Smedley Benedict

Family reference: 352.25

	Born		27 March 1800	Grand Isle, Vermont
	Married		about 1825	Catherine Dafoe
	Died	died	27 April 1867	Sydenham Twp., Grey Co., Ontario
		buried		Balaclava Cemetery; next to Meaford Tank Reserve

- Family album of photos and documents.

Parents:

• Father: Joshua Benedict; 1751 - 1839
• Mother: Mary Wilcox

Children:

1. Elizabeth "Betty" Benedict; b. 15 Dec 1825
2. Mary Benedict; b. abt. 1829
3. Caleb Benedict; b. abt. 1830
4. Smedley John Benedict; b. 8 Dec 1830 or -31; d. 28 July 1909
5. William Benedict; b. 1834
6. Elias Benedict; b. abt. 1838
7. Daniel Benedict; b. 6 Dec. 1841; d. 1907
8. David Ard Benedict; b. 11 Aug. 1843; d. 1924
9. James William Benedict; b. 1845; d. 1906
10. Catherine Benedict; b. 1848

The Parents of Smedley Benedict

The father of Smedley was Joshua Benedict, a soldier (unknown rank) in the army fighting for the patriot cause in Connecticut. He died on the ninth of December, 1839 at Sheffield Twp., Lennox & Addington County in Ontario, then known as Upper Canada.

Smedley’s Early Years

The limited evidence suggests that Smedley Benedict was born in Grand Isle, Vermont. This evidence being the very early Vermont Censuses, and a marriage for one of Smedley's sisters, Anna, both of which indicate Joshua Benedict, Smedley's father, and family were in Chittenden County, Vermont from 1792 to approximately 1805. McIntyre mentioned that Smedley Benedict was born 1799 in the United States, then came to Canada. It appears Smedley was the youngest child of Joshua and Mary Benedict

The Benedicts settled in Lennox & Addington County of Ontario, then known as Upper Canada, in the early 1800's. It is noted that a James Benedict was assessed in Fredericksburg Twp of Lennox & Addington County in 1808 for: 470 uncleared acres, 30 cleared acres, three horses and seven cattle. The relationship to Smedley is unknown at this time. In the same assessment we find Daniel Dafoe, Smedley’s future father-in-law.

According to White, Smedley was a resident of Victoria District in 1845, at the age of 45. So his birth date would have been between 1799 and 1801. Hastings is the adjoining county to the west of Lennox & Addington County.

In about 1828, Smedley Benedict was enrolled in the Second Regiment of the Lennox Militia under the command of a Captain Archibald McDonnell. At that time he was mentioned as 24 years old, which would place his birth date at about 1804. This is according to the Militia General order dated 7 Nov. 1828.

Catherine Dafoe

Refer to the biography page on Catherine for her family background.

Catherine was born in Fredericksburg Twp. of Upper Canada in 1804. She received her Orders-in-Council land grant of 50 acres on March 10, 1834.

Smedley and Catherine

By about this time he would have married Catherine Dafoe. Catherine’s family is well recorded in the United Empire Loyalist’s records of Ontario. Her line goes back at least four generations to a Daniel Theyou from Switzerland, settling in Kingston, New York. Catherine’s parents were Daniel Dafoe and Elizabeth Wright of the Lennox & Addington County area. Catherine was born about 1805.

The Smedley Benedict was settled on Lot 4, Conc. 11, Richmond Twp., Hastings County of Ontario, before 1851. Smedley & Catherine Benedict, along with all ten of their children, appear on the 1851 Canadian Census in Richmond Township, Lennox & Addington County, Upper Canada. At some point after 1851, Smedley & Catherine and their family moved northwest, from Lennox & Addington County to Grey County, Ontario.

On August 16, 1856, the Ninth Line Union Phoenix Sabbath Sunday School was Organized, in the Cunningham Settlement of St. Vincent Twp. The Sunday School became noted for a huge picnic and garden party organized each summer. People came from far and near. Catherine, David and James Benedict appear on the Record of attendance, of 1857, this shows us, that Smedley and Catherine and family are in St. Vincent Twp., at this time.

