Elizabeth Bullard, wife of Thomas Brooks [# 100] is the Benson descendent.

Elizabeth, daughter of Charles Bullard

Charles Bullard, son of Richard Bullard and Catherine Benson

Catherine Benson, daughter of Charles Benson of Culpeper County, Virginia- see Richard Bullard for her obituary.

Charles Benson was born circa 1718, the son of Robert Benson and Frances Prou. He was 96 years old at the time of his death according to the Virginia Herald, January 13, 1813. He married Judith Berry or Greenwood and lived at " Hickory Hill", Culpeper County, Virginia. She must have preceded him in death, as there is no mention of a wife in his will. Charles Benson owned land in King George, Stafford and Culpeper Counties, Virginia.

He was "of King George County" in 1769 according to an Indenture between Fielding Lewis, William Fitzhugh of Marmion, William Firtzhugh of Somerset, William Robinson, Joseph Jones, Charles Washington, Lewis Willis and John Shindler, trustees for the sale of lands of Charles Carter, Esquire. ..........Four Hundred acres, being part of the Tract called Richland, bordering on the Rappahannock River in King George County; with all appurtenances thereon; for the sum of Two Hundred Pounds..

They were the parents of six children including Catherine Benson Bullard above. William, James, Catherine, John, Margaret and Agatha..

Culpeper County, Virginia Will Book F- Page 448. Will of Charles Benson

In the name of God, Amen, I Charles Benson, of Culpeper County do make my last will and testament as follows VIZ:

First, My will is that all my just debts and funeral expenses be paid-

2ndly I give and bequeath to my sons James and John the tract of land whereon I now live to be equally divided between them- James part to lie on the North River and John’s part to be on the north River to them and their heirs forever.

3rdly I give and bequeath to my grandson Charles Bullard any four of my slaves he is to have the liberty of choosing them from all my slaves except for Harry and Davy, the said four slaves I give to the said Charles and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten him.

Item I give the said four slaves and their increase to be equally divided among the sisters of the said Charles living at the time of his death, to them and their heirs forever- I also give to the said Charles Bullard my negro woman named Patt, to him and his heirs forever.

4thly I give unto my daughter Agatha Yancy during her l natural life, my two slaves, Harry and Davy, and after her death the said Harry and Davy to be equally divided among all my granddaughters then living to them and their heirs forever.

5th Having heretofore given to my son William, as much of my estate as I think his fair proportion thereof; I now give him one shilling only.

6th It is my will and desire that my two slaves Glasgow and Lark be not sold, but that they have the liberty of choosing their mistress from among all my children and grandchildren.

7th I give and bequeath to Isaac Bingham the younger, One Hundred Dollars to be raided out of my estate and paid by my executors as soon after my death as it can be "conveniently" done.

And lastly, I nominate and appoint my son in law Richard Bullard and my grandson Charles Bullard Executors of this, my last will and testament. In witness thereof I have set my hand and seal the 23rd day of September 1805. Charles Benson [seal].

Signed, sealed and acknowledged before us.

William Brooke, Thomas Brookes, Abraham Tunson.

This will was also recorded in Stafford County, Virginia .

Culpeper Will Book P, page 112- March 14, 1814 shows cash paid to Benjamin Fields on account of his wife’s legacy by his bond. $12.50. Abner Hayden was paid $14.00 in full of his wife’s legacy . Both wives are daughters of Richard Bullard and Catherine Benson Bullard.

The relationship of Isaac Bingham the younger to Charles Bullard has not been determined.

[George Harrison Sanford King, Esquire, deceased, of Fredericksburg, Virginia did quite a lot of research on the Benson family. He was a genealogist of note in that area and well respected. ]

Robert Benson was born circa 1685/1686 in Middlesex County, Virginia, a son of Thomas Benson and Dorothy Sutton. Baptized February 11, 1685/86 ,is, at Christ Church, Middlesex County. He died in 1757 in Hanover Parish, King George County, Virginia. He married about 1713 to Frances Prou, born 1687/1688 in Virginia. She was the daughter of Cyprion Prou and Margaret Phillips.. They were the parents of eleven children.

1. Charles Benson [above].

2. Prou Benson born 1720 in Virginia and died 1792 in Greenville County, S. C. [Information on this family may

be found in "Virginia Diaspora", by Guida M. Jackson - Laufer, Ph.D.. Published 1992 by Heritage Books, Inc. ]

3. Mary Benson born December 10, 1725

4. William Benson born June 30, 1729

5. Enoch Benson born about 1729

6. Catherine Benson born ca 1729/1730 and died 1818 in Fredericksburg, Virginia

7. Sarah Benson {twin} born October 7 1730

8. Ann Benson {twin} born October 7 1730

9. John Benson born ca 1731

10. James Benson born ca 1733

11. Zachary Benson born ca 1734/1735

Most of the above dates came from the records of GHS King referenced above and has not been verified, but there is no reason to doubt the validity of his research. The dates of the birth of the twins and daughter Mary came from a descendant of Charles Benson in a letter to Mr. King in the 1940’s.

Thomas Benson was born circa 1650/1660 in Virginia, son of John Benson and his mother is unknown. He married Dorothy Sutton at Christ Church, Middlesex County, Virginia, February 11, 1685/86. They were both of that parish. On the same day, their son, Robert Benson was baptized in the church. Parish records of November 1684 show that the parish was paying Jone Deverdale for the keep a bastard child of Dorothy Sutton, servant to Captain Wormeley. Thomas Benson died intestate in 1734 in King GeorgeCounty, Virginia.

John Benson, [ father of Thomas] patented land in Gloucester County, Virginia in 1660. Middlesex County Wills/Probate provided the information that he was the father of Thomas.

Both indentures were signed and witnessed by Samuel Barbat and Jacob Mailhet before the Magistrate Thomas Harriot August 28, 1684.

Cyprian’s will listed the following daughters as heirs. Mary Prou; Margaret Prou married 1712/13 to Mark Rhymer, Jr.; Elizabeth Prou; Susanna Prou married Walter Anderson; Frances Prou married about 1713 to Robert Benson. he also bequeathed personal items to a "son in law" William Paine and to Isaac February, a "heffer with her first calfe" to be paid to him when he comes to the age of one and twenty by one of my daughters VIZ she keeps him. Margaret, Susan and Frances were named executrixes. The will was witnessed by Thomas Pannell, Thomas Ship and Joseph Berry.

2: See page 75 of "Virginia Diaspora" by Guild M. Jackson-:aufer, PhD