NOTE: This family page is my attempt to try to make sense of the information about the family of Abraham Bennett & Silence Hickox that is on the internet. Please contact me if you have copies of documentation for this family as I would like very much to post them with the information below.
Abraham Bennett Sr
was born on June 26, 1715 in Ridgfield, Fairfield, Connecticut. He was the son
of James Bennett & Deborah Adams.
Silence Hickox was born on September
19, 1713 in Waterbury, New Haven, Connecticut. She was the daughter of Samuel
Hickox & Elizabeth Plumb
THE FAMILY OF ABRAHAM BENNETT SR & SILENCE HICKOX
 | Abraham Bennett Sr & Silence Hickox | Abraham Bennett Sr &
Silence Hickox were married on March 12, 1737 in Ridgefield or Waterbury Connecticut.
They had at least 5 children. An account posted by Jean Kay Morse on 02/14/04
on a website for the Painted Hills Genealogy Society states; "Abraham's father
(Abraham Bennett Sr) sold his land in Ridgefield, Fairfield Co CT (when??) &
took his family across the Hudson River. By 1775 he & Abraham Jr were living
in the town of Warwick, Orange Co NY after temporary locations in NJ & in
the part of northern Pennsylvania to which the Colony of Connecticut then laid
claim." Abraham Sr and Jr both served in the Revolutionary War as a Privates
in Col. John Hawthorn's Orange Co., NY militia, 4th regiment. Abraham Bennett
Sr died in 1777 in Warwick, Orange Co., NY. I'm not sure when Silence Hickox Bennett
died. It was sometime after the birth of her last child in 1747. Notes for Abraham Bennett Sr Notes for Silence Hickox |
The Children of Abraham Bennett & Silence Hickox:
| Benjamin Bennett | Benjamin Bennett was born in 1741 in Connecticut.
Benjamin married Mary Springsteen about 1761, and they had at least 5 children.
In the 1770's, Benjamin Bennett served as a private in Colonel Tusten's regiment
of the Goshen (Orange Co., NY) militia in the Revolutionary War. Benjamin Bennett
was killed in the battle of Minisink, July 22, 1779, along with his commander,
and his name is on a monument in the churchyard at Goshen, New York that was erected
by the inhabitants of Orange county, July 22 1822. It states "Sacred to the
memory of Forty-four of their Fellow Citizens who fell at the Battle of Minisink,
July 22, 1779" Notes for Benjamin Bennett |
| Abraham Bennett Jr | Abraham Bennett Jr was born about April 1742
in Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., CT. Abraham married Jerusha Wanzer in
1770 in CT, NJ, PA or NY. Abraham's brother Nathaniel married Jerusha's sister
Mercy in 1772.) An account posted by Jean Kay Morse on 02/14/04 on a website for
the Painted Hills Genealogy Society states; "Abraham's father (Abraham Bennett
Sr) sold his land in Ridgefield, Fairfield Co CT (when??) & took his family
across the Hudson River. By 1775 he & Abraham Jr were living in the town of
Warwick, Orange Co NY after temporary locations in NJ & in the part of northern
Pennsylvania to which the Colony of Connecticut then laid claim." The same
account states that Abraham & Jerusha were married in 1770 in Warwick, Orange
Co., NY, but as it also says they settled there "by" 1775. I'm not sure
if they were in New York in 1770 - their first son Jacob was born in 1772, and
all census records I have found for him (or his children where they list birthplace
of father) say that Jacob was born in New Jersey. Abraham & Jerusha had at
least 12 children. (When Abraham died his probate papers state that Jerusha was
left with 12 children, but census records indicate that they may have had as many
as 15.) Abraham & his father both served in the Revolutionary War in the same
military company. The family is listed on the 1790 census of Warwick, Orange Co.,
NY. Abraham Bennett Jr died in 1795, in Goshen, Orange Co., NY. (There
are some online trees that list his death date as 1789, but I think that is incorrect.
Abraham is still listed as a head of household on the 1790 census and the 1800
census shows several children under age 10 in the household of his widow Jerusha.
Also his will was probated September 14, 1795 in Goshen, NY Libre B, pg 961).
Jerusha is listed as the head of household on the 1800 census of Warwick, Orange
Co., NY. Jerusha moved to Big Flats, Tioga Co., NY in 1801, and she bought land
from James & Hannah Rockwell in 1805. According to the account posted by Jean
K. Morse, Jerusha bought land for each of her children as they came of age, and
then lived with each for awhile. Several of her sons settled and farmed in Chemung
& Steuben Co., NY. Jerusha is listed as head of household on the 1810 census
of Elmira, Tioga Co., NY. Mrs. Jerusha Bennett is listed as a head of household
on the 1820 census of Howard, Steuben Co., NY, living near the households of her
married children Daniel N., Jacob & Benjamin Bennett & Jerusha Sabins.
(The part of Tioga County contaning Elmira & Big Flats became Chemung County
in 1836). Jerusha Wanzer Bennett died on October 10, 1839 in Big Flats, Chemung
Co., NY. Abraham & Jerusha's grandson John
Brees later married Mary Ann Moore, who was a g-granddaughter of Abraham's
sister Hannah Bennett Rockwell. The Family of Abraham Bennett & Jerusha Wanzer Notes for Abraham Bennett |
| Justus Bennett | Justus Bennett was born in 1744, probably in Connecticut.
