Benjamin Mendenhall

To see a picture of the Concord Friends Meeting House c. 1728, browse the newsletter here: http://mendenhall.org/mfa/newsletter/pdfs/v1803.pdf

Benjamin (Thomas III, Thomas II, Thomas I, John, John), was one of the original Mendenhall emigrants from England to America, arriving April 17, 1685, from the town of Ramsbury. Mildenhall was the name of his families' estate, that being the original family name. He settled in Concord, PA in 1689.

Benjamin married Ann A. Pennell (1668-1749), daughter of Robert Pennell also in 1689 at Chichester Friends Meeting, of which they were both members. To view a picture of this marriage record, go to the Media section. http://mendenhall.org/mfa/images/Benjamin-Mendenhall-and-Ann-Pennel.... Benjamin Mendenhall & Ann Pennell were the 6th great-grandparents of President Richard Milhous Nixon.

Benjamen was trained as a wheelwright and made his living in that trade until he accumulated enough land to farm. Bejamen sold 100 acres of the Harding tract to his brother, Moses, on Nov. 27, 1686 (the acreage and timing intentionally matched that of brother John's sale to Thomas Martin.) This transfer was nullified on Feb. 5, 1688, almost certainly because by then Moses had returned to England. Benjamen bought 250 acres in Concord Township from William Hitchcock (who bought the land from William Penn in England) on Feb. 8, 1702. Benjamen bought 500 acres west of the Brandywine in Kenett (now Pennsbury) Township from Isaac Few on March 23, 1703 with financial assisstance from his father-in-law, Robert Pennell. They jointly received title on June 15, 1703 and quickly sold off 100 acres to Thomas Hope on Aug. 20, 1703.

In 1713 Benjamen and his wife built a large stone farmhouse and substantial barn on the western end of the 250 acres he bought from William Hitchcock. The home is still standing, current address 207 Reeceville Rd., Coatesville, PA, and contains a date stone in the gable, in the shape of a half circle, which reads: "1713 Mendenhall, Ben & Ann." This was their 2nd home in America. To see pictures of the house and date stone, browse the newsletter at http://mendenhall.org/mfa/newsletter/pdfs/v1803.pdf13.

Benjamin was held in high esteem both in his religeous society and as a citizen. In 1714 he served as a member of the Provincial Assembly, and in 1730 he was tax collector for Concord Township. He primarily devoted his energies to the service of the Society of Friends of which he was a member at Concord Meeting.

The larege farmhouse of Benjamin & Ann Mendenhall was rebuilt by Samuel and Rebecca Trimble in 1830 and restored by Ludwig and Betty Honold in 1964. In 1983 it was the site of the reunion of the Jacob Hewes Mendenhall Family Association to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Benjamen's immigration. This reunion was attended by some 150 of his descendants.The Mendenhall Family Assocation visited this house during their tour of Mendenhall historic sites during their 1996 reunion. The property has most recently been used as an ostrich ranch. The house and barn still are in use though currently the property is on the market for sale.

Ten children were born to Benjamin & Ann (Pennell) Mendenhall: http://mendenhall.org/mfa/images/Benjamin-Mendenhall-Birth-Records-... -children list w/b. dates

1. Ann (1690 - 1691) 2. Benjamin, born March 5, 1691 in Concord, Chester Co. PA, died July 13, 1743 in Perquiman Co., NC. Married Lydia Roberts September 3, 1717.

3. Joseph, born March 17, 1692 and d. 1748. Married Ruth Gilpin 6th mo., 30th day 1718, and settled in Brandywine, PA.

4. Moses, born 2nd mo. 19th day, 1694. Married Alice Pyle.

5. Hannah, born 6 mo. ?Uth day, 1696. Married Thomas Marshall.

6. Samuel, born 8tli mo. 1st day 1697.

7. Rebecca, born 10th mo. 10 day, 1699. Married Thomas Gilpin.

8. Ann, born 7th mo. 22nd day 1703, d. 1789. Married John Bartram.

9. Nathan, born 8th mo. 16th day 1705, d. 1707.

10. Robert, born July 17, 1713 Concord, Chester Co., PA and d. June 23, 1785 Concord, Chester Co., PA.. Married Phoebe Taylor September 13, 1734. Married E. Hatten June 24, 1762. Married Ester Temple July 6, 1775.

