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Descendants of John Benham

Generation No. 2

2. JOHN² BENHAM , JR. (JOHN¹) was born Abt. 1623 in England⁴, and died 1691 in New Haven Co., CT⁵. He married (1) SARAH WILSON 8 February 1653/54 in Wallingford, New Haven Co., CT⁶. He married (2) MERCY SMITH 3 March 1667/68 in Dorchester, MASS⁷, daughter of GEORGE SMITH.

Notes for JOHN BENHAM , JR.:
1654 Took Oath of Fidelity

EARLY FAMILIES OF WALLINGFORD, CT. CLAYTON LIBRARY, HOUSTON, TX, p. 47. Joseph Benham came from new Haven to Wallingford in 1670 wiht the first settlers in the village, and some of his children wre 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 Nummber 2, 1979-1988, Compiled by Mrs. George L. Bott, Consolidated Edition, Eenealogical Publishing Company. Page 5.
Benham, Joseph 1630-1702/3 CT; m. Winifred King

Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England showing Three Generatiosn of Those who came before May 1692 on the Basis of the Farmer's Register by James Savage, Volume I., Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. 1981.
Page 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 preceeding 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.

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 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 disharged 1 Jan 1781.
See Ancient Records of New Haven CT for genealogies of the Benham line.

Ancient Records of New Haven, CT

Came to US in 1630 from England. Married #2 Margery Alcott, a widow, born in Boston, MASS 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, 1661. 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 princial colonists.
John Benham, Jr. and his brother Joseph 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 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 disharged 1 Jan 1781.
See Ancient Records of New Haven CT for genealogies of the Benham line.

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 hundren passengers of whom the following are presumed to have been on these ships. Daniel Abbott.
John Benham, Dorchester.

Jacobus, Donald Lines, 'Families of Ancient New Haven' (originally published as the New Haven Genealogy Magazine, 1922-1932; Reprinted 9 volumes in 3 by the Genealogical Pub. Co., Balt. 1974) [File 69]

Notes for SARAH WILSON:
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 pioneers of Massachusetts, by Charles Henry Pope, p. 45
John Benham, Dorchester from 18 May 1631. He m. 1654 Sarah, widow of Richard WilsonThe Pioneers of Massachusetts, by Charles Henry Pope, p. 45
John Benham, Dorchester from 18 May 1631. He m. 1654 Sarah widow of Richard Wilson.

Notes for MERCY SMITH:
Steve Spicer genealogy
Mercey SMITH

BIRTH: 22 FEB 1645, New Haven, CT
CHRISTENING: 22 FEB 1645, New Haven, CT
DEATH: AFT 1679

Father: George SMITH
Mother: Sarah

Family 1: John BENHAM

MARRIAGE: 3 MAR 1668/1669, New Haven, New Haven, CT

1.Nathan BENHAM

George SMITH

BIRTH: 1618/1620, England
DEATH: 17 MAY 1662, New Haven, CT

OCCUPATION: Farmer / Carpenter

Family 1: Sarah

MARRIAGE: 1641, New Haven, CT

1.Mercey SMITH

Sarah (/ Smith)

BIRTH: 1622, England
DEATH: AFT 1668

Family 1: George SMITH

MARRIAGE: 1641, New Haven, CT

1.Mercey SMITH

Child of JOHN BENHAM and MERCY SMITH is:

NATHAN³ BENHAM, b. 10 July 1679, New Haven, CT; d. June 1757, Cheshire, New Haven, CT.

3. JOSEPH² BENHAM , SR. (JOHN¹) was born Abt. 1623 in Plymouth, Devon Co., England⁸, and died 1703 in Wallingford, New Haven, CT. He married (1) WINIFRED KING 15 November 1656 in Boston, Suffolk Co., MA⁹. He married (2) HANNAH IVES 1698 in Wallingford ,New Haven Co., CT.