Justus married Nancy about 1766 in Warwick, Orange Co., NY and they had
8 children. History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler Counties, 1879, p
678, "About 1800, Gershom, Justus, and Thadeus Bennett, and brothers Abram
and Justus Bennett, Jr., sons of Justus from Orange County, NY, came here and
settled on both sides of the creek between two lakes. They took up a large tract
of land, some 800 acres, which included the site of Weston village. They were
the first to make any permanent improvement and open cultivated farms. They brought
in horses, farming implements, etc... Their families remained here until about
1835, when they all removed to Michigan. Abram lived to be over one hundred years
of age; his brother Justus is still living there, aged about ninety years."
Justus Bennett (Sr) died on January 30, 1821 in Weston Village, Schyler Co., NY.
Nancy died on October 5, 1821. Justus & Nancy are both buried in the Weston
("Frank Woods Farm") Cemetery, Tyrone, Schuyler Co., NY. Notes for Justus Bennett |
| Mitchell Bennett | Mitchell Bennett was born about 1746. Mitchell Bennett died in 1809. |
| Nathaniel Bennett | Nathaniel Bennett was born about 1747 in Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., CT. Nathaniel married Mercy Wanzer in 1772 in Fairfield, CT. (Mercy's sister Jerusha had married Nathaniel's brother Abraham in 1770.) |
Others who have been posted on trees as children of Abraham Bennett & Jerusha Wanzer:
| Hannah
Bennett | Hannah Bennett was born about 1740 in probably
Connecticut. Hannah married Jonathan Rockwell on January 1, 1760 in
Ridgefield, CT, and they had 7 children. The family moved to Orange county, NY
just prior to the American Revolution. Jonathan supposedly worked in Newburg and
later lived on a farm in Warwick township.When the war broke out Jonathan, being
a member of the militia, was called into service. He was a private in the 4th
Regiment under Col. John Hawthorne (spelled Hathorn in other records). His service
is accepted by the D.A.R. (#116302; #127548; #368970). In September 1775, Jonathan
was listed on the assessment rolls of Warwick Twp., Goshen, NY in District #2.
The family is listed on the 1790 census of Warwick, Orange Co., NY. In about 1791
the family moved to the area of Tioga Co., NY that became later became Chemung
Co., NY. In 1794 Jonathan was listed as a taxpayer in Newtown (now Elmira) NY.
On August 02, 1794, Jonathan and Hannah Rockwell received by letter of dismissal
from the Warwick Church in Orange Co.., NY and joined the Wellsburg (or Chemung)
Baptist Church. Their names are mentioned many times in the minutes of church
meetings from 1797 to 1807. The family is listed on the 1800 census of Newtown,
Tioga Co., NY. In the 1810 Federal census, Jonathan and Hannah are apparently
living with their son William. Hannah Bennett Rockwell died in 1819 in Elmira,
Chemung Co., NY. Jonathan died in 1820, sometime after March 1820 when he
and 'personally appeared' to sign a land deed. Jonathan Rockwell died in 1820
in Big Flats, Chemung Co., NY. Hannah's g-granddaughter Mary Ann Moore later married
John Brees, who was a grandson of Abraham
Bennett Jr. Abraham Bennett Jr. was either Hannah's brother or her first cousin.
The Family of Jonathan Rockwell & Hannah Bennett Notes for Hannah Bennett Rockwell NOTE: HANNAH BENNETT ROCKWELL MAY BE A CHILD OF EPHRAIM BENNETT & HANNAH BENEDICT - Ephraim was a brother of Abraham Bennett Sr who married Silence Hickox. |
| Thaddeus Bennett | Thaddeus Bennett was born about 1750. Thaddeus married
Bathsheba Eunice Bentley at Goshen, NY. History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins
and Schuyler Counties, 1879, p 678, "About 1800, Gershom, Justus, and Thadeus
Bennett, and brothers Abram and Justus Bennett, Jr., sons of Justus from Orange
County, NY, came here and settled on both sides of the creek between two lakes.
They took up a large tract of land, some 800 acres, which included the site of
Weston village. They were the first to make any permanent improvement and open
cultivated farms. They brought in horses, farming implements, etc... Their families
remained here until about 1835, when they all removed to Michigan. Abram lived
to be over one hundred years of age; his brother Justus is still living there,
aged about ninety years." Thaddeus is listed as a head of household on the
1800 census of Weston, Schuyler Co., NY. Eunice Bentley Bennett died in 1810 in
Wayne, Steuben Co., NY. Thaddeus Bennett died in 1834 in Scioto, OH. Notes for Thaddeus Bennett |
| Gershom Bennett | Gershom Bennett was born on November 20, 1765 in Warwick, Orange Co., NY. History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler Counties, 1879, p 678, "About 1800, Gershom, Justus, and Thadeus Bennett, and brothers Abram and Justus Bennett, Jr., sons of Justus from Orange County, NY, came here and settled on both sides of the creek between two lakes. They took up a large tract of land, some 800 acres, which included the site of Weston village. They were the first to make any permanent improvement and open cultivated farms. They brought in horses, farming implements, etc... Their families remained here until about 1835, when they all removed to Michigan. Abram lived to be over one hundred years of age; his brother Justus is still living there, aged about ninety years." Gershom Bennett married Mrs. Mary D.Bennett after 1800 in Warwick, Orange Co., NY. Gershom married Margaret. Gershom married second Anna Coryell. Gershom died |
| Thomas Bennett | Thomas Bennett was born on July 9, 1768 in Orange
Co., NY. Thomas married Sarah. Thomas is listed as head of household on the 1840
census of Starkey, Yates Co., NY. Charity died on March 13, 1845 in Starkey, Yates
Co., NY, and Thomas was married second to Sarah. They are listed on the1850 census
of Starkey, Yates Co., NY. In 1850, Thomas was age 82 & Sarah was age 63.
Thomas Bennett died on January 7, 1860 in Starkey, Yates Co., NY. |
