Notes
Note H63
Index
He was a freeman of Norwalk in 1680, and succeeded his father as
selectman in 1689. He was a selectman in 1692-94 and '99; and also
held some minor civil appointments in the town. He was occupied,
however, mainly, with church affairs, having become Deacon, probably,
upon the death of his father. Thenceforth the records show him to
have been constantly on committees having charge of the religious
and educational interests of the community, now "obtaining a minister,"
then, "hyering a schoolmaster." In 1705 the church honored him by
voting him a sitting "in ye seat before ye pulpit." He served as
representative in the General Assembly in the sessions of 1722 and 1725.
The date of his death is not to be ascertained, nor is that of his wife.
The volume of probate records, which probably covered the time
within which they died, unfortunately, is missing. He conveyed
property to his sons James and Joseph of Ridgefield, in 1722 and 1723;
and that he was living in 1727, is thought to be certain, because his
son is then referred to as Deacon John Benedict Junior.
(See Hall, pp. 83, 88, 93, 100, 102; and Town Records, Norwalk, Ct.)
Notes
Note H64
Index
Among those Englishmen who went into voluntary exile, rather than endure the
cruelties and oppressions of Stuarts in the State and Lauds in the Church, was
Thomas Benedict, of Nottinghamshire. There is reason to suppose that his own
remote ancestor had made England his refuge from religious persecution on the
Continent. There was a tradition in his family which ran, that anciently they
resided in the silk manufacturing district of France and were of Latin origin; that,
Huguenot persecutions arising, they fled to Germany, and, thence, by way of
Holland to England. It is said of Thomas Benedict, that he was born in 1617; that
he was an only son, that the name had been confined to only sons in the family
for more than a hundred years; and that, at the time he left England, he did not
know of another living person of the name; whence, it is assumed, that his
father was not living. His mother he had lost early, his father marrying, for his
second wife, a widow, whose daughter, Mary Bridgum, came to New England in
1638, in the same vessel with Thomas, then in his twenty-first year. Soon after
their arrival they were married, and finding the society and institutions of
Massachusetts Bay congenial, they resided in that colony for a time. These
facts in the history of Thomas Benedict are verified by the testimony of Mary
Bridgum herself, who lived to the age of one hundred years, and in her life-time
communicated them to her grandson, Deacon James Benedict, of Ridgefield,
Conn., who recorded them in 1755.
Now this Thomas was put out an apprentice to a weaver, who afterwards, in the
21st year of his age, came over into New-England, together with his
sister-in-law, Mary Bridgum. Afterwards said Thomas was joined in marriage
with Mary Bridgum. After they had lived some time in the Bay parts, they
removed to Southhold on Long Island, where were born unto them five sons
and four daughters, whose names were Thomas, John, Samuel, James, Daniel,
Betty, Mary, Sarah and Rebeccah. From thence they removed to a farm
belonging to the town, called Hassamamac, where they lived some time. From
thence they removed to Huntingtown, where they lived some years. Then they
removed to Jamaica on said Island, where Thomas, their eldest son took to wife
Mary Messenger, of that town. And last of all, they removed to Norwalk, in
Fairfield county, Connecticut, with all their family, where they were all married.
It is certain, that in June, 1657, he was a resident of Huntington, which leaves
but little doubt that he was, early, an inhabitant of Southold, which was settled
in 1640. In conjunction with three others, in 1649,(*) he purchased a tract of land
belonging to the town of Southold, called Hashamomack, and this interest he
conveyed, in 1659, describing himself in the deed as then of the town of
Huntington.
He is identified with the founding of the first Presbyterian church in America, at
Jamaica, in 1662.
"Examine Chase's Map of Suffolk County, N. Y., and you may see a Small body
of water marked just north west of the northwest point of Shelter Island and
almost connecting Peconic Bay and Long Island Sound. The only separation is
a level flat of Sand and Shingle, a few rods wide, and perhaps twenty long,
partially covered with sedgy vegetation. Across this flat the famous Guilford
expedition drew their whale boats when they made their successful descent
upon the British post and stores at Sag Harbor. This flat is Hashamommuck
Beach. The Small body of water is now generally called Mill Creek, a tide-mill to
grind grain having been built upon it many years ago, and one is still in use near
the old site. The proprietor of this mill some six or eight years since cut a canal
from the Sound to the creek and thus poured the water of the Sound across
Hashamommuck Beach into the creek, to give him more water and a higher head
for his mill. But the action of the Sound soon closed the Canal with sand, as all
intelligent persons predicted. This creek was formerly Thomas Benedict's, and in
the oldest records of Southold is familiarly called Thomas's Creek and then for
convenience it became Thom's Creek and even Tom's Creek. I have heard it
called Tom's Creek--even in my day. The Creek is a few rods more than two miles
east of the First Church of Southold. It is just two miles east of the Southold
station of the Long Island Rail Road. Hashamommuck is about a square mile
directly east of this Creek."
