John Bennett (1786-1837)

John Bennett was born on 04 Apr 1786 in Orange, New York, as the seventh child of Abraham Bennett Jr. and Jerusha Wanzer. He had ten siblings, namely: Rhoda, Jacob, Benjamin, Abraham III, Comfort, Mary, Deborah, Nancy, Daniel Niles, and Jerusha.

John Bennett’s birth came just a few years after the end of the Revolutionary War. His parents had settled in Orange County, New York.

John’s father, a Revolutionary War veteran, died in 1795 when John was only about nine-years old. His mother raised the children and took care of the farm at Warwick, Orange, New York. She was even found listed in tax records. In 1805, she bought property in Elmira, Chemung, New York. At the time, the land was in Tioga County, but the county boundaries later changed and the property then fell into Chemung county.

When he was 21, John Bennett married Sarah Rockwell, daughter of Jonathan Rockwell and Hannah Bennett, about 1808. She was called Sally. John and Sally were cousins.

John Bennett and Sally Rockwell had the following children:

1. Comfort Bennett was born on 18 May 1810 in Tioga, New York. He died on 07 Aug 1844 in Big Flats, Chemung, New York.
2. Jerusha Bennett was born about 1811 in New York. She married Edmund Brace on 15 Feb 1826 in Big Flats, Chemung, New York. She died on 10 Nov 1849 in Kendall, Illinois.
3. Deborah Bennett was born in 1815 in New York. She married Phillip J. Reser. She died before 1870.
4. Thomas Bennett was born 22 May 1815 in New York. He married Sibil Spencer (or Sexton) in 1836. He died 04 Aug 1881.
5. Josiah Bennett was born in Jun 1820 in New York. He married Harriet Edminster. He died after 1880 in New York.
6. Hannah Bennett was born on 15 Mar 1823 in New York. She married Henry M. Delaney about 1838. She died after 1900 in Wisconsin.
7. Elias Bennett was born about 1827 in Chemung, New York. He married Sarah A. _____. He died on 23 Mar 1908 in Bloomfield, Essex, New Jersey.
8. Miles Covell Bennett was born about 1830 in Chemung, New York. He married Mary _____. He died on 27 Apr 1906 in Big Flats, Chemung, New York.

In addition, John raised Milla Atwood. Milla was Sally’s daughter from her first marriage.

In 1810, John’s widowed mother sold him property at Elmira, Chemung, New York. The 50-acre property was in the town of Elmira. The purchase price was $350. This was half of the lot that Jerusha had purchased back in 1805

This Indenture made the fifth day of February one thousand eight hundred and 10 between Jerusha Bennett of the town of Elmira in the county of Tioga and the State of New York of the one part and John Bennett of the town County and State aforesaid of the other part…

– New York Land Records.

Elmira, New York

John and Sally Bennett farmed and raised their family at Big Flats, Chemung, New York.

John Bennett died on 08 Feb 1837 in Big Flats, Chemung, New York, at the age of 50.

He was buried in 1837 in Pioneer Cemetery, Big Flats, Chemung, New York.

John Bennett signed his will on 03 Feb 1835 in Big Flats, Chemung, New York. His estate was probated on 10 Mar 1837 in Chemung, New York.

John had a lot of property to distribute and he tried to take care of his widow and all of his children. The children ranged in age from about seven-years old to about 27-years old. He remembered his step-daughter as well. As a summary, his heirs were:

• Sarah Rockwell Bennett, his widow.
• Deborah Bennett Reser, his daughter.
• Hannah Bennett, his daughter.
• Milla Atwood, his step-daughter.
• Miles Covell Bennett, his youngest son.
• Josiah Bennett, his son.
• Comfort Bennett, his son.
• Thomas Bennett, his son.
• Elias Bennett, his son.
• Jerusha Brace, his daughter.

He named his brother Comfort Bennett as one of his executors.

His property included:

• his home farm containing about 200-acres of land
• his Schofield farm containing about 127-acres of land
• his Fry farm
• his Atwood and Moody lot containing about 200-acres
• an undivided lot that he owned with his brother Comfort Bennett containing about 100 1/2-acres of land
• the farm known as the Stewart & Meddaugh lot containing about 114-acres of land
• a lot of land in the village of Horseheads

In the name of God Amen – I John Bennett Farmer do make and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following.

