Captain Benajah Williams
Son of John Williams & Martha Wheeler---Husband of Deborah Fanning--Parke --Haven't found his burial cemetery.
=================
Joined the Congregrational Church in 27 Aug 1732, Groton.
Captain Benajah Williams was born in 28 Aug 1700, at Stonington, the extreme southeasterly town of the state, in New London County. By 1743 he was at Salisbury, the extreme north westerly town of the state, in Litchfield County, for in that year Timothy Edwards gave a deed in which land is described by reference to the land of 'Capt. Benajah Williams by ye pond'. This is just across the state line from Dutchess County, NY where lay 'Ye Nine Partners and Oblong' in which he and his son Joseph became interested for a time before the latter's Pownal venture. Salisbury became the home of Benajah for a very long period, for, according to the Fanning Genealogy he lived to be 108 years old, having died in 1808. I suspect that he may have died at Pownal when visiting his son Joseph. The published records of Pownal are few.
The greatest advance in genealogical research I ever made was in this orderly rearrangement and compilation of my notes. Since I wrote the proceeding page I have learned a lot of things about Grandpas Benajah and Joseph. The family removed from Stonington before 1740 to Goshen, Litchfield County, CT. That town was established in 1738, and it is not unlikely that they were among the first settlers. It was there, as early as 1740 that he was elected Captain of the local militia company, which, at the start, consisted of forty men. His removal to Salisbury is indicated as to time by the date of his land purchase there. The records show that 7 Feb, 1742/3, he purchased 316 acres lying on the northwesterly side of -
"ye pond called Wonnucopaucock", for which he paid 600 pounds in Bills of Public Credit, Old Tenor. Probably they were at a heavy discount at the time, so the price was not so great as the figures would indicate. Upon it at the time was a dwelling house, and the frame of an (uncompleted?) barn.
In May, 1743, He was one of a committee of five to lease the school lands. This probably means that the State had granted a considerable tract of land to the town for school purposes, probably devoting it in perpetuity to the maintenance of the school. That meant that it could not be sold. But of what use was unsellable wild lands? They solved the problem by leasing it for 999 years. Everybody seems to have taken some of it. Grandpa Benajah paid 17 pounds - 10 - 9 for ten acres. We also find a number of references to him on the records, showing him in minor civic capacities, on jury, witness, member of a freeholder's court to settle a boundary dispute, etc. but all in l743 and 1744.
What became of him in 1745? He seems to have dropped out of sight. Fanning Genealogy, without citing its authority, states that "Benajah and Deborah were resident at Crum Elbow, Dutchess Co. N.Y. in 1751". That was in the district known as "ye Nine Partners and the Oblong", where his son Joseph's two first children were born in June 1749 and August 1750. Down to the date of this writing that is actually all that I know of their New York activities. My hunch now is that it was not Grandpa Joseph but Benajah his father who responsible for that venture. One would think that they had land enough at Salisbury to keep them fully employed, but in that day it was a ceaseless search for better land. New England is all a stony country except the coast, and that is sandy. Only little patches of plow land except in the narrow valleys of the streams. It is no simple task to judge land when it has over it a layer of leaf mould and a deep coating of unrotted leaves.
In Connecticut Historical Records, vol. IX, p. 197, it is recorded, "Marched to the relief of Fort William-Henry in ye alarm of August last, "1756--- In the list of names which follow we find---
Benajah Williams
Joseph William
Benajah Williams
Jed Williams
Upon this occasion everybody was late. Moncalm struck quick, and found the garrison wholly unprepared. It was probably all over before they started. It is not unlikely that "Jed" should read "Jeb" for Jabez, second son of Benajah. Their service was for fifteen days, however, so they must have made the trip to the fort at least. There were so many Josephs who served at about this time that it would be presumptuous to claim others of the name, although it is not impossible that some of the references were to our Joseph. Neither is it impossible that some of the "Benjs" on the rolls were our Benajah, but it would be better to overlook a credit mark that he earned than to claim for him one that he didn't earn.
