Elisha Benson (ca 1763-1811) and his Wife Sophia/Zerviah Nye (b 1763) of Middleborough & Rochester, Mass., and Woodstock & Pomfret Vermont

Elisha Benson was born about 1763, probably at Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, the son of Elisha and Sarah (Stewart) Benson. [Benson] I wrote about Elisha and Sarah here. Elisha is my 5th great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Ellis Davis’ side of the family. Elisha is one of those ancestors for whom I have more questions than answers due to the lack of records found. 

Elisha Benson and Zerviah Nye were married 14 July 1783 at Rochester. [Rochester Vital Records 2:34] Marriage intentions of “Mr. Elisha Benson” of Middleboro and “Miss Sevier Nye”” of Rochester were published 13 May 1783. [Massachusetts Vital Records/Middleborough 2:102] The Rochester marriage intention gives the groom’s name as Isaac Benson, likely a transcription error.

Zerviah Nye was born 8 November 1763 at Rochester, the daughter of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Irish) Nye. [Rochester VR 1:227] Her name is spelled in many ways and later she used Sophia as seen in several of her adult children’s death records.

Zerviah/Sophia and Elisha had at least six children whose births are not recorded. They are shown to be Elisha’s children by parent names on death records (children 1 and 5) and/or court guardianship records (children 2-6):

1. Levi born 14 August 1790 at Middleborough (date derived from his age at death). He married Lydia Holmes 19 June 1814 at Woodstock, Vermont [Benson]. He died 20 August 1867 at Woodstock, age 77; parents given as Elisha and Sophia Benson. [Vermont Vital Records/Woodstock on microfilm]
2. Luther born about 1795. He was a minor over age 14 when Joel English was appointed his guardian on 7 April 1813. He married Martha Stiles. [Benson]
3. Stephen born about 1798. He was a minor over age 14 on 7 April 1813 when Ebenezer Holmes was named his guardian on 7 April 1813. He married Olive Drew on 5 February 1828 at Woodstock. [Vermont VR Marriages B to 1871, page 10566] He died Woodstock 9 May 1837 at age 39. [Vermont Deaths B 1871-1908, page 8573] He’s buried Prosper Cemetery, Woodstock.
4. Leonard born August 1800 based on his age at death. He was a minor under 14 when Ebenezer Holmes was appointed his guardian on 7 April 1813. He married Ebenezer’s daughter Lydia Holmes of Woodstock on 19 June 1814. [Woodstock VRs on microfilm] He died 7 January 1877 age 78 years and 6 days. His death record gives his birthplace as Middleborough, Mass. and his parents as Levi and Lidda (Holmes) Benson, so perhaps his older brother helped raise him; Levi is too young to actually be his father. [Vermont Register of Deaths 1867, page 9, number 48]
5. Amelia born 10 May 1803 at Woodstock [calculated from age at death]. She married about 1825 Isaac Benson. She died Plymouth, Mass., on 25 February 1880. [Plymouth VR] Her death record gives her parents as Elisha and Sophia (Nye) Benson. 
6. Sylvia Benson born about 1804 at Woodstock. On 7 April 1814 she was a minor under age 14 when her mother Patty Benson was named her guardian.  

I descend from Amelia. I wrote about Amelia and Isaac Benson here. It is likely they had more children given the gap between their 1783 marriage date and the 1790 birth of Levi. One possible child is Elisha Benson who in the 1810 census is living in Pomfret, where the elder Elisha died a year later. There are two people in the household, a male and a female, both age 16-25.

Since Sylvia’s mother is identified as Patty in court guardianship record, I initially thought Elisha had a second wife but it seems unlikely given the closeness of age between Sylvia and her sister Amelia.

Elisha Benson Jr. of Middleborough purchased land near his dwelling house in “the South Purchase” on 26 April 1789. [Plymouth County Deeds 88:220] On 17 February 1795 Elisha Benson with Stephen Gibbs purchased land in Middleborough next to this land and divided the land on 10 April 1797. [Plymouth County Deeds 88:220]

In November 1791 at the Plymouth Court of Common Pleas, John Putnam (Sutton physician) attached Elisha Benson (Middleborough Yeoman) on a 16-month note dated 4 May 1790 for £5 2s 2d “lawful Silver Money…six months without interest then interest till paid.” Plaintiff said that defendant’s failure to pay was to his damage of £12. Default by defendant; judgment for £5 9s and £2 3s costs. Appealed by defendant but no further record. [Plymouth Court records 1686-1859 10:190] I find this puzzling because Sutton is in Worcester County, quite a distance from Middleborough. I also do not know whether this refers to Elisha Sr. or Jr.