Notes for JOSEPH BENHAM , SR.:
1654 Swore Fidelity
1670 Moved to Wallingford, New Haven Co., CONN
One of First Settlers of Wallingford, CT

American Marriage Records before 1699 W.M. Clemens, Limited Ed. 1926 The Bilbio Co., Publishers

EARLY FAMILIES OF WALLINGFORD, CONN. 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 Winifred. 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

Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England showing Three Generations of Those who came before May 1692 on the Basis of the Farmer's Register by James Savage, Volume I., Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. 1981.
Page 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 preceeding 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.

Boston Births, Baptisms, Marriages, and Deaths 1630-1699; Edited by William S. Appleton; Two Volumes in One
Town. City Documents #130, Births and Baptisms: p. 58 Joseph Benham of Newhaven and Winifred King were married15 Nov 1656 by Richard Bellingham, Dept. Govr.

Date: Sun, 13 Jul 97 07:50:10 +0000
(letter from Donna Crank to Linda Fitzmeyer and forwarded to Melaney Moore-Dodson)

Information from Roger Pomplas.
" A MEETING OF YE COURT EXTRAORDINARY, MARCH 23TH, 1652 "
upon a complaint made to ye governor of sundrie in ye Towne that had committed much wickedness in a filthy corrupting way with another, they were called before the Governor & Magistrats, visd: Benjamin Bunill, Joshua Bradley, Joseph Benham, William Trobridg, thomas Tutill & Thomas Kimberly: they were examined in a private way, and their examination taken in wrighting, wch were of such a filthy nature as is not fitt to be made known in a publique way: after wch the Court weere called together, and ye youthes before them; their examinations were read andvpon their severall confessions the Court, being mett at the meeting house vpon the day avoue written, sentenced the youthes aboue named to bee whipt publiquly."

Date: Mon, 14 Jul 1997 17:30:11 -0400 (EDT)
From: Roger Pomplas

Hello,
It was a pleasure to hear from you. I would love to collaborate with you and any other Benham researcher. Most of my information is rather limited, but I do try to pic up any tid-bit that I can. I noticed in you email that you mentioned a possible mother for Winifred King. Is this the Boston woman who was accused of poisoning one of her boarders? Allegedly the young man decided not to marry her grand-daughter (a daughter of WinifredKing Benham?). Two summers ago I had the chance to visit Connecticut. While at the Ct. Historical Society in Hartford, I was able to read over the witchcraft trial documents of Winifred King Benham. The 1692 acquital documents were interesting, but the 1697 documents, for me, were very interesting. Not only was I directly related to Winifred and Joseph Benham, but also directly related to Hannah (Basset) Parker - the person who accused Winifred and Winifred, J. of witchcraft. At the trial I was directly related
to the Judge (Governor Robert Treat), the clerk of court (John Moss), and two jury members. I noticed that you gave Winifred and Joseph's death location as Wallingford. I was under the impression that they fled Wallingford in 1697/8 and lived with one of their daughters on Staten Island in the colony of New York!
I will email again soon. Roger Pomplas.

here is my connection to the Benham family of New Haven.

1. John Benham + (Margery Alcock?)
2. Joseph Benham + Winifred King
3. James Benham + Esther Preston
4. Samuel Benham + Phebe Andrews
5. James Benham, Sr. + Huldah Kellog
6. James Benham, Jr. + Sarah Sedgwick
7. Joel Parker + Polly Benham (Parker family out of Wallingford)
8. Sidney Mills + Julia Angeline Parker
9. James Henry Brookins + Ellen Mills
10. George Webster Brookins + Lucy Horton
11. Katherine Brookins + Frank Mallory Hinman
12. Ellen Hinman + Leonard Pomplas
13. ME-Roger Pomplas

Date: Wed, 16 Jul 1997 15:08:48 -0400 (EDT)
From Roger Pomplas

Hello,
I had a chance to review your database and discovered that we have more
than the Benham family in common. I see that we are both related to Elizabeth Wood and interestingly enough, through her marriage to both Edward Parker and John Potter.

