great! Baptisms for two of the four Blessing sisters are located! Whoops, wait a minute! Jone has the same father, but different mother. Possible scenarios?

[1] An error on the part of the official entering the baptism into the parish record, Jone, having been written for the daughter, was inadvertently entered for the mother as well.

[2] John Blessing's first wife, Margaret, died between 1593 and 1595. He then remarried. Second wife, Jone, was the mother of Jone, baptized in 1595.

[3] Least likely, there were two John Blessings.

So, we have John and Joane [Preaste] Blessing with daughter Julian and possible sons, John and William. Only Julian is clearly documented. Both John and William turn up as the possible father of Joanna Blessing.

Of the four Blessing girls recorded by Davis, we have three accounted for now. Margaret and Jone are contemporaries. Julian is a generation older.

Next, marriages, fates and summation.....

This Blessing Story is not a Blessing!

Once again, I have ambled into a mess! The ancestry of my Joanna Blessing Towne is a confusing jumble of source information. I believe most of the details are accurate, but not necessarily placed in the correct place.

We begin with John Blessing/Blyssynge and his wife Joane Priest/Preaste who married 12 Oct 1569 in Somerleyton, Suffolk England. So far, so good.

In The Ancestry of Sarah Johnson, [1960]  Walter Goodwin Davis states that the Somerleyton Parish rector informed him that two Blessing children were baptized there: a daughter, Juilan in 1571, and a son, William, in 1575.

Davis goes on to add that three Blessing girls married in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England.
Margaret Blessing married Robert Buffram on 23 Aug 1613.
Jone Blessing married William Towne on 28 Apr 1620.
Julian Blessing married Thomas Goose or Vergoose on 31 Jul 1622.

A fourth Blessing girl, Alice, married a Firmage about 1616.

It is hard to tell if Davis assigned all four girls to John and Joane, or meant all but Julian to be William's children.

If the girls are intended to be the daughters of John Blessing then there is a major issue to be dealt with - Julian, if born in 1571, would have been 51 when she married. Sources for Thomas Goose or Vergoose have his birth about 1600. Talk about robbing the cradle!

If  Margaret and Joan Blessing were Julian's sisters, as several sources suggest, then the issue applies to them as well. Buffram and Towne were born in the 1590s.

Some sources have William Blessing, born 1575 to John and Joane, as the father of the four girls named above.

Returning to John Blessing and Joane Preaste and their family. The record for the baptism of Juilan [22 Sept 1571] has been located since Davis' article was published. A baptism for a William Rysynge in 1575 has been found, but not for a William Blyssynge. Possibly a transcription error? If the Blessings had other children, they were baptized in another parish.

In a court case in 1670, Joanna Blessing Towne gave her age as about 75, placing her birth in 1595. Assuming John Blessing and Jane Preaste were 18-22 when they married in 1569, Joane would have been well into her mid to late 40s in 1595. Odds were against childbirth at that age in the 16th century.

I think it can be safely said that the children of a couple married in 1569 were not marrying for the first time some 40-50 years later.

to be continued.....

Continued updates!

I first want to apologize for thed black print that is once again cropping up in bios on my posts. I thought I had that whipped.

I just completed updating the Billiou family. For the details see my post from March 22. I think that is the correct date.

There was nothing new to include on my Berry family. [I still need to make a return trip to Kentucky to follow up on the Berrys, Crails and other families.]

The Blessing family is up next and may be somewhat of an overhaul of the data currently recorded.

Thomas Benedict

First Generation

1.  Thomas Benedict^1–3 was born in Nov 1617 in Woolpit, Suffolk, England.^1,3–4 He was christened on 30 Nov 1617 in St. Michael, Long Stratton, Norfolk, Englan.³ He died in Mar 1689/90 at the age of 72 in Norwalk, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.^1,3 The story of Thomas Benedict and Mary Bridgum has its share of mysteries. An exact marriage date has not been found in either England or America. Neither has the exact time or place of their arrival been precisely determined. Also open to debate was his occupation.

The following is an account of Thomas Benedict supposedly related by his wife, Mary, to a grandchild. Early accounting of Thomas' and Mary's families was found to be in frequent error. It is interesting to note that Mary did not recall correct details as to whose parent died and the time of her own marriage. Perhaps the errors are those of the grandson, James Benedict.

