Norwalk

odd years ago. of an Episcopal Chapel.1 Hannah/ daughter of Thomas^ , who was born in the old Benedict house just referred to, married John Carter of Clapboard Hill, New Canaan. Her brother, Thomas5th-, succeeded to the Xorwalk home. This brother, born Feb. 25, 1725, was married Jan. 4, 1758, by Rev. Moses Dickinson, to Hannah, daughter of Capt. John Raymond, and a great-grand-daughter of Rev. Thomas Hanford. He was a "merchant" and the father of Thos. Benedict''1*1-, whom the older members of the Xor- walk community call to-day to mind. This Thomas"th- was about fourteen years old at the date of Tryon's invasion. He had been either in "The Xcck " or out in some of the Benedict fields, harvesting, on the Saturday on which the British crossed the Sound bent upon the burning of the town. It is possible that his father had companied with him. and that both hastened home when, just before night, the enemy's fleet approached the coast. The family, consisting of (besides the father and son referred to) the mother and her three daughters — Hannah, Deborah and Catharine — aged respectively twenty, eighteen and six- teen, were taken to a place of safety (Belden Hill) and the household goods put out of luirm's way. •The idea of a Chapel to belong to St. Paul's par isli, and to be located on or near the Benedict West Avenue lot was entertained, at one time, bv the Le- Grand Lockwood family. ^Hannah and Deborah, daughters of Thomas*1'1- and Deborah ( Water?) Benedict married respectively, John Carter and Abijah Comstock of Canaan Parish. The influence of these two potential women was and is an abiding power. John Carter, born Feb. 22, 1730, >on of Ebenezer and Hannah (St. John) Carter, was three and twenty years old when he wedded Hannah Benedict, who was born Dec. 13, 1733. The Carters were a staunch, solid folk. Their American progenitor was Samuel, born in London, England, about 1665, who twelve years later (1677) came to America and nine years still further on was found in Deerfield, Muss. Mere he married, first, Dec. 4, 1690, Mercv Brooks, who bore to him, Samuel2*1', Mercv, John, Ebenezer. Thomas and Mara. The firm Mrs. Samuel Carter died Jan. 22, 1701, and the widower married, -eeond, Hannah Weller.aud had: Joseph and Hannah. The Deerfield Carter life was one of vicissitude. On Feb. _*<>, 1703, the Deerfield settlement was attacked by a Canadian French and Indian foe, and Samuel Car- ter lost, by death and capture, his entire household. The mother was murdered as she was ice-crossing the Connecticut River, and Thomas, Mara and Hannah also were slain. The other children were taken into captivity. The father broke up the desolated home in Deerfield and came lo Norwalk. Here he married third, Jan. 25, 1705-6 Louis, born 1669, daughter of Mark St, John of Home-lot iii (set- page 94). Short- ly after this marriage, to the jov of Samuel Cartels soul, his captive Imy. Ebenezer. now ten years old, reached Norwalk and "was delivered safe and sound into the hands of his father". This boy made the j acquaintance of Hannah (daughter of Matthias) St. I John, whom he married in 1721, and who presented him on Feb. 22, 1730, with their si xth child, John Car- ; terwho married Hannah Benedict. In the history of the Carter family there is much I that is consideration-worthy. The household, not- | withstanding its early bereavement-baptism, retained ! a leavening element, the resultant development? of j which have been of salutary and happy effect, and ! stock-furnish the moralist. New Canaan may prond- ; ly refer to its Carter founders, and venerate the Carter , Street acre which holds the family dust. Into one of . that Here's open receptacles. lightened by vernal rays, was lowered, in the spring of 1898, the mortal form ! of one of the best and most loyal of the Carter blood, ■ Cornelia C, daughter of Thos. and Esther (Greenley) Carter, and wifeof Albert Seymour Comstock of New Canaan and New York. The late Mrs. A. S. Coin- I stock, Regent Primus of the New Canaan "Hannah 1 Benedict Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution" was one whose life was a melodious line, and from whose soul issued goodness itself. She took pure delight in plans and performances bearing upon the weal of her native home, "nor change, nor time, : nor space, nor deep, nor high" could drive her love New Canaan astray or away. Deborah Benedict, daughter of Thomas-*111-, and sister of Hannah (Mrs. John Carter) was another New : Canaan mother of force. The 1S96 Samuel Comstock 1 farm in New Canaan, embracing meadow and orchard . and woodland, and home-seat probitv and prosperity, reminds of U* Norwalk progenitress. This New Ca- 36," Judging from the facts as narrated in 1847 to Dr. Edwin Hall by Thomas,6"1, and supplemented by one' who, in early life, had repeatedly heard the same from the same lips, Thomas5"\ after taking his wife and four children to safe quarters on Belden Hill, returned with his negro man to ascertain what might further be done to protect his homestead. The British landed on Saturday evening, and there was, probably, hurrying up and down the "old well road", but no military sally-forth until Saturday morning, when Gen. Garth had quite early been action engaged at Flax Hill. As his men marched up the avenue in order to join Tryon's east side forces at the "bridge", it was found that Thomas Bene- dicts"1' wa5 (from over-work or worry possibly) prostrate in the house and under the care of his faithful negro. Mercy was asked and granted until the enemies' return to their boats at Old Well later in the day. It seems to have occurred to Garth to leave his wounded at the Benedict house. As the record shows, the British, after their France Street engage- ment, were compelled to beat a hasty retreat, during which Thomas Benedict6"1' declared that a portion of Garth's division stopped at his father's house, took probably their own men, and tossed a leave-taking brand which, however, was put out before damage was done. Thomas6"1-, son of Thomas5"1- and Hannah Benedict, married, Oct. 8, 1795, Marv, daughter of Phineas Waterbury of Middlesex (now Darien). He lived and died on his father's and grandfather's " orchard lands of long ago ". His children were Thomas'"1-, born Oct. 7, 1797; Edwin, born Aug. 10, 1801 ; Catherine, born Dec. 26, 1806. Thomas?"1- married, Mar. 26, 1 820, Susan, daughter of Henry and Rebecca 1 Fitch) Betts, and grand-niece of Gov. Thomas Fitch. He had Mary, born Jan. 19, 182 1, died young: Thomas8"1 , born June 27, 1824; Elizabeth, born Jan. 5, 1827, died in infancy; Sarah C, born Feb. 10, 1832, married Richard H. Parmelee ; Julia W., born Oct. 24, 1839, married, Oct. 27, 1858, Geo. O. Keeler ; Edwin, married Mar. [5. 1866, Sarah W., daugh- ter of Roswell A. Raymond. Thomas Benedict""1-, son of Thomas6'11- and Man- 1 Waterbury) Benedict, married twice, but had no children by his second wife. Thomas'5"1-, son of Thomas and Susan (Betts) Benedict, married, Dec. 30, 1852, Cornelia A., daughter of Roswell A. and Sarah (Mead) Weed, and sister of Hon. Smith M. Weed of Pittsburgh, N.Y., and had Thos^"1-, born Nov. 26, 1863. Thomas'"1-, son of Thomas and Cornelia (Weed) Benedict, married, Aug. 3, 1886, Margaret, born Nov. 19, t866, daug-hter of William and Margaret (McQuhae) Seymour. Nehemiah Benedict, the third of the four children of Thomas*"1-, married, Dec. 17, naan estate lias been neatly kept. It has not passed j Ridge," and her great-grandmother was Mrs. Mat- nut of tiomstock hands, but to this day beautifully sue- | thew Marvin Sr. She inherited and transmitted the cors those who honor themselves in loyally preserving, j "head and front" of Sorwalk blood, even to the fourth generation, that which was so dear j "Charles Marvin of New Haven, formerly of Nor to their foreparents. Mrs. Ahijah Comstock's grand- j walk, was a lover of the latter town and a connoisseur mother was the wife of the "layer-out" of "Smiths of its history-facts. 368 NORWALK. 1 75 1, Hannah, daughter of Capt. Samuel Keeler. The Keelers have been identified with the N'orwalk of every era, and "Keeler Mill", " Keeler Hollow", •' Keeler's Ridge" and " Keeler's Orchard " were well known pre-Revolutionary localities. Nehemiah and Han- nah Benedict established themselves in New Canaan, where their daughter Hannah, born Dec. II, 1759, married, Oct. 14, 1779, a representative man for any place or period, Isaac Richards, whose only child, Hannah B. Richards, was the parent of one of the best and brightest men of New Canaan story, Prof. Samuel St. John, M. D. (see page 123). JOHN BENEDICT LINKAGE. The young John Benedict came with his parents, in 1665, to Norwalk. Across the meadows to the south of his father's house lay the Cove-side home of John Gregory, whose daughters, Phcebe and Sarah, were destined to become the wives of two of the senior Benedict's sons. John, the second son, married, in 1670, Phcebe Gregory, and the two afterwards made a home for themselves close by that of the groom's parent, and bought later near the present Newtown Avenue rise, a little above St. Paul's Church. At the date of the purchase of this new lot, John, the oldest born, was two years of age. The child grew, married a Hoyt, and before he was thirty years old, was chosen Select- man. This young official had born, in 1 7 16, a son, named Nathaniel, who became a prominent public man and the owner of the finest part of the West Avenue of 1896. His broad acres are now covered by handsome dwellings on the east and west sides of said avenue. Nathaniel's first wife was Mary Lockwood and his second wife Hannah, daughter of Rev. Thomas Hawley of Ridgefield, sister of Mrs. Peter Lockwood and Mrs. Nathan Beers of Norwalk.