Bennett Eliot

Do not change his parents. This family has been well researched. Please read first

1. NEHGR (2006) 160:181-4; See NEHGR 160:181-84, 161:85-91, 186-98, 250-59, 162:65-72, 128-39, 300-1;
2. NEQ 62:346-68, 66:416-33, 69:3-32
3. Specifically see: Fiske, William Wyman. Ancestry of Bennet Eliot of Nazeing, Essex, Father of Seven Great Migration Immigrants to Massachusetts. New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Apr, Jul, Oct 2007, Jan, Apr 2008), 162:72, 135. "BennetA Eliot (SimonB, ThomasC, WilliamD was born after 1552. … his godfather, Bennet Averell of Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, whose will dated 11 April 1572 … left 20 shillings to godson Bennet Ayet [sic at age 21. … Bennet was buried (Nazeing) 21 November 1621."

Summary

• Son of Simon Eliot and Jane unknown.
• Surname spelled Eliot not Eliott or Elliot or Elliott
• Children of Bennet Eliot and Letteye Aggar

1. Sarah (13 Jan 1599 - 27 Mar 1673). m William Curtis. GMB 1:499-501; NEHGR 162:135
2. John (1st dy) (6 Feb 1601/2 - 18 Feb 1601/2)
3. Philip ( 25 APR 1602 - 22 Oct 1657) m Elizabeth Sybthorpe GM 2:2:413-16; TAG 80:208-16; NEHGR 160:181-84, 161:85-91, 186-98, 250-59, 162:65-72, 128-39, 300-1
4. Rev. John Eliot "the Apostle Eliot" (5 Aug 1604 - 21 May 1690) m nne Hannah Mountford GMB 631; NEHGR 160:181-84; NEHGR 161:85-91
5. Jacob Eliot (21 Sep 1606 - 28 Apr 1651) m Margery GMB 626-30; NEHGR 146:377-82, 154:3-16, 160:181-84, 161:85-91, 186-98, 250-59, 162:65- 72, 128-39, 300-1
6. Lydia Eliot (1 Jul 1610 - 27 Jul 1676).m/1 John Penniman m/2 Thomas Wight GMB 3:1426-30; NEHGR 162:136; Clifford L Stott, The English Origins or James1 Penniman of Boston and Braintree, Massachusetts in TAG 71:12-18 (2008)
7. Francis Eliot (10 Apr 1615 - 30 Oct 1677) m Mary Saunders NEHGR 3:127, 160:181-84, 161:85-91, 186-98, 250-59, 162:65-72, 128-39, 300-1;
8. Mary Eliot (11 Mar 1620 - 24 Mar 1679) m Edward Payson GM2:5:389; NEHGR 162:138

Biography

Bennett Eliot (name is spelled "Eliot" by Robert C. Anderson in Great Migration Begins)[1] Other variations: Bennett Elliot, Elyot, was identified as a "Yeoman" in his will.[2]

Origin

Bennett was christened October 30, 1573 at Widford, Hertfordshire, England.[3] He was a son of Edward Elliot and Jane Gedge.[4][5]

Family

Bennett married 30 October 1598 at St. John Baptist, Widford, Hertfordshire, England to Lettice Aggar.[6][7] Lettice was buried on March 26, 1620 at Nazing.[8]

Children of Bennett and Lettice:[8][7]