(The Williams Family Genealogy - Albert L Williams)
Son of John Williams & Martha Wheeler---Husband of Deborah Fanning--Parke --Haven't found his burial cemetery.
=================
Joined the Congregrational Church in 27 Aug 1732, Groton.
Captain Benajah Williams was born in 28 Aug 1700, at Stonington, the extreme southeasterly town of the state, in New London County. By 1743 he was at Salisbury, the extreme north westerly town of the state, in Litchfield County, for in that year Timothy Edwards gave a deed in which land is described by reference to the land of 'Capt. Benajah Williams by ye pond'. This is just across the state line from Dutchess County, NY where lay 'Ye Nine Partners and Oblong' in which he and his son Joseph became interested for a time before the latter's Pownal venture. Salisbury became the home of Benajah for a very long period, for, according to the Fanning Genealogy he lived to be 108 years old, having died in 1808. I suspect that he may have died at Pownal when visiting his son Joseph. The published records of Pownal are few.
The greatest advance in genealogical research I ever made was in this orderly rearrangement and compilation of my notes. Since I wrote the proceeding page I have learned a lot of things about Grandpas Benajah and Joseph. The family removed from Stonington before 1740 to Goshen, Litchfield County, CT. That town was established in 1738, and it is not unlikely that they were among the first settlers. It was there, as early as 1740 that he was elected Captain of the local militia company, which, at the start, consisted of forty men. His removal to Salisbury is indicated as to time by the date of his land purchase there. The records show that 7 Feb, 1742/3, he purchased 316 acres lying on the northwesterly side of -
"ye pond called Wonnucopaucock", for which he paid 600 pounds in Bills of Public Credit, Old Tenor. Probably they were at a heavy discount at the time, so the price was not so great as the figures would indicate. Upon it at the time was a dwelling house, and the frame of an (uncompleted?) barn.
In May, 1743, He was one of a committee of five to lease the school lands. This probably means that the State had granted a considerable tract of land to the town for school purposes, probably devoting it in perpetuity to the maintenance of the school. That meant that it could not be sold. But of what use was unsellable wild lands? They solved the problem by leasing it for 999 years. Everybody seems to have taken some of it. Grandpa Benajah paid 17 pounds - 10 - 9 for ten acres. We also find a number of references to him on the records, showing him in minor civic capacities, on jury, witness, member of a freeholder's court to settle a boundary dispute, etc. but all in l743 and 1744.
What became of him in 1745? He seems to have dropped out of sight. Fanning Genealogy, without citing its authority, states that "Benajah and Deborah were resident at Crum Elbow, Dutchess Co. N.Y. in 1751". That was in the district known as "ye Nine Partners and the Oblong", where his son Joseph's two first children were born in June 1749 and August 1750. Down to the date of this writing that is actually all that I know of their New York activities. My hunch now is that it was not Grandpa Joseph but Benajah his father who responsible for that venture. One would think that they had land enough at Salisbury to keep them fully employed, but in that day it was a ceaseless search for better land. New England is all a stony country except the coast, and that is sandy. Only little patches of plow land except in the narrow valleys of the streams. It is no simple task to judge land when it has over it a layer of leaf mould and a deep coating of unrotted leaves.
In Connecticut Historical Records, vol. IX, p. 197, it is recorded, "Marched to the relief of Fort William-Henry in ye alarm of August last, "1756--- In the list of names which follow we find---
Benajah Williams
Joseph William
Benajah Williams
Jed Williams
Upon this occasion everybody was late. Moncalm struck quick, and found the garrison wholly unprepared. It was probably all over before they started. It is not unlikely that "Jed" should read "Jeb" for Jabez, second son of Benajah. Their service was for fifteen days, however, so they must have made the trip to the fort at least. There were so many Josephs who served at about this time that it would be presumptuous to claim others of the name, although it is not impossible that some of the references were to our Joseph. Neither is it impossible that some of the "Benjs" on the rolls were our Benajah, but it would be better to overlook a credit mark that he earned than to claim for him one that he didn't earn.