But this David mentioned must be a second name, or mistake, on this list?

By 1861, Smedley & Catherine Benedict together with their youngest five children, appear in St. Vincent Township, Grey County, Ontario. Smedley and Catherine resided in St. Vincent Townhip, on a farm, until Smedley's death in 1867.

The Final Years for Smedley

Smedley Benedict died April 27,1867. He was the first burial, in Vanwyck's Cemetery, Balaclava, Silcote area, Lot 8, Con. C in Sydenham Township, Grey County, Ontario. His stone reads;

Smedley Benedict, Age 67 yrs, 1 mth.

Smedley's stone is the oldest in Cemetery and it had been broken in 3 pcs. over years, but was repaired by his g.grandson Roy Gifford, Sheriff of St. Vincent County, about 1960. The stone reads:
In Memory Of
Smedley Benedict
Died April 27, 1867
Aged 67 yrs. 1m.
Gone but not Forgotten

After Smedley's death in 1867, the 1881 census has Catherine living with her son Ard, it is likely Catherine went with her son James when he moved from Chesley to Woodstock in 1886 as Catherine dies in 1887 in Woodstock, Oxford co., Ontario.

She is buried in the Baptist Cemetery, Woodstock, Ontario. Her stone reads:

Catherine Dafoe, 1804-1887 Wife of S. C. Benedict

Catherine's stone also has written on it Andrew S. son of James & Sarah Benedict 1889-1889. Same Graveyard same Row 30 feet to the right sits James Benedict and Sarah Williamette's Monument. Andrew's birth record States, Andrew Smith Benedict

Footnotes

References:

• Family reference: 352.25
• Family Tree: Benedict Generations
• Lineage: Joshua Benedict⁵, (Timothy⁴, Abraham³, Samuel², Thomas¹)
• Books:
  • GBA-I p. 246%CITE{1002}%

The following is from The Kingston Cronicle; Info from The Napanee Museum and Archives. ( This is the way people in those days received their mail. They would read this in the newspaper, and then pickup their mail. It does give an idea as to where they were at a given time., ) Benedict Smedley, Letter at Napanee Post Office, May 18, 1837, P. 3, Col. 2. Benedict S., Letter at Napanee Post Office, Sept. 10, 1842, Page 3, Col. 4.

Census of 1851

Person	Occupation	Birthplace	Religion	Age	Sex	Status	District	Page
Smedley Benedick	Farmer	U.S.A.	Methodist	34	M	married	5	127
Catherine Benedick		U.S.A.	Methodist	40	F	married	5	127
Cailep Benedick		Canada West	Methodist	21	M	Spinster	5	127
Betsy Benedick		Canada West	Methodist	24	F		5	127
Mary Benedick		Canada West	Methodist	22	F		5	127
John Benedick	Laborer	Canada West	Methodist	19	M		5	127
William Benedick	Laborer	Canada West	Methodist	17	M		5	127
Elias Benedick		Canada West	Methodist	13	M		5	127
Daniel Benedick		Canada West	Methodist	11	M		5	127
Ard Benedick		Canada West	Methodist	9	M		5	127
James Benedick		Canada West	Methodist	7	M		5	127
Cathrine Benedick		Canada West	Methodist	3	F		5	127

- 1851 Census for Canada West, Richmond Twp, Lennox County, Part 5; available at Ancestry.ca

---

Census of 1861

Person	Occupation	Birthplace	Religion	Age	Sex	Status	District	Page
S___?Benedic (BENEDICT)	Farmer	USA	EM	62	M	married		80
Cathren? Benedic	Wife	Fredrickb ? C.W.	EM	58	F	married		80
Elias Benedic	Laborer	Shefield C.W.	EM	23	M	Single		80
David ? Benedic	Laborer	Shefield C.W.	EM	21	M	Single		80
Ard Benedic	Laborer	Shefield C.W.	EM	18	M	Single		80
James Benedic	Laborer	H____? C.W.	EM	16	M	Single		80
Cathren Benedic		Richmond C.W.	EM	13	F	Single		80

- 1861 Census for Township of St. Vincent in the County of Grey, Ontario; available at Grey Roots Museum and Archives; Owen Sound, Ontario.