1. Sarah (13 Jan 1599 - 27 Mar 1673). m William Curtis. GMB 1:499-501; NEHGR 162:135
2. John (1st dy) (6 Feb 1601/2 - 18 Feb 1601/2)
3. Philip ( 25 APR 1602 - 22 Oct 1657) m Elizabeth Sybthorpe GM 2:2:413-16; TAG 80:208-16; NEHGR 160:181-84, 161:85-91, 186-98, 250-59, 162:65-72, 128-39, 300-1
4. Rev. John Eliot "the Apostle Eliot" (5 Aug 1604 - 21 May 1690) m nne Hannah Mountford GMB 631; NEHGR 160:181-84; NEHGR 161:85-91
5. Jacob Eliot (21 Sep 1606 - 28 Apr 1651) m Margery GMB 626-30; NEHGR 146:377-82, 154:3-16, 160:181-84, 161:85-91, 186-98, 250-59, 162:65- 72, 128-39, 300-1
6. Lydia Eliot (1 Jul 1610 - 27 Jul 1676).m/1 John Penniman m/2 Thomas Wight GMB 3:1426-30; NEHGR 162:136; Clifford L Stott, The English Origins or James1 Penniman of Boston and Braintree, Massachusetts in TAG 71:12-18 (2008)
7. Francis Eliot (10 Apr 1615 - 30 Oct 1677) m Mary Saunders NEHGR 3:127, 160:181-84, 161:85-91, 186-98, 250-59, 162:65-72, 128-39, 300-1;
8. Mary Eliot (11 Mar 1620 - 24 Mar 1679) m Edward Payson GM2:5:389; NEHGR 162:138

Sarah, wife of Nicholas Camp, is sometimes said to have been a daughter of Bennett Eliot. Bennett's will is often misinterpreted. It actually reads, "my trusty and well-beloved friends, William Curtis, my son-in-law, Nicholas Camp the younger, and John Keyes ...." When this is published without the all-important comma after son-in-law, it reads," friends William Curtis, my son-in-law Nicholas Camp ...." With the comma included, it is plain to see that Eliot's son-in-law was William Curtis.[9] The parents of Sarah (Unknown) Camp have not been identified.

Nazing

Bennett and his family removed to Nazing in 1606.

Last Will & Testament of Bennet Eliot

Abstract:

Bennett Eliot's will was dated November 5, 1621 in Nazing and proved March 28, 1622. In it he made the following bequests: To son-in-law Wlliam Curtis, all rents from his lands in Ware, Widford, Hunsdon, Estweeke and Harford for eight years to pay to his son John Eliot 8£ per year for his expenses at Cambridge University, and to pay the rest towards the support of his youngest children, Francis, Jacob, Mary and Lydia. To son Francis, land called Crotwell Croft (2a.) and Coles Croft (1a.), land called Dameter in Great Hyfield, land in Little Westney (1.5a.) and land in Sowters Common Meade (.5a.) To son Jacob, tenement in Widford wit all lands belonging to it in Widford, Ware, Hunsdon and Eastwick To daughter Lydia, 50£ to be paid at age 18 To daughter Mary, 20£ to be paid at age 18 To goddaughter Mary Curtis, 3£ All stock of cattle, corn and outdoor moveables to be sold for the support of his children To daughters Mary and Lydia, the chest in the yellow chamber To son Francis, four silver spoons given to him at his christening To Mary Curtis, five shillings to make a ring in remembrance of him To the three executors of his will, 10£ annually for the support of his children for eighteen years.[10][11][2]

Complete Will:

"Bennett Elliott of Nasinge, Essex, yeoman, 5 November 1621, proved 28 March 1622. My body to buried in decent and Christian manner. I give and bequeath all the rents and profits of all my copy and customary lands and tenements &c in the several parishes of Ware, Widford, Hunsdon and Estweeke in the Co. of 'Harford' unto my trusty and well beloved friends William Curtis, my son in law, Nicholas Camp the younger and John Keyes, all of the said parish of Nasinge, for the space of eight years from the time of my decease quarterly to pay unto my son John Elliott the sum of eight pounds a year of lawful money of England for and towards his maintenance in the University of Cambridge, where he is now scholar, and the residue of the rents and profits I give and bequeath for and towards the bringing up of my youngest children, that is to say, Francis, Jacob, Mary and Lydia. And the inheritance of all my said lands lying in the said parishes I give and bequeath as followeth. First, to Francis, my youngest son, and to his heirs forever, one parcel of land called Crottwell Croft, containing two acres more or less, and one other parcel of land called Coles Croft, containing one acre more or less, and one parcel of land called Dameter in Great Hyfield and one other parcel of land lying in Little Westney, by estimation one acre and a half more or less, and one parcel of land lying in Sowters Common Meade, containing half an acre, with all the rents and profits after the end of the said eight years have expired; and I give and bequeath unto my son Jacob and to his heirs forever all that my messuage or tenement in the said parish of Widford, with all the lands thereunto belonging lying in the said several parishes of Widford, Ware, Hunsdon,and Estwick, with all other the appurtenances other than those lands before given to my son Francis, with all the rents and profits of the same from and after the said eight years. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Lydia the sum of fifty pounds of lawful money, to be paid unto her at the age of eighteen years or day of marriage, which shall first happen. I give unto my daughter Mary the sum of twenty pounds of like lawful money, to be paid unto her in like manner and I give unto my goddaughter Mary Curtis the sum of three pounds of like money, payable to her as to the others; and my will and mind is that if either of my said two daughters die before their said age or marriage that then the survivor to have her part or legacy as aforesaid and that if they both happen to die before the said time that then the sum of forty pounds thereof be paid to my son John and the residue to and amongst my younger children.

Item, my will and mind is that so soon as may be after my decease my executors make sale of all my stock of cattle, corn and all other goods and chattles that be 'a broade' out of my house and of so much of my moveable goods within the house as in their discretions cannot well be kept in their own property till my said children be of age to use the same, to such persons as will give most money for the same, and the money rising thereof to employ for the use, behoof and maintenance of my said children to the best advantage they lawfully may or can; and further my will and mind is that my daughter Mary and my daughter Lidia shall have the chest in the yellow chamber and all that is in the same, over and above their parts in the rest of my goods, and my will and mind is that my son Phillip shall have so much of my household implements as cannot well be removed without loss, for his part of my said goods if it rise to be so much; if his part come not to the value then that he may have them at a reasonable price if he will before any other; and I give unto my son Francis four silver spoons which were given him at his Christening, over and above his my part of goods, and my will is that my daughter Mary Curtis have the keeping of them till he be of age, and for that my said daughter Mary Curtis hath heretofore had a good and competent part of my goods for her portion and preferment in marriage, whereby she is already provided for, I give unto her only the sum of five shillings to make her a small ring to wear in remembrance of my love to her and because my estate in goods and chattles will hardly be sufficient for the education of my young children, Francis, Jacob, Mary and Lydia therefore I more give unto my said friends William Curtis, Nicholas Camp and John Keyes, whom I trust for their bringing up, the sum of ten pounds a year yearly for the space of eighteen years after my decease out of my messuage and customary lands in the parish of Nasinge, or out of any part thereof, for the better maintenance of my said children; and the inheritance of my said messuage, lands and tenements with their appurtenances, with all the rents and profits thereof other than the said ten pounds a year out of the same for the time aforesaid, I give and bequeath unto my son Phillip Elliott and to his heirs forever; and my will and mind is that my said friends pay all such fine or fines as shall be due to the lord or lords for their said lands when they shall be thereunto admitted, and the rest of my estate in goods, rents, money, debts or chattels, with the profits thereof if any be, to deliver to my said children by even and equal portions at the end and expiration of the said eighteen years; and for that cause I do hereby ordain and appoint my said beloved friends William Curtis, Nicholas Campe the younger and John Keyes my full and sole executors &c. and I give to either of them for their pains herein taken forty shillings apiece, and my earnest request is that Mr John Tey of the said parish of Nasinge Esq. would be aiding and helping to my said executors by his good counsel and advice for the better execution thereof, and my will and mind is that if any question or doubt do arise between my executors concerning this my said will that they submit themselves to be ordered and ruled by him without any further trouble or contention.

Wit: Robert Wonnam, Parnell Borum, John Tey, John Campe, William Curtis.

