Bennett Surname

James Bennett was born circa 1667 in Connecticut. He died after 1699 in Virginia or Maryland.

His origins are unknown, but he may have been the son of James Bennett of New London, Connecticut. He came to Stratfield, Fairfield County, Connecticut, where he married Mary Couch Grumman in the mid-1690’s. James and Mary had three children: Elizabeth, Mary, and Benjamin (see next generation).

James was a shipwright and lived at Stratfield. Unfortunately, in about 1699, James abandoned his wife and children and moved to Virginia or Maryland to be a shipwright and was never heard from again. James and Mary were divorced in 1703. She afterwards remarried to Samuel Jennings.

They had the following children:

1	Elizabeth Bennett was born before May 10, 1696 in Stratfield (now Bridgeport), Fairfield Co., Connecticut.
2	Mary Bennett was born before May 10, 1696 in Stratfield (now Bridgeport), Fairfield Co., Connecticut.
3	Benjamin Bennett

Benjamin Bennett was born probably in early 1697 in Stratfield, Fairfield County, Connecticut. He died in Stratford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.

Father: James Bennett
Mother: Mary Couch

He was baptized at Stratfield on April 4, 1697. In 1699, Benjamin’s father abandoned the family and his parents were divorced and his mother remarried to Samuel Jennings. On January 28, 1724/5 in Stratford, Connecticut, Benjamin was married to Hannah Curtis. Benjamin and Hannah had 10 children: Thaddeus (see next generation), Mary, Hannah, Benjamin, James, Hannah, Sarah, Eunice, Sarah, and Ann. Benjamin died in Stratford, Connecticut at an unknown time.

They had the following children:

1	Thaddeus Bennett
2	Mary Bennett was born before January 1726/7 in Stratford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. She married David Beardsley.
3	Hannah Bennett was born in February 1728/9 in Stratford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut 1. She died circa 1730 in Stratford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.
4	Benjamin Bennett was born before August 1731 in Stratford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.
5	James Bennett was born before April 1734 in Stratford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. She died before 1771.
6	Hannah Bennett was born before February 1736/7 in Stratford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. She died before 1771.
7	Sarah Bennett was born before April 1741 in Stratford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. She died before 1747 in Stratford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.
8	Eunice Bennett was born before April 1745 in Stratford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. She died before 1771.
9	Sarah Bennett was born before September 1747 in Stratford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. She married Solomon Plant.
10	Ann Bennett was born circa 1750 in Stratford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut 1.

Thaddeus Bennett was born on July 4, 1725 in Stratford, Fairfield County, Connecticut ¹. He died on January 21, 1777 in Stratfield (now Bridgeport), Fairfield Co., Connecticut ¹.

Father: Benjamin Bennett
Mother: Hannah Curtis

Thaddeus was a farmer and a shoemaker and lived at Stratfield, Connecticut. He was married there on May 14, 1751 to Elizabeth Wilson. They had 5 children: Thaddeus (see next generation), Joseph, Grizell, Sarah, and Silas. At the outbreak of the American Revolution, Thaddeus enlisted in the Connecticut Militia. He was a Captain in of a train band. In August 1776, he went with his company to New York City to help defend the city against the British. The company suffered considerably, but Thaddeus survived. He returned to his home but died soon after on January 21, 1777, at the age of 51.

They had the following children:

1	Thaddeus Bennett
2	Joseph Wilson Bennett was born circa 1752 in Stratfield (now Bridgeport), Fairfield Co., Connecticut. He died in 1813 in Stratfield (now Bridgeport), Fairfield Co., Connecticut 1. He married Sarah in 1778 1.
3	Grizell Bennett was born on May 25, 1761 in Stratfield (now Bridgeport), Fairfield Co., Connecticut. She died after 1838. She married Iaac Odell on April 25, 1781 1.
4	Sarah Bennett married Nathan Fairchild.
5	Silas Bennett was born circa 1767 in Stratfield (now Bridgeport), Fairfield Co., Connecticut 1. He died on April 24, 1853 in Southford, New Haven Co., Connecticut 1. He is buried in the Southford Cemetery, Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut. He married Betty Ann. (She was born circa 1768 and died on January 25, 1854 in Southford, New Haven Co., Connecticut. She is buried in the Southford Cemetery, Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut.)

