Captain Benjamin Grayson, I

• Ref: FindAGrave memorial

Benjamin, is first recorded in the Westmoreland County records in 1715. In 1731 Benjamin made a large land speculation grant on Limestone Creek near Kitchen Mountain in the Catoctin Mountain Range (present day Loudoun County, Virginia). On November 4, 1731, Benjamin was appointed a Commissioners of Peace of the newly formed Prince William County, which included his Limestone Creek land grant.

By the time he married widow Linton, he had already became, a successful Occoquan Falls merchant. Benjamin GRAYSON, was born circa 1684, in Scotland. In his eulogy, the Episcopalian Reverend, Scott said of Benjamin GRAYSON Sr., "He had come into the county from the lower parts of Virginia, his broad ax on his shoulder, that his industry and good management, his being executor to some good estates and his marrying a rich widow, had enabled him to acquire a large estate."

Benjamin brought into this marriage his successful business, being it his first marriage. Widow Susanna MONROE Tyler Linton brought with her nine children (including Letice LINTON) and her dower land rights to her two previous husband’s tobacco plantations. Benjamin acquired a small bakery at Occoquan Falls adjacent to Nathaniel ELLICOT and Elizabeth LINTON’s water gristmills on Occoquan River (present day Occoquan, Prince William County). Benjamin, turned this small bakery into a "successful merchant bakery from which "biscuits" were distributed throughout the colonial frontier." Benjamin reached the rank of Colonel of local Prince William County Virginia Militia, during this time of the French and Indian Wars.

By 1738, Benjamin had settled the accounts of his Tyler guardian children, sons Charles, Monroe and John TYLER received the sum of 46 pounds, 12 shillings and one pence from their father, Charles TYLER’s estate (1695-1724). His daughter Jane’s share went to her husband, James LOVELL and Sally’s went to her husband Francis JACKSON. 8

Benjamin GRAYSON and Susanna MONROE Tyler Linton had four children together. They were Benjamin GRAYSON Jr. (1735-1768) he married Elizabeth OSBORNE (1736-?), Episcopalian Reverend Spence GRAYSON (1740-1798) he married Mary Elizabeth WAGENER (1740-?), Colonel William GRAYSON (1742-1789) he married Eleanor SMALLWOOD (1743-?) and Elizabeth "Susanna" Monroe GRAYSON (1743-1780) she married John ORR (1726-?).

Benjamin built a new dwelling for their growing family of Tylers, Lintons and Graysons, Belle Aire. This plantation house was located on the old Linton Neck Plantation on a high mound on Marumsco Creek over looking Linton Bay (present day Occoquan Bay). Benjamin GRAYSON’s Belle Aire Plantation now containing over a thousand acres.

The Belle Aire Plantation dwelling was burned to the ground, during the second battle of Bull Run if you’re a southerner or the second battle of Manassas, if you’re a northerner, during the Civil War. The battle was fought on August 28th through the 30th of 1862. The dwelling was approximately twenty miles from the battle field. The core of the current structure is believed to be built on the remaining foundation of Belle Aire plantation house. The Grayson family tomb vault, similar to George Washington’s tomb vault, lies in the meadow, below the now existing structure, marked with a small Daughters of the American Revolutionary War marker. After Susanna MONROE Tyler Linton Grayson’s death at age fifty nine, on "November 8, 1752, Mrs Grayson, Colonel Monroe’s sister died." 9 Susanna was buried in the Grayson family tomb vault. Benjamin GRAYSON, in 1748, married the rich Widow Sarah BALL Ewell (1700-?). Sarah brought into the marriage her dower rights to her late husband, Major Charles Ewell’s (1713-1747) 800 acer plantation and their two children Frances EWELL and Jesse EWELL (1743-1805). Sarah BALL Ewell was a first cousin of William Linton Sr. (1706-1733). Benjamin lived for another six years and died in 1758. He was buried next to Susanna at their Bell Aire Plantation vault.

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Footnotes:

1. The Virginia LINTONs © 1995

2. The Virginia LINTONs © 1995

3. The Lund Washington Manuscript, Library of Congress, Washington DC.

4. Westmoreland County Court Order Book 1663-1693 pp 43-44, Westmoreland County Court House, Montross, Virginia.

5. Westmoreland County Court Will Book 8, page 329-331 Westmoreland County Court House, Montross, Virginia.

6. Prince William County Court Will Book C, Probate records, page 432, Virginia Historical Society's collections, Richmond Virginia.

7. The Lund Washington Manuscript, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

8. Prince William County Court Will Book C, pages 432-436, Virginia Historical Society's collections, Richmond Virginia.

9. Register of Saint James Northam, Goochland County, Virginia: Tyler's Quarterly Historical and Genealogical Magazine Vol IV, page 102

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Terry Louis Linton © 1995

Linton Research Fund Inc., Publication © 1995

LINTON & BIRD Chronicles, Volume V, Issue 2, Summer © 2010, ISSN 1941-3521

• “Tyler--Monroe.” The William and Mary Quarterly, vol. 21, no. 1, 1912, pp. 22–25. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1922074.