Brian Cartwright's western Pennsylvania families Entries: 51709    Updated: Sat Dec 14 02:03:24 2002    Contact: Brian L. Cartwright: [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Index | Descendancy | Register | Add Post-em ------------------------------------------------------------------------ * ID: I156382 * Name: Henry BENN * Given Name: Henry * Surname: Benn * Sex: M * Birth: Abt 1730 in Delaware * Death: Y * Note: Benn Genealogy http://linnie.rootsweb.com/henbenn.htm Henry Benn, Sr. Fact and Fancy (This is a typewritten translation of a document prepared b y Caroline MONKS more than 30 years ago. As far as I know , it was never published and is not covered by copyright. I f it is, please send information to Linnie Howell, [email protected] bronline.com and the information will be removed.) "The facts are records; the fancy is my interpretation of t hem. It is true that genealogists must search for facts, bu t an active imagination is invaluable in suggesting where t o look. The Public Archives Commission for the state of Delaware i s located in Dover, the state capital. Dover is also the co unty seat of Kent County; Wilmington, the county seat of Ne w Castle County. Henry Benn, Sr.'s oldest known child, Rebecca, was born Apr il 16, 1756, in Appoquinimink Hundred, New Castle County, D elaware. (Memorial to her in the Methodist Magazine for 182 6 - Vol. 9 - Page 116.) This fact provided a starting poin t for my search, but the results were disappointing. Only a few old tax lists for Appoquinimink Hundred may be f ound in the Hall of Records in Dover; the earliest one is f or the year 1777. These lists show the following: 1777: Henry Benn John Benn Thomas Benn 1778: Henry Benn Jn. Benn Thomas Benn 1778: Henry Benn John Benn Thomas Benn Benj. Benn Aug 1779 Henry Benn John Benn Thomas Benn Benjamin Benn Nov 1779 Henry Benn John Benn Thomas Benn Benjamin Benn Feb 1880 Henry Ben John Benn Thomas Benn Benjamin Benn Nov 1780 John Benn Henry Benn Thomas Benn Benjamin Benn For the years 1781 - 1784 I obtained my information in a le tter from the Delaware State Archivist. I had asked only ab out Henry and John, and therefore he did not include data c oncerning the others. 1781 John Benn Henry Benn 1782 No List 1783 John Benn Henry Benn 1784 John Benn 1785 Thomas Benn and Benjamin Benn. There is a record in the Archives which shows that a Thoma s Benn secured a warrant survey for land in Appoquinimink H undred in 1740. Two deeds are recorded in the courthouse at Wilmington by w hich a Thomas Benn sold land. Book N Vol. I Page 284 - 1741 Thomas Benn and wife sold to Robert McMurphy Book W. Vol. I Page 429 - 1768 Thomas Benn and wife sold to Joseph Harris. Since Henry Benn's daughter, Rebecca, was born in 1756, h e must have been born prior to 1740. He may have been the s on of this Thomas. Perhaps the John, Thomas, and Benjamin who were taxed in Ap poquinimink Hundred with Henry were his brothers. It seem s that before 1785 Henry and John left Delaware, whereas Be njamin and Thomas remained. The 1790 census for Pennsylvania shows that at that time a John Benn lived in Northumberland County. 1790 - Northumberland County, Pennsylvania John Benn 1 male over 16 2 males under 16 2 females He was not there in 1800 and I know nothing more of him. Estates for Thomas Benn (October 27, 1806), Benjamin Benn ( February 20, 1809)Benjamin's wife Hannah (June 12, 1811), a nd a Richard Benn (December 22, 1809) were probated. These records are in the courthouse in Wilmington. Henry Benn's daughter Rebecca married Robert Pennington abo ut 1774. Their only child, Henry, was born February 19, 177 5. Both Henry Benn and Robert Pennington signed the oath of al legiance in Delaware August 8, 1778. A copy of this paper w ith their actual signatures was sent to me by a descendan t of Robert and Rebecca (Benn) Pennington, Mrs. Mary Tricke l, 2010 Third Street, Baker, Oregon, 97814. She obtained i t from the Hall of Records, Public Archives Commission, Gen eral Reference #160, Dover, Delaware. I