'Family history as related to Deacon James Benedict of Ridgefield, Connecticut, as related to him by his grandmother, Mary Bridgum Benedict, recorded in 1755:

"Be it remembered that one William Benedict, about the beginning of the 15th century [probably 1500], who lived in Nottinghamshire, in England, had a son born unto him whom he called William, after his own name [an only son]; and this William, the 2nd of that name, had also an only son whom he called William; and this 3rd William had in the year 1627 one only child whom he called Thomas; and this Thomas's mother dying, his father married the widow Bridgum.

Now this Thomas was put out an apprentice to a weaver, who afterwards, in the 21st year of his age, came over to New-England, together with his sister-in-law, Mary Bridgum. Afterwards said Thomas was joined in marriage to Mary Bridgum. After they had lived some time in the Bay parts, they removed to Southold on Long Island, where were born unto them five sons and four daughters, whose names were Thomas, John, Samuel, James, Daniel, Betty, Mary, Sarah, and Rebeccah. From thence they removed to a farm belonging to the town of Hassamamac, where they lived some time. Then they removed to Jamaica on said Island, where Thomas, their eldest son took to wife Mary Messenger, of that town. And last of all, they removed to Norwalk, in Fairfield county, Connecticut, with all their family, where they were all married. John took to wife, Phebe, daughter of Mr. John Gregory, of said Norwalk. Samuel took to wife Rebecca Andrews. James took to wife Sarah Gregory, sister of the above said Phebe. Daniel took to wife Mary Marvin. Their daughters were all married. Betty to John Slawson of Stanford; Mary to John Olmstead; Sarah to James Beebe; Rebeccah to Samuel Wood. From these have risen a numerous offspring. ..... The children of Mary were John, Mary, Jane, Sarah, Rebeccah, Elizabeth, Daniel, Richard, Eunice, and Deborah. .... All of these were children and grandchildren of our honoured predecessors, Thomas Benedict and Mary his wife, who walked in the midst of their house with a perfect heart. They were strict observers of the Lord's day from even to even; [Leviticus 23:32 "From even to even shall ye celebrate your Sabbaths, "  was to our New-England ancestors sufficient Scripture authority for their following Jewish example in commencing the Sabbath on Saturday evening at sunset.] and I think it may be said of them, as it was of Zachariah and Elizabeth, "that they walked in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless, and obtained a good report through faith." Their excellent example had a good effect, by the blessing of heaven, upon their children. He was made a deacon of the church at Norwalk, and used that office to the good satisfaction of that church to his death, which was in the 73rd year of his age' and two of his sons, viz.: John and Samuel, used the until old age and its attendants rendered them unable to serve any longer. And there are, at this day no less than seven of the family and name that use that office, and some of them at least, I hope, to good acceptance with God and man. ....." [signed] James Benedict, Ridgefield, March ye 14, 1755.'

At least three errors are to be found in the above account: Thomas' birth place of Nottinghamshire,  that there were three generations of William Benedicts and that Thomas was an only child.

Thomas Benedict was born about 1617 in Norfolk, England and was the only surviving child of William and Elizabeth Benedict. An older brother, William, died at the age of three in 1615. William Benedict died by the end of the summeer of 1629. His widow, Elizabeth married John Bridgum on 8 September 1629 at Woolpit in Suffolk, England.

Several early Benedict researchers believed that Thomas was apprenticed to a weaver until he was of age. No evidence has been uncovered that he followed that occupation in America. Benedict was well educated. He served as a clerk, magistrate and held other positions that required the ability to read and write.

Exactly where Thomas and his step-sister, Mary Bridgum were married is open to question. Researcher Jeanne Benedict Weber believed that they were married at Long Medford Parish in Norwich, England in 1639. Bob Benedict [Benedict Topics web page] believes they were married at Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony shortly after their arrival and before they left with the Rev. John Youngs congregation. If the couple married in Salem, the ceremony may well have been performed by Rev. Youngs  LaRue Olsen theorized that the marriage could have taken place in one of the parishes around Norwich in County Norfolk before Thomas and Mary sailed for New England and that if they were wed in Massachusetts Bay, the record likely did not survive.