Proved by the oaths of William Curtis, Nicholas Camp junior and John Keyes, executors &c.

Register 24 Com. Ct. of London (1621-1626) fo. 8

Spelling of surname

The surname is spelling with one l and one t for this family.

• "The double L and single T
• Descent from Minto and Wolflee,
• The double T and single L
• Mark the old racce in Stobs that dwell.
• The single L and single T
• The Eliots of St Germans be,
• But double T and double L,
• Who they are nobody can tell."

Death and Legacy

Bennett's burial was recorded thus: "Ben'dt Eliot burled ye 21 of November" [1621] at Nazeing, Essex, England.[12] His will was dated 5 November 1621, but was not proved until March 28, 1628.[2]

       His will recorded in the Commisary Court of London Register for 1621-1626, dated Nov. 5, 1621 ; signed `Benedict' Eliot; mentions children, and provided money for maintenance of his son John at Cambridge University. He was called `Yeoman.' Moved to Nazing in 1606. 

Press. 1896, pp. 108-112

       Rev. John Eliot, called "the Apostle to the Indians," was born in Englandin 1604, probably i n Widford, in Hertfordshire. In the Parish Register of the Church of St. John Baptist at Widford, his baptism is thus recorded:"John Elliot the sonne of Bennett Elliot was baptized the fy fte daye ofAuguste in the yeare of or Lord God, 1604." The baptism of his sister Sarah in 1599 , his brother Phillip in 1602, and his brother Jacob in1606, are also recorded in this Paris h Register. Among the marriages isthis: Bennett Eliot and Letteye Aggar were married the 30t h day ofOctober, 1598. 

Subsequent to 1606 and prior to 1610, the family doubtless removed , for in the Parish Register of the Church of All Saints in thatParish are recorded the baptisms of Lydia in 1 610, of Francis in 1615,and of Mary in 1620. The Register also shows that in the churchyard a rethe graves, unmarked and unknown, of Letteye Eliot, who died in 1620, andBennett Eliot, wh o died in 1621--the father and mother of our apostolicancestor.

John Eliot is supposed to have descended from Sir William de Aliot, anobleman who came to Eng land with William the Conqueror in 1606. TheEliot name is prominent in English annals. The mo tto said to have beenadded by the Conqueror to the Eliot Arms, Per saxa, per ignes, fortitere t recte, wonderfully describes and illustrates the whole career of the"Apostle [to the Indian s]."

Cutter, William Richard. NEW ENGLAND FAMILIES GENEALOGICAL AND MEMORIAL:3rd Series, Vol. IV . 1915. Reprint, Baltimore: GPC, 1996., p. 2203 Bennett Eliot, the English progenitor, lived at Widford, Hertfordshire,England, and married t here, October 30, 1597, Lettice Aggar. Their firstfour children were baptized in the Church o f St. John the Baptist atWidford, the others at Nazing, county Essex. He was buried at Nazing ,November 21, 1621, and his wife was buried there March 16, 1620.Children: Sarah, baptized Ja nuary 13, 1599; Philip, baptized April 25,1602; John, mentioned below; Jacob, baptized Septem ber 21, 1606; Lydia,baptized July 1, 1610; Francis, baptized April 10, 1615; Mary, baptizedMa rch 11, 1620.

Bacon, J. Dean. BACON AND ALLIED FAMILIES. Murray & Gee Inc., CulverCity, CA 1958., p. 157-9 The English ancestors of the American family are thought to trace fromNormandy with "Willia m the Conqueror." This recorded ancestry isparticularly well established. It starts with th e marriage record ofBennett Eliot and Letty Aggar in the Widford Parish Register thus: "AnDo m 1598 Bennett Eliot and Lettye Aggar were married the xxxth of OctoberAn Sup Dicto." Widfor d is about twenty-five miles north of London, andfour and one-half miles east of Ware. The Ch urch of St. John Baptist,where the above record is found, is an ancient structure, parts of i t areprobably 800 years old. Charles Lamb was a frequent worshipper there.Pictures of the Chu rch appear in "The Eliot Genealogy."

