Hon. Benjamin Fenn

Benjamin Fenn 1612-1672

Biography

Deacon Benjamin Fenn (1612–1672) was the son of James Fenn and Joan Turney.[1] He was born 1612 in Stewkley, Buckinghamshire, England according to a paper published in TAG in 1949 by D.L. Jacobus.[1] Note some earlier genealogies erroneously placed his birth in Whiddington, Musworth, Buckinghamshire, England with the incorrect parents[2][3] According to Cutter Benjamin arrived in Dorchester in 1630 on the ship "MARY and JOHN.[4] However, Robert Charles Anderson (2015) shows his arrival in 1639 in Milford.[5] In Milford he had lot # 3 allotted to him containing 2 acres 11 rods and 3 poles.[6]

He was the governors's assistant, a magistrate of the colony and colonial militia.[7][2] He was Representative for Milford in 1653, an Assistant of that colony 1654, and an Assistant of the United Colony from 1665-1672.[8][6] "He was deputy from Milford to the General Assembly of the New Haven Colony 1653-1654, a Magistrate for Milford for 9 years from 1654 to 1663; Assistant 1665 to 1672; Commissioner of United Colonies of New England for the New Haven Colony with Gov. Leete in 1661 and 1663."[6][3]

He married first, Sarah Baldwin, daughter of the emigrant, Sylvester Baldwin who died on the ship Martin 21 June 1638 on the way over from England.[9][10] They were admitted to the church in Milford 20 September 1640. She died 29 April 1663. link[6] After her death he married secondly to Susanna Ward (Wade / Wood) March 12, 1664 at Milford, Connecticut.[4][6][11] She was admitted to the church in 1650.[6][12] Jacobus lists Susan Ward was a widow before their marriage.[13]

Children of Benjamin Fenn and Sarah Baldwin

1. . Benjamin bpt 20 Sept 1640[1]
2. Joseph bpt 20 Nov 1642[1]
3. Sarah bpt Apr 1645, married Samuel Burwell[1]
4. Mary bpt 10 Oct 1647, died May 1701. Married (1) William Leete Jr. of Guilford, CT (2) Capt. Stephen Bradley[1]
5. Martha bpt 7 July 1650, married Capt. Samuel Newton[1] Mentioned in the will of their grandmother Sarah (Bryan) Baldwin-Astwood in 1669: Sarah, Benjamin, Martha (Note: Mary is mentioned in her fathers will, but not mentioned in the will of the grandmother).

Children of Benjamin Fenn and Susanna Ward

1. Samuel born and died Feb 1665/6[1]
2. Samuel born 4 Sept 1667[1]
3. Susannah born 4 May 1669. Married (1) William Hooker (2) John Blackleach[1]
4. James born 14 MAY 1670. died 28 DEC 1746[1]

Mentioned in the will of their grandmother Sarah (Bryan) Baldwin-Astwood in 1669 (Samuel, Susanna, James)

Benjamin Fenn died 14 SEP 1672, in Milford, New Haven, Connecticut.[1]

Will

Benjamin Fenn Senior's, (of Milford in the Colony of "Connecticut" in New England), will dated 14 Sept 1672 was proved 14 Nov of same year.[7] I do give and bequeath unto my eldest son Benjamin Fenn, as an addition to his portion that he hath already received, to the value of three hundred pounds and upwards, that farm that I formerly bought of Mr. Samuel Bach, late of New Haven, lying on the East side of East River, consisting of eighteen acres of meadow, more or less, with all the upland that is laid out thereto, he paying, or causing to be paid, thirty pounds towards the purchase, as was agreed upon, besides what he hath already paid. To my second son Samuel Fenn, my dwelling house that I now inhabit, within the town of Milford, with housing, uplands and meadows belonging, with that piece of upland and meadow that I bought of the Indians, above Pagasick, called Pluff meadow, and the uplands adjacent thereto. To my youngest son James Fenn, my house in New Haven, with the warehouse and all the land belonging thereto, on this side of the East River, and that parcel of meadow belonging to the house, on the other side of the River, and all my right & c. in that farm that the Hon. General Assembly gave to me. To my three eldest daughters, Sarah, Mary and Martha, besides what they have already received for their portions, twenty pounds apiece to be paid within one year after my decease out of my estate in New England. To my youngest daughter Susanna Fenn, for her portion, one hundred and twenty pounds, to be paid at eighteen years old or day of marriage. To my grandchild Benjamin Fen, son of my eldest son Benjamin, the house, orchard and land formerly Joseph Fenn's, in the town of "Norawake." To all the rest of my grandchildren respectively I do give one ewe sheep to each of them. My will is that my grandchild Benjamin should enter and posses his house and lands at Norawake at the end and period of the lease that's now let for. My two youngest sons Samuel and James shall come to enter and possess their legacies at their accomplishing of the age of one and twenty years, but, in case my dear and loving wife should see it her way to dispose o f herself in marriage before then, it's my will that they should enter upon the one half of their housings and lands at eighteen, and atone and twenty the whole but their mother's third . To my son Samuel, my dwelling house, lands and meadows in the parishes of Chiddington, Masworth, Ivingbo, Wing, all of them in Buckinhamshire, given to me by the will of the late deceased Agnis Seare of the same parish and Shire. My said son, if hecomes to the full possession of it at one and twenty, to pay to his brother James forty pounds at one and twenty and to his sister Susanna twenty pounds at one and twenty, and twenty pounds to his eldest brother Benjamin within five years after his entrance and possession. All the residue, whether in New England or old I give to my wife Susanna Fen and I make her executrix. My will is that within five years after my decease she pay to each of my three eldest daughters, Sarah, Mary and Martha, ten pounds apiece, to be laid out in old England in pewter and brass for money pay and sent over for their several and respective uses, they bearing the charge of transportation and the danger of the seas. I entreat my honored, loving friends Mr. James Bishop of New Haven, Mr. Robert Treat, Thomas Wheeler and Daniel Buckingham to lend and afford their best help, council and advice as overseers &c.Wit: Robert Treat, Ephraim Sanford Dycer, 14.

