James Benedict

Family reference: 4

	Born		6 Feb 1649/50	Southold, Long Island, New York
	Married	1st	10 May 1676	Sarah Gregory at Norwalk, Conn.
^	^	2nd	2 Mar 1707	Sarah Andrus (neé Porter)
	Died		about August 1717	Danbury, Fairfield County, Conn.

Lineage:

• James Benedict², (Thomas¹)

Parents:

• Father: Thomas Benedict; 1617-1690
• Mother: Mary Bridgham

Children with Sarah Gregory:

1. Sarah Benedict; 1677-1743
2. Rebecca Benedict; 1679-1709
3. Phoebe Benedict; 1682-
4. James Benedict; 1685-1761
5. John Benedict; 1689-1765
6. Thomas Benedict; 1694-1776
7. Elizabeth Benedict; 1696-ca 1739

James' Early Years

James Benedict Sr was born at Southhold on Long Island, now part of the State of New York. He later traveled with his parents to Norwalk in Connecticut.

In the fall of 1684 and the spring of 1685, James with his brothers Samuel, his brother-in-law Judah Gregory, James Beebe and four others, purchased land of the Indians and made the first settlement at Paquiogue (Danbury)%CITE{1001}%.

James and Sarah Gregory

Sarah Gregory was born on December 3, 1652 and was the daughter of John and Sarah Gregory. Sarah's sister Phoebe married John Benedict, a brother of James. Sarah married James on May 10, 1676 in Norwalk, and within a year had moved to the new settlement at Danbury%CITE{1001}%^,%CITE{1018}%.

James and Sarah Andrus

Sarah Porter was born on Dec. 20, 1657, the daughter of Robert and Mary [Scott] Porter. She married Abraham Andrus [Andrew], born Oct. 31, 1648, a cooper and the son of John Andrus and Mary [---] of Framington, Conn. Abraham and Sarah both joined the Farmington church on July 15, 1683. They had five children: Sarah, Abraham, Mary (who married James Benedict, Jr.), Benjamin (died yound) and Robert. Abraham passed away on May 3, 1693 and a few years later his widow, Sarah, married James Benedict Sr. of Danbury on March 2, 1707, after moving from to Danbury with her children^{note A}.

Children of James and Sarah (Gregory) Benedict

1. Sarah Per Norwalk, Fairfield County, CT Genealogy Registry. Pastor Edwin Hall, First Congregational Church, History of Norwalk, CT: b 7Jun1677. Per Norwalk, CT - 1847 Historical Records, b 16Jun1677. My notes show she m Joseph Starr, and she d 1745

2. Rebecca b 1679, Norwalk, CT. Per Norwalk, Fairfield County, CT Genealogy Registry. Pastor Edwin Hall, First Congregational Church, History of Norwalk, CT: she d 20Mar1709. She m 17Jan1704/05 (Per Hall) Norwalk, CT. Samuel Keeler Jr, son of Samuel and Sarah. Samuel was b 1682 Norwalk, CT, d 20Mar1709 Norwalk, CT. They had two children: i) Samuel Keeler III, b 14Jan1706/07 (Per Hall) and ii) Rebeckah b 28Oct1708, Norwalk, CT. Samuel Keeler m 2nd 11Dec1712 Sarah Betts, they had 5 children.

3. Phoebe b ca 1682 Norwalk, CT. d 1746. (Per Rootsweb, she m Thomas Taylor, 1701, Danbury, CT, he b. 26Nov1668, Norwalk, Fairfield, CT, (son of Thomas Taylor and Rebeckah Ketcham) d. 12Jul1758, Danbury, Fairfield Cty, CT. Buried Jul1758, Danbury, Fairfield Cty, CT.). They had 4 chd: i) Elizabeth b 1702, ii) Thomas, iii) David, iv) Mary.