A trunk that Benjamen made shortly after his arrival still exists and is in possession of the Historical Society in West Chester, PA. It is carved with the initials, B.M. and the date 1684 on the front and has wire hinges. This trunk is mentioned in his wife's Will. Another prized possession was Benjamin's money box, which was discovered when, among the photographs that were found in the Elliot collection, was a photograph of that money box. Benjamen was the son of Thomas and Joane (Stroud) Mendenhall.

Benjamen built a small box about 10" x 8" x 6". It had his initials on it and the date 1684 and became known as Benjamen's money box as it was used to store and transport cash, papers and other valuables. This box apparently was made after Benjamen's arrival in America though it has been speculated that perhaps it was made while he was enroute to America. The present location of this money box has been the subject of several queries. In 1897 it was in the possession of Earl M. Meredith of Reading PA, son of Stephen Meredith. He supplied a crude drawing of the money box to Charles S. Mendenhall and the drawing was subsequently included in Thomas A. Mendenhall's book on the Mendenhall family written in 1912. Meredith reported that "the old lock, though broken, still clings to it. It is a wonderful old box and I may safely say that it bids fair to outlive twice or thrice as many generations as it has in the past. I would not part with it for a great deal. It is made of hickory wood and firmly put together." In "A Mendenhall-Newlin Alliance" published by Russel Newlin Abel in 1989, there is reference to this money box. According to Abel the box was in the possession of the Chester County (PA) Historical Society. However, the Chester County Historical Society has no record of presently having or of ever having Benjamen's money box. What happened to it, I wonder?

When he died, Benjamin was the sixth wealthiest person in Concord Township.

Sources: http://ia360709.us.archive.org/4/items/historycorrespon00inmend/his..., http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/r/o/a/Cecil-Ray-Roach/PD..., and Find A Grave Memorial # 26526981.

Other References: W. Kenneth Mendenhall, The Mendenhall Immigrants, Mendenhall Matters, October 1996 and January 1997. William, Edward and Thomas A. Mendenhall, History, Correspondence and Pedigrees of the Mendenhalls of England, the United States and Africa, 1912.

Possible alternate death date: Apr. 13, 1740, burial county listed as Delaware Co. in Find A Grave Memorial # 26526981.

GEDCOM Note

Category:Pennsylvania Quakers Category:Quaker Emigration to America Category:William Penn's Great Charter Category:William Penn and Early Pennsylvania Settlers ProjectCategory: Concord Friends Meeting Burying Ground, Concordville, Pennsylvania

Biography

size=80 BENJAMIN MENDENHALL was born on 14 Feb 1662 in Marridge Hill, Wiltshire, England. He died on 13 Apr 1740 in Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania. He married Ann Pennell, daughter of Robert Pennell and Hannah Hyandson, on 17 Apr 1689 in Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania<ref>Swarthmore College; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania; Quaker Meeting Records; Call Number: MR-PH 83.</ref>. She was born on 15 Apr 1668 in Middletown Township, Chester actually Delaware, Pennsylvania. She died in 1749 inMiddletown Township, Chester actually Delaware, Pennsylvania.