It is believed that the Benedicts landed in the Beverly, Massachusetts Bay Colony area in 1638 or 1639 and settled briefly in Salem. The Benedicts moved to New Haven [Connecticut] Colony where they joined Reverend John Youngs' Puritan congregation.* The entire congregation later removed to Long Island, landing at Founders Landing on Peconic Bay in 1640.

The Benedicts settled at Southold where there were but a few whites and Yennicocks in residence. Thomas Benedict purchased land in the eastern part of Southold, Hashamomack, or Arshomomaque, with Henry Whitney and Edward Treadwell. He purchased a fourth of land "lying betwixt Tom's Creeke to a fresh ponnd lying by the North Sea with a stand of trees on it, marsh ground and moweinge land lying by Tom's house." The Benedict's log home had a thatched roof and oiled paper windows. As was required, the house had a ladder sufficient to reach the top of the roof. A grist mill was built at the tidal entrance to the pond. The grist mill was the first in Southold and was situated on the east side of the Tom's Mill Creek in Hashamomack.  Benedict also produced turpentine and operated a brick-making business with John Cocklynge at Cocklynge's Point on Peconic Bay. All but one of the Benedict children were born at Southold;  the youngest, Rebecca, was born at Huntington.

The Benedicts later removed to a tract of land called Hashamomack at Southold, Long Island in 1649 [now New York, but then the eastern part of the island was considered part of Connecticut] and raised a family of five sons and four daughters. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
The homestead at Hashamomack was not technically within the limits of Southold, but the General Court at New Haven, on 31 May 1654, requested that Benedict and others be permitted to join the community. However, he was referred to as "of Southold" on 5 September 1650, when Uncas, Sachem of the Mohegans, complained to the Commissioners of the United Colonies of New England that the Mohansick Sachem of Long Island had killed Uncas's son and bewitched some of his men. It was decided that a commission of Captain Mason, Mr. Howell, Mr. Gosmer, and Thomas Benedict of Southold - or any three of them - investigate the charges brought by Uncas.
.
In 1657, Benedict sold out to Thomas Rider and moved to Huntington, Long Island.

In May, 1658 Thomas Benedict and others solicited the Court of Deputies and Magistrates to have Huntington received into the jurisdiction of New Haven.

February 1660: Thomas Benedict was appointed Town Justice "TO SETTLE DISPUTES BETWEEN NAYBORS."

Thomas Benedict was appointed on 15 May 1662 to the town commission. He was among the founders of the first Presbyterian Church in America at Jamaica, also in 1662. His name appears on the list of 24 freeholders who deeded a house and lot to Minister Walker. On 20 March 1663, he was appointed a magistrate by Dutch Gov. Pieter Stuyvesant.  Benedict and others petitioned the General Court of Connecticut at Hartford to have the western towns of Long Island annexed to that colony. He was made a lieutenant of the town of Jamaica on 3 December 1663. On 7 March 1664, Thomas Benedict wrote a petition to the Connecticut government requesting assistance in "settling of peace amongst us and the killing and quelling of mutenous and facsious sperits." Chief among his adversaries in this matter was Captain John Scott and his confederates.

1663: Benedict was on a committee "charged to making ye rates of ye menester's house and transporting ye minister Mr. Walker."

20 March 1663: He was appointed as a magistrate by Dutch Governor Peter Stuyvesant

On 26 September 1664, a month after the English gained control of New Netherlands, Thomas Benedict, John Bailey, Daniel Denton and others petitioned to Col. Nichols to settle a plantation along the Arthur Cull Bay [Arthur Kill?] in New Jersey [now Elizabethtown.] The petition was granted four days later.

Governor Nichols called for a meeting of the "most sober, able, and discreet persons, without partiality or faction" of the communities of New York to be held at Hempstead on the last day of February, 1664/5. Thomas Benedict and Daniel Denton were the representatives from Jamaica. This was believed to be the first English legislative body convened in New York.

Benedict was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Foot Company of Jamaica on 7 April 1665 at Fort James by Gov. Nichols. If he accepted the commission, it was briefly as the family moved to Norwalk, Connecticut later that same year.