4. James Jr b ca 1685 Norwalk, CT. d Abt 1761.

5. John, Capt b Oct1689 Norwalk, CT. d Feb1771 Danbury, CT.

6. Thomas, Judge/Deacon b 9Nov1694 Norwalk, CT. d 4Jul1776 Danbury, CT.

7. Elizabeth b Jul1696 Norwalk, CT. d ca 1739. m Capt Daniel Taylor, son of Thomas Taylor Sr1640 b MA, d 1734/35 Danbury, CT. and his wife Rebeckah Ketcham b Norwalk, CT ca 1647, d ca 1725 Danbury, CT. Thomas Taylor and Elizabeth had 2 chd:
i) Mary Margaret Taylor b ca 1700 Danbury, CT. She m ca 1724 John Knapp Sr, son of Lt Samuel Knapp1668, b Stamford, CT., d ca 1739 Danbury, CT and his wife Hannah Bushnell b 22Aug1676 Norwalk, CT. she d ca 1723 Danbury, CT. John Knapp b ca 1700 Danbury, CT., d 1758 aboard ship on Lake Erie. They had 11 chd.
ii) Rebecca Taylor b 1684, d 1783. Rebecca m 1705 Daniel Benedict; b 1681 Norwalk, CT, d 5Aug1776. Daniel was the son on Lieut Daniel Benedict; ca 1662 Southold, LI, d ca 1717 Fairfield, CT. and his wife Mary Marvin b ca 1658 Norwalk, CT., d bet 1675-1678. Daniel and Rebecca had 8 chd. Rebecca Taylor and Daniel Benedict are 1st cousins 1 time removed. Their common ancestors are Thomas Benedict Sr. and Mary Bridgeham.
Daniel3 b 1681, Lieut Daniel1682, Thomas1
Rebecca4 b 1684, Elizabeth3, James Sr2, Thomas1

The Final Years for James

He sold his property in Norwalk, March 26, 1691. He married second, prior to March, 1707-8, Sarah, the daughter of Robert Porter and also widow of Abraham Andrus, b. Dec. 20, 1657. Abraham Andrus had died on May 3, 1693.

James survived until August of 1717, certainly, when he deeded property%CITE{1001}%.

Sources

Note A: John Andrews/Andrus - Immigrant by John V. Beck

Per Benedicts to America, Vol I, Pg 283
James2, Thomas1
James was born at Southold Long Island; removed with his parents to Norwalk, CT, and there married 10May1676 Sarah, dau John and Sarah Gregory, b 3Dec1652. He was one of the eight who purchased and settled Danbury, CT. He sold his property in Norwalk, 26Mar1691. He m 2nd, prior to Mar1707-08, Sarah, dau of Robert Porter and widow Abraham Andrus, b 20Dec1657. [Abraham Andrus died 3May1693] He survived until Aug1717, certainly, when he deeded propety. He was b 6Feb1649/50. Chd:
- Sarah b 16Jun1677
- Rebecca b 1679; m 17Jan1704/05, Samuel Keeler Jr, of Norwalk, CT; d 20Mar1709 (Hall, p 201)
- Phoebe b 1682; probably m Thomas Taylor
2. James b 1685; first white male child born in Danbury, CT
3. John b Oct1689
4. Thomas b 9Nov1694; d 4Jul1776
- Elizabeth b Jul1696; probably m Samuel Taylor

Footnotes

References:

• Family reference: 4
• Family Tree: Benedict Generations
• Lineage: James Benedict², (Thomas¹)
• Books:
  • GBA-I p. 283%CITE{1001}%

Notes on the children:

• Sarah; born June 16, 1677%CITE{1001}%; died May 10, 1743, per Pastor Edwin Hall, First Congregational Church.
• Rebecca; born in 1679; married on Jan. 17, 1705 N.S. to Samuel Keeler Jr., of Norwalk, Conn.; died March 20, 1709 (per Hall p. 201)%CITE{1001}%.
• Joseph; born in 1680.
• Phoebe; born 1682; probably married to Thomas Taylor%CITE{1001}%.
• James; see his biography.
• John; see his biography.
• Thomas; see his biography.
• Elizabeth; born July 1696; probably married to Samuel Taylor%CITE{1001}%.

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

-- JimBenedict - 22 Jan 2011
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