(The Williams Family Genealogy - Albert L Williams)
Captain Benajah Williams
Son of John Williams & Martha Wheeler---Husband of Deborah Fanning--Parke --Haven't found his burial cemetery.
=================
Joined the Congregrational Church in 27 Aug 1732, Groton.
Captain Benajah Williams was born in 28 Aug 1700, at Stonington, the extreme southeasterly town of the state, in New London County. By 1743 he was at Salisbury, the extreme north westerly town of the state, in Litchfield County, for in that year Timothy Edwards gave a deed in which land is described by reference to the land of 'Capt. Benajah Williams by ye pond'. This is just across the state line from Dutchess County, NY where lay 'Ye Nine Partners and Oblong' in which he and his son Joseph became interested for a time before the latter's Pownal venture. Salisbury became the home of Benajah for a very long period, for, according to the Fanning Genealogy he lived to be 108 years old, having died in 1808. I suspect that he may have died at Pownal when visiting his son Joseph. The published records of Pownal are few.
The greatest advance in genealogical research I ever made was in this orderly rearrangement and compilation of my notes. Since I wrote the proceeding page I have learned a lot of things about Grandpas Benajah and Joseph. The family removed from Stonington before 1740 to Goshen, Litchfield County, CT. That town was established in 1738, and it is not unlikely that they were among the first settlers. It was there, as early as 1740 that he was elected Captain of the local militia company, which, at the start, consisted of forty men. His removal to Salisbury is indicated as to time by the date of his land purchase there. The records show that 7 Feb, 1742/3, he purchased 316 acres lying on the northwesterly side of -
"ye pond called Wonnucopaucock", for which he paid 600 pounds in Bills of Public Credit, Old Tenor. Probably they were at a heavy discount at the time, so the price was not so great as the figures would indicate. Upon it at the time was a dwelling house, and the frame of an (uncompleted?) barn.
In May, 1743, He was one of a committee of five to lease the school lands. This probably means that the State had granted a considerable tract of land to the town for school purposes, probably devoting it in perpetuity to the maintenance of the school. That meant that it could not be sold. But of what use was unsellable wild lands? They solved the problem by leasing it for 999 years. Everybody seems to have taken some of it. Grandpa Benajah paid 17 pounds - 10 - 9 for ten acres. We also find a number of references to him on the records, showing him in minor civic capacities, on jury, witness, member of a freeholder's court to settle a boundary dispute, etc. but all in l743 and 1744.
What became of him in 1745? He seems to have dropped out of sight. Fanning Genealogy, without citing its authority, states that "Benajah and Deborah were resident at Crum Elbow, Dutchess Co. N.Y. in 1751". That was in the district known as "ye Nine Partners and the Oblong", where his son Joseph's two first children were born in June 1749 and August 1750. Down to the date of this writing that is actually all that I know of their New York activities. My hunch now is that it was not Grandpa Joseph but Benajah his father who responsible for that venture. One would think that they had land enough at Salisbury to keep them fully employed, but in that day it was a ceaseless search for better land. New England is all a stony country except the coast, and that is sandy. Only little patches of plow land except in the narrow valleys of the streams. It is no simple task to judge land when it has over it a layer of leaf mould and a deep coating of unrotted leaves.
In Connecticut Historical Records, vol. IX, p. 197, it is recorded, "Marched to the relief of Fort William-Henry in ye alarm of August last, "1756--- In the list of names which follow we find---
Benajah Williams
Joseph William
Benajah Williams
Jed Williams
Upon this occasion everybody was late. Moncalm struck quick, and found the garrison wholly unprepared. It was probably all over before they started. It is not unlikely that "Jed" should read "Jeb" for Jabez, second son of Benajah. Their service was for fifteen days, however, so they must have made the trip to the fort at least. There were so many Josephs who served at about this time that it would be presumptuous to claim others of the name, although it is not impossible that some of the references were to our Joseph. Neither is it impossible that some of the "Benjs" on the rolls were our Benajah, but it would be better to overlook a credit mark that he earned than to claim for him one that he didn't earn.