John Potter = Elizabeth Wood = Edward Parker
/ /
_______________ ______________
/ / / /
Hannah Samuel John Mary
(mine) (yours) (mine) (yours)
+ + + +
Samuel ? Hannah ?
Blakeslee Bassett

John Paker's wife, Hannah (Bassett) Parker was the person who accused
Winifred King Benham of witchcraft. Of interest is the possibility (not proven however) that Hannah Bassett's mother was the Goody Bassett that had earlier been executed for witchcraft. Joseph Benham was cited to court for pulling out his gun and threatening to shoot Hannah (Bassett) Parker if the women did not stop harrassing his wife. This same Hannah Parker would have been the sister-in-law to your Mary Parker.

Other families I believe we may connect in are the Cooke, Curtiss (John and
Elizabeth Hutchins), Lines (Joan), Merriman (Nathaniel), Peck, and Moss (John)

It would be interesting to share information of these lines as well.

Hope to see your email soon!
Roger Pomplas

P.S. Do you know the "scoop" on John Potter's brother William? It is wild
stuff!

Date: Wed, 16 Jul 1997 20:30:22 -0400 (EDT)
From: Roger Pomplas
Subject: Re: William, "a moft Unparalled'd Wretch," Potter

HI again,
So you are interested in William's story eh? Well, as you most assuredly know already, William's brother (our common 'great somthing' grandfather), John, died in East Haven, New Haven, Ct. in 1643. His brother William was a "god fearing" member of the "the elect," in fact he was concidered as being among "the saints."
But there was another, could we say less disciplined (more experimental/experiential ?), side to his nature. The noted New England
theologian Cotton Mather, realized that a laxity of morality has begun to "strangle" the good works of the founding fathers (who was strangling who?).
In seeking to put the "fallen flock" on a more sober and pius path, Mather
composed his "Magnalia Chrisfti Americana: or, the Ecclefiaftical hiftory of
New-England from Its Firft Planting in the Year 1620. unto the Yeart of our LORD, 1698." Composed of seven books, it is the sixth one in which we find reference to William Potter. This, book six, entitled "A Faithful record of many Illuftrious, Wonderful Providences, both of Mercies and Judgments, on divers Perfons in New-England: In Eight Chapters," was his attempt to document and illustrate to his readers examples of the "faithful" in action. It is, to the unfortunate fate of Potter, that we must turn to the appendix to find his story - "An Appendix, containing a Hiftory of fone Criminals Executed in New-England for Capital Crimes; with fome of their Dying Speeches."
I think its best to let Mather speak for himself:
"On June 6, 1666, at New-Haven there was a moft Unparalledl'd
Wretch, one Potter by Name, abouty fixty years of age, Executed for damnable
Beftialities; although this Wretch had been for now Twenty Years a Member of
the Church in that place, and kept up among the Holy People fo God there, A
reputation, for fersious Chriftianity. It feems that the Unclean Devil, which had the poffeffion of this Monfter, had carry'd all his Lufts with fo much Fury into this one Channel of Wickednefs, that there was no notice taken of his being wicked in anyt other. Hence 'twas, that he was devout in Worfhip, Gifted in Prayer, Forward in Edifying Difcourfe among the Religious, and Zealous in Reproving the Sins of the other People; Every one counted him a Saint: And he Enjoy'd fuch a Peace in his own Mind, 'that in feveral fits of sicknefs, wherein he feemd Nigh unto Death, He feem'd Willing to die; Yea, Death (he faid) Smiled on him. Neverthelefs, this Diabolical Creature, had liv'd in moft infandous Buggeries for no lefs than Fifty Years together; and now at the Gallows there were kill'd before his Eyes a Cow, two Heifers, three Sheep, and two Sows, with all of which he had committed his
Brutalities. His Wife had feen him confounding himfelf with a Bitch Ten Years before; and he then excus'd his Filthinefs as well as he counld unto here, but conjur'd her to keep it fescret: but he afterwards hang'd that Bitch himfelf, and then return'd unto his former Villanies, until at laft his Son faw him hidewoufly converfing with a sow. By thefe means the burning Jealoufie of the Lord Jefus Chrift, at length made the Churches to know, that he had all this while feen the Cover'd Filthinefs of this Hellifh Hypocrite, and expos'd him alfo to the juft Judgment of Death, from the Civil Court of Jucicature. Very remarkable had been the Warnings which this Hell-hound had receiv'd from Heaven, to repent of his Impieties. Many Years before this he had a Daughter who dreamt a Dream, which caus'd her in her Sleep, to cry out moft bitterly; and her Father then with much ado, obtaining of her to tell her Dreams, Fhe told him, She dreamt, that fhe was among a Great Multitude of People to fee an Execution, and it prov'd her own Father that was to be hang'd, at whofe Turning over, she thus cry'd out. This happen'd before the time that any his Curs'd Practices, were known unto her."