They came from Nazing, Essex County, England to Roxbury, Massachusetts onthe ship Lion' 1631 . The above ancestry is established from VitalRecords, starting with the marriage record in C hurch of St. John Baptist,Widford, Hertfordshire, England, Parish Register An Dom 1598 BENNE TTELIOT and LETTYE AGGAR were married the xxxth of October An Sup Dicto.'

She died March 16, 1621, Nazing, Essex County, England. The record of herburial at Nazeing i s "Lettes Ellyot 16 March." (1620).

SARAH ELIOT, bapt. Jan. 13, 1599, Widford, Hertfordshire, England.Married William Curtis Aug . 8, 1618, Nazing, Essex County, England. DiedMarch 27, 1673

       COLONEL PHILIP ELIOT, bapt. April 25, 1602, Widford, Hertfordshire 

       REV. JOHN ELIOT, bapt. Aug. 5, 1604, Widford, Married Anne Mumford, 1632,Roxbury, Massachuset ts. Died May 20, 1690, Roxbury, Massachusetts. Cameto New England Nov. 2, 1631. The noted "Ap ostle to the Indians." See"Descendants of John Eliot" by Emerson (1905). 

       JACOB ELIOT, bapt. Sept. 21, 1606, Widford, Married Margery d. May 9, 1661. Died Nov. 20, 165 1. Was Ruling Elder in Boston Church Sept. 13, 1649. 

       LYDIA ELIOT, bapt. July 1, 1610, Nazing, Essex County, England. MarriedJames Penniman. (2) Th omas Wight Sept. 15, 1665. Will proved Sept. 27,1676, Braintree, Massachusetts. 

       FRANCIS ELIOT, bapt. April 10, 1615, Nazing, Married Mary Saunders, daughter of Martin Saunder s of London. Died Oct. 29, 1677, Braintree, Massachusetts. Deacon Oct. 12, 1652. 

       MARY ELIOT, bapt. March 11, 1621, Nazing, Married Edward Payson Jan. 1,1642, His (2) wife. 

       Died about 1697, 

A GENEALOGICAL HISTORY OF THE CLARK AND WORTH FAMILES, Carol ClarkJohnson, CS71.C6, pp. 26-9 ELIOT is the diminutive of Elye or Elias, the -et and -ot endings havingbeen introduced by th e Normans. The name was often spelled Aliot. TheNorman knight, William de Aliot, who came t o England with William theConqueror in 1066 is the accredited ancestor of Lord Heathfield, th eEarls of Minto and St. Germans, and Sir William Francis Eliot of Stobe,Baronet. The first se at of the family was in Devon, earliest recordsindicating that they were of the gentry, peopl e of good family and socialposition.

Bennett Eliot resided in Nazeing, co. Essex, England, from 1606 until hisdeath, and was burie d there Nov. 21, 1621, leaving a substantial estate.His will was executed Nov. 5, 1621, prob . March 28, 1628. It is believedthat he was a descendant of the Eliots of Cornwall (includin g the Earlsof St. Germans). Before 1606 he lived at Widford, county Hertford, wherehe marrie d Letitia "Letteye" Aggar Oct. 30, 1598, in the Church of St.John the Baptist. She was burie d March 16, 1620. All of their childrensettled in the New World.