Elisha and Sophia moved their family to Pomfret/Woodstock, Windsor County, Vermont. His father had also removed to Woodstock.

In the 1810 census Elisha Benson is living in Woodstock. The eight household members fits nearly perfectly to be Elisha Jr., although one of his young daughters is not included and there is perhaps an unknown older daughter included. The household members: 1 male under 10 [Leonard]; 1 male 10-15 [Stephen]; 2 males 16-25 [Luther and Levi]; 1 male 26-44 [Elisha; perhaps his estimated birth is off by a few years]; 1 female under 10 [Amelia or Sylvia]; 1 female 26-44 [Sophia or an older unknown child]; 1 female 45 and over [perhaps Sophia].

Elisha Benson Jr. died at Pomfret 12 April 1811. His father Elisha Benson Sr. evidently died early in 1813. [Benson]

It appears that Elisha Sr. and his wife took in their grandchildren and perhaps their daughter-in-law after their son Elisha’s 1811 death. It makes sense these are Elisha Jr’s children, but the records don’t state that specifically. [Hartford Probate District, Windsor Co VT, 4:427, 428, 446, 5:74, 6:78]

• On 7 April 1813, Ebenezer Holmes was appointed administrator of the estate of Elisha Benson Sr. of Woodstock, at the request of his widow Sarah Benson. 
• At the same time Ebenezer was also appointed administrator of the estate of Elisha Benson Jr. of Pomfret. 
• On this same date Ebenezer was appointed guardian of Stephen Benson, a minor over age 14 as well as Leonard Benson and Amelia Benson, both minors under age 14, all heirs of Elisha Benson of Woodstock.
• On the same day Joel English was appointed guardian of Luther Benson a minor over the age of 14 and heir of Elisha Benson of Woodstock.
• It seems that these heirs who were born around 1800 are grandchildren since Elisha Sr. was born in 1730/1. It aligns that they are Elisha Jr.’s children since he died before Elisha Sr. and their estates were being settled simultaneously.
• On 7 April 1814 Silvia Benson, a minor under 14 and an heir to the estate of Elisha Benson Jr of Pomfret—her mother Patty Benson was named her guardian. This is puzzling because her mother would have been Sophia/Zerviah. 

I have not found a death record for Zerviah/Sophia Benson.

Sources:

Richard H. Benson, The Benson Family of Colonial Massachusetts, Newbury Street Press, 2003

George Hyatt Nye & Frank E. Best, A Genealogy of the Nye Family, 1907

John Landers (1654-1737) and His Wife Rachel Freeman (b. 1659) of Sandwich, Massachusetts

John Landers (sometimes spelled Launders) was born 2 January 1653/4 at Sandwich on Cape Cod, the son of Thomas Landers. [Sandwich Vital Records in the Mayflower Descendant, 14:168] His mother was Jane Kerby/Kirby. John is my 8th great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Ellis Davis’ side of the family.

In 1672 John Launders turned in two dozen blackbirds’ heads to receive a bounty, indicating he was a good marksman as a teen. [Brownson & McLean]

John’s mother Jane was a Quaker, as was his brother Richard, but I haven’t found an indication of John practicing the religion.

John married, probably at Sandwich, Rachel Freeman about 1686, based on the birthdate of their first child. “Rachell Ffreemand” was born 4 September 165[9?]* at Sandwich, the daughter of Edmund Freeman. [Sandwich VR in MD 14:110] Rachel’s mother was Edmund’s second wife Margaret Perry. That Rachel married John is shown in the 9 June 1705 distribution of Edmund Freeman’s estate: John Launders and Rachel his wife received £1 6s. Some of Rachel’s siblings/half-siblings received far more money—Edmund £15, Ezra Perry and his wife Rebekah £12 14s 6p—so perhaps Rachel had been gifted something while her father was living. [Barnstable County Probate Records 2:190]

Rachel’s father Edmund 2 Freeman was 22 and John’s father Thomas 1 Landers was 15 when they came to New England in 1635 on the same ship and were both first at Saugus and then were neighbors in Sandwich. Rachel’s sisters Deborah and Sarah also married sons of Thomas Landers. [Brownson & McLean]