(The Williams Family Genealogy - Albert L Williams)
Son of John Williams & Martha Wheeler---Husband of Deborah Fanning--Parke --Haven't found his burial cemetery.
=================
Joined the Congregrational Church in 27 Aug 1732, Groton.
Captain Benajah Williams was born in 28 Aug 1700, at Stonington, the extreme southeasterly town of the state, in New London County. By 1743 he was at Salisbury, the extreme north westerly town of the state, in Litchfield County, for in that year Timothy Edwards gave a deed in which land is described by reference to the land of 'Capt. Benajah Williams by ye pond'. This is just across the state line from Dutchess County, NY where lay 'Ye Nine Partners and Oblong' in which he and his son Joseph became interested for a time before the latter's Pownal venture. Salisbury became the home of Benajah for a very long period, for, according to the Fanning Genealogy he lived to be 108 years old, having died in 1808. I suspect that he may have died at Pownal when visiting his son Joseph. The published records of Pownal are few.
The greatest advance in genealogical research I ever made was in this orderly rearrangement and compilation of my notes. Since I wrote the proceeding page I have learned a lot of things about Grandpas Benajah and Joseph. The family removed from Stonington before 1740 to Goshen, Litchfield County, CT. That town was established in 1738, and it is not unlikely that they were among the first settlers. It was there, as early as 1740 that he was elected Captain of the local militia company, which, at the start, consisted of forty men. His removal to Salisbury is indicated as to time by the date of his land purchase there. The records show that 7 Feb, 1742/3, he purchased 316 acres lying on the northwesterly side of -
"ye pond called Wonnucopaucock", for which he paid 600 pounds in Bills of Public Credit, Old Tenor. Probably they were at a heavy discount at the time, so the price was not so great as the figures would indicate. Upon it at the time was a dwelling house, and the frame of an (uncompleted?) barn.
In May, 1743, He was one of a committee of five to lease the school lands. This probably means that the State had granted a considerable tract of land to the town for school purposes, probably devoting it in perpetuity to the maintenance of the school. That meant that it could not be sold. But of what use was unsellable wild lands? They solved the problem by leasing it for 999 years. Everybody seems to have taken some of it. Grandpa Benajah paid 17 pounds - 10 - 9 for ten acres. We also find a number of references to him on the records, showing him in minor civic capacities, on jury, witness, member of a freeholder's court to settle a boundary dispute, etc. but all in l743 and 1744.
What became of him in 1745? He seems to have dropped out of sight. Fanning Genealogy, without citing its authority, states that "Benajah and Deborah were resident at Crum Elbow, Dutchess Co. N.Y. in 1751". That was in the district known as "ye Nine Partners and the Oblong", where his son Joseph's two first children were born in June 1749 and August 1750. Down to the date of this writing that is actually all that I know of their New York activities. My hunch now is that it was not Grandpa Joseph but Benajah his father who responsible for that venture. One would think that they had land enough at Salisbury to keep them fully employed, but in that day it was a ceaseless search for better land. New England is all a stony country except the coast, and that is sandy. Only little patches of plow land except in the narrow valleys of the streams. It is no simple task to judge land when it has over it a layer of leaf mould and a deep coating of unrotted leaves.
In Connecticut Historical Records, vol. IX, p. 197, it is recorded, "Marched to the relief of Fort William-Henry in ye alarm of August last, "1756--- In the list of names which follow we find---
Benajah Williams
Joseph William
Benajah Williams
Jed Williams
Upon this occasion everybody was late. Moncalm struck quick, and found the garrison wholly unprepared. It was probably all over before they started. It is not unlikely that "Jed" should read "Jeb" for Jabez, second son of Benajah. Their service was for fifteen days, however, so they must have made the trip to the fort at least. There were so many Josephs who served at about this time that it would be presumptuous to claim others of the name, although it is not impossible that some of the references were to our Joseph. Neither is it impossible that some of the "Benjs" on the rolls were our Benajah, but it would be better to overlook a credit mark that he earned than to claim for him one that he didn't earn.
(The Williams Family Genealogy - Albert L Williams)
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