Eldest son, Thomas, as stated above, married Mary Messenger while the family resided in Jamaica. He migrated, with his father, to Norwalk in 1665 and was on the 13 Oct. 1669 list of Freeholders. Thomas Sr.'s daughter, Mary, married Lt. John Olmstead in 1673

On 19 February. 1666, Benedict was chosen town clerk and selectman of Norwalk, serving in that position until 1688.  He was chosen town clerk again in 1669. His name appeared on the list of freemen of Norwalk composed on 13 Oct. of that year. He was again chosen town clerk in 1672 and held the position until 1674, and was reappointed three years later. He was also chosen Deacon of the church in Norwalk. [The town records, in his own hand, are still preserved] Thomas signed his name "THOMAS BENNYDICK SENIOR."

Benedict was the representative of Norwalk in the General Assembly in 1670 and 1675.
1671: Benedict was chosen with John Platt to lay out house lots at Norwalk.

31 January 1678: He was chosen to oversee the work on building a meeting house.

He was listed as a patentee for the town of Norwalk in 1686. Benedict and three others were appointed by the General Court to plant a town "above Norwalke or Fayrefeild" at Paquiage in May of 1684. During the fall of 1684 and the spring of 1685, the families of Samuel and James Benedict [sons of Thomas] along with six other families settled at what became Danbury, Connecticut. The site had been purchased from the Indians.
In 1687, land was given to Thomas Benedict consisting of 36 lots and commonage. [Valued at £153]

Even though Benedict was apparently thought highly of by the Dutch and later, English governor of New York, his allegiance was evidently to Connecticut. He moved his entire family to Norwalk and established himself there.

Thomas Benedict made his will 28 February. 1689/90 at age 73. The inventory of his estate was taken on 18 March 1689/90. Mary died in 1721 [at age 101], both were buried at Norwalk.

*Several sources claim that Rev. Youngs was a Presbyterian minister rather than a Puritan. He founded the First Church of Christ [Puritan] in Southold. Members of his congregation, including Thomas Benedict, broke from the fold to become founders of the First Presbyterian Church of Jamaica, NY.

Thomas Benedict and Mary Bridgum³ were married circa 1639 in Norfolk, England or Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony.^3–4 Mary Bridgum, daughter of John Bridgum, was born about 1619 in Nottinghamshire, England. She died in 1721 at the age of 102 in Norwalk, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.⁵

Thomas Benedict and Mary Bridgum had the following children:

              2              i.   Thomas Benedict, born abt 1641, Southold, Suffolk Co., Long Island, New York; married Mary Messenger, Jan 1664/5, Jamaica, Long Island, Queens, New York; died 20 Nov 1688, Norwalk, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.

              3             ii.   John Benedict, born abt 1643, Southold, Suffolk Co., Long Island, New York; married Phebe Gregory, 11 Nov 1670, Norwalk, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.

              4            iii.   Samuel Benedict, born abt 1645, Southold, Suffolk Co., Long Island, New York; married Rebecca Andrews, 7 Jul 1678, Norwalk, Fairfield Co., Connecticut; married _______ [Benedict], Norwalk, Fairfield Co., Connecticut; died bet 20 Mar 1719 and 15 Apr 1719, Danbury, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.

              5            iv.   James Benedict, born 6 Feb 1649/50, Southold, Suffolk Co., Long Island, New York; married Sarah Gregory, 10 May 1676, Norwalk, Fairfield Co., Connecticut; married Sarah Porter, bef Mar 1707/8, Danbury, Fairfield Co., Connecticut; died aft Aug 1717, Danbury, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.

              6             v.   Daniel Benedict, born abt 1651, Southold, Suffolk Co., Long Island, New York; married Mary Marvin, 1670, Norwalk, Fairfield Co., Connecticut; died aft 15 Feb 1722/3, Danbury, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.

              7            vi.   Betty \ Elizabeth Benedict, born abt 1653, Southold, Suffolk Co., Long Island, New York; married John Slauson, aft 1676, Stamford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.

              8           vii.   Mary Benedict, born 1655, Southold, Suffolk Co., Long Island, New York; married John Olmstead, 17 Jul 1673, Norwalk, Fairfield Co., Connecticut; died 1693/4, Stamford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.