First – I resign my soul into the house of God Almighty who gave it, hoping and believing in a redemption of my sins by the merits & meditations of Jesus Christ and my Body I commit to the Earth to be buried at the discretion of my Executors herein afternamed, and my Worldly Estate I give and devise as follows, viz – First I give and devise to my beloved wife Sarah Bennett all my personal property consisting of goods & chattels & all debts due and demands of whatsoever name or nature, whether in note bond mortgage judgments or book accounts, after paying my just debts & paying to my daughter Deborah Reser or her heirs the sum of one hundred & fifty dollars, & also to my daughter Hannah Bennett the like sum of one hundred & fifty dollars, to her or her heirs and also to the daughter of my wife, Milla Atwood, the some of two hundred & fifty dollars, and also to Horace Pound the sum of fifty dollars (as due to him on the Atwood Farm, by will of his grandfather Benjamin Atwood) to be paid as follows viz – that within six months after my decease pay to the said Milla Atwood two hundred & fifty dollars, & one hundred and fifty dollars, at the same time to Deborah Reser, and one hundred & fifty dollars to Hannah when she becomes of age or is married & the fifty dollars to Horace Pound when he becomes of age & Also I give & devise to my wife Sarah the full use of the farm on which I now live containing about two hundred acres of land together with all the house, barns & out houses & on said premises & also the farm known as the Schofield farm containing about one hundred & twenty seven acres of land for her own use & benefit, so long as she shall remain my widow & the one hundred acres on which I new live, being the west half of the two hundred acres I give and desire to my youngest son Miles Covile Bennite, after my wife shall have don with it as above directed and the other one hundred acres, being the East part of the homestead I give and desire to my son Josiah Bennett in like manner as aforesaid I also give and devise to my son Comfort Bennett & my daughter Hannah Bennett my ____ half of the farm known as the Fry farm (it is now owned by my brother Comfort and myself) to be divided as follows vis – that my daughter Hannah shall have ten acres more land in the division than my son Comfort. Also I give and devise to my two sons Thomas Bennett & Elias Bennitte the farm on which Joseph Parke now lives, containing about two hundred acres & known as the Atwood & Moody lot, to be divided as follows viz equally divided & Thomas to have the south half & Elias the north & the said Joseph Parke is to use & tile the same & deliver one third of the products of said land to my widow until Thomas arrives at age. Also I give and devise to my same two sons, Thomas & Elias my undivided half of a lot of one hundred & four & half acres, owned by my brother Comfort & my self & joining the Schofield lot to be equally divided & each one to pay to my daughter Jerusha Brace the sum herein after named, viz, Thomas Bennett to pay one hundred & fifty dollars, all of which shall be paid to the said Jerusha, her heirs or assigns before the first day of May One thousand Eight hundred & forty. Also I give & devise to my daughter Deborah Reser her heirs or assigns the farm known as the Stewart & Meddaugh lot containing about one hundred and fourteen acres of land. Also I give and devise to my son Comfort Bennett his heirs or assigns a certain lot of land at the village of Horseheads which I purchased of Stoddard Conkling. Also I give and devise to my son Thomas his heirs or assigns the Schofield farm above named when my widow shall have don with it as above directed & the said Thomas shall pay to Milla Atwood Comfort Bennitte (my son) Jerusha Brace Deborah Reser Elias Bennett Joseph Bennette or their ___ heirs or assigns the sum of fifty dollars each to be paid by commencing with the oldest & paying fifty dollars within one year after the said Thomas arrives of age & so continuing to pay until all are paid fifty dollars each & I do hereby declare that my intent & meaning in bequeathing & devising my estate to the said Milla Atwood Comfort Bennett (my son) Jerusha Brace Deborah Reser Thomas Bennete Elias Bennitte Josiah Bennitte Hannay Bennitt & Miles Covell Bennite is to their heirs or assigns as the __ may have after demand to authorise them to despose of or convey the same property as they may think fit & proper to my intention is to have my widow pay to Deborah Reser & Hannah Bennitt in personal property such as she may think they need as an outfitt for housekeeping.

And I do hereby appoint my true and trusty friends Comfort Bennett and Frederick Woolcote my Executors & Sarah Bennite my Executrix to my last will & testament in witness whereunto I have set my hand & seal this 8th day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & thirty five.

– Last Will and Testament of John Bennett

Where is he in the tree?

Selected Sources:

John Bennett ( https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/26122166 : accessed 13 Mar 2019). Citation: Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 13 March 2019), memorial page for John Bennett (4 Apr 1786–8 Feb 1837), Find A Grave Memorial no. 26122166, citing Pioneer Cemetery, Big Flats, Chemung County, New York, USA ; Maintained by Frank K. (contributor 46941322). The photograph contributor wrote, “The photographs that I post to Find A Grave may be saved and used in any fashion you deem appropriate.”

Selected Sources

Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Bennett, Abraham Jr, Ancestor #: A009166; Service: New York; Rank: Private; Service Description: 1) Col John Hathorn, 4th Regt, Orange Co Militia ( dar.org : accessed 31 Mar 2019).

Tioga, Chemung, New York, “New York Land Records, 1630-1975,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WN-P6ZS?cc=2078654&wc=M7H1-6P8%3A358135001%2C358884601 : 22 May 2014), Chemung > Deeds (Tioga county) 1807-1812 vol 3 > image 383 of 605; county courthouses, New York.; digital images, LDS, FamilySearch (FamilySearch.og).

Ancestral Lines of Chester Everts Howell, 1867-1949, Jesse Howell Finch, pp. 22-30; online images, Archive.Org (https://archive.org/details/AncestralLinesOfChesterEvertsHowell1867-1949OfElmiraNewYorkUsa).

“New York Probate Records, 1629-1971,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YCC-1DH?cc=1920234&wc=Q7P8-829%3A213303501%2C213303502 : 28 May 2014), Chemung > Decrees, Minutes, Orders 1836-1854 vol 1-2 > image 30 of 604; county courthouses, New York.

“New York Probate Records, 1629-1971,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YC9-YPT?cc=1920234&wc=Q7P7-ZNP%3A213303501%2C219514201 : 28 May 2014), Chemung > Wills 1836-1849 vol 1-2 > images 38-41 of 605; county courthouses, New York.