He is recorded as having been chosen town clerk of Norwalk, Ct., gives color to
the supposition that some confusion of dates was occasioned about this time
by the introduction, into the possessions acquired from the Dutch, of the style
in use in England, then, and for many years afterward, and also from the practice
of double dating. A flight to the jurisdiction of New England, from that of New
York, whose governor must have seemed a lineal representative of the
persecutors who had driven the Puritans from the mother country, would not be
a surprising thing in the case of any of that people. In that of Thomas Benedict
it was a most natural result. Honored, and to some extent trusted, as he had
been by both Dutch and English governors of New York, it is beyond
controversy that his heart had always been with the government of
Connecticut, and that he was the especial enemy of Captain John Scott and his
party; for "the killing and quelling" of whom he had, indeed, in 1663, invoked
the authority of Connecticut. On April 7, 1665 he was appointed "Captaine of a
ffoote Company". It is not improbable that after the supremacy of the English
had been fully established in the west end of Long Island, Thomas Benedict,
and others of like principles, found themselves, socially at least, in a condition
not unlike that of the Union men in the south after the Civil War, and could but
regard the territory as an excellent one to migrate from.
He must have been a welcome addition to the society of Norwalk, to cause its
people to make such haste to elevate him to official station; nor was it a
spasmodic appreciation of him merely, for, in the following year, he was not only
reappointed to that office, but was, also, made a Selectman of the town. He was
continued Town Clerk until 1674; and, after an interval of three years, was again
appointed. The records, in his own handwriting, are still preserved, are legible
and properly attested by his own signature. His term of service as Selectman
covers seventeen years, closing with 1688. His name is one of forty-two who
comprised the list of Freemen in 1669. He was the representative of Norwalk in
the General Assembly in 1670, and again in 1675. In the Patent, granted by the
General Court in 1686, confirming the title of Norwalk to its territory, his name is
inserted as a patentee. In May, 1684, the General Court appointed him and three
others to plant a town "above Norwalke or Fayrefeild," at Paquiage; and in the
fall of that year and the spring of 1685, Samuel and James, sons of Thomas, and
six others, with their families, settled there; the land having been purchased from
the Indians. The parties most interested asked that their settlement might be
named "Swamfeild"; but, in 1687, the General Court denied their request and
called it Danbury.
No record can be found that indicates the day of his death; one, of his Will, is
extant, which states that he was "weak of body;" "aged aboute 73 years;" and
that his Will was executed the "eight and twentieth feb.r. ano dominy 1689-90."
An Inventory of his Estate, in which he is described as "late deceased," was
taken on the 18th of March in the same year;
I, Thomas Bennidick of Norwalk, in ye County of Fairfield, in ye Colony of
Conecticut, aged aboute 73 years, being weak of body, yet of perfect mind and
memory, do make and declare this as my last Will and Testament.
Imprimis. I do commend my Soule into ye hands of my gracious God yt hath
made it, and do give my body to ye Earth from whence it was, to be decently
buried, in hope of a happy and gracious Resurrection at ye last day; As for my
temporall Estate, I do despose of as followeth:
I do will and bequeath to my loueing wife Mary Bennidick my whole Estate,
house and households, Lands, Cattle--to use and despose according to ye
controll and advice she, with my overseers afterwards mentioned, shall judg[e]
most [ ] during ye Time of her naturall Life, and after ye decease of ye said
Mary, my wife, I do will and bequeath to my Sonn, Daniell Bennidick, my
dwelling house barne and houseing, orchard and four ewes--ye whole of my
homested--to be to him and his heirs, to have and to howld, forever.
I do will and bequeath my Sonn, John Bennedick, my calve pasture Lot--he [to]
pay to my grandchild Thomas Slauson, ye Son of my daughter, Elizabeth
Slasson, ye sum of ten pounds--which I give him as a legacy in time convenient.