4th Generation: Thaddeus Bennett Jr. was born on August 23, 1753 in Stratfield (now Bridgeport), Fairfield Co., Connecticut 1. He died on January 8, 1831 in Newtown, Fairfield Co., Connecticut 1,3,4,5. He is buried in the Berkshire Cemetery, Newtown, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. Father: Thaddeus Bennett Mother: Elizabeth Wilson Most sources indicate that Thaddeus was born on August 23, 1758 3. Different records indicate though that he was baptized on March 17, 1754 in Stratfield, Connecticut. Either the birth date was wrong and he was really born in 1753 (a "3" could easily look like an "8" in written records) or there was another child named Thaddeus who died sometime between 1754-1758. Regardless, Thaddeus spent his youth in the vicinity of Stratfield, Connecticut. During the American Revolution, he served as a private under his father Captain Bennett and Colonels Lewis and Whiting. He married Martha Hall in 1782. It is unclear where Thaddeus and Martha's children were born. The Barbour Collection vital records of Fairfield, Stratford, Weston, Trumbull, Shelton and Newtown do not record their births. In 1789, Thaddeus was listed as living in Weston, Connecticut. They were probably in the part of Weston that became Easton in 1845. In 1790 they were enumerated in the nearby town of Fairfield. In 1800, they were living in Trumbull, a town that had just been carved out of Stratford in 1797. Then in 1810 they were living in Huntington, the town directly east of Trumbull. By 1820, they had moved to the town of Newtown, Connecticut, where they remained. Thaddeus married Martha Hall on February 28, 1782 in Stratford, Fairfield Co., Connecticut 1. She was born on December 3, 1760 in Weston, Fairfield Co., Connecticut 1,3. She died on May 12, 1842 4 in Fairfield Co., Connecticut. She is buried in the Berkshire Cemetery, Newtown, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. Martha "Patty" was the daughter of David Hall and Lydia Wildman. In 1840, when she applied for a pension for her husband's Revolutionary War service, she was a resident of Monroe, Connecticut. She was probably living with one of her children there.

