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Benedict
Benedict.JamesBenedictJan1685r1.1 - 03 Jul 2009 - 06:03 - Main.guesttopic end
---+ James Benedict
_Family reference:_ 28

|  :born:   | Born  |5 Jan 1685| |
| :married: |Married|1709|Sarah Hyatt|
|  :died:   | Died  |25 Nov 1762| |

Lineage:
   * James Benedict<SUP>3</SUP>, _(John<SUP>2</SUP>, Thomas<SUP>1</SUP>)_

Parents:
   * Father: [[JohnBenedict1648][John Benedict]]; 1641-1727
   * Mother: Phoebe Gregory

Children:
   1. Sarah Benedict; b. 1709-10
   1. Ruth Benedict; b. 1711 
   1. Peter Benedict; b. 1714
   1. Hannah Benedict; b. 1715-16; d. _1810_
   1. Phoebe Benedict; b. 1717-18; d. young
   1. [[JamesBenedict1720][James Benedict]]; b. 1718; d. 1792
   1. Martha Benedict; b. 1722
   1. [[BenedictJohn][John Benedict]]; b. 1726; d. 1814
   1. [[ThomasBenedict1726][Thomas Benedict]]; b. 1726

---+++_The Parents of James_


---+++_James’s Early Years_
In 1708 James and other inhabitants of Norwalk purchased a large tract of land between that town and Danbury. The purchase was made of Catoonah the chief sachem, and other Indians, who were the proprietors of that part of the country. Deed bears date Sept. 30, 1708. At the Norwalk town session, 1709, it was ordained that it should be a distinct township by the name of Ridgefield.<BR>
_- per: Trumbull, p. 460_

James was also one of the original settlers of this township%CITE{1001}%.

---+++_James and Sarah Hyatt_
Sarah was born in December of 1685, the daughter of Thomas and Mary Hyatt of Norwalk, and passed away on February 9, 1767 at the age of 81.

The brother of James, [[ThomasBenedict1682][Captain Thomas Benedict]] also married a Hyatt: Sarah's sister Millison, another daughter of Thomas and Mary Hyatt.

James was a [[#FenceViewer][fence-viewer]] in 1715, called as Ensign in 1719, afterwards Captain, and in 1737, as Esquire. He was appointed justice of the peace for Fairfield county, Connecticut on May, 1732, and was re-appointed annually until 1733.  He was the representative for Ridgefield, from May, 1740-45, and 1748-1752. 

He was the first to write the genealogy of the Benedict family. In his youth he lived with his grandmother, Mary Bridgum, wife of [[ThomasBenedict1617][Thomas]], and she delivered to him, from her own mouth, the genealogy down to his own memory, and he reduced it to writing. His Genealogy of the Family of the Benedicts, dated March 14, 1755, has been the foundation of all the subsequent ones. His grandson, [[AbnerBenedict1740][Abner Benedict]], a member of the junior class in Yale College, made an exact copy of it, June 23, 1768%CITE{1001}%. 

---+++_The Final Years for James_
James was the second Deacon of the church in Ridgefield, till old age and its attendants rendered him unable to serve. He sustained the character of a pious and exemplary Christian. His death occurred Nov. 25, 1762%CITE{1001}%. 

<img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/headstone.jpg" alt="James headstone"  align="right" width="200" height="250" Hspace="10" Vspace="10">
The following inscription is on his gravestone in Ridgefield.

<DIV align="CENTER">
Here lies interred<BR>
the body of<BR>
James Benedict<BR>
Deacon of the first Church of Christ in this town;<BR>
Together with<BR>
Sarah, His Wife<BR>
Who, after having served their generation<BR>
According to the will of God,<BR>
fell asleep and were gathered to their fathers,<BR>
the first on Nov. 25. 1762<BR>
in the 77th year of his age; the other, February<BR>
ye 9th, 1767, in the 81st year of her age.
<BR clear="all">
</DIV>

_Headstone photograph taken on 14 April 2007 at Ridgefield cemetery, courtesy Greg Benedict._


---+++_Footnotes_
---++++_Occupation_
#FenceViewer [[http://www.ci.chilmark.ma.us/Pages/Fence_Viewer][Fence-Viewer]]: n.: "a local official who administers the fence laws as by inspection of new fence and settlement of disputes arising  from trespass by livestock that have escaped enclosure." (Webster's Third New International Dictionary)

   * Description:  This historic position was first established in 1693 by a statute which was amended in 1785 and again in 1836. Upon request of any citizen, the Fence Viewer; views fences to see that they are in good repair and in case of disputes between neighbors, works to resolve their differences.  Problems such as size, condition, and distance from property lines are complaints that still arise between neighbors and call for the good offices of the Fence Viewer.
---

---++++_The Children of James and Sarah_
   * Sarah; b. May 23, 1709-10; m. Gideon Smith of Ridgefield. 
   * Ruth; b. Dec. 3, 1711; m. Thomas Rockwell. 
   * Peter; b. March 20, 1714; d. 1787; m. Agnes Tyler 
   * Hannah; b. Jan. 25, 1715-16; m. March 12, 1737 Daniel _Burt   (1716-1805)_; d. _20 Jan 1810_    
   * Phoebe; b. March 14, 1717-18; d. young. 
   * James; b. Feb. 19, 1718. 
   * Martha; b. April 15, 1722; m. James Scott. 
   * John; b. Oct. 3, 1726; d. July 9, 1814. (twin)
   * Thomas; b. Oct. 3, 1726. (twin)

%BIBLIOGRAPHY{header="---+++_Sources_" referenceTopics="BibliographyReferences" order="citation"}%

-- Main.JimBenedict - 02 Mar 2006
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