John Benson (ca 1660/65 to after 1725) of Hull and Rochester, Massachusetts and His Wife Elizabeth Briggs

John Benson was born about 1660-65 (estimated by approximate age at birth of first child) probably at Hull in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, the eldest son of John Benson and his wife whose name is unknown (although there is a great deal of unsubstantiated information about her identity out there). I wrote about his father John here. John is my 8th great grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Ellis Davis’ side of the family.

John’s birth was unrecorded and his father did not leave a will, but he is shown to be the son of John Benson through deeds. In 1708 and 1710 John Benson Sr of Middleborough conveyed lands including his homestead in Rochester to his son John. It seems John Benson Senior lived in a part of Rochester that became Middleborough when town boundaries were adjusted.

John Benson married Elizabeth Briggs by 1687. I have not found a record of their marriage, but a land transaction supports the relationship. John Benson, Jr., of Rochester, 21 March 1704/05, sold for 10 pounds to “to my honored father, Samuel Briggs,” his sea lot number 7 at Rochester consisting of 40 acres.  John signed the deed, rather than using a mark, so he was literate. (Plymouth County Land Records, vol 14, p 42)

Elizabeth Briggs was born Sandwich 3 April 1665, the daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Ellis) Briggs. (The Mayflower Descendant, “Sandwich, Mass., Vital Records,” 14:174)

Elizabeth and John had 11 children in 18 years, including two sets of twins (Rochester Vital Records, p. 34): 

Mary born 10 March 1688

Sarah born 15 July 1690

Ebenezer born Rochester 16 March 1693

John born 10 June 1696
Benjamin 16 Much 1697 (twin)

Joseph born 16 March 1697 (twin)

Bennett born 10 September 1698

Martha born 5 March 1703

Caleb born 29 Jan 1704 (twin)

Joshua born 29 Jan 1704 (twin)

Samuel born 22 March 1706

I descend from Ebenezer who married Joanne Andrews.

I have not found death records for John and Elizabeth, but John died after 1 May 1724 when John Benson of Rochester was surety concerning the estate of Thomas Hatch. 

I have maddeningly sketchy information on John! I just ordered a copy of The Benson Family of Colonial Massachusetts by Richard Benson, but it’s print on demand so will take a few months. Fingers crossed it offers more details on John and Elizabeth! 

Sources Not Included Above:

David Hamblen (communicated by) NEHGS Register, “First Settlers of Rochester,” vol 5, p. 85 (1851)

William Richard Cutter (editor) New England Families Genealogical and Memorial, 1914

Ethel Farrington Smith, NEHGS Register, “17th Century Hull, Massachusetts and Her People,” July 1988

RA Lovell Jr, Sandwich A Cape Cod Town, 1984

Edna Anne Hannibal (compiler) John Briggs of Sandwich, Massachusetts and His Descendants, 1962

George Bowman (editor) The Mayflower Descendant, “Estate of Josiah Hatch3 of Rochester, Mass.,” 27:99

Thomas Freeman 1731-1800 and Esther Ryder ca 1731 -1802 of Harwich, Chatham and Falmouth, Mass.

Thomas Freeman was born “at Cape Cod,” which I believe refers to Eastham, on 26 April 1731, the son of Thomas and Dorothy (Cole) Freeman (birth is recorded in a group of births of Thomas Freeman Senior’s children, Harwich Town Records First Record Book p 211, some of his siblings say born Harwich). I wrote about Thomas and Dorothy Freeman here. He is my 7th great-grandfather on my grandmother Milly (Booth) Rollins’ side of the family. 

On 17 January 1750[/51] Thomas Freeman Jr. of Harwich married, at Chatham, Esther Rider (also seen as Ryder) of Chatham. (Chatham Vital Records p 53) Note that on page 106 of the Chatham Vital Records the marriage date is 7 January 1750. Since their marriage intentions were published May 1750, it’s logical that their marriage took place January 1750/51 and not 1749/50. 