So that was the unltimate end for this unfortunate! I would be interested in our SHARING of informtion on our common New Haven and Wallinford "connections," Hope to see your email soon. Roger P.

Notes for WINIFRED KING:
DOCUMENTATION

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 wre 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 Nummber 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

Accused of witchcraft, from Ancient Records of New Haven.

THE DEVIL IN THE SHAPE OF A WOMAN, Witchcraft in Colonial New England by Carol F. Karlsen (professor of history at the University of Michigan), W. W. Norton & Company, New York, London, 1987.

Chapter I, New England's Witchcraft Beliefs, page 43-44.

1694-1725
       After the Salem and Fairfield outbreaks, only two people in New England were sent by local officials to the higher court to be tried as witches: Winifred Benham of Wallingford and her thirteen-year-old daughter and namesake. the elder Benham, possibly the daughter of an earlier Boston witch, Mary Hale, originally came under suspicion in 1692, but the New Haven County court had dismissed the case for insufficient evidence. Her husband's threat to shoot her accuser did not end the rumors, and the following year she was in court again on the same charge. She was released again, this time required to post bond of 20 pounds for her good behavior. The church soon after added their censure by excommunicating her. When she was accused a third time in 1697, this time of possessing several of her neighbors' children, she was sent to Hartford for trial, along with her daughter, who was by now implicated in her crimes. But the grand jury refused to give credence to the accusation and the cases were dismissed without trials. The court's actions failed to clear the Benhams of suspicion, however, and the family soon moved to the less hostile environment of New York. (137)
       The Benham cases were unusual. To be sure, some people still believed that witches plagued their communities, but in the aftermath of the Salem outbreak witch trials were no longer contenanced by either ministers or magistrates, nor, it would seem by the larger community.

Chapter II, The Demographic Basis of Witchcraft, p. 71-72
Single, married, and widowed women are all found in significant numbers among accused witches in early New England. Married women predominated, however, both during the Salem events and at other times. Women who were married also made up the majority of women prosecuted, convicted, and executed for witchcraft throughout the century.
       Within the larger picture, certain patterns emerge. Most noticeable, during the Salem outbreak, the proportion of married women among suspected women dropped, form a little less than three-quarters of the total in non-Salem cases to just over half. This difference is attributable to the increase, in Salem, of accusations against reputed witches' daughters and granddaughters, most of whom were both young and unmarried. All of the fourteen single women tried in 1692-93 fit in to this category. With a few exceptions, their presence among prosecuted and convicted witches probably had more to do with their relationships to older women in their families than with their marital status. At other times, when relatives of witches were less susceptible to witchcraft suspicion, all but one of the accusations against young, single women were ignored by the authorities (only thirteen-year-old WINIFRED BENHAM of Wallingford was prosecuted, along with her mother.) (87)

Chapter IV, Handmaidens of the Devil, page 146-147

To flesh out the connection between women's work in a developing economy and the propensity of witches to thwart domestic process, consider the witches (at least nineteen) who were castigated for their unusual success in "domestic" pursuits. These were women who turned their food and textile production, brewing, and other domestic work in to profitable business enterprises, the "works of Men" in colonial New England. (93) Elinor Hollingworth ran a tavery in Salem. WIDOW MARY HALE, tried as a witch in 1680, kept a boarding house in Boston. (95)

Footnotes information:

(137) Chapter I, Calef, "More Wonders of the Invisible World," 385; "Conn. Assistants Records," 262-65; Suffolk Court Files (manuscript, volume, Suffolk County Cuorthouse, Boston, Mass.) 24:1972; C. Bancroft Gillespie and George Munson Curtis, A Century of meriden (Meriden, Conn., 1906), 254-59.

