Benedict Generations

Descendants of John Benedict 1641-1727

Continued from the Descendants of Thomas Benedict:

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Second Generation

1.2 John² Benedict (Thomas¹); born about 1641 at Southold, Long Island, (then New Netherlands); he continued to reside with his parents until they removed to Norwalk. He there married November 11, 1670 to Phoebe Gregory, she born in 1649, daughter of John and Sarah Gregory of Norwalk, Connecticut.
He was a freeman of Norwalk in 1680, and succeeded his father as selectman in 1689. He was a selectman in 1692-94 and '99; and also held some minor civil appointments in the town.
He was occupied, however, mainly, with church affairs, having become Deacon, probably, upon the death of his father. Thenceforth the records show him to have been constantly on committees having charge of the religious and educational interests of the community, now "obtaining a minister," then, "hyering a schoolmaster." In 1705 the church honored him by voting him a sitting "in ye seat before ye pulpit." He served as representative in the General Assembly in the sessions of 1722 and 1725.
The date of his death is not to be ascertained, nor is that of his wife. The volume of probate records, which probably covered the time within which they died, unfortunately, is missing. He conveyed property to his sons James and Joseph of Ridgefield, in 1722 and 1723; and that he was living in 1727, is thought to be certain, because his son is then referred to as Deacon John Benedict Junior. John died shortly after 1727; Phoebe continued until 1749%CITE{1001}%.
View the biography of John Benedict.

Known children of John Benedict and Phoebe Gregory:%CITE{1018}%
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Third Generation

1.23 John³ Benedict (John², Thomas¹); born March 3, 1676; was selectman 1705 and 1715; surveyor 1709 and 1711; lister and fence viewer 1713-18; called serjeant in 1717; townsman 1722 and and 1724; Deacon before 1725, which office he held for many years. He married Mary (Haite?); d. Norwalk, Jan. 16, 1766. Mary died on June 5, 1749, aged 72 yrs.%CITE{1001}%
View the biography of John Benedict.

Known children of John Benedict and Mary (Haite?):

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• Note A: Anna, or Hannah, married Matthew Gregory and removed to Danbury, Connecticut.%CITE{1001}%
• Note B: Phoebe married Ezra Hoyt on April 4, 1731 (per Hall%CITE{1019}%, p. 215).

1.25 Benjamin³ Benedict (John², Thomas¹); born 1678, Norwalk; married to Mary Platt on Nov. 29, 1705 at Norwalk; she died Nov. 30, 1771. He moved to Ridgefield, and, in 1720, was selectman and third Deacon of the church there. He died July 3, 1773 at Stamford, Connecticut, and was buried at Ridgebury.%CITE{1001}%
View the biography of Benjamin Benedict.

Known children of Benjamin Benedict and Mary (?):

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• Note A: Elizabeth married on Dec. 18, 1728, William Drinkwater.%CITE{1001}%
• Note B: No heirs mentioned in the will of his father, Benjamin.
• Note C: Rachel married Benjamin Bostwick.

1.26 Joseph³ Benedict (John², Thomas¹); born Norwalk, Connecticut in the 1680's; married 1st Anne --, they removed to Ridgefield; she died at the birth of their fourth child, Dec. 9, 1716 at Ridgefield, Connecticut.
He married 2nd, March 21, 1720, Mary Groom Pittman. After living a few years in Ridgefield he moved to Newtown, near New Milford. In 1733 he bought from Joseph Ruggles a whole right-of-land in North New Milford township where he built a house. It lay on the west branch of Wauccoe Creek at Shepaug Neck. On Dec. 9, 1734 was excused from paying his "Minister's rate" in Newtown for the four months of winter in case a minister was called to Shepaug in the spring. It was nearly thirty years before the other church was built.
In 1739 he gave 16 acres of land near Cranberry Swamp to his son, Jonathan, and the same amount east of the swamp to his son, Samuel Pittman. In his will, proved Aug. 4, 1755, he names all of his children except Ezra and John, appoints a guardian for Aaron, son of his son, Gideon, deceased, and orders his son, Jonathan, to pay 20 shillings each to the heirs of Gideon. The will is on file in Woodbury, Connecticut.%CITE{1002}%

Likely children of Joseph Benedict and Anne --:%CITE{1001}%

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Likely children of Joseph Benedict and Mary Groom Pittman:%CITE{1001}%

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1.28 James³ Benedict (John², Thomas¹); born Jan. 5, 1685; married in 1709 to Sarah, daughter of Thomas and Mary Hyatt of Norwalk; she born on Dec., 1686, and died Feb. 9, 1767.
"In 1708 he 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." (Trumbull, p. 460).
James was also one of the original settlers of this township. Fence-viewer in 1715, called Ensign, 1719, afterwards Captain, and, 1737, Esquire. He was appointed justice of the peace for Fairfield county, Connecticut, May, 1732, and was reappointed annually until 1733. He was 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 Bridgham, wife of 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, Abner Benedict, a member of the junior class in Yale College, made an exact copy of it, June 23, 1768.
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}%
View the biography of James Benedict.