I do also give to my said Son, John Bennedick one third part of my Sticky plaine
Lott, which is half broken up. I also bequeath to him yt part of salt meadow lying
be ye bridge at ye Indian Feild. Also, unto him, I bequeath eight acres of upland
laid out above ye Long Swamp beyond ye New feild--All these lands to be to
him and his heirs forever.
I do will and bequeath to my son, James Benedick, my Long Lot of Salt
Medow--over ye River--lying between Keloge and Bets--I do also bequeath to
ye said James, my son, half my fruitefull Spring Lot--yt Lyeth sideing by ye
medow, provided ye said James shall pay to my Grandchild Elizabeth Slausson,
ye sum of five pounds, in time convenient, the afforesaid Land to be James and
his heirs forever.
I do will and bequeath to my grand child Thomas Benedick, one 3d part of my
Sticky plaine Lot which he hath in part improued and is in part unbroken. I also,
bequeath to ye sd Thomas, my second division of medow called
Mamathemans--the lands to be to him and his heirs forever.
I do will and bequeath to my Grandchild Samuell Benedict, ye other half of my
fruitfull Spring Lot lying next to Nathaniel [ ] I do also bequeath to ye sd
Samuell, a small parcel of medow which is salt--[ ] Kelloggs Swamp rung through
--also one 3d part of my sticky plaine Lot on ye [side] I have broken up. I do
also bequeath to my sd grand child Samuel, half my comonage which is 50
pounds; and the other half I do give to my grandchild John Bennedick ye eldest
son of my son John Bennedick. I also will and bequeath to my Grandchild
Samuell Bennedick my ould Horse and one yearling Calf. I do also bequeath to
ye sd Samuell, my Carts and Iron plows and chains and irons belonging to plow
and cart. Also ye bed and bedsted--yt in ye chamber with what belongs to
it--leauving it to his Grandmother and ye overseers to give him of ye moveables
what they can spare, provided he carry and behauve himself dutefully and
louvingly towards his Grandmother--so doing, I do, also, will and bequeath to
ye sd Samuell half of my sheep.
I do will and bequeath to Joanna Bennedick, One Cow, one half of my
sheep--the trukle bedstead wth ye bed thereupon and the furniture of it, and
what else of household her Grandmother shall bestow on her, provided she liue
with her and be tender of her while she shall continue in this world.
As for my Out Lands, undesposed of, it is my will that my Son James and
Daniell diuide ye Upland between them equally except ye peace of boggy
medow which I will to be equally divided between my son James and grandchild
Samuell Benedick.
I do will and bequeath to my daughter Rebecka Wood [the] mare yt is now
running in ye wood; and I leauve it to my wife to give to my Daughter Sarah and
Rebecka what of ye moveables she shall see meet and can spare.
I do will and bequeath to my Grand child Mary Olmsted, a legacy of twenty
shillings; I also give to Hannah Benedick, my grand child, ten shillings the
[same] to be paid out of ye estate after my decease.
Finally it is my will and I do hereby appoint my Son John and my Son Samll
Bennedick to be joynt overseers of this my last will and testiment--willing these
my loueing sons to be carefull of their Mothers comfortable liueing and to
councell her in ye ordering her affairs and desposall of goods; and to see
carefully to ye payment of all lawfull debts.
In confirmation of ye premises of this my will and Testiment, I do set my hand
and seal this eight and twentieth febt Ano dominy 1689-90.
[Signed] THOS BENEDICK, Senr.
Signed and Sealed in presents of us,
Thomas Hanford
John Platt, Jr.
Memorand: in ye twentieth line Elizabeth is bloted out and Mary put in ye
Marjent accordin to ye will of ye testator--ye name mistake [n] by the writer
THOS. HANFORD.
An Inventory of the Estate of Thomas Benedick Senr of Norwalk, late deceased,
taken this 18. of March 1689 or 90.
Imprimis: ?. s. d.
The Homested and Buildings 40. 00. 0.
Item in Lands 150. " "
" " Neat Cattle 30. " "
" " Horss Kinde 05. " "
" " Beding and furniture 17. 04. 0.
" " Table linen and Napkins 01. 02. "
" " Wearing Cloathes 04. 06. "
" " Bedsteds, Chests and boxes 02. 12. "
" " Iron Kettle and pott 01. 03. "
" " Pewter, brass Earthenware and Woodenware 03. 15. "
" " Several iron things 04. 18. "
" " Carts and wheels and Irons belonging to them 03. 10. "
" " Knailes and other Small things 01. 12. "
" " Plogh and Graine 8. 14. "
" " Arms and Ammunission 02. 13. "
" " Saddle, bridle and Sundry small things 06. " "
" " 5 Small Swine 02. 10. "
the total 285. 09. 0.
