Martha Benge

Possible birth surname: Martin
Alternate date of death: October 11, 1763

In Shawnee Heritage, Don Greene has John Chiles being the father of daughters Suanannah and Sarah, each of whom married a Joseph Martin. He then has Martha Martin (1744) as the daughter of Joseph Martin (1681) and Sarah Chiles (1709). NOTE, he does NOT say that Martha Martin is the child of Joseph Martin, Sr, of Albemarle (1702-1760) and his wife Susannah Chiles (1700-1754).

Issues.

1. No other source has Sarah as a daughter of John Chiles. 2. He has Martha Martin born in 1744 and marrying Thomas Benge (1711). Most sources have Martha marrying Thomas Benge (1711). However, the 1744 birth year for Martha is a problem because it is after that of her 2 sons, John “Old Trader” Benge (1734/1735) and Thomas Benge (1734/1735). 3. Martha is usually shown as being born 1710-1718, which would correspond to Greene’s Martha unknown (1715). Martha unknown would also be the right age to be the mother of John “Old Trader” Benge (1734/1735) and Thomas Benge (1734/1735).

Conclusion. Greene has probably confused Martha Martin and Martha unknown. Even if she existed, Sarah Chiles (1709) could not have been Martha unknown’s (1715) mother. So if Martha unknown is really Martha Martin, then Greene has her mother wrong too.

References

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Benge-305
• Shadburn, Don L., Upon Our Ruins, The Cottonpatch Press, 2011, p. 533-536