BAKER FAMILY HISTORY AND GENEALOGY

 

THE DESCENDANTS OF WILLIAM BENNETT 

 

GENERATION 2 Cont.

         

ABOUT WILLIAM'S CHILDREN:

 

Samuel Bennett shown as deceased on the 1803 tax roll, whose land was assessed to Anthony.  Letters of administration on his estate were issued to Anthony Bennett on 17 Nov. 1803; bondsmen were Anthony and Henry Bennett and Moses Scott.  The appointment of Anthony as administrator suggests that he was closely related to Samuel.  Deed records provide confirmation.

 

David McKee and Anthony Bennett, from Susquehanna County, moved to Crawford County in 1798, the former near Espyville, the latter farther north.   Anthony, Henry, and Samuel had settled in a part of Conneaut Twp., which was attached to Shenango Twp in 1804, and to North Shenango Twp in 1829; Robert located a short distance south along the eventual boundary between North and South Shenango Townships.  The process of land acquisition there was governed by a 1792 statute, which provided for the purchase of a warrant, i.e., an order to have a tract of land surveyed.  Once the survey was completed, and certain settlement conditions had been met, the Commonwealth granted a deed (the "patent") to the purchaser.  By the time the Bennetts arrived, most of the land had already been surveyed on warrants taken out by the Pennsylvania Population and North American Land Companies.  Anthony had settled upon what was numbered Tract 42 on the latter's registers (warranted in the name of Thomas Sinn), Henry on tract 46 (John Sinn, warrantee).  The North American Land Company later disbanded, and its 625 warrants in northwestern PA, were assigned to Stephen Barlow and Henry Baldwin (later Justice Baldwin of the U.S. Supreme Court, and builder of the Baldwin-Reynolds House in Meadville).

 In May of 1817, Baldwin and Barlow reached an agreement with the Bennetts and several other Shenango Twp., residents who had "adverse to the original warrantee, taken possession" of the surveyed tracts.  In return for their "settlement residence and improvements" the settlers were to receive, gratis, 150 acres from the tract each had settled.  Baldwin and Barlow would purchase the patents, and could sell the residue of the tracts free from the settlers' claims of adverse possession.  Some of the patents were obtained as early as Oct. 1817.  In June of 1818, Baldwin and Barlow deed Henry Bennett about 305 acres from Tract 46 for $389.15; 150 acres were for his settlement and the additional land was sold to him for two and a half dollars an acre.  Anthony Bennett was similarly conveyed about 170 acres from Tract 42 in 1822 for $60.43.

 

 

 

SAMUEL BENNETT'S HEIRS

 

Other land titles were more complicated.  In drafting the 1817 agreement, to indicate which tract had been settled, the name of the original warrantee (rather than the tract number) was listed opposite the settler's name.  "Thomas Sinn" thus appears opposite the name of Anthony Bennett, and "John Sinn" opposite Henry.  Matthew Gamble was also a party to the agreement, and opposite his name is that of Joseph Sherrett.  The tract warranted in the name of Joseph Sherrett was numbered 45, adjoining Henry Bennett's land.  Isaac Wright Collins also had some claim to this property, for on the same day he executed the agreement with Baldwin and Barlow, he gave a "Deed of Release" quitclaiming to Matthew Gamble all of his interest in the tract "warranted in the name of Joseph Serritt."  This was recited to be "the same tract of land on which the said Matthew Gamble now lives." 

 

Some of the settlers, such as Henry Bennett, had previously had their tracts re-surveyed on new warrants.  Tract 45, where Matthew lived, had again been warranted on 4 April 1804 in the name of "Anthony Bennett Adm. In trust for the heirs of Samuel Bennett dec.  The Bennett interests there also needed to be extinguished if Matthew was to obtain clear title.  On 26 June 1817, a month after execution of the Baldwin and Barlow agreement, Matthew Gamble was deeded this 400 acres by Robert Bennett, Anthony Bennett, Henry Bennett, Isaac Wright Collins and Margaret Collin, his wife, and James Mason, all of Crawford County.  The deed recites that the land had been "warranted in the name of Joseph Sherrit, settled by Samuel Bennett, and by said Samuel surveyed on a vacating warrant, and at his death descended to us by heirship, the said Samuel having died intestate, we being the heirs at law of the said Samuel."  Gamble had probably been paying the taxes on Tract 45 since at least 1813, when Anthony was no longer assessed as agent for the heirs of Samuel Bennett.