Rachel and John had six children born Sandwich [Sandwich VR in MD 29:32]:

1. Alice born 15 April 1687; married 18 Nov 1714 John Hathaway, son of John & Joanna (Pope) Hathaway of Dartmouth.
2. Richard born 6 March 1688/9; no death record found—evidently died intestate and perhaps unmarried. 
3. Deborah born 19 Oct 1691; died unmarried in 1769 ae 78.
4. John born 9 April 1694; married Content Nye 4 June 1719; died Sandwich 4 March 1737/8.
5. Margaret born 30 August 1697; died unmarried 1770 age 73. 
6. Ebenezer born 13 March 1699/1700; married Temperance Tobey 19 Dec 1721; removed to Bridgewater.

I descend from their son John whom i wrote about here.

A map of East Sandwich depicting homestead locations in 1667 shows John’s father Thomas Landers living on what is now Ploughed Neck Road, off Old County Road, next to Edmund Freeman Jr and land owned by John Freeman, sons of Edmund 1. [Lovell] John’s father did not leave a will but it seems likely that John inherited or was deeded his father’s land.

In 1733, John signed a receipt for his share, £5, of his sister, Sarah Landers' estate which he received from his brother Joseph Landers who was administrator of her estate. [Barnstable Co. Probate Records 4-5:173]

“John Landers sen” died Sandwich on 15 April 1737. [Sandwich Vital Records in MD 29:28] He was 83 years of age, quite a long life for that era.

No probate of John’s estate is found. It is probable he distributed his real estate by deed as was frequently done in that time, but no proof exists because of the 1827 fire that destroyed most of the Barnstable County land records

John’s son John died 4 March 1737/8 which has caused confusion in keeping their identities distinct. 

I have not found a death record for Rachel—I only know she died after the 9 June 1705 distribution. There is commonly an unsourced death date of 7 October 1709 shown for her online.

*The last digit in Rachel’s birth year has been marked over and is practically illegible. Savage in his Genealogical Dictionary and Freeman’s History of Cape Cod, both give the year as 1659 which is a good fit among her siblings’ birth dates. 

Sources:

Maclean McLean, The American Genealogist, “Mr. Edmond 2 Freeman of Sandwich Mass and His Family,” 40:103 (1964)

Lydia (Phinney) Brownson & Maclean McLean, NEHGS Register, “Thomas 1 Landers of Sandwich,” 124: 45 (January 1970)

R.A. Lovell, Jr., Sandwich A Cape Cod Town, 1984

Torrey’s New England Marriages Prior to 1700

Frederick Freeman, Freeman Genealogy, 1875

Samuel Storrs (1640-1719) and His First Wife Mary Huckins of Sutton-cum-Lound Nottinghamshire, Barnstable, Mass., and Mansfield, CT

Samuel Storrs was baptized 7 December 1640 at St. Bartholomew, Sutton-cum-Lound, Nottinghamshire, England, the fourth of seven children of Thomas and Mary Storrs. His family were land owners and of Nottinghamshire for generations. [Storrs] His surname is spelled in a variety of ways including Stores and Stoars. I wrote this sketch when I believed Samuel was a direct ancestor but I made an error in my research and he's actually my 9th great-uncle. 

St. Bartholomew's Church

Samuel emigrated to New England about 1663, settling at Barnstable. He married, first, Mary Huckins on 6 December 1666 at Barnstable. [Barnstable Vital Records 1:60] Mary was the daughter of Thomas Huckins and his first wife Mary Wells.  Her father was a prominent man in the colony. [Hawes]

The 1683 list of members of the Barnstable Church by Pastor Russell she is named “Mary ye wife of Samll Stoore.” [Barnstable Church Register]

Mary and Samuel had seven children born Barnstable.  [Barnstable Vital Records 1:60]:

1. Mary born 31 Dec 1667

2. Sarah born 26 April 1670; died before 19 Sept 1720; married Thomas Burgess 26 February 1696 Barnstable

3. Hannah born 28 March 1672; died before 19 October 1751 at Harwich; married Prence Snow Sr in 1698 at Eastham; had a large family

4. Elizabeth born 31 May 1675; married John Kingsley and had children Ebenezer and Lydia

5. Samuel born 17 May 1677; died 9 October 1727 age 50, Mansfield; married Martha Burgess 31 October 1700 at Windham and had large family