1	David Bennett was born on January 20, 1783 3 in Fairfield Co., Connecticut. He died on August 8, 1868 in Westford, Windham Co., Connecticut 3. He married first Aner Minerva Smith in 1805 or 1806. (She died circa 1831 in Connecticut.) They had the following children: Smith Bennett (1807-1875) md. 1st. Mary Ann Voss md. 2nd. Electa M. Snow md. 3rd Susan Snow md. 4th. Caroline Vorce Mary Ann Bennett (1811-1829) William Henry Bennett (1824-1900) md. Emily Melissa Healey Minerva Smith Bennett (1825-1868) md. John Randolph Andrus Loomis G. Bennett (1831-1878) He married second Clarissa Farnham on February 26, 1832 in Ashford, Windham Co., Connecticut. (She was born on November 21, 1793 in Ashford, Windham Co., Connecticut and died on January 6, 1869 in Westford, Windham Co., Connecticut.) They had two children: Farnham Orris Bennett (1833-1899) md. Romelia Parsons Maurice Boardman Bennett (1837-1894) md. Mary Elizabeth French
2	George Bennett was born on July 15, 1785 3 in Fairfield Co., Connecticut. He died on March 16, 1866 in Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut 6. He is buried in the Brookside Cemetery, Quaker Farms, Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut. He married first Sarah Beardsley on October 6, 1811 in Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut. (She was born circa 1788 6 and died on June 16, 1818 in Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut 6. She is buried in the Brookside Cemetery, Quaker Farms, Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut.) They probably had two children: unknown female Bennett (c. 1815-aft. 1840) unknown female Bennett (c. 1817-aft. 1840) He married second Lemira sometime between 1818-1820 in Connecticut. (She was born circa 1790 6 and died on December 28, 1841 in Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut 6. She is buried in the Brookside Cemetery, Quaker Farms, Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut.) They had probably two children: Mary Bennett (1822-1823) unknown male Bennett (c. 1824-aft. 1840) George was a resident of Newtown, CT when he married Sarah in Oxford in 1811. They apparently settled in Oxford immediately afterwards In 1860, he was working as a syth maker. Only the name of his daughter Mary is found in burial records. The other (possible) three children were extrapolated from early census records.
3	Elijah Bennett was born on June 25, 1787 3 in Fairfield Co., Connecticut. He died on September 26, 1836 3.
4	Betsy Bennett
5	Thaddeus Bennett was born on October 17, 1790 3 in Fairfield Co., Connecticut. We can find no further information on this person. He may have been the Thaddeus Bennett who married Deborah (maiden name possibly Lewis) probably in the 1820's and had one known daughter: Harriet. This Thaddeus apparently died in Fairfield, CT sometime during the 1840's. His daughter Harriet married John Buckingham and lived in Fairfield.
6	Lydia Bennett was born on July 30, 1794 3 in Fairfield Co., Connecticut. She was probably the Lydia Bennett who married Eli Gould Morris on March 21, 1821 in Newtown, Connecticut. They remained in Newtown, where they had three children: Eli James, Luzon Burritt and Martha J. Morris. Eli (Sr.) died in 1856 and Lydia died in 1879. According to that family history though, that Lydia Bennett was born on June 4, 1793.
7	Eli Bennett was born on June 30, 1799 3 in Fairfield Co., Connecticut. He died after 1870 in Neversink, Sullivan Co., New York. He married Sally Bennett on January 12, 1823 in Newtown, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. (She was born circa 1797 in Connecticut and died after 1870 in Neversink, Sullivan Co., New York.) They had at least the following children: Eli H. Bennett (c. 1824-aft. 1870) Almira Ann Bennett (1827-1909) md. Robert Thompson Maney Anna M. Bennett (c. 1834-aft. 1850) The IGI suggests that Eli Bennett was married to Deborah Carr and lived in NY, yet that couple was from a different generation.
8	Minerva Smith was born on January 13, 1802 3 in Fairfield Co., Connecticut. She died on December 28, 1823 in Newtown, Fairfield Co., Connecticut 3.
9	Wildman Bennett was born on July 20, 1804 3 in Fairfield Co., Connecticut. He died on July 13, 1871 in Bronson, Branch Co., Michigan. He married Anna Nichols in March 12, 1826 in Monroe, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. (She was born circa 1807 in Connecticut and died after 1870 in Bronson, Branch Co., Michigan.) They had the following children: Charles Nichols Bennett (c. 1827-aft. 1880) Eli G. Bennett (c. 1829-aft. 1880) md. Minerva C. Sherman James Uriah Bennett (c. 1831-1881) md. Emma E. Kimball Minerva Bennett (c. 1833-1855) Abel B. Bennett (1833-1905) md. Mary A. Dryer Lydia Bennett (1837-1906) md. Nathan Roberts David C. Bennett (c. 1839-???) Spencer Elijah Bennett (1840-1905) md. 1st. Helen md. 2nd. Adelaide M. Van Vorst Betsy T. Bennett (c. 1842-???)

Betsy Bennett was born on March 7, 1789 ³ in Fairfield County, Connecticut. She died on February 27, 1842 in Williams Twp., Sangamon Co., Illinois ². She is buried in the Fancy Creek Cemetery, Fancy Creek Twp., Sangamon Co., Illinois.