 

How were the grantors Samuel's heirs at law"?  They were not his children, since he had been assessed as single only sixteen years earlier.  Under Pennsylvania intestacy laws at the time, the real estate of a man who died without issue went to his siblings, with his widow receiving a life estate in one-half of the property.  If he was unmarried, his land went to his parents (if they survived him) during their lifetimes, then to his siblings or to their issue by representation.  The three Bennetts, the Collins’, and James Mason were all roughly the same age, and evidently Samuel's contemporaries, hence they had to have been his siblings, or their spouses.  This confirms the assertion in the county history that Anthony and Henry had been brothers.  It also agrees with a biographical sketch of Robert B. Collins (1825-1892), which states that his mother, Margarey, "was a daughter of William Bennett and sister of Robert, Anthony and Henry Bennett, who were among the first settlers of North and South Shenango Twp.  James Mason's wife Margery had died the previous year, and adding her to the list of siblings explains why Anthony Bennett is referred to as James's brother-in-law in a descendants' account.  This Samuel Bennett had thus been the brother of Robert, Anthony, Henry, Margaret, and Margery.  Other deeds suggest that there were also two other sisters.

 

The 1817 deed was not recorded until 1828, after the death of the grantee, Matthew Gamble.  Matthew, who had served as Constable of Shenango Twp. (as well as owning a distillery), testified in February of 1822 that he had been assaulted there in the execution of his duties.  His exact date of death is unknown, but it occurred by the following January (as a result of his injuries?)  Anthony Bennett, and Thomas Elliott, James Mason and Robert McKee served as additional bondsmen.  Baldwin and Barlow finally obtained the patent to Tract 45 in 1825, and on 31 October 1827, deeded part of the tract "warranted to Joseph Sherrit" to the unnamed "heirs and legal representatives of Matthew Gamble, late of the township of Shenango, County of Crawford, Pennsylvania, dec'd.  The purchase price for this 161 acres was stated to be $300.  . . . .

 

 

ELIZABETH GILLILAN'S [GUILLAND] HEIRS

 

On the same day that Baldwin and Barlow conveyed land to Matthew Gamble's heirs, they also deeded an adjoining nine acres from the same 400-acre tract to "Elizabeth Gilliland wife of Hugh Gulliland, of Coniatt twp, of Crawford County, Pennsylvania, late Elizabeth Bennett."  The Gillilands lived in that part of Summerhill Twp., which in 1843 became Summit Twp/, but Hugh continued to be taxed on this 9 ˝ acres in South Shenango Twp, until his death in 1848.  In 1849 and 1850, the 9 ˝ acres were assessed to Gilliland, Elizabeth (heirs).  Elizabeth was still alive in 1847, when she signed a deed, so evidently she died shortly before or after Hugh.  In 1851,"one half of the undivided…nine acres" which had belonged to Elizabeth Gilliland were sold to John Collins by Henry Bennett, Anthony Bennett, and Margaret Collins of North Shenango Twp.  Henry, Anthony, and Margaret were thus three of Elizabeth's heirs.  As for the other half-interest, four and a half acres purportedly belonging to Elizabeth Gilliland were sold to the same John P. Collins at a tax sale held in 1852.

 

Only if Elizabeth had died without surviving issue could the three Bennett siblings have been her heirs.  Her husband, however, was survived by several children, as shown by deeds acknowledged 25 October 1848 in which "Hugh Gillilands"s heirs" divided up his land in Summit Twp.  Consequently, Hugh must have had a previous wife.  This leaves open the possibility that Elizabeth had been Matthew Gamble's widow, since Hugh's youngest known child (by that previous wife) was born about the time of Matthew's death.

 

 

ELIZABETH BRIDGENS'S HEIRS

 

On the same day in 1827 when Baldwin and Barlow conveyed land to Matthew Gamble's heirs and Elizabeth Gilliland, they sold another adjoining nine acre parcel from Tract 45 to the "heirs or legal representatives of Nancy Bridgen's, dec'd, late Nancy Bennett, of Shenango twp., Crawford County, Pennsylvania."  This land was thereafter assessed in the name of Bridgens' Heirs, sometimes with Anthony Bennett as agent.  It was finally sold to John P. Collins at the same tax sale at which he bought Elizabeth Gilliland's acreage.

 

Nothing more concerning Nancy (Bennett) Bridgens has been discovered in Shenango Twp.  A Bridgens family reportedly settled in the vicinity of YoungWomanstown, where the Bennetts originated, and a Robert Bridgens's household follows that of William Bennett in the 1790 census returns for Northumberland County.  No other Brigden is in fact listed in federal census returns for Pennsylvania from 1790 to 1810.  A Robert Brigden, Esq., born at YoungWomanstown in 1796, named his (eldest?) daughter Nancy.  Considering William Bennett's advanced age at death, it may be significant that this Robert's biography notes that he "belonged to a family of old settlers, nearly all of whom lived to reach an age far beyond the usual number of years accorded to men."

 

Nancy Bridgens was thus almost certainly another of the Bennett siblings, married before the others moved to Crawford County.  She left descendants, and her heirs were evidently allotted part of the tract settled by Samuel Bennett - of whom they were also heirs - because they had not quit-claimed their interest to Matthew Gamble.  Nancy's descendants also account for the other half interest in Elizabeth Gilliland's land: In 1851, Robert Bennett and Margery (Bennett) Mason had living children and other descendants.  Henry, Anthony, and Margaret were thus able to convey only a one-half (three-sixths) interest in Elizabeth's estate because their three deceased siblings - Nancy, Robert , and Margery - each had surviving issue, entitled to their respective one-sixth share.