regard this as one of my most valuable papers. I have never discovered Henry Benn's immigrant ancestor, bu t according to tradition in my family he came from London . I am convinced that the Benns were English. I do not know when Henry Benn, Sr., was born, nor who his p arents were. He was probably married in New Castle County , Delaware, about 1755. I do not know his wife's maiden nam e. He was last taxed in Delaware in 1783. In 1785 he was a res ident of Potter's Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylv ania. (P.A. - Series III - Vol. 19 - Page 631) I do not know why the Benns and Penningtons decided to move to Northumberland County, but if they had planned to liv e there someday they probably would not have left Delaware before 1784 because of the unsettled condition of the cou ntry. The Treaty of Paris ending the Revolutionary War wa s signed on September 3, 1783. While the war was in progres s, there was much fighting in southeastern Pennsylvania an d Delaware. Traveling would have been difficult. The last treaty with the Indians, signed at Fort Stanwix, N ew York, conveyed to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania all t he residue of the Indian Lands within the limits of the sta te. The deed was signed October 23, 1784. Thus Pennsylvania acquired the northwestern third of its te rritory, and, except for the Erie triangle, its boundarie s became much as they are today. Prior to this treaty, Northumberland County had been adjace nt to Indian lands and had suffered terribly from frequen t Indian raids and massacres. In fact, William Monks, who s erved in the Pennsylvania militia under General James Potte r, in the battles around Philadelphia in the fall of 1777an d in an outpost of Valley Forge during the winter, returne d to Potter's township in the spring of 1778, when Genera l Potter and his men were sent home to protect the inhabita nts from Indian attacks. For the duration of the war, Willi am was a member of Robinson's Rangers - a band of Indian fi ghters. However, by 1784 the countryside had become quiet, and th e Benns and Penningtons did move to Potter's township in Pe nn Valley. At that time this was in Northumberland County . Subsequently it was in Mifflin County, and finally in Cen tre County. It was a sparsely settled wilderness. About 1775 this family had been converted to Methodism, an d Mr. Pennington had become a Methodist minister. In additi on to developing "plantations" as farms were called in thos e days, they planned to establish a Methodist church were R ev. Pennington would preach the gospel according to the ten ets of their faith. The notes entered at the * below are quoted from the origia nl transcription of this document. Children of Henry Benn SR Name Born Married Benn, Rebecca 1756 Robert Pennington BENN, Henry Jr. 1763 Lydia BENN, Rachel 1770 William MONKS BENN, Female 1765-74 Job COLBERT BENN, Jonathan 1779 Elizabeth WILKINS BENN, Samuel 1784/1790 BENN, Female 1784-1790 BENN, Female 1784-1790 *Much evidence exists to substantiate the fact that the fir st five named above were brothers and sisters and childre n of Henry BENN, Sr. I am equally convinced that Samuel wa s another son. Although I have little proof, I do believe t hat these daughters (the last two) did exist, and I shall g ive my reasons later. What members of Henry Benn's family moved to Northumberlan d County about 1784? There were Henry Benn, Sr.,, his wife, Robert and Rebecca ( Benn) PENNINGTON and their son Henry, born in 1775, Rachel , a younger daughter (later Mrs. Job COLBERT,) Jonathan, an d probably a newly born child - either Samuel or a daughter . The family may have delayed their departure until after t he birth of this child. Henry Benn, Jr., did not go to Pennsylvania at this time. H e first appeared on a tax list for Potter's Township, Miffl in County, as an additional resident in 1790. Northumberland County Tax Lists Potter's Township: 1785 - Henry Benn 100 acres 2 horses 2 cattle - tax 7.6 1786 - April 26 Henry Benn 100 acres 