Esther, also seen as Hester and Easter, was born about 173, likely at Chatham, the daughter of Nathaniel and Desire (Godfrey) Ryder. None of Nathaniel and Desire’s children’s births were recorded, but the will of their known daughter Eunice Godfrey Nickerson, dated 3 December 1808 and probated 10 January 1809 helps identify her siblings. (Barnstable County Probate 33:311 and 32:170) 

Esther and Thomas had six children, born Harwich (Harwich Vital Records, p 2):

1. Dorothy Freeman born 14 Nov 1752, m. Elnathan Eldredge 
2. Obed Freeman 4 Jan 1754, m. Abigail Delano 
3. Sarah Freeman born 28 Aug 1756, m. Joseph Bovine
4. Eunice Freeman, born 3 Sept 1764, married Calvin Crocker
5. Thomas Freeman, born 27 Nov 1766, m. Emma Eldredge 
6. Esther Freeman, born 3 Aug 1770, m. Seth Robinson 

I descend from their daughter Dorothy. I wrote about Dorothy and Elnathan here.

Thomas and Esther moved to Falmouth in 1780 or 81.  On 18 July 1780 Thomas Freeman of Harwich yeoman and Esther Freeman his wife sold for 150 pounds all of their Harwich homestead land to Benjamin Smalle Jur of Harwich. Located northwest corner of Round Cove. Mentions abutters: Elnathan Eldredge, Jonathan Freeman deceased, Coles land, Samuel Freeman. Includes cedar swamp. Deed signed by Thomas and Esther signed with her mark. Witnessed by Thomas Snow and Solomon Freeman. (Barnstable County Deeds, Book 38, Folio 7) 

Round Cove, Harwich

In 1781 Thomas and Esther were received to the church in Falmouth, by Letter of Church in Chatham.

East End Meeting house built 1797

Thomas served in the Revolutionary War. People have joined the Sons of the American Revolution and Daughters of the American Revolution with him as their ancestor. He was a private who served in Capt Abijah Bangs (as Thomas Freeman) and Capt Elijah Smalley (as Thomas Freemon) Company, Major Zenas Winslow’s (2nd Barnstable) Regiment. He had four or five days service, on alarms at Bedford and Falmouth in September 1778. 

1790 Federal Census, Falmouth:  Thomas Freeman, 1 male 16 plus, 1 male under 16, 3 females, Next name listed is his son Thomas Freeman Jr, 1 male 16 plus, 1 male under 16, 1 female. 

I am still searching for information on Thomas’ occupation (other than yeoman/farmer), whether he served his communities in a formal way, or why he moved to Falmouth. 

Thomas died 26 February 1800 at Falmouth in the 68th year of his age. (Falmouth Vital Records II:183)

Esther died Falmouth 9 April 1802. 

Thomas and Esther Freeman are buried at the East End Burying Ground on Sandwich Road in East Falmouth. The gravestones are of red sandstone and in good condition.

In Memory of

Thomas Freeman

Who Departed this

Life February 26th 1800

In the 68 year 

Of his Age

In Memory of

Esther Freeman

Wife of 

Thomas Freeman

Who Departed this

Life April 9th 1802

In the 72 Year 

Of her Age

They both have small writing near bottom of graves that I can’t completely decipher, sayings or Bible verses.

Sources Not Listed Above:

Frederick Freeman, Freeman Genealogy in Three Parts…,” 1875

Arthur and Katharine Radash, NEHGS Register, "The Family of Nathaniel Ryder of Chatham, Mass.," October 1973

Eleanor Cooley Rue, Mayflower Descendant, "The Nathaniel Ryder Families of Barnstable and Chatham in the 18th Century," Vol 41, No. 2, July 1991

Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the Revolutionary War, United States Muster Rolls 1775-1783, p 53

Charles Westgate 1805-1879 and Lydia Paulding 1810-1874 of Plymouth, Massachusetts

Charles Westgate was born 26 March 1805, at Rochester, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. Birth is estimated from age at death. He may have been the son of Benjamin Westgate/Westcott/Waistcoat and Rhoda Hawl/Hall, but I need to find documentary evidence. If anyone has a source for this, I’d love to hear from you! There is a 1824 probate file, no. 22326, for a Benjamin Westgate of Rochester and I was hoping for a will but he died 20 September 1824 intestate.

Charles Westgate of Plymouth married Lydia Polden of Plymouth, also spelled Paulding, on 4 November 1827 at Plymouth. (Plymouth VR 1:465) Lydia was born 5 January 1810, the daughter of George Paulding and Jedidah McLathley [birth calculated from age at death; parents’ names on death record].