 

 

 

 

THE OTHER CHILDREN

The published Bennett account included three additional, elder sons of William named William (Jr.), James, and John.  Their placement here appears to be based solely upon their appearance in tax rolls for Northumberland County to the dating from 1778 and 1785. 

Finally, we must dispose of William's alleged son Samuel Bennett who died 15 May 1874, late of South Shenango Twp.  His tombstone in the South Shenango Cemetery reportedly give his age as 67 years and 4 months, placing the date of his birth in about January of 1807.  This is consistent with his age as given in every census: between 30 and 39 in 1840, 45 (or 43? in 1850, 53 in 1860, and 63 in 1870.  It also explains why he does not appear on the tax rolls until 1830.  His true identity is suggested by the Bennett article, which notes that Robert Bennett (ca 1774-1842) had a son Samuel who was devised part of his father's real estate, and who was mentioned in his brother William's 1854 will.  This Samuel is placed in Robert's family between daughters born in 1805 and 1809 - suggesting that he was born in 1807.  The 1874 county directory, under South Shenango Twp., notes that Samuel Bennett was occupying his father Robert's land; and indeed, the 1865 county map shows "S. Bennett" in the part of Tract 58 where Robert's farm was located.  The Samuel who died in 1874 divided his land between his eldest son Robert and his second son James D. Bennett.  When James sold his inheritance in 1876, it was a part of Tract 58 which had been deeded to Robert Bennett.  James, in other words, was selling land devised to him in 1874 by his father Samuel, land which Samuel had been devised in 1842 by his father Robert.  The Samuel who died in 1874 was thus Robert's and not William's son.

Source: "Crawford County Genealogy" (Aug. 1998) p 132-142

 

The Crawford Weekly Messenger: 25 March 1812 reported his death having "lately" occurred.  He left no probate record identifying his family.

 

Historical accounts of the Bennett family appear in the "Gazetteer of Townships" section of the 1874 county directory.

 

Dale Collins sent me this information about Shenango: Crawford Co. erected 1800 with Shenango Twp.  In 1830 Shenango split into North and South Shenango. 

 

 

Children of WILLIAM BENNETT and ANN are:

              i.   JOHN BENNETT.

 

Notes for JOHN BENNETT:

Single in 1786.

 

A John Bennett ran the first stage line from Franklin to Meadville.  It ran weekly; fare was a half a dollar per trip. 

 

              ii.   WILLIAM BENNETT, b. Abt. 1770.

 

Notes for WILLIAM BENNETT:

William stayed in Northumberland Co. (Northumberland Co.  Letters of Administration Book 5, p. 534 or 543:  William A. Bennett, Dec. 6, 1868 to Oct. 4, 1871 for Mary T. Bennett; $5000.)

Single in 1786.

I think he was most likely to have been the oldest son being named after his father and grandfather.

He was probably dead by Nov. 1803 as Anthony not he was administrator of Samuel's estate.  As the older brother he would probably have been named the administrator, Anthony and Henry along with a Moses Scott were bondsmen for the estate.

 

More About WILLIAM BENNETT:

May 01, 1778, Taxed Bald Eagle twp. Northumberland Co., PA.

1785, might be the Wm. Single freeman Bedford Co., Archives p 85

 

3.          iii.   NANCY BENNETT, b. Abt. 1772.

4.          iv.   ROBERT S. BENNETT, b. 1773.

5.           v.   COL. ANTHONY BENNETT, b. March 30, 1777.

6.          vi.   HENRY BENNETT, b. Abt. 1778.

7.         vii.   MARGERY BENNETT, b. Abt. 1783.

           viii.   SAMUEL T. BENNETT, b. January 16, 1783; d. May 15, 1874.

 

Notes for SAMUEL T. BENNETT:

Owned 400 acres of land in No. Shenago Twp., east of brother Henry's and south of the 400 acres of Henry and Elijah Collins.  Original Plots #92.  His will is Reg. WB D, p. 458,11 April 1874.

 

More About SAMUEL T. BENNETT:

Burial: S. Shanango Twp. Cemetery Crawford Co., PA

 

             ix.   ELIZABETH BENNETT, b. Abt. 1784; d. Bet. March 23, 1847 - October 1848; m. HIGH GILLILAND, Bef. 1827, Summerhill Twp., Crawford Co., Pa.

8.          x.   MARGARET BENNETT, b. June 21, 1787, Bald Eagle Twp., Northumberland, Co., PA.

               xi.    JAMES BENNETT.

                   

                    More About JAMES BENNETT:

                     Not proven a son of William Bennett.

 

 Continued

 

 

 

                                                                          

 

 

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