              9          viii.   Sarah Benedict, born abt 1657, Southold, Suffolk Co., Long Island, New York; married James Beebe, 19 Dec 1679, Norwalk, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.

           10            ix.   Rebecca Benedict, born abt 1659, Huntington, Suffolk Co., Long Island, New York; married Samuel Wood, Norwalk, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.

Sources:

        1. Henry Marvin Benedict, The Benedicts in America (not recorded, not recorded, 1870).

        2. Roberta B. Pierson, The Benedict Family History News: Benedict/ Hunloke/Hunlocke Connection, Volume: V # 3 (Winter 1998).

        3. LaRue Olson, "The English Origins of the First Thomas Benedict of Long Island and Norwalk, Connecticut," article, NEHGS, American Ancestors (www.americanancestors.org : accessed 29 August 2018), Benedict familiy; citing prior publication in The Connecticut Nutmegger (2006).

        4. Jeanne Benedict Weber, The Benedict Family [History] News: Expanding on the Story of Thomas and Mary [Bridgum] Benedict, Series: #3, Volume: II (Winter 1995), p. 26.

                5. Jeanne Benedict Weber, The Benedict Family [History] News: Expanding on the Story of Thomas and Mary [Bridgum] Benedict, Series: #3, Volume: II, p. 28

Stephin Family

1.  John Stephin¹ was born (date unknown). The Stephins were from Long Stratton, two miles from the parish of Saxlingham-Nethergate, Norfolk. John was a parish clerk in Long Stratton at the time of his marriage. The parish register read "John Stephins, clerke of Long Stratton, by license, married Anne Tovy." John's duties as parish clerk would have included arranging baptisms and communions, ringing the church bell and leading church services. No burial record for John has been located. Anne was buried on 6 December 1585.

John Stephin and Anne Tovye¹ were married on 4 Jul 1576 in St. Michael at Pea, Norwich, Norfolk.¹ Anne Tovye¹ died circa Dec 1585 in St. Michael, Long Stratton, Norfolk, Englan.¹ She was buried on 6 Dec 1585 in St. Michael, Long Stratton, Norfolk, Englan.¹

John Stephin and Anne Tovye had the following children:

                              i.   John Stephin¹ was born in May 1577 in St. Michael, Long Stratton, Norfolk, Englan.¹ He was christened on 19 May 1577 in St. Michael, Long Stratton, Norfolk, Englan.¹

              2             ii.   Elizabeth Stephin, born Sep 1578, St. Michael, Long Stratton, Norfolk, Englan; married William Benedict, 8 Oct 1609, St. Michael, Long Stratton, Norfolk, Englan; married John Bridgum, 8 Sep 1629, Woolpit, Suffolk, England.

                            iii.   Ann Stephin¹ was born in Oct 1581 in St. Michael, Long Stratton, Norfolk, Englan.¹ She was christened on 29 Oct 1581 in St. Michael, Long Stratton, Norfolk, Englan.¹

Sources:

        1. LaRue Olson, "The English Origins of the First Thomas Benedict of Long Island and Norwalk, Connecticut," article, NEHGS, American Ancestors (www.americanancestors.org : accessed 29 August 2018), Benedict familiy; citing prior publication in The Connecticut Nutmegger (2006).

William Benedict

1.  William Benedict¹ was born circa 1579 in Norfolk, England.^1–2 He died before Sep 1629 at the age of 50 in Suffolk, England.^1–2 William was named in his grandmother's [1578] and father's [1583] wills.

William Benedict and Elizabeth Stephin¹ were married on 8 Oct 1609 in St. Michael, Long Stratton, Norfolk, Englan.^1,3 Elizabeth Stephin³, daughter of John Stephin and Anne Tovye, was born in Sep 1578 in St. Michael, Long Stratton, Norfolk, Englan.¹ She was christened on 14 Sep 1578 in St. Michael, Long Stratton, Norfolk, Englan.¹ She was also known as Elizabeth Bridgum.² Elizabeth's maiden name has been recorded as Stephin, Stephins and Stephenson.

