596327

[3162.ftw]

[Brøderbund WFT Vol. 1, Ed. 1, Tree #3162, Date of Import: Dec 5, 1998]

from BENJAMIN GENEALOGY :
James and family moved to Worthington, MA from Preston, CT before 1764. Priscilla was a member of the church at Worthington that organized 1April1771 , with the following members: Samuel Converse, Priscilla Benjamin , Israel Holton , James Bemis , Jonathan Huntington, and Benjamin Bigelow. James paid for wood to burn oyster shells for the purpose of obtaining lime to use in plaster necessary to complete thr church. When anyone journeyed from Worthington to Boston, it was prefaced by the prayers of the church and the safe return of the person who hazarded it, was the cause of thanksgiving and public rejoicing.
By order of the General Court on June 2, 1762, 9 plantations were sold at auction. In 1768, a bill was passed creating this area to be Worthington, County of Hampshire. The larger part of the inhabitants came from CT. Early residents were : Samuel Clapp , Benjamin Bigelow, Davis Converse, Daniel Gates, Asa Burton, Stephen Converse , James Benjamin, Thomas Kinne, and Beriah Curtis.
Seventy-one men from Worthington and Ashfield marched to Cambridge immediately after Lexington. Supposedly no town in the country was more drained of men, money, and materials than Worthington during the Rev. War.
James is listed in the Hampden Co. Deeds Book 8 p.756 and 757 in land transactions with John Worthington.
James died intestate and administration of his estate is bound in Box 13:45 with the widow as administrator and bonds given by Nathan Leonard, Joseph Marsh, and Priscilla Benjamin. He owed money to Chester and Isaac Benjamin. In 1774 Samuel Clapp, " Administratoe with ye late widow of said dec'd prays allowance, etc." . James estate was valued at abo8ut 479 pounds.
On 17NOv1773, Asa, James, and Roger chose Samuel Clapp as their guardian. In different handwriting is added Priscilla , Lydia,,Selah Bernard, Keziah, Eli and Delight Skiff( John her husband) . Samuel Clapp and Elisha Benjamin of Worthington and Joseph Billings of Hatfield put up the bond for the guardian.
The children were all baptised after James had died, and were named as children of the Widow Benjamin.
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Resources of above: Manuscript of THE BENJAMIN FAMILY, Edith Benjamin : Wilson Papers ; LINEAGE OF MY CHILDREN, Keogh, 1926; Research of Mrs. John W. Keller of Litiz,Pa.; Hale Coll. of CT Church Records; Barbour Coll. of CT vital records; records of Mrs. Ella Sprague of Grand Island,Neb.
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