(87) Chapter II, See Calef, "More Wonders of the Invisible World," 385.

(93) Chapter IV, The citation is from C. Mather, Ornaments for the Daughters of Zion, 101.

(95) Chapter IV,Ibid. 395. The records of Mary Hale's trial are in mass. Assistants Records 1:188-89; Suffolk Court Files, 23:1958, 1972.

(Also listed are John Hale and Sarah Hale, husband and wife. John was a minister. ??Is there a connection to Mary Hale via John Hale?? see if I can find information on the family of John Hale, Mary's deceased husband possibly a brother of John?? Look in Salem and Boston, Mass.)

North American Witches and Witch Trials, Compiled by I. Marc Carlson. Found at http://www.ucmb.ulb.ac.be:80/~joan/witches/MC/NA.html sent to Joan@ucmbsun1.ulb.ac.be

1697 NEng/CT, Hartford 1 Benham, Winifred f
Excommunnicated, but Acquitted. (Source: Robbins, Rossell Hope. The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology. New York: Bonanza Books, 1959; Taylor, John M. The Witchcraft Delusion in Colonial Connecticut, 1647-1697. New York: Burt Franklin, 1971)

1697 NEng/CT, Hartford 1 Benham, Winifred f
Excommunnicated, but Acquitted. Daughter of the above. (Source: Robbins, Rossell Hope. The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology. New York: Bonanza Books, 1959; Taylor, John M. The Witchcraft Delusion in Colonial Connecticut, 1647-1697. New York: Burt Franklin, 1971)

       Children of JOSEPH BENHAM and WINIFRED KING are:

MARY³ BENHAM, b. 18 September 1657, New Haven, CT.

ii.

JOSEPH BENHAM , JR., b. 25 May 1659, New Haven, New Haven Co., CT; d. 1702, Wallingford, New Haven Co., CT.

iii.

SARAH BENHAM, b. 1661, New Haven, CT¹⁰; d. 1668, New Haven, CT¹¹.

iv.

ELIZABETH BENHAM, b. 13 September 1664, New Haven, CT¹²; d. 1 August 1669, New Haven, CT¹³.

JOHN BENHAM, b. 28 December 1666, New Haven, CT¹⁴; d. November 1670, New Haven, CT¹⁵.

vi.

JOANA BENHAM, b. 25 July 1668¹⁶.

vii.

SARAH BENHAM, b. 3 October 1668, New Haven, CT¹⁷; d. Aft. 3 October 1668, New Haven, CT¹⁸.

viii.

ANNA/ELIZABETH BENHAM, b. 1669, New Haven, CT¹⁹; d. 1736²⁰; m. LAMBERT JOHNSON²¹.

ix.

JOHN BENHAM, b. 3 November 1671, Wallingford ,New Haven Co., CT²²; m. NEELTJE.

MARY BENHAM, b. 18 May 1673²³.

xi.

SAMUEL BENHAM, b. 12 May 1674, New Haven, CT²⁴.

xii.

SARAH BENHAM, b. 6 September 1676²⁵; m. JACOB JOHNSON.

xiii.

JAMES BENHAM, b. 1679, New Haven, CT²⁶; d. 10 May 1745²⁷; m. ESTHER PRESTON, 9 December 1702, Wallingford ,New Haven Co., CT²⁸.

xiv.

WINIFRED BENHAM , JR., b. 21 August 1684, New Haven, CT²⁹; m. EVART VAN NOMAN.

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