Sources

1. NEHGR 162:135-6;
2. Fiske, William Wyman. Ancestry of Bennet Eliot of Nazeing, Essex, Father of Seven Great Migration Immigrants to Massachusetts. New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Apr, Jul, Oct 2007, Jan, Apr 2008), 162:72, 135. "BennetA Eliot (SimonB, ThomasC, WilliamD was born after 1552. … his godfather, Bennet Averell of Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, whose will dated 11 April 1572 … left 20 shillings to godson Bennet Ayet [sic at age 21. … Bennet was buried (Nazeing) 21 November 1621."
3. NEHGR (2006) 160:181-4; See NEHGR 160:181-84, 161:85-91, 186-98, 250-59, 162:65-72, 128-39, 300-1;
4. NEQ 62:346-68, 66:416-33, 69:3-32
5. Anderson, Robert Charles, "Jacob Eliot" Featured Name (Vol I-III, Pages 626-30) The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III. (Online database accessed May 23, 2015: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2010
6. Waters, Henry Fitz-Gilbert, A.M.. Genealogical Gleanings in England. (Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1901), 2:904-06.
7. Appleton, William S., and Whitmore, William Henry, "The Eliot Will." (Vol 4, (No XXI January 1868) Pages 182-91) The Heraldic Journal; Recording the Armorial Bearings and Genealogies of American Families, Vol 3-4. Boston: Wiggin & Lunt, 1865-68, HathiTrust accessed May 24, 2015
8. Winters, W., "The Pilgrim Fathers of Nazing." (Vol 28, Page 145) The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847-. (Online database accessed May 24, 2015: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2013.)
9. Baldwin, John D., III "Why the Origins of Nicholas Camp, Sr. of Milford Remain Elusive!" (Vol 30, Pgs 62-3) The Connecticut Nutmegger. Glastonbury, CT: Connecticut Society of Genealogists, 1970-. (Online database, accessed April 28, 2014. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009.)
10. Will]
11. New England Historical and Genealogical Register 48:396
12. Parish Register/records
13. Holmes, Frank R., Directory of Ancestral Heads of New England Families. Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1980
14. Bacon, J. Dean, Bacon & Allied Families. Murray & Gee Inc., Culver City, CA, 1958, Page 159
15. Hayward, Mrs. W. G. (Eleanor), research notes through correspondence
16. Fiske, William Wyman. "Ancestry of Bennet Eliot of Nazeing, Essex, Father of Seven Great Migration Immigrants to Massachusetts", New England Historical and Genealogical Register volume 161 (April 2007).
17. http://www.theroyfamily.com/p21217.htm
18. http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Eliot-153
19. THE GENES OF ABRAHAM PARKER 1612-1685 by Tom Lawless, 1990. His will dated Nov. 5, 1621, was proved Mar 28, 1622. Mentioned in it were William Curtis, son-in-law (husband of Sarah), Philip, John, Jacob, Lydia, Francis and Mary. He was a holder of a great amount of land in England, with distribution in the will of 'lands and tenements, etc., in the parishes of Ware, Widford, Hunsdon and Estweek in the County of Harford' (Hertfordshire)'.
20. GENEALOGICAL AND FAMILY HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE by Ezra S. Stearns, pub. 1908 by The Lewis Pub. Co., NY, Chicago, Vol. IV, p. 1746: Eliot- The name of Elliott, or Eliot, was evidently brought into England from France by a distinguised soldier in the Conqueror's army named Aliot. Branches of the family became distributed throughout England, and on the Scottish border and the river Eliot, or Elot, is said to have derived its name from one of these branches. The families in Devonshire and Cornwall generally spell their name Eliot, which those in Scotland use the double letters. The first of the name in America was the Rev. John Eliot, the distinguished missionary among the aboriginal inhabitants of Massachusetts, who translated the scriptures into their language. Robert Eliot was an early settler on Newcastle Island in Portsmouth harbor, but he had no male children.
21. The Ancestry of Bennet Eliot of Nazeing, Essex, Father of Seven Great Migration Immigrants to Massachusetts, is a problem that has interested New England genealogists for well over a century, especially because one of his children was the Rev. John Eliot, ?Apostle to the Indians.? The author, William Wyman Fiske, found an original manorial court roll from 1580 that proved the parentage of Bennet Eliot. Additional research in wills in the Essex Record Office helped tie Bennet to the known Eliot family.

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