William Benedict and Elizabeth Stephin had the following children:

                              i.   William Benedict¹ was born in Apr 1612 in St. Michael, Long Stratton, Norfolk, Englan.¹ He died in Apr 1615 at the age of 3 in St. Michael, Long Stratton, Norfolk, Englan.¹ He was buried on 20 Apr 1615 in St. Michael, Long Stratton, Norfolk, Englan.¹

              2             ii.   Thomas Benedict, born Nov 1617, Woolpit, Suffolk, England; married Mary Bridgum, ca 1639, Norfolk, England or Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony; died Mar 1689/90, Norwalk, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.

Sources:

        1. LaRue Olson, "The English Origins of the First Thomas Benedict of Long Island and Norwalk, Connecticut," article, NEHGS, American Ancestors (www.americanancestors.org : accessed 29 August 2018), Benedict familiy; citing prior publication in The Connecticut Nutmegger (2006).

        2. Roberta B. Pierson, The Benedict Family History News: Benedict/Hunloke/Hunlocke Connection, Series: #3, Volume: V (Winter 1997), p. 32.

        3. Roger Benedict, Benedict Interview, Interviewer: Terry D. Prall, Informant Address: Port Charlotte, FL (9/23/2001).

George Benedict, Jr.

1.  George Benedict Jr.^1–2 was born circa 1549 in Tasburgh, Norfolk, England.^1–2 He signed a will between 20 Dec 1583 and 16 Sep 1584 in Norfolk, England.^1–2 He died in Sep 1584 at the age of 35 in Saxlingham, Nethergate, Norfolk, England.^1–2 George was buried on 16 Sep 1584 in Saxlingham, Nethergate, Norfolk, England.² He was a husbandman.¹ George Benedict, Jr. was born about 1549, possibly a few years earlier. He married Thomasine Goche on  16 September 1575 in Tasburgh. George's will was dated 20 December 1583 and proved 16 September 1584.

He made bequests to his son, William and daughters Judith and Jane. They were to receive bedroom furniture and other items upon their twentieth birthday. In adddition, William was to receive a milk cow and five sheep. Wife Thomasine was to receive his best coverlet, new cupboard, sixteen milk cows and twenty sheep. Each child was to be given a yearling calf at age twenty.

Thomasine died in July of 1616 and was buried on 5 July 1616 at St. Michael, Long Stratton, Norfolk.

George Benedict Jr. and Thomazine Goche² were married on 16 Sep 1575 in Tasburgh, Norfolk, England.^1–2 Thomazine Goche^1–2 was born circa 1550 in Norfolk, England.² She died in Jul 1616 at the age of 66 in St. Michael, Long Stratton, Norfolk, Englan.^1–2 She was buried on 5 Jul 1616 in St. Michael, Long Stratton, Norfolk, Englan.²

George Benedict and Thomazine Goche had the following children:

                              i.   Joane Benedict^1–2 was born in 1576 in St. Mary, Long Stratton, Norfolk, England.^1–2 She was christened on 3 May 1576 in St. Mary, Long Stratton, Norfolk, England.²

                             ii.   Jane Benedict^1–2 was born in 1577 in St. Mary, Long Stratton, Norfolk, England.^1–2 She was christened on 3 Nov 1577 in St. Mary, Long Stratton, Norfolk, England.² Jane died before 1583, as a second daughter of that name was christened in December that year.

              2            iii.   William Benedict, born ca 1579, Norfolk, England; married Elizabeth Stephin, 8 Oct 1609, St. Michael, Long Stratton, Norfolk, Englan; died bef Sep 1629, Suffolk, England.

              3            iv.   Judith Benedict, born 1581, Saxlinghaam-Nethergate, Norfolk, England; married William Yallop, 29 Jun 1603, Tharston, Norfolk, England; died Dec 1647, Brook, Norfolk, England.

              4             v.   Jane Benedict, born 1583, Saxlinghaam-Nethergate, Norfolk, England; married Robert Curson, 24 Oct 1604, Shottesham, Norfolk, England; died Mar 1605, Shottesham, Norfolk, England.

Sources:

        1. Roberta B. Pierson, The Benedict Family History News: Benedict/Hunloke/Hunlocke Connection, Series: #3, Volume: V (Winter 1997), p. 31.

