The Ancient Historical Records of Norwalk, Conn.

FIFTH GENERATION. {The children of Thomas Benedict and Mary Br id gum ) " Thomas Benedict, 2d, was born at Southold, Long Island. From Southold he went with his father to Huntington and thence to Jamaica, where he married Mary Messenger of that place. In 1665 he removed with his father to Norwalk, in the Colony of Connecticut. In the Wylys's manuscripts his name is, with that of his father, among the names of the 42 freemen of Norwalk, taken Oct. 13, 1669, 313 NORWALK. He had six children — JVTary, born 1666 ; Thomas, bom 1670; Hannah, born Jan. 8, 1676 ; Esther, born Oct. 5, 1679 ; Abigail, born 1682 ; Elizabeth, born ~ John Benedict was born at Southold, Long Island. He Continued to reside with his parents till they removed to Nor- walk. He there married Phebe Gregory, daughter of John Gregory of Norwalk, Nov. 11, 16.70. They had nine children. Sarah, Phebe, born 1673, John,' March 3d, 1676, Jonathan, Benjamin, Joseph, James, born January 5, 1685; Mary or Mercy, and Thomas. He succeeded his father as deacon of the church in Norwalk, and used that office until old age rendered him unable to serve. Samuel Benedict was born at Southold, Long Island. He continued to reside with his father till after his removal to Norwalk. Pie married Rebecca Andrews of Fairfield, 7th July, 1678. They had seven children. Joanna, born 22d Oct., 1673, Samuel, 5th March, 1675, Thomas, 27th March, 1679, Rebecca, Esther, Nathaniel, and Abraham born 21st June, 1681. In the fall of 1684 and spring of 1685, he, with seven other families, including his brother James and his brother-in-law, James Beebe, (Dr. Wood, another brother-in-law, soon fol- lowed), purchased land of the Indians and made the first settle- ment atTaquiogue, which they called Danbury. They soon built a little church only forty feet by thirty. When its frame was raised every person in the town was present and sat togeth- er on the sills. He conveyed his properly in Norwalk February 3,1685, to Samuel Betts. He is described as of Paquiack, formerly of Norwalk. On Sundaymci-ning, April 27th, 1777, the British under Governor Try on, burned Danbury— excep- ting the houses and the property of the Tories. Nineteen dwelling-houses, besides other buildings^ were consumed with all their contents. Among the nineteen principal sufferers were Thaddeus Benedict, Matthew Benedict, Matthew Bene- dict, junr., Jonah Benedict, and Zadock Benedict. James Benedict was born at Southold, Long Island. He continued to reside with his parents until after their removal GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 3l3 to Norwalk. He there married Sarah Gregory, May 10, 1676. They had seven children. Sarah, born 16th June, 1677 ; Rebecca, Phebe, James, John, Thomas, and Eliza- beth. He was one of the eight who purchased and settled Danbury. He sold his property in Norwalk, 26th March, 1691, to Samuel Smith. Daniel Benedict was born at Southold, Long Island. He also removed with his father to Norwalk. He married Mary Marvin of Norwalk. They had four children. Mary, Dan- iel, Mercy, and Hannah. He removed to Danbury. He con- veyed his land in Norwalk 25th March, 1690. Betty Benedict was born at Southold. She married John Slauson of Stamford. Their children were Mary and Thomas. Mary Benedict was born at Southold. She married John Olmstead, "Lieut. Olmstede" of Norwalk, 11th Nov. 1670. Their children were John, Mary, Jane, Sarah, Rebecca, Eli- zabeth, Daniel, Richard, Eunice, and Deborah. Sarah Benedict was born at Southold. She married James Beebe of Stratford, Dec. 19, 1679. Their children were Sarah, born 13th November, 1680, and James, born • . James Beebe was one of the eight who purchased and settled Danbury. He conveyed his property in Norwalk January 2d, 1685, in which he is described as of Paquiack, formerly of Norwalk. Rebecca Benedict was born at Southold. She married Doctor Samuel Wood, He was an able physician, born and educated in England. He was one of the first settlers of Danbury after the first eight families. Dr. John Wood and David Wood are also among the. 19 principal suiferers by the British attack in 1777. SIXTH GENERATION. ( The children of John Benedict and Phebe Gregory.) Sarah Benedict. Phebe Benedict was born at Norwalk, 1673. John Benedict was born at Norwalk, March 2d, 1676, 314 NORWALK. ^ ^ -—— His children were John, born 1701; Matthew, born — — i- ; Caleb, born 1709 ; Nathaniel, born 1717 ; Anna, and Phebe. He was for many 5'-ears deacon of the church in Nor walk. He died there January 16, 1766. He and his wife were bu- ried side by side in the grave-yard near Pine Island, Norwalk. His grave-stone bears this inscription : TO THE MEMORY OF Deacon JOHN