size=200 <div STYLE="outline:black solid thin; height: 200px; overflow-y: scroll;background:White;padding-right:10px;min-width:500px"> Benjamin Mendenhall and Ann Pennell had the following children: i. ANN MENDENHALL was born on 31 May 1690 in Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania. There were 2 Ann's with this one dying young. ii. BENJAMIN MENDENHALL was born on 05 May 1691 in Concord,Chester, Pennsylvania. He died on 13 Jul 1743 in Perquimans County, North Carolina. He married Lydia Roberts, daughter of Owen Roberts and Mary Hughes, on 03 Nov 1717 in Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania (Gwynedd Meeting). She was born in 1694 in Gwynedd, Montgomery,Pennsylvania. She died on 04 Sep 1752 in Duck Creek, Kent, Delaware. iii. JOSEPH MENDENHALL was born on 17 May 1692 in Concordville, Concord Township, Delaware, Pennsylvania. He died on 13 May 1748 inPennsbury Village, Allegheny, Pennsylvania. He married Ruth Gilpin on 30 Oct 1718 in Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania. She was born in 1697 in Birmingham, Chester, Pennsylvania. She died in 1760 in KennettTownship, Chester, Pennsylvania. iv. MOSES MENDENHALL was born on 19 Feb 1694 in Concordville,Concord Township, Delaware, Pennsylvania. He died on 09 Nov 1731 in Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania. He married Alice Bowater (Pyle) on 18 Jun 1719 in Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania. She was born on 08 Feb 1692 in West Chester, Chester, Pennsylvania. She died on 12 Dec 1749in Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania. v. HANNAH MENDENHALL was born on 11 Jun 1696 in Concordville, Concord Township, Delaware, Pennsylvania. She died in 1770 in Concordville, Chester, Pennsylvania. She married (1) Thomas Marshall on 24 Feb 1718 in Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania. He was born on 10 Dec1694 in Darby, Chester, Pennsylvania. He died on 02 Aug 1740 in Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania She married (2) Peter Grubb on 10 Feb 1742 in Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania. He was born in 1700 in Delaware. He died in 1754 in Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware. . vi. SAMUEL MENDENHALL was born on 28 Mar 1698 in Concordville, Concord Township, Delaware, Pennsylvania. He died in 1699. vii. REBECCA MENDENHALL was born on 10 Dec 1699 in Concordville, Concord Township, Delaware, Pennsylvania. She died in 1726. She married Thomas Gilpin on 21 Apr 1726 in Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania (Concord Meeting). He was born on 23 Jul 1700 in Birmingham, Chester, Pennsylvania. He died on 25 Oct 1766 in Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware. viii. ANN MENDENHALL was born on 22 Sep 1703 in Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania. She died on 29 Jan 1789 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She married John Bartram on 11 Nov 1729 in Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania. He was born on 23 May 1699 in Darby, Delaware, Pennsylvania. He died on 22 Sep 1777 in Darby, Delaware, Pennsylvania. Delaware, Pennsylvania. ix. NATHAN MENDENHALL was born on 16 Oct 1705 in Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania.He died in 1785 in Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania.

x. ROBERT MENDENHALL was born on 07 Sep 1713 in Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania. He died on 23 Jun 1785 in Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania. He married (1) Phoebe Taylor on 13 Nov 1734 in Birmingham, Chester, Pennsylvania. She was born on 17 Jun 1715 in Middletown Township, Delaware, Pennsylvania. She died on 13 Jul 1761 in Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania. He married (2) Elizabeth Hatton on 23 Jun 1762 in Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania. She was born in 1732 in KennettTownship, Chester, Pennsylvania. She died in 1777 in Kennett Township, Chester, Pennsylvania </div>
size=200

size=m <div style="text-align: Left;">

size=200 According to many texts, Benjamin Mendenhall, born in England, settledin Pennsylvania in 1689 <ref>Gale Research, Passenger and ImmigrationLists Index, 1500s-1900s (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2010.Original data - Filby, P. William, ed. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s. Farmington Hills, MI, USA: Gale Research, 2010.Original data: Filby, P. William, ed. Passenge), Ancestry.com, Place: Pennsylvania; Year: 1680-1690; Page Number:. Arrival date: 1680-1690 Arrival place: Pennsylvania.</ref>. He attended Quaker Meetings there and met Ann Pennell, the daughter of RobertPennell. Benjamin and Ann Pennell were married at the Chichester Friends Meeting in February of 1689. Together they had 9 children.<ref>Section: The Mendenhalls. I. Beginnings The Mendenhalls Beeson, HenryHart.. The Mendenhalls : a genealogy. Houston, Tex.: unknown, 1991.</ref>
size=200 Benjamin was a wheelwright by trade, which was a person who built and repaired wooden wheels for wagons and carts. In 1714 he was a member of the Provincial Assembly.<ref>History, correspondence and pedigrees of the Mendenhalls of England, the United States and Africa relative to their common origin and ancestry, page 64</ref> <div align="center">200px</div> Benjamin died in 1740 and is buried in the Concord Friends Orthodox Burial Ground in Concord, Delaware County, Pennsylvania.<ref>Find A Grave Memorial</ref> His will was dated September 20, 1736 and proved on April 17, 1740.<ref> Chester County Wills. Located at the Chester County Archives and Records Service.</ref>

size=200 <div STYLE="outline:black solid thin; height: 200px; overflow-y: scroll;background:White;padding-right:10px;min-width:500px">It provides for wife Ann. To son Benjamin £20. To son Joseph £14 andclock. To son Robert my farming utensils also servant lad named King Roberts. To daughter Hannah wife of Thomas Marshall £60. To daughter Ann wife of John Bartram £60. To grandson Caleb Mendenhall son of Moses deceased £5. To each of my grandchild 20 shillings. To son in law Thos. Marshall £5. Remainder to sons Benj. and Joseph and daughters Hannah and Anne. Executors: wife Anne and son-in-law Thos. Marshall.</div>
size=200 Here is another version Benjamin's will was probated in Chester County, PA. Text below: <div STYLE="outline:black solid thin; height: 200px; overflow-y: scroll;background:White;padding-right:10px;min-width:500px"> Book Page: C:149