---

-- DonaldElliott - 21 Jul 2007

from Susan Robitaille 17 Sept 2005; to be incorporated later...

Smedley had one brother (I believe older brother) Ard and three sisters, Anna, Electa and Charlotte all born 1787-1800 range in the USA. The family ended up in Lennox & Addington Twp in Upper Canada by 1816 after leaving Connecticut just after the Revolutionary War (1785 range) and migrating north several years, finally landing in Upper Canada after or around the War of 1812.

Descendancy Chart for SmedleyBenedict1800

0 SmedleyBenedict1800

1 ArdBenedict1843

1 DavidStewartBenedict1882

2 GordonAlbertBenedict1893

3 HarrietBenedict1884

4 JohnBenedict1866

1 MyrttleBenedict1892

5 MarguariteElverettaBenedict1903

6 SmedleyBenedict1870

7 WilliamBenedict1879

2 CalebBenedict1830

1 CalebBenedict1861

2 CatherineBenedict1856

3 DavidBenedict1859

4 MarianBenedict1854

5 PhoebeBenedict1857

6 RobertBenedict1860

1 CreightonBenedict1909

7 SarahJaneBenedict1852

3 CatherineBenedict1848

4 DanielBenedict1841

1 AlbertBenedict1870

1 GordonBenedict1903

2 RoyBenedict1909

2 CarolineBenedict1869

3 CharlesBenedict1872

1 CharlesBenedict1872images

1 CharlesBenedict1872imagesPhotoarchive

2 CharlesBenedict1903

3 MarthaBenedict1901

4 PearlBenedict1899

1 WilliamFulford1921

5 RoyBenedict1896

1 RobertBenedict1927

6 VioletBenedict1906

4 HerbertBenedict1884

1 DorothyBenedict1916

5 LavinaBenedict1881

6 MaryBenedict1879

7 SusanBenedict1868

8 WilliamBenedict1862

5 EliasBenedict1838

6 ElizabethBenedict1825

7 JamesBenedict1845

1 AlbertBenedict1886

2 AndrewBenedict1889

3 CharlesBenedict1883

1 ArnoldBenedict1906

2 DellaBenedict1920

3 FrederickBenedict1917

4 GladysBenedict1910

5 IreneBenedict1908

6 MabelBenedict1912

7 RaymondBenedict1927

4 EdithBenedict1882

5 JamesBenedict1879

6 JessieBenedict1891

7 KatherineBenedict1879

8 MargaretBenedict1877

9 RusselBenedict1895

10 SarahBenedict1889

8 MaryBenedict1829

9 SmedleyJohnBenedict1831

1 CalebMBenedict1868

1 EmmaBenedict1892

2 LeonaBenedict1898

3 WilliamBenedict1894

2 JohnSmedleyBenedict1859

1 JohnBenedict1883

2 JohnSmedleyBenedict1859Captain

3 MinnieBenedict1876

4 PeterBenedict1877

1 AlbertBenedict1910

1 JamesBenedict1944

2 LorneBenedict1949

2 GeorgeBenedict1912

1 RitchieBenedict1943

3 JackBenedict1905

4 NormanBenedict1927

5 StanleyBenedict1911

6 WilliamBenedict1908

3 MinnieBenedict1863

10 WilliamBenedict1834

1 AliceBenedict1859

2 JohnBenedict1880

3 ReginaldBenedict1885

4 RupertBenedict1884

1 GeorgeBenedict1908

5 SusanBenedict1856

6 WilliamBenedict1861

1 AnnieBenedict1884

-- JimBenedict - 17 Dec 2005 -- DonaldElliott - 20 Jun 2007

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