Daniel Benedict

Family reference: 5

	Born	abt. 1652		Southold, Long Island, New York
	Married	before 1680	Mary Marvin	Norwalk, Conn.
	Died	after Feb 1723		Danbury, Conn.

Lineage:

• Daniel Benedict², (Thomas¹)

Parents:

• Father: Thomas Benedict
• Mother: Mary Bridgham

Children:

1. Mary Benedict; b. abt. 1677
2. Daniel Benedict; b. abt. 1681
3. Mercy Benedict; b. abt. 1682
4. Hannah Benedict; b. 16 Nov 1684

from: "Genealogy of the Benedicts in America" by Henry M. Benedict

Daniel's Parents

Daniel was of the first generation of Benedicts born of Thomas and Mary in the new colony of the Americas. His parents emigrated from England together in the same ship some 14 years earlier. First settling in the Massachusetts colony, they removed themselves to an emerging establishment some 100 miles further south and west, on the Long Island south of Connecticut.

Daniel's Early Years

Daniel was born and raised in the small Southhold settlement along the northern shore of Long Island in the now state of New York. The town of Southold occupies the north division of the eastern end of Long Island, from the Riverhead boundary to Orient Point, a distance of twenty-three miles. At its widest part it measures only about four miles and it is said to contain almost 30 thousand acres. On its Long Island Sound side the coastline is rugged and precipitous, but the side that faces Peconic Bay is flat, with wide stretches of rich meadow land. The soil in the interior is very fertile and the climate, on the whole, may be ranked as healthy and bracing.

By the 1670's the Benedict family had moved back to the mainland to settle in the area of New Haven, Connecticut. As a young man, Daniel fought in King Philip's war and took part in the "ireful swamp fight" of December 19, 1675%CITE{1001}%, "a fight which has scarcely a parallel in the annals of ancient or modern warfare."

By 1670, New England's European population was about 50,000 and the Colonists were thriving, living an average 20 years longer than their overseas counterparts. Their population would double by 1700. Conversely, Indians had been decimated by European-borne diseases in the plagues of 1616-21, and every passing year found them with less game and less land.

But when a large number of Indians were observed gathered near Providence, the Colonies came together and formed an army of about 1000 men. Six companies of Massachusetts militia marched from Dedham on December 10, and were joined at North Kingston, Rhode Island, by troops from the Plymouth and Connecticut Colonies. They destroyed the Indians' fortified village on the morning of December 19 after a three-hour fight. Eighty Colonists were killed and 150 wounded. Indian losses were reported as "about 1000 killed" (no wounded), most of whom may well have been women and children.

At a town (Norwalk) meeting, Jan. 12, 1676%CITE{1001}%: "The towne in consideration of the good service that the soldiers sent out of the towne ingaged and performed by them, and out of respect and thankfulness to the sayd soldiers, doe with one consent and freely give and grant to so many as were in the direful swamp fight twelve acors of land; and eight acors of land to so many as were in the next considerable service." Accordingly, there was granted by the plantation, as a gratuity unto Daniel Benedict, "being a souldier in the Indian warr twelfe acres of land and lyeth in three parcels."

Daniel and Mary

Mary Marvin came from the family of Matthew Marvin and Mary [Brush] and was born in 1658 at Norwalk, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. Daniel met her, presumably in Norwalk sometime after the Indian War, as they were married there in about 1680. Living their productive years in Norwalk, they raised three daughters and one son.

He sold his property in Norwalk on March 25, 1690, and moved to Danbury, Ct.%CITE{1006}% His signature is attached to a deed bearing date Aug. 17, 1717.

Mary passed away by July 22, 1711, followed twelve years later by Daniel.

The Final Years for Daniel

Daniel lived for seventy years.

Footnotes

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-- JimBenedict - 09 Dec 2005
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