Lydia BENTON

Notes:

Excerpt from "David Benton, Jr. and Sarah Bingham...": Andrew Benton was allotted parcel No. 64 at the apportionment in Nov., 1639, of the land at Milford, Conn., bought from the Indians in Feb. of that year. It contained three acres, and was situated on the west side of half Mile Brook, near the crossing of what is now Spring and Hill Streets, and to this were added several other parcels of ground. He married first, probably in 1649, Hannah, daughter of George Stocking of Hartford, a first settler there in 1636. They united with the church at Milford, he on Mar 5, 1648, and she on Oct 13, 1650, and were dismissed to Hartford, Mar., 1666, whither they had removed as early as 1662. Here he was a fence viewer in 1663 ad 1664, a juror in 1664 and 1667, was a freeman in May, 1665, and a suppressor of "disorders during public worship" (during the Hartford Controversy) and collector of minister's rates in 1667. He separated to the Second Church in Feb., 1670, with his wife, daughter Hannah, and his fathers-in-law, Stocking and Cole. he married second, probably in 1673, Anne, Daughter of John Cole, "a godly man of some public trust." She was the "bewitched maid" on whose account, mainly, Nathaniel Greensmith and his wife were hanged for witchcraft, Jan. 25, 1663. Goffe, the regicide, then in hiding at Milford, writes in his diary, Feb. 24, that after the hanging "the maid was well"; and Cotton Mather's Magnalia, in 1684, says of her that "she is restored to health, united with the church, and living in good repute." She died testate, Apr. 19, 1685, leaving an estate of L60.12.6, to be divided among her three surviving children, of whom Ebenezer given a double portion because of "impotency." Hannah, his first wife, died probably in 1672. he was buried in Center Church Cemetery, and his gravestone, near the wall of the church, reads: "ANDREW BENTON AGED 63 YEARS HE DYED IVLY 31 ANO 1683." His estate, appraised at L345.17.19, was administered by his son Joseph, and distributed, Dec. 18, 1683, to his widow, and children, Andres, Samuel, Joseph, Mary, and Dorothy, by his first wife, and Ebenezer, Lydia, and Hannah, by his second wife.
The homestead, formerly owned by Nathaniel Greensmith, was at the junction of the roads leading to Wethersfield and Farmington, and on the west side of the present Wethersfield Avenue. At the death of the widow, it became the property of his son Joseph Benton, who sold it in June, 1693. He owned several other parcels of land, one of which in the "Five Mile Lay Out" in East Hartford, was distributed to his eight surviving children, Mar. 24, 1689.

Andrew married Anne COLE in 1673. Anne died on 19 Apr 1686. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Daughter of John Cole and Anne