Surname: Mendenhall

Given Name: Benjamin

Title:

Description: Son

Residence:

Date: 2 May 1749

Prove Date: 1 Aug 1749 Remarks: Ann Mendenhall. Widow. Concord. 5/2/1749. August 1, 1749. C.149.

To son Robert Mendenhall £200 and to his wife Phebe £5. To son in law Peter Grubb 5 shillings and to his wife, my daughter Hannah £20 and mentions ""her 7 children that she had by her first husband, Thoma Marshall."" To son-in-law John Bartram 5 shillings and to his wife, my daughter Ann £40. To each of the children of son Benjamin, viz., Mary, Hannah, Samuel, Martha and Lydia 20 shillings and to daughter-in-law Lydia Mendenall 20shillings and to Joshua, youngest son of Benjamin £5 at 21.

To Esther, wife of son Smauel, my spinning wheel. To children of son Joseph, viz., Isaac, Joseph, Benjamin, Hannah, Ann,Stephen and Jesse, sons £5, daughters £1, each at 21 and to daughter-in-law Ruth £1. To each of the children of son Moses, viz., Alice and Phebe £1 and todaughter in law Alice </div> (I have come across variations of this with different dates) <div align="center">200px</div>

: Birth: :: Date: 14 Feb 1662 :: Place: Ramsbury, Wiltshire, EnglandHistory,<ref> correspondence and pedigrees of the Mendenhalls of England, the United States and Africa relative to their common origin and ancestry, by William Mendenhall,Bath, England, 1864, and continued by Thomas A. Mendenall, 1912, Charles R Kemble Press, Greenville, Ohio..</ref><ref>The Mendenhalls (Online publication - Provo, UT: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004.Original data - Beeson, Henry Hart.. The Mendenhalls : a genealogy. Houston, Tex.: unknown, 1991.Original data: Beeson, Henry Hart.. The Mendenhalls : a genealogy. Houston, Tex.: unknown,)</ref><ref>History, correspondence and pedigrees of the Mendenhalls of England, the United States and Africa relative to their common origin and ancestry, by William Mendenhall, Bath, England, 1864, and continued by Thomas A. Mendenall, 1912, Charles R Kemble Press, Greenville, Ohio.</ref>

: Death: :: Date: 13 Apr 1740 :: Place: Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania <ref> Chester County Wills.Located at the Chester County Archives and Records Service.Original data: Chester County Wills. Located at the Chester County Archives and Record),Ancestry.com, Residence date: Residence place: Concord, Chester, Pennsylvania.</ref><ref>- Beeson, Henry Hart.. The Mendenhalls : a genealogy. Houston, Tex.: unknown, 1991.Original data: Beeson, Henry Hart.. The Mendenhalls : a genealogy. Houston, Tex.: unknown,)</ref> : Burial: Concord Friends Orthodox Burial Ground, Concordville, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, USA<ref>26526981</ref>

• Mendenhall Org

Sources

<references />*Futhey, J. Smith & Gilbert Cope: History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with Genealogical and Biographical Sketches, Philadelphia: J.B. Lippencot & Co., 1881, p. 655.*Chester County Wills. Located at the Chester County Archives and Records Service.*Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 17 February 2018), memorial page for Benjamin Mendenhall (14 Apr 1662–13 Apr 1740), Find A Grave Memorial no. 26526981, citing ConcordFriends Orthodox Burial Ground, Concordville, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by Nancy Gibson Lowe (contributor 46977585) .

IMPORTANT==The use of the surname Mendenhall came about by the immigration of Thomas children John and Benjamin Mildenhall to the United States. From that point the spelling of Mendenhall was used for John and Benjamin and their descendants.*G2G LNAB should be Mildenhall*G2G Mendenhall corrections needed