1 horse - 2 cattle Valuation 38 pounds State Tax 6s 9d County Tax 2s 6d 1787 - February 15 Henry Ben - 100 acres - 2 horses - 2 cows 1788 Henry Benn - 100 acres - 2 horses - 2 cows Valuation 54 L State Tax 9s County Tax 4s 6d Mifflin County Tax Lists 1789 - Henry Benn 150 acres, 2 horses, 2 cattle Valuation: 72 L State Tax 10s 8d County Tax 5s 4d 1790 - Additional Residents: Henry Benn, Jr. - 150 acres, 2 horses, 2 cattle 1792 - Henry Benn - 300 acres, 2 horses, 2 cows Henry Benn - 200 acres, 2 horses, 2 cows 1790 Census Record: 1790 - Mifflin County - not south of the Juniata Henry Benn, Sr.: 2 males over 16 2 males under 16 5 females It is obvious that the 1790 census provides very little inf ormation. Although it tells how many people lived in the ho usehold of Henry Benn, we cannot assume that all of them we re members of one family unit. In this case, I am convince d that William and Rachel (Benn) Monks, their daughter Eliz abeth, and perhaps a second daughter Mary lived with Henr y Benn. Why do I believe this? Except for the months in late 1777 and early 1778 which Wil liam spent fighting near Philadelphia with General Potter , he had lived in Potter's township since 1775. In 1786 h e married Rachel Benn and a daughter Elizabeth was born t o them in December 1786. In 1790 he should have been liste d as head of a family, but he was not. He had no relative s of his own in Mifflin County. Where could he have been? T here is only one logical place - with his father-in-law. By 1798 he was established in a home of his own and he wa s listed as the head of a family in the 1800 census. It is my firm belief that in the above record the two male s over 16 were Henry Benn, Sr., and William Monks, and th e two males under 16 were Jonathan and Samuel Benn. The problem is to determine who the five females were. I ca n suggest two solutions, the first of which I personally re ject. The five females could have been: Rachel Monks Elizabeth Monks - 3 years old Mary Monks - under 1 year Female Benn - who later married Job Colbert Mrs. Henry Benn, Sr. My reason for rejecting this theory is that the 1800 censu s shows 4 females between the ages of 10 and 16 in the fami ly of William Monks. These girls were born between 1784 an d 1790. Only 2 of them, Elizabeth and Mary, belonged to Wil liam and Rachel. Who were the other two? I believe that the y were younger sisters of Rachel. If this is true, the fiv e females in Henry Benn's family in 1790 may have ben: Rachel Monks Elizabeth Monks Female Benn - who later married Job Colbert 2 younger sisters born between 1784 and 1790 This would mean that Mrs. Henry Benn, Sr., was no longer li ving, and would explain why Rachel, as the oldest daughte r except Mrs. Rebecca Pennington, who was established in he r own home, was needed in her father's home as housekeepe r and substitute mother for the younger children. It also m eans that Rachel was probably pregnant at the time and tha t her daughter Mary was born after the census was taken i n 1790. A special direct tax recorded October 1, 1798, for Potter' s township, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania shows both Henry B enn, Sr., and Henry Benn, Jr., as residents of the township. Occupant - Henry Benn; reputed owner - Thomas Hastings 1 house - $30 100 acres - 650 Occupant - Henry Benn, Jr. Reputed owner - James Potter 1 house - $15 200 acres $1831 Sometime between this date and 1800, Henry left Mifflin cou nty, taking his two young sons with him. By this time one d aughter had married Job Colbert; William and Rachel had a h ome of their own. Henry apparently left his two youngest da ughters with them, at least until he was settled elsewhere. I have searched the 1800 census records for Centre, Armstro ng, Allegheny, and Westmoreland Counties, Pennsylvania, bu t did not find him. However, on June 20, 1801, he witnessed the will of Thoma s Wilkins in Derry Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylva nia. Henry's son Jonathan had recently married Elizabeth Wi lkins, Thomas' daughter. (Note: the actual signature of Hen ry Benn as a witness to this will is the same as the signat ure on the Oath of Allegiance paper signed in Delaware 23 y ears earlier.) Westmoreland County Tax Lists I could not find tax lists for Derry Township in 1802 or 18 03, but I did find one for 1804. 