Known children of James Benedict and Sarah Hyatt:

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Fourth Generation

1.234 Nathaniel⁴ Benedict (John³, John², Thomas¹); His father was Dea. Nathaniel Benedict of Norwalk, who died in 1806, in the 90th year of his age, and whose character is thus described in an article written by the Hon. Eoger Minot Sherman, and published in a newspaper at the time of his death : "Dea. Nathaniel Benedict died in Norwalk, on the morning of the 2d of April, 1806, after a shock of the palsy, with which he lingered about twelve days, in the 90th year of his age. On the 3d, his remains were followed to the grave by a large concourse of friends and relatives, among whom were his twelve surviving children, and many of his more remote posterity. He has left ninety-one grandchildren, and eighty-eight great-grandchildren, the whole number of his descendants now living, being 191. " For about thirty-two years he sustained the office of Deacon of the First Congregational Church in that town. Deacon Benedict was one of those venerable personages by whom what remains of the pious habits of our forefathers have been transmitted to the present generation. His long life has been eminently exemplary, and years to come will feel its happy influence. Every morning and evening witnessed his devotions. His Sabbaths were faithfully appropriated to public worship and religious family instructions. An amiable, cheerful disposition, a sound mind improved by a good degree of reading and much reflection, and adorned with a bright constellation of Christian graces, comprised his character. At his funeral, an appropriate sermon was delivered by the Rev. Dr. Burnett, from Prov. xiv. 32: ' The wicked is driven away in his wickedness; but the righteous hath hope in his death.'" ^{NOTE A}

• NOTE A: from Davenport, p. 242-3 %CITE{1021}%

1.262 Gideon⁴ Benedict (Joseph³, John², Thomas¹); born March 15, 1710 at Norwalk, Connecticut; married April 11, 1737 to Dorothy, daughter of Samuel and Dorothy [Plum] Prindle of New Milford, Connecticut; she born Jan. 19, 1706-07 and had married March 19, 1734 to Elnathan Botsford of New Milford; apparently no children by him.
Gideon lived near New Milford and paid ten shillings a year to pass the toll gate.
He died intestate on August 17, 1748. His widow Dorothy and her brother Daniel were appointed administrators of his estate by the Probate Court of Woodbury.
Dorothy married a third time.

Known children of Gideon Benedict and Dorothy [Prindle] Botsford:

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Fifth Generation

***** Mary Davenport, born June 2, 1764, and was married to Dea. Isaac Benedict,* of New Canaan, August 19, 1794; by whom she had one child, Lorana, born December 7, 1*795, who married Emory Whitlock.

Dea. Isaac Benedict held several public offices in the community where he resided, and was for some time a soldier in the war of the Revolution. He died May 17, 1841, in the 90th year of his age. A sermon was delivered on the occasion of his death, by the Rev. T. Smith, from Gen. 35 : 29. " And Isaac gave up the ghost and died, and was gathered into his people, being old and full of days." f] * Dea. Benedict's first wife was Jane Raymond, by whom he had Isaac, who married Fanny Hopkins; Gould married Betsey Foot; Samuel K. (died young) ; Abigail married William Davenport ; Obadiah married Clarissa Bingham; Lewis married Mary Scribner; Lorana (died young) ; and Rev. Amzi who graduated at Yale College, in 1814, and married Martha, daughter of General Solomon Cowles, of Farmington. •(• Dea. Benedict was descended from Thomas Benedict, who came from Nottinghamshire, England, to Massachusetts, in 1638, and who finally settled with his family in Nor- walk, Connecticut in 1665. All his direct ancestors, for one hundred and fifty years, held the office of Deacon in the Church of Norwalk. ^{NOTE A}

• NOTE A: from Davenport, p. 242-3 %CITE{1021}%

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-- JimBenedict - 07 Jul 2007
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