        2. LaRue Olson, "The English Origins of the First Thomas Benedict of Long Island and Norwalk, Connecticut," article, NEHGS, American Ancestors (www.americanancestors.org : accessed 29 August 2018), Benedict familiy; citing prior publication in The Connecticut Nutmegger (2006).

George Benedict, Sr.

1.  George Benedict Sr.¹ was born circa 1518 in Tasburgh, Norfolk, England.^1–2 He died in Jan 1575 at the age of 57 in Tasburgh, Norfolk, England.^1,3 He was buried on 26 Jan 1575 in Tasburgh, Norfolk, England.¹ George Benedict, Sr. was born about 1518, possibly a few years earlier, in Tasburg, Norfolk, England. He married before 1545, Jane Hales, a widow with two children, John and Jane.

George and Jane had five children, Anne, Joan, George, Elizabeth and William.

In his will, George made the following bequests:
To son George - two male _____, four sheep, two swine, four lambs, a coomb [bushel] of malt, one counterpoint of tapestry work, and  one gray gelding.
To son William - one cypress chest and one coverlet of tapestry work.
To daughter Jane Lynde - one herforthe [probably Hereford], one coveret of tapestry work, and, to her daughter Jane, one lamb.
To daughter Anne Spence - on calf, and to each of her children [Daniel, Thomas and Alice], one lamb.
To daughter Elizabeth - £10 to be paid at the day of her marriage.
To servant, John Haydon - one calf "at hand of his tenament."
To Robert Willions -  one calf "at hand of his tenament."
To Margaret Harlinge - one lamb.
To wife Jane - all other goods "not before bequeathed."
Jane was named sole executrix of George's estate.

George died in January of 1575 and was buried on the 26th of that month.
His will was probated 27 January the next year.

George Benedict Sr. and Jane [_______] Hales¹ were married circa 1543 in Norfolk, England.^1,3 Jane [_______] Hales^1,3 was born circa 1520 in prob Woodton, Norfolk, England.¹ She died between 11 Jun 1578 and 18 Jun 1578 at the age of 58 in Hapton, Norfolk, England.^1,3 She was also known as Jane Benedict.^1,3 Jane, maiden name unknown, was married twice. Her first husband was named Hales and they had two children, John and Jane. Jane married a man named Jepican. Her second marriage was to George Benedict about 1543.

Jane's will was dated 11 June 1578 and proved 18 June 1578. She named and made bequests to her children by George Benedict, George, Joan [Lynde], William, Anne [Spence], and Elizabeth [Lullman].

She also made bequests to son John Hales and the children of her daughter, Jane Jepican, deceased. 

George Benedict and Jane [_______] Hales had the following children:

              2              i.   George Benedict Jr., born ca 1549, Tasburgh, Norfolk, England; married Thomazine Goche, 16 Sep 1575, Tasburgh, Norfolk, England; died Sep 1584, Saxlingham, Nethergate, Norfolk, England.

              3             ii.   William Benedict, born ca 1557, Tasburgh, Norfolk, England; married Judith Marsh, Norfolk, England; died Oct 1614, Bourne, Cambridgeshire, England.

              4            iii.   Joan Benedict, born ca 1546, Tasburgh, Norfolk, England; married Robert Lynde\Lines, 18 Sep 1569, Bedingham, Norfolk, England.

              5            iv.   Anne Benedict, born ca 1545, Tasburgh, Norfolk, England; married James Spence, 18 Apr 1563, Bedingham, Norfolk, England.

              6             v.   Elizabeth Benedict, born ca 1553, Tasburgh, Norfolk, England; married Ralphe Lullman, ca 1575, Norfolk, England.

Sources:

        1. LaRue Olson, "The English Origins of the First Thomas Benedict of Long Island and Norwalk, Connecticut," article, NEHGS, American Ancestors (www.americanancestors.org : accessed 29 August 2018), Benedict familiy; citing prior publication in The Connecticut Nutmegger (2006).

        2. Roberta B. Pierson, The Benedict Family History News: Benedict/Hunloke/Hunlocke Connection, Series: #3, Volume: V (Winter 1997), p. 29, 31-32.

        3. Roberta B. Pierson, The Benedict Family History News: Benedict/Hunloke/Hunlocke Connection, Series: #3, Volume: V, p. 31.