Sources

• 1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11Donald Lines Jacobus, "Fenn of Milford, Conn" in The American Genealogist (New Haven, CT: D. L. Jacobus, Jul 1948) Vol 24 p 129-132. "Benjamin Fenn bp Stwekley, co. Bucks. D. 1672 Milford, Conn. Will 14 Sept. 1672, Inv. 13 Nov. 1672. Son of James and Joan (Turney) Fenn." See chart p 130 for list of children
• 2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Charles Candee Baldwin, Baldwin Supplement, (Cleveland Ohio: Cleveland Leader Printing Co., 1889) p 993
• 3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Ernest Flagg, Genealogical notes on the founding of New England : my ancestors part in that undertaking (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1978) p 207 link
• 4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Cutter, William Richard, New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of Commonwealths and the Founding of a Nation (Lewiston Historical Publishing Company 1913) Vol 3 p 1506 link
• 5. ↑ Robert Charles Anderson. The Great Migration Directory: Immigrants to New England, 1620–1640 (Boston, Massachusetts. New England Historic and Genealogical Society. 2015) p 113
• 6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Abbott, Susan Woodruff and Jacquelyn Ladd Ricker, Families of Early Milford, Connecticut. (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1979) Benjamin Fenn p 250-51
• 7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Henry F. Waters, A.M., Genealogical Gleanings in England (Genealogical Publishing Co, 1969) Vol I p 695-696
• 8. ↑ Charles Candee Baldwin, Baldwin Genealogy from 1500-1881, (Cleveland, Ohio: Leader printing co., 1881) p 49 link
• 9. ↑ Charles Lathrop Pack, XVIII Baldwin in Thomas Hatch of Barnstable and Some of His Descendants (Neward, New Jersey: The Society of Colonial Wars in The State of New Jersey, 1930) p 209 link
• 10. ↑ Torrey’s New England Marriages Prior to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015 Vol 1 p 535 FENN, Benjamin (-1672) & 1/wf Sarah [BALDWIN] (1621-1663); ca 1638; Milford, CT {Tuttle 629; Parke Anc. 68; Ackley-Bosworth 184; Milford VR; Baldwin 41, 49; Flagg Anc. 207, 249; Hooper 15; Sv. 1:105; Bassett-Preston 16; Hartford Prob. 1:198}
• 11. ↑ Torrey’s New England Marriages Prior to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. Vol 1 p 536 FENN, Benjamin Sr. (-1672) & 2/wf Susanna WARD/WOOD/WOAD; 12 Mar 1663, 1663/4, 10 Mar 1663/4; Milford, CT/Boston/New Haven {Boston 169; TAG 9:112, 24:129, 130; New Haven VR 20; New Haven Gen. Mag. 1930; Baldwin 50; Sv. 2:152; Hartford Prob.; 1:198} link
• 12. ↑ Benjamin Fenn, in Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England: Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came Before May, 1692, on the Basis of Farmer's Register. (Boston: Little, Brown, and Co, 1860-1862), 2:152. "Fenn, Benjamin, Dorchester, came, perhaps, 1630, in the Mary and John, yet his name is not ment. bef. 1638, soon after which he rem. to New Haven and to Milford, had two ws. of wh. first was Sarah, d. of Sylvester Baldwin, wh. d. 29 Apr. 1663, and he m. 12 Mar. 1664, Susanna Ward. Of the ch. Benjamin, bapt. 20 Sept. 1640; Joseph, 20 Nov. 1642; Sarah, Apr. 1645; Mary, 1647; and Martha, 1650; were of the first w. Samuel, 14 Mar. 1666, d. soon; Samuel, again, 4 Sept. 1667, d. young; Susanna, b. 4 May 1669; Samuel, again, bapt. 1671; and James, b. 14 May 1672; of course, were of the sec. was rep. 1653 for M. an Assist. of that Col. 1654, promot. the un. with Conn. and was an Assist. 1665 of the Chart. Col. to 1672, when he d. The will of 14 Sept. and inv. of 13 Nov. of that yr. show it. His est. was large here and in Eng. Co. Bucks, val. at £600, rents due 240, and this was by the will giv. to Samuel. Sarah, perhaps, m. Samuel Burwell; Martha, m. 14 Mar. 1669, Samuel Newton; and Susanna m. William Hooker of Farmington. By the will of the wid. 9 Sept 1674, we learn, that she was about embark. for Eng. giv. her prop. chiefly to James and Susanna, refer. to her aged mo. Susanna Wood or Woad of Suckley in Co. Worcester, a. 9 ms. from the city, a parish border. on Herefordsh. beside other relatives; and by the inv. Nov. 1676, it is made prob. that she did not come back."
• 13. ↑ Milford Vital Records in The American Genealogist (New Haven, CT: D. L. Jacobus, 1937-. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009 - .) Vol 9 p 112 link