BENEDICT, who departed this life Jan'y. Y£l6, 1766, in ye 90 year of his age. And that of his wife this : HERE LIES THE BODY of BIrs. MARY BENEBICT, wife of Mr. John Benedict, who died June ye 5, 1749, aged 72 years. ^ Jonathan Benedict. Benjamin Benedict was born at Norwalk. He married Mary . He removed to Ridgefield, and in 1720 was selectman of Ridgefield, and was the third deacon of the church there. He died July 3d, 1773, at Stamford, Conn. His children w^ere Elizabeth, born 1705; Benjamin, born 1707 ; Timothy, born 1709 ; Mary, born 1711 ; John, born 1714; Daniel, born 1716; Samuel, born 1719; Rachel, born 1721 ; Amos, born 1722; Thankful, born 1727. Joseph Benedict was born at Norwalk. He married Anne , by whom his children were Joseph, Gideon, Anna, and Pitman. He removed to Ridgefield, where his wife died, Dee. 9, 1716, In March 21, 1721, he married his second wife Mary by whom his children were Jonathan, born 1722; Mary, born 1726 ; Ezra, born 1730 ; and Jv.-:n. GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 315 James Benedict was born atNorwalk, January 15th, 1685. He married Sarah Hyatt, daughter of Thomas Hyatt of Nor- walk, in 1709. He settled in Ridgefield. He was one of the original settlers who purchased of the Indians and settled the township of Ridgefield. In 1715 he was chosen one of the fence-viewers of that town. In 1719 he is called Ensign, af- terwards Captain, and in 1737, Esquire. He was a justice of the peace and for many years he represented that town in the Connecticut Legislature. He died November 25, 1762. His wife survived him four years. Their children* were Sarah, born 1709 ; Ruth, born 1711 ; Peter, born 1714 ; Hannah, bornl71G; Phebe, born 1718; James, born 1720; Martha, born 1722; John and Thomas, twins, born 1726. He was the first to write the genealogy of the Benedict fam- ily. In his youth he lived with his grandmother, Mary Bridgum, wife of the first Thomas Benedict, and she de- livered to him, from her own mouth, the genealogy down to his own memory, and he reduced it to writing. His '* Gene- alogy of the family of the Benedict's," 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 23d, 1768. He was the second deacon of the church in Ridgefield, till old age and its attendants rendered him unable to serve. He sus- ained the character of a pious and exemplary Christian. The following inscription is on his grave-stone in Ridge- field : here lies interred the body of JAMES BEMSDICT, Esq., Deacon of the first Church of Christ in this town ; together with SARAH, HIS WIFE, who, after having served their generation according to the will of God. fell asleep and were gathered to their fathers, the first on Nov. 25, 1762, m the 77th year of his a'^e ; the other February ye 9th, 1767, in the 6l5t year oi her age. * See Appendix C. 316 NORWALK. Mary or Mercy Benedict. Thomas Benedict was born in Norwalk. His children were Ebenezer ? Thomas^ John, David, Betty, Seth, and Moses ? He was known as " Capt. Thomas Benedict," see page 212. He was rem.arkable for the loudness of his voice— could be distinctly heard and understood at the distance of more than a mile. He was a great singer, and the leader of the choir of singers at Norwalk. SEVENTH GENERATION. Tlie Children of JoJm and Mary Benedict^ (p. 310.) John Benedict —born 1701 — married Dinah Bouton — was Deacon of the Church in New Canaan ; and died February 7, 1770, aged Q9 years. Matthew Benedict. Caleb BENEDiCT—born 1709— married Mehitable Hoyt. He was known as " Ensign Benedict." He lived on Brushy Ridge, and died May 19, 1761. His children were — (1) ^1/f/i— married David St. John. (2) Caleb — married Deborah St. John. (3) James-— horn Dec. 25, 1743— married Thankful Lockwood. ('I) E^^-ra— married Molly Benedict. (5, 6) Aner and Anah, twins, born 1751. Aner mar- ried Joseph Stevens, and removed to Dan- bury. Anah married EUasaph Kellogg. (7) i?CTy«mMi— married Elizabeth Gilbert. (8) Mehilable — married Jonathan Stevens. Nathaniel Benedict — born 1786 — married Mary Lock- wood, daughter of Deacon Lockwood. She died January 12, 1763, aged 42 years. He afterwards married Hannah Hawley, daughter of Rev.Thomas Hawley, who died January 31, 1795, aged 67. He died April 2, 1806, in his 90th 5^ear. In a ma- nuscript of that date, we have the following notice : "He 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 re- mains were followed to the grave by a large concourse of friends and relatives, among whom were his twelve surviving GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 317 children, and many of his more remote posterity. He has left ninety-one grand-children, and eighty-eight great-grand- children, the whole number of his descendants, now living, being 191.