6. Lydia born June 1679;  died 23 Oct 1751, Mansfield 

7. Mehetable baptized 17 Sept 1683 [NEHGS Register 10:345]; likely died in infancy

Mary’s father Thomas Huckins and her half-brother Joseph drowned at sea on 9 November 1679. Her father did not leave a will, but Mary is named in the settlement of the estate. “Thomas Huckens (Mary’s half-brother) to pay Samuell Stores and Mary his wife…sixty six pounds in marchants pay at prise Currant…viz: thirty pounds therof att or before the fifteenth of November Next Insueing & fifteen pounds within a year after the said November Next ensuing: and twenty and one pounds by the fifteenth of November which shalbe in the year 1682; and further to Deliver to them the said Samuell and Mary three Cowes; or their value in other Neate Cattle and a p’sell of Marsh of late the said Thomas Huckens, Deceased in the Committees Cove; and that p’sell of his marsh which hee bought of Mr Linnell, since sold by the said Samuell Stores, and alsoe further to the said Samuell eight shillings, in silver mony, and the second best suite throughout, of the said Thomas Huckens Deceased, or in liew therof three pounds in silver Mony; and this to be in full of the said Samull and Maryes prte of the said estate, to be payed att Barnstable.” Samuell Stores signed the document about the division of Thomas’ estate on 14 March 1679/80. [Plymouth Colony Wills 4:I:8]

Mary Storrs died at Barnstable 24 Sept 1683, soon after Mehitable’s birth. [Barnstable Vital Records 1:60] On Pastor Russell’s list of 1683 Barnstable Church members, he noted next to Mary Stoore’s name: “She Septembr 23 1683 died in childbed.” [Scan of original images available in the Quartex Collection at the Congregational Library website] 

Samuel was admitted to the Barnstable Church on 8 March 1685, a year and a half after his wife’s death. [Barnstable Church Records p 166]

Samuel married, second, widow Hester/Esther Egard on 14 December 1685 at Barnstable. [Barnstable Vital Records 1:60] Hester’s maiden name and her first husband’s full name are not known. She had a son John Egard. 

Children with Hester, born Barnstable: [Barnstable Vital Records 1:60]

8.  Thomas born 27 October 1686; died 4 April 1755 age 68, Mansfield, married Mehitable Joyce 14 March 1708

9. Hester/Hester “born About ye Middle of Octor 1688”; married William Hall 20 July 1708

10. Cordial born 14 October 1692; died about October 1782; married 1) Hannah Wood 15 or 18 September 1724; married 2) Katherine Tiffany 10 October 1765; both at Mansfield

Samuel and his family removed to Windham, Tolland County, Connecticut in or before 1698. [Hawes] He lived in the part of town that became Mansfield in 1702. A condition of Mansfield becoming a separate town was for the citizens to quickly find a minister and until that time they were to continue to pay their rates to Mr. Whiting, the Windham minister. 

Some of the early Mansfield town meetings took place at Samuel’s home, indicating his prominence in town. [Storrs]

• A Town Meeting was held at Mr Sam. Storrs house 6 Nov 1702, for the purpose of making arrangements for the settlement of a minister in Town of Mansfield.
• At a Town Meeting held at Saml Storrs 18 March 1703, a committee was appointed to lay out 100 acres of land to each Allotment. 
• At a meeting held at Saml Storrs house, voted that the common lands on the plain be enclosed annually for winter grain until the owners or a major part thereof shall order it otherwise.
• At a town proprietors’ meeting 8 Dec 1707, voted that Saml. Storrs see what the Proprietors will do for encouraging and settling a minister.
• At a 24 March 1709 town meeting, voted that Saml. Storrs be one of a committee to see about getting a minister, which he declined.
• On 18 October 1710 Samuel Storrs was one of the ten founders of the First Congregational Church of Mansfield.

Interesting how long it took to hire a minister. Perhaps there was division among townspeople since Samuel declined being on a hiring committee in 1709.

