My grandfather's middle name was Benton -- William Benton Beard. He would have been the great grandson of Wade H. Gordon, grandson of Sarah Gordon Bowen, son of Ida Bowen Beard. Coincidence? I think not. It has to be a family name that's been carried forward. Regards, L. Lois Clifton [email protected] wrote: > Ramona, > > I am wondering if our Gordon clans are related. You mentioned that > you have an ancestor named Jesse Benton Gordon. Strangely, that middle name > Benton intrigues me. My original ancestor in this country was James Benton > Gordon, Sr. He came to this country from Co. Donegal, Ireland, along with > two brothers, David and William E. Gordon, about 1820 or so. James Benton > Gordon was born about 1796, William was born in 1802, and the date of Davids > birth is unknown but presumably 1790-1810. > > David was separated from the other two brothers during a shipwreck of > a boat known in their notes as the Floating Sally. David was presumed to > have gone somewhere down south to live while the other two brothers first > settled in the area of Ithica, NY, for one year. Then, they moved to > Smithville, OH, for about ten years. Finally, in 1832 they moved to Morgan > Co., IL. I descend from subsequent families there. > > My curiosity stems from my knowledge that about three subsequent > generations of my Gordon families also had the name Benton either as a first > name or middle name. What it means I dont know, but I imagine it might have > been the maiden name of the mother of J. B., Wm. E. and David. What say you? > > James C. Gordon