Charles and Lydia are my 4th great-grandparents on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Davis’ side of the family. There is no father listed on Arthur’s birth record so it isn’t possible to prove this line with traditional documentation, but Arthur’s half-sister identified his father which is confirmed by DNA results.

Lydia and Charles had seven children, all born Plymouth:

1. Lydia Westgate born August 1828; died Plymouth 14 Nov 1833; buried Burial Hill where her parents are listed on her stone as well as her age of 5 years 3 months
2. Charles Howard Westgate born 29 May 1832; m. Lucy Bourne who was born in Gloucester, was a clerk when he died of pneumonia at New Bedford, Massachusetts on 24 Jan 1879 (Birth Plymouth Vital Records p. 7)
3. Nancy Paulding Westgate born 19 Feb 1835 (Plymouth VR p 7); married George Bradley Brewster on 4 October 1853; died Plymouth 2 Apr 1910 
4. Susan Westgate born 28 Apr 1838 (Plymouth VR p 7); m. James Kendrick; died Plymouth 1 Jan 1911
5. Ellen Westgate born 15 Sep 1841; m. Miles Standish; died Plymouth 12 May 1898
6. Edward Winslow Westgate born 25 Aug 1845 (gravestone) or 15 August 1845 (Plymouth Vital Records); m. Emma/Emmeline Bourne at Plymouth; died there 21 May 1910
7. William W. Westgate, born 29 Jun 1848 (Plymouth VR p 591); m. Bridget A. Dolan 1855 in 1869; died Boston 19 Feb 1917

I descend from Nancy. 

I always enjoy seeing how some families took such pride in their Mayflower roots. Ellen Westgate married Miles Standish who I would imagine is a direct descendant of Miles/Myles of the Mayflower. Other Mayflower family names pop up in those of their ten children, including Mary Chilton, Alden, and Winslow. 

Charles is usually listed as a laborer or teamster in records.

In the 1840 Federal Census, Plymouth, Charles Westgate is head of a household of five people, including one male age 30-39, 1 female age 20-29, 1 male age 5-9, 1 female age 5-9, 1 female under age 5. The implied children’s ages fit to be his children Charles, Nancy, and Susan.

Charles Westgate is 45 in the 1850 Federal census, Plymouth, with Lydia Westgate age 38, children Charles 18, Nancy 15, Susan 12, Ellen 9, Atwood 7, William 2.

In the 1855 state census, Plymouth, Charles Westgate is 50, a laborer, with Lydia Westgate age 44, Susan age 17,  Ellen age 16, Edward age 12, William W. age 7. 

Charles is 55 and a laborer in 1860 Federal census, Plymouth, with Lydia Westgate age 40, Susan age 23 a shoebinder, Edward age 16 app [apprentice?] rope maker, Willie age 12. Next door is  George’s daughter Nancy age 25 with her husband George Brewster 26, rope maker, and their children Lydia 5, Georgiana 4, Charles 9/12.

In the 1865 state census, Plymouth, Edward W. Westgate, 20, laborer is head of household, with wife Emma age 20, son Edward N. Age 1, father Charles 60, laborer, mother Lydia, 54, and brother, William W. Westgate age 16, laborer.  

In the 1870 federal census, Plymouth, Charles is age 65, a teamster, living with his wife Lydia age 58. In the same house but separate families is his daughter Susan Kendrick, 33, with her husband James Kendrick, 29, and their daughter Mary age 7 and son George age 10 months and also George’s son Edward W. age 25, his wife Emma age 35 and son Edward age 6.

The census records show that Charles and his family were blue collar workers, some of their children went to work rather than attend high school, they lived in Plymouth decade after decade, and were close knit as they often lived together or near each other. 

Lydia Paulding Westgate died Plymouth 12 May 1874, daughter of George Paulding and Jedidah McLauthlin, both born Plymouth, married, age 64 years, 4 months, 7 days, from softening of the brain. (Plymouth Vital Records 266: 318)

Charles Westgate, died 9 February 1879 at Plymouth, widowed, age 73 years 10 months 14 days, due to old age, worked as a teamster, born Rochester, Mass. Unfortunately no parents are listed. (Plymouth VR, 311:295)

Charles and Lydia are buried at Vine Hills Cemetery in Plymouth. 

Charles and Lydia Westgate's gravestone at Vine Hills Cemetery