Samuel’s house is believed to be near the southern boundary of the old burial ground in Mansfield. [Storrs] 

Samuel was involved in many land transactions [Storrs]:

• The first deed on record of that part of Windham which is now Mansfield was given in 1700 to Samuel Storrs by six or eight gentlemen from Norwich. The next deed related to him was from Samuel Gifford, six acres, 14th home lot in Windham 6 Dec 1700. Next Samuel Stoors to a Mr. Crane in 1709. Next from Capt John Mason to Samuel Storrs Sr of 10 acres of land in Windham, 20 June 1710. 
• Saml. Storrs Sen’r Land laid out it being the 15th Farm in Number—The west side of the Cedar Swamp road. This laid out in lieu of a hundred Acres and drawn for the 10th allotment
• Ten Acres lying at Turnip Meadow for Saml. Storrs Sen’r abutting eastward on the river northward on the Common westerly southerly on the Storrs meadow laid out Dec. 20th 1698.
• 50 Acres laid out to Saml. Storrs Sen’r in 3 pieces.
• 1st piece South and West side Spring Hill.
• 2nd piece South side of Fenton’s Division.
• 3rd “ lying at Chestnut Hill March 14th, 1710.
• Part of 2nd Division 50 acres laid out to Saml Storrs Sen’r. The said 50 acres belonging to the 10th allotment south of John Agard’s farm Mansfield Feb’y 2nd, 1710.
• Land laid out for Saml Storrs Sen’r at Chestnut Hill belonging to the 10th allotment.
• A 2nd Div. of 10 Acres laid out for Saml Storrs Sen’r lying on East side of Nachaug River laid out in the year 1706.

Samuel Storrs Senr yeoman of Mansfield, being weak of body, wrote his will 22 May 1717. Witnesses were Eleazer Williams, Mary Williams, Mehetabell Gary.  [Hartford Probate District, probate no. 5282 contains all the document pertaining to his estate] Bequests:

• Esther “my dear and beloved wife” £10 a year “if she stand in need of it,”  use of two cows, and half of the orchard, and a fire room in the dwelling house and her fire wood “so long as she continues my widow.” These particulars are to be fulfilled by “my beloved son Thomas Storrs, hereafter named.”
• “To my beloved son Samuel Storrs” my gun, sword, hoan and razor. He had already been given a whole allotment of land.
• To five daughters, Sarah, Hannah, Elisabeth, Lydia, and Esther, 100 acres of land that lyes at Corry Rock, and 10 acres that lyes there, and 50 acres that “I purpose” lyes there in the other division, to be divided equally, and after my my wife’s all the movables and household stuff within doors, and cattles if there be any, equally among them, only Lydia is to have my feather bed that I lied on with the furniture thereof over and above the rest.
• I have given to my son Cordial by deed of gift, 150 acres of land and 6 acres of meadow, which is his portion.
• I have given to my son Thomas Storrs, whom I likewise constitute make and ordain my only and sole Executor of this my last will and testament, my home lot and pasture lot, house, barn, and small divisions in a deed of gift, which I account his portion.

Samuel died 30 April 1719 at Mansfield, in the seventy-ninth year of his age. [Storrs] He was buried at the Old Mansfield Center Cemetery. [Find A Grave Memorial ID 22828401] He had a large memorial stone erected by Charles Storrs with an extension inscription including that Samuel and Esther Storrs are buried under the monument.

On 23 June 1719 Mr Eleazer Williams & Mrs Mary Williams both personally appeared at court and made oath they were present and saw Samll Storrs sign his will and that they judged him to be in disposing mind and of sound memory.

His estate was inventoried on 2 July 1719 by Shubael Dimmock and Thomas Huntington and totaled £73 6s 5d. It included a 100 acre lot, a 50 acre lot not yet laid out, clothing including a satin cap and gloves, cooking items, furniture, various tubs to hold food stuffs, a churn, a pair of scales, tablecloth and napkins, gun, sword, two cows, an old mare. The inventory was presented at court by Thomas Storrs, executor, on 7 July 1719.

Hester Storrs died 13 April 1730 at Mansfield. [Find A Grave Memorial ID 25652158]

Sources: 

Charles Storrs, The Storrs Family: Genealogical and Other Memoranda, 1886

NEHGS Register, “First Settlers of Barnstable, Mass.,” 2:197 (1848)

Connecticut Nutmegger, “Headstones, Old Storrs Cemetery, Mansfield,” 19:36 (1986)

NEHGS Register, “Scituate and Barnstable Church Records,” 10:345 (1856)

Torrey’s New England Marriages to 1700

James W. Hawes, Library of Cape Cod History and Genealogy, “Nicholas 1 Snow of Eastham,” no. 34, 1916