Benjamin Mendenhall1

M, (14 April 1662 - 13 April 1740)

Father*Thomas Mendenhall1 (1630 - 4 Jul 1682)
Mother*Joane Stroud1 (1631 - 1690)
Benjamin Mendenhall|b. 14 Apr 1662\nd. 13 Apr 1740|p651.htm|Thomas Mendenhall|b. 1630\nd. 4 Jul 1682|p2627.htm|Joane Stroud|b. 1631\nd. 1690|p2628.htm|Thomas Mendenhall|b. 24 Dec 1609\nd. 7 Nov 1673|p2634.htm|Anne (?)|b. 1613|p2635.htm|Anthony J. Stroud|b. c 1607\nd. bt 1659 - 1668|p2629.htm|Margery Barley|b. c 1607\nd. 16 Jul 1678|p2630.htm|

Relationship 9th great-granduncle of James Jay McKinney.
Last Edited 13 Apr 1999
Researcher 0
Unrelated 0

Note Provides for wife Ann. To son Benjamin, 20 shillings. To son Joseph, 14 and clock. To son Robert, his farming utensils and also a servant lad named King Roberts. To daughter, Hannah wife of Thomas Marshall 60. To daughter, Anne wife of John Bartram 60. To grandson, Caleb Mendenhall son of Moses deceased 5. To each of his grandchildren 20 shillings. To son-in-law Thomas Marshall 5. Remainder to sons Benjamin and Joseph and daughters Hannah and Anne.1 
Note He was trained as a wheelwright and made his living in that trade until he accumulated enough land to farm. A trunk that Benjamin made shortly after his arrival is carved with the initials, B.M. and the date 1684 on the front and has wire hinges. This trunk was mentioned in his wife's will. In 1713 Benjamin and his wife built a substantial home on the western end of the 250 acres he had bought. The home is still standing and contains a date stone in the gable in the shape of a half circle which read, '1713 Mendenhall, Ben & Ann.' In 1714 Benjamin was a member of the Provincial Assembly and in 1730 he was tax collector for Concord Township. When he died he was the sixth wealthiest person in Concord Township. Here is an abstract of his will:1 
Note Photograph available.1 
Note 1 
Burial* Concord, PA1 
Note* Benjamin was one of the original Mendenhall immigrants to America, having arrived in Chester County, PA about 1682. Benjamin sold 100 acres of the Harding tract to his brother, Moses, on 27 Nov 1686 (the acreage and timing intentionally matched that of brother John's sale to Thomas Martin). This transfer was nullified on 5 Feb 1688, almost certainly because by then Moses had returned to England. Benjamin bought 250 acres in Concord Township from William Hitchcock (who bought the land from William Penn in England) on 8 Feb 1702. Benjamin bought 500 acres west of the Brandywine in Kennett (now Pennsbury) Township from Isaac Few on 23 Mar 1703 with financial assistance from his father-in-law, Robert Pennell. They jointly received title on 15 Jun 1703 and quickly sold off 100 acres to Thomas Hope on 20 Aug 1703.1 
Birth*14 April 1662 Ramsbury, England1 
Marriage*17 April 1689 Chichester, PA, Principal=Ann A Pennell1 
Death*13 April 1740 Concord, PA1 

Family

Ann A Pennell
Marriage*17 April 1689 Chichester, PA, Principal=Ann A Pennell1 
Children

Citations

  1. [S80] Dean Leornard, "Leonard GEDCOM," e-mail message from unknown author e-mail (unknown address) to unknown recipient, April 1999.
  2. [S1] Louise Horton, Genealogy of the Wheeler - Millikan and Allied Families (n.p.: n.pub., 1970).