Thomas Benedict, who came over from England to America in 1638, at the age of twenty one, was the first of that name in this country, as in the Benedict Genealogy of 1870 our historian tells us. He was the son of William Benedict, who had lived in Saxlingham Nethergate, Norfolk, England.
Who was his mother? In Water's "Genealogical Gleanings in England," (p. 1047) there is printed the Will of Henry Hunlock of Wingerworth, Derbyshire; it is dated July 13, 1610, and was probated for record February 16, 1612.
In it Hunlock bequeaths "to my loving son, William Benedeke, forth shillings to buy him a ring for remembrance, and to my daughter, Ann Benedeke, twenty pounds at one and twenty years of age."
Derbyshire is a county adjacent to Nottinghamshire and Wingerworth is but a few miles from Nottingham, where William Benedict lived; and these bequests, in connection with the dates of the birth and emigration of Thomas, supported by the testimony of the wife of Thomas, given on page 2 of the Benedict Genealogy, seem to warrant the conclusion that the mother of Thomas was Ann Hunlock of Wingerworth, that his father, William, married her before July 13, 1610, that she was not of age then, nor before 1612, and therefore was not twenty eight years old when Thomas was born in 1617. No record was found by our historian of the name of the mother of William or of his grandmother; so that Ann Hunlock Benedict is the earliest ancestress of the name yet known.
The Hunlocks, or Hunlokes, were an old family in Derbyshire. Ann's father, Henry, was sheriff of the county and in attendance upon King James First during his royal progress through that county; the date and place of his burial has not been ascertained, but on a slab in front of the altar in Wingerworth Church is inscribed in Latin the following:
(translated)
Henry Hunloke son of Henry
Buried 17th day of August, A. D. 1624
Henry Hunloke, Knight(Miles) and Baronet son of the above named Henry
Buried 12th day of January, 1647
Evidently the Henry first interred there could not have been Ann's father whose will was recorded in 1612; but as Wingerworth Hall is known to have been the family estate for mare than 300 years it is a fair assumption that he was Ann's elder brother, who succeeded his father. If so the second Henry there interred was Ann Hunlock's nephew; according to historical statements he was knighted by King Charles First on the battlefield of Edgehill in 1642 and afterwards made baronet. A portrait hangs in the picture gallery at Wingerworth Hall inscribed "Sir Henry Hunlock ae. 21, 1639." If this is a portrait of the baronet who died in 1647, he was born in 1618, and was a cousin of Ann Hunlock Benedict's son Thomas. There is also in the picture gallery at Wingerworth Hall a portrait inscribed "Ann Hunloke," but the date on it is later than 1610, and the portrait is that of a woman who was not born at that date.
The facts and dates above given were some of them obtained by the late Robert D. Benedict, of Brooklyn, N. V., and others by a member of his family in 1905, by visits to Nottingham and Wingerworth, and while they may be thought not conclusive, yet they seem sufficient to warrant the above assumptions based on them as not unfounded. The probability of their correctness is certainly very strong. As the family line has not been traced back in England, except by the tradition noted in the Genealogy, to identify either the grandmother or great grandmother of Thomas Benedict, Ann Hunlock Benedict is our first English ancestress yet known.
Thomas and Mary arrived in Massachusetts in 1638 where they were married. They soon moved to Southold, Long Island where all their children were born - Thomas, John, Samuel, James, Daniel, Betty. Mary. Sarah, Rebecca. Then they moved to Huntington, where they stayed for several years. After 1656, they moved to Jamaica, NY where their son Thomas married Mary Messenger.
In 1664. when the Dutch Governor, Peter Stuyvesant captitualed to the English Governor, Col. Richard Nichols, the English settlers on Long Isand, then considered part of Conn., began extending their settlements. Thomas Benedict and others made application to Nichols to settle a plantation in New Jersey near the present Elizabethtown. Later that year, Thomas was one of two delegates chosen to represent Jamaica in the first English legislative body convened in New York to settle the many grievances of the English settlers.
One year later, in 1665, Thomas and his family moved to Norwalk, CT. He was immediately chosen town clerk and selectman, posts he held for many years. In the 1800's his records in his handwriting were still preserve and legible. He was made Deacon of the church until his death in 1690. His wife survived him to live to the age of 100.