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Descendants of John Benham

Generation No. 1

1. JOHN¹ BENHAM was born Abt. 1603 in Dorchester, England¹, and died 1661 in New Haven, CT². He married (1) MARGERY ALCOCK, daughter of THOMAS ALCOCK. He married (2) UNKNOWN 16 November 1659 in Dorchester, England.

Notes for JOHN BENHAM:
John Benham, c. 1603

EARLY FAMILIES OF WALLINGFORD, CT. CLAYTON LIBRARY, HOUSTON, TX, p. 47. Joseph BENHAM came from new Haven to Wallingford in 1670 with the first settlers in the village, and some of his children were born after his removal there. The name of his wife who died in Wallingford was Winnifred. Married #2, Hanna IVES.;

Seventeenth Century Colonial Ancestors of Members of the National Society of Colonial Dames XVII Century 1915-1975, Compiled by Mary Louise M. Hutton, with Supplement Number 1, 1975-1979, Compiled by Mary Louise M. Hutton; Supplement Number 2, 1979-1988, Compiled by Mrs. George L. Bott, Consolidated Edition, Genealogical Publishing Company. Page 5.
BENHAM, Joseph 1630-1702/3 CT; m. Winifred KING;

A Genealogical Dictionary of the 1st Settlers of New England showing Three Generations of those who came before May 1692 on the Basis of Farmer's Register by James Savage, Vol. 1, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1981, p. 165;

BENHAM, JOHN, Dorchester, prob. came in the Mary and John, 1630, freeman, 18 May 1861, had requested that privilege 19 October before by first wife had Joseph and John; removed 1640 to New Haven and m. at Boston as second wife 16 November 1659, or as the rec. says, 1660 (perhaps erron.), Margery, wid. of Thomas Alcock of Dedham, who died in a few weeks after reaching New Haven and he died 1661.
JOHN, New Haven, son probably elder of the preceding b. perhaps in England as he was administered to take the oath of fidelity 1654, m. 1669 Mercy, daughter of George Smith of the same, had John, perhaps as both John, and John, Jr. were proprietors at New Haven 1685, yet the latter (unless s. of the second John by an earlier wife) may have been son of his brother Joseph.
JOSEPH, New Haven, probably son of the first John, swore fidelity 1654, m. at Boston, 15 Jan 1657, Winifred King, whose father is not known was one of the first settlers at Wallingford, 1670.;

The Pioneers of Massachusetts, by Charles Henry Pope, p. 45
John BENHAM, Dorchester from 18 May 1631. He m. 1654 Sarah widow of Richard Wilson.;

The Planters of the Commonwealth, A study of the Emigrants and Emigration in Colonial Times; to which are added Lists of Passengers to Boston and to the Bay Colony; the ships which brought them, their English Homes, and the Places of their settlement in MASS., 1620-1640., by Charles Edward Banks, Gen. Pub. Co., 1979.
p. 65-67
1630, The Winthrop Fleet, Eleven vessels brought "the great Emigration" of this year, viz:
Arbella, the flagship, Ambrose, William and Francis, Talbot, Hopwell, Jewel, Whale, Charles, Success, Mayflower, Trial.
The first five ships sailed April 8 from Yarmouth, Isle of Wight and arrived at Salem, June 13 and following days. The other half of the fleet sailed in May and arrived in July at various dates. Altogether they brought about seven hundred passengers of whom the following are presumed to have been on these ships. Daniel Abbott.; John Benham

John Benham, Dorchester. Came to US in 1630 from England. Married #2 Margery ALCOTT, a widow, born in Boston, MA ca. 1660, died in New Haven, New Haven, CT
The Benhams are of English origin, and John BENHAM, the first American ancestor, sailed from Plymouth, England in the Ship "Mary and John", March 20, 1630, and arrived at Nantasket Point May 30, 1630. Next day Captain Squib put them on shore and left them. By the aid of planters they obtained a boat and went up the Charles River to a place called Watertown, where they landed. They found a neck of land at Mattapan and removed there naming their town Dorchester. They had many cattle. John's two sons John and Joseph probably came with him. John Benham was one of the first set of "freemen" of Boston of May 18, 1861. In 1639 he and his sons came with the original colony of Eaton and Davenport to New Haven, he being one of the 70 heads of families that settled that place. To him was assigned one each of the four acre house lots and sixteen acre out lots set off to those first principal colonists.
John BENHAM, Jr. and his brother Joseph BENHAM took the oath of fidelity in 1654. Joseph removed to Wallingford in 1669/70. John remained on the original grant. Probably the 16 acre out lot was on Main St. near the public square, as records show they owned land there and later moved to "Benham Hill", two miles west of West Haven. The holdings were extensive. The first John followed to some extent his trade of brickmaker as well as agricultural pursuits, which pursuits his sons and succeeding generations also followed, likewise fulfilling prominent and influential places in the community. Many of them filled town offices, a distinction which in those early days was highly prized and carried deep significance. The family united with the Congregational Church, and were among its earliest and most liberal contributors. John (2) married in 1654, Sarah WILCOXSON (WILSON) and for his second wife Mercy SMITH in 1669, and had nine children. He died in 1690. John BENHAM (3), son of John BENHAM (2) died 1745. He and his wife Comfort had five children. John (4), son of John (3), had nine children. He died 1777.
Gamaliel BENHAM, son of John (4) married Lydia PAINTER and had five children. He was born 1738 and died 1811. He served in the Revolutionary War in Captain Bradley's Co., enlisting 5 June 1780 and was discharged 1 Jan 1781.
See Ancient Records of New Haven CT for genealogies of the Benham line.

A Genealogical Dictionary of the 1st Settlers of New England showing Three Generations of those who came before May 1692 on the Basis of Farmer's Register by James Savage, Vol 1, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1981, p. 165
1630 Lived in Dorchester, MASS
1630 came in "Mary & John" from England
1640 Original settler New Haven, CT
May 18, 1631, Freeman

Marriage Notes for JOHN BENHAM and UNKNOWN:
Bef 1630 Dorchester, England death

Children of JOHN BENHAM and UNKNOWN are:

JOHN² BENHAM , JR., b. Abt. 1623, England; d. 1691, New Haven Co., CT.

ii.

JOSEPH BENHAM , SR., b. Abt. 1623, Plymouth, Devon Co., England; d. 1703, Wallingford, New Haven, CT.

iii.

MARY BENHAM, b. 1636, Dorchester, Suffolk Co., MA³.

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