Father: Thaddeus Bennett
Mother: Martha Hall

Warning: There is NO evidence that the Betsy Bennett who married Reuben Merriman in 1812 was the same as Betsy Bennett born in 1789 to Thaddeus and Martha Bennett. The connection is presented here as the best educated guess for Betsy Bennett Merriman's identity and parentage. All we know for sure about Betsy Bennett Merriman is that she was born sometime between 1780-1790 in Connecticut (since her husband was born in 1790, it is safe to assume she was born towards the end of that decade). Additionally, we know she was married in 1812 to Reuben Merriman at "20 miles from Bridgeport, CT" (in a northern direction, this would have been Monroe or Newtown, CT). The only known Betsy Bennett to fit this profile appears to have been the one born in 1789 to Thaddeus and Martha. In her youth she lived with her family in several different towns in the vicinity of what is now Bridgeport (where Reuben Merriman was raised). They had moved to Newton, Connecticut sometime in the early 1810's, at the right time and place for her to marry Reuben Merriman in 1812. Betsy was enumerated with her family in the Federal census records from 1790-1810 and disappears by 1820. She IS listed as being alive in her father's will of 1822 (although with no last name). Also, Betsy Bennett Merriman and her family were Baptists (like David Bennett (oldest son of Thaddeus and Martha) who was a Baptist elder). In addition, Betsy named one of her sons George Bennett Merriman (George Bennett was the next oldest son of Thaddeus and Martha).

Betsy was probably born in the town of Weston, Connecticut, where her father was listed as being a resident the same year she was born. More than likely, they were in the part of the town that became Easton in 1845. Or she was born in the neighboring town of Fairfield, where the family was enumerated in 1790. The Bennett family moved around quite a bit to different towns in Fairfield County, Connecticut before settling permanently in the town of Newtown in the early 1810's. Betsy lived in the towns of Weston (Easton), Fairfield, Trumbull, Huntington (Shelton) and probably Newtown. In 1811 or 1812, a young man named Reuben Merriman returned to Connecticut from a trip to Kentucky and decided to find a wife. He and Betsy Bennett were married on May 4, 1812, according to family history. Although no known town records their marriage, they were probably married in Newtown or Monroe. We know that the Bennetts settled in Newtown sometime between 1810-1820 and the Merriman family history indicates that they were married about 20 miles from Bridgeport (which is about the distance between Bridgeport and Newtown or Monroe).

Betsy and her husband immediately left Connecticut and moved to Kentucky with the Merriman family. They settled off of Big Eagle Creek in Scott County, Kentucky, where Reuben engaged in milling and coopering. It was at this location that six of Betsy's children were born. For whatever the reason, they did not stay in Kentucky for long. Perhaps their reason to move was the same as Abraham Lincoln's family; they did not approve of the slavery in that portion of the country. The move was hastened in the late 1820's by the death of Betsy's father-in-law, Amos Merriman. In the fall of 1829, they left Kentucky and moved to Sangamon County, Illinois (the same place where Abraham Lincoln settled). They settled on a farm in Williams Township, several miles northeast of the city of Springfield.

The Merrimans were quite successful farmers in Illinois and Reuben at one time owned some 810 acres of land there. They were also pious people and were members of the Bethel Baptist Church in Sangamon County. Unfortunately, both Betsy and Reuben became ill during the winter of 1841-1842 and died within a day of each other from something called "winter fever." Betsy was only 52 years of age. We have not been able to locate the burial site of Reuben and Betsy Merriman. They were probably buried either in the Fancy Creek Cemetery or Stewart Cemetery, both within the vicinity of where they originally settled.

For information on their children, see his page.

1. Jacobus, Donald L. History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield. Genealogical Publishing Co.: Baltimore, MD, 1976.
2. Powers, John C. Early Settlers of Sangamon County, Illinois. Edwin Wilson & Co.: IL, 1876.
3. Bennett, Edgar B. The Bennett Family: 1628-1910. East Berlin, CT, 1910.
4. Cemetery index, Berkshire Cemetery, Newtown, CT
5. The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records, Volume 31, Newtown Vital Records 1711-1852.
6. Tombstone inscriptions, Brookside Cemetery, Oxford, CT
7. The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records, Volume 25, Monroe Vital Records 1823-1854.