1804 - Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Derry Township Henry Benn - 1 horse "gone"1 cow Jonathan Benn - ? When the Benns left Westmoreland County, they went to Crawf ord County, Pennsylvania, where they joined Mr. and Mrs. Jo b Colbert. Both Henry and Jonathan are listed as heads of f amilies in Wayne Township, Crawford County, in 1810. A youn g man 16-28, living with Jonathan's family was almost certa inly Samuel. 1810 Census Record: Crawford County, Pennsylvania, Wayne Township: Henry Benn 1 male 19 - 16 1 male over 45 1 female 16 - 26 1 female over 45 I do not know who the 10-16 year old male could have been , but the 16-26 year old female may have been one of the da ughters who in 1800 was living with William and Rachel in C entre County. The other daughter was no doubt married. The female over 45 may have been the first Mrs. Henry Benn , Sr., but it is my belief that when Henry left Centre Coun ty he was a widower, and therefore, must have married again . If so, the young male may have been his son by a former m arriage. Henry Benn's name appears on Crawford County Tax lists unti l 1813, at which time he would have been in his middle 70's . He probably died in Wayne Township about that time." Crawford County Tax Lists: Mead Township 1808 - Henry Benn - 2 cows - $18 - Tax .11 1809 - Henry Benn - 2 cows - $18.- Tax .09 Wayne Township: 1810 - Henry Benn - 1 horse $35; 2 cows $18 - Tax .21 1811 - Henry Benn - 1 horse $30; 1 cow $10 - Tax .21 1812 - Henry Benn - 1 horse $30; 1 cow $10 - Tax .20 1813 - Henery Benn - 1 horse $30; 1 cow $10 - Tax .14 PENN'S VALLEY In an article entitled "Centennial of the Introduction of M ethodism into Centre County, Pa." held in Bellefonte M.E. C hurch July 10 1867, there is a brief description of the vie w from the Pennington cemetery. This gives a good picture o f Penn's Valley, the home of the Penningtons, and for a whi le, also of the Benn and Monks families. Page 28: The graveyard lies on the base of Nittany mountain, and bey ond it west and east extend the valley, one of the finest r ural landscapes the eye need rest upon. To the east in th e distance is the graceful contour of woods that marks th e end of Brush Mountain, dividing Penn's from Brush Valley . To the south is the grand amphitheatre formed by Egg hill , the Seven mountains, and Tussey; and to the west as far a s the eye can reach Penn's Valley wends away toward the Jun iata." * Change Date: 2 Oct 2002 at 03:56 Marriage 1 Spouse Unknown * Change Date: 1 Oct 2002 Children 1. Rebecca BENN b: 16 Apr 1756 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Calendar of Kent County Delaware Probate Records 1680 - 1800 page 305 Benn, James.Admin. of, to Sarah Benn & John Ralston. Oct. 7, 1776. Reg. of Wills, Liber L, folio 181. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Calendar of Delaware Wills, New Castle County, 1682-1800 name title Benn A Calendar of Delaware Wills, New Castle County 1682-1800 state city initial page Delaware New Castle Co. Wills 142 ----------------------------------------------------------- Delaware Governor's Register 1674-1851, Volume I 1803 May 23 - This day the Governor appointed and commissioned...George Benn, Ensign, of the 6th Company of the 3rd Regiment. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- On Sunday, December 15, 2002, at 08:46 PM, Paul Leiberton wrote: > Henry Benn married Mary ?. In Appoquinimink Hundred on tax lists 1777- > 1783 from whence he moved to Centre Co, PA. Daughter Rachel born in > Delaware. Another daughter Rebecca b 16 Apr 1756 and married Robert > Pennington in Delaware or MD. Henry may have married a Huff. > > Anyone researching this famiy or have information? > > Paul > > >