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1749), who married Elizabeth (1682-1740), daugh-
ter of John Rousby (?-1685/86). DAUGHTER:
Susanna (1666-1714), who married first, John
Darnall (?-1684), and second, ca. 1686 Henry
Lowe(?-1717). PRIVATE CAREER. EDUCATION: lit-
erate; attended Harvard College, 1655. RELIGIOUS
AFFILIATION: Protestant, but married a Catholic.
OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: planter. PUBLIC CA-
REER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Lower House,
Baltimore County, 1663-1664. LOCAL OFFICE:
justice, Baltimore County, 1665-1667 (Quorum).
WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. LAND AT FIRST
ELECTION: patented 1,650 acres in 1664; patented
an additional 600 acres in 1665. WEALTH AT
DEATH. DIED: will probated on May 6, 1667.
LAND: over 2,000 acres.
BENSON, EDMOND (1687-1734). BORN: on
June 4, 1687, in Talbot County; second son. NA-
TIVE: second generation. RESIDED: in Anne Arun-
del County, by 1716. FAMILY BACKGROUND. FA-
THER: Capt. James Benson (?-1709), of St.
Michael's River, Talbot County, a physician.
MOTHER: Margaret, immigrated as a servant, free
by 1679. BROTHERS: James (1684/85-?); Perry
Benson (1694-1751); and Nicholas (1699-1775),
who married Rachel. SISTERS: Margaret (1682/83-
?); Ann (1689-?), who married James Spencer, Jr.;
Elizabeth (1691-?); and Mary (1702-?), who mar-
ried James Parrott. NEPHEW: James Benson (?-
1792). MARRIED on August 15, 1714, Hannah
(1678-1752), widow of Charles Hammond (ca.
1670-1713); daughter of Philip Howard; grand-
daughter of Matthew Howard, of Anne Arundel
County, who immigrated in 1649, and wife Ruth
Baldwin; .niece of Cornelius Howard (?-1680),
Elizabeth Howard, who married Henry Ridgeley
(?-1710), and Mary Howard, who married John
Hammond (1643-1707). Her first cousins were
Matthew Howard (ca. 1675-1750); Sarah Howard,
who married first, John Worthington (1650-1701),
and second, John Brice (?-1713); Charles Ham-
mond (ca. 1670-1713); Thomas Hammond (?-ca.
1724/25); and John Hammond (ca. 1665-
1742/43). CHILDREN. STEPSONS. Charles Ham-
mond (1692/93-1772); John Hammond (?-1755),
who married Ann, daughter of Edward Dorsey (?-
1705); Rezin Hammond (ca. 1713-1739); Nathan-
iel Hammond (1708-1762), who married Anne
Welsh; and Philip Hammond (1697-1760). STEP-
DAUGHTERS: Hamutel Hammond, who married
Charles Worthington; Ruth Hammond, who mar-
ried first, Peaslee Ingram, and second, Thomas
Franklin (ca. 1706-1787). PRIVATE CAREER. EDU-
CATION literate. RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Angli-
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can. SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES: Gent.,
1716. OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: planter. PUBLIC
CAREER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Lower House,
Anne Arundel County, 1719-1721/22 (Laws 1, 3,
4). LOCAL OFFICES: justice, Anne Arundel
County, 1716-at least 1723; justice, Court of Oyer
and Terminer and Gaol Delivery, Anne Arundel
County, commissioned 1716, 1717, 1718, and
1720; St. Anne's Parish Vestry, Anne Arundel
County, in office 1722-1725. WEALTH DURING
LIFETIME. PERSONAL PROPERTY: mortgaged 12
slaves, livestock, silver, and household goods to a
London merchant to cover debt of £600 sterling in
1724. LAND AT FIRST ELECTION: 200 acres in
Anne Arundel and Talbot counties (50 acres in
Talbot County inherited from his father) and a
certificate of survey on 667 acres in Baltimore
County. SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN LAND BE-
TWEEN FIRST ELECTION AND DEATH: bought 150
acres in Anne Arundel County from the estate of
Charles Hammond (ca. 1670-1713) and patented it
into a 197-acre tract in 1722. Gave his brother
Nicholas all of his Talbot County land in 1724.
Three years later he placed all of his land, 1,035
acres, in Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties
into a trust for the support of his wife. Benson
purchased 447 acres in Anne Arundel County in
1727. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: in 1734 in Anne
Arundel County. LAND. 447 acres in Anne Arun-
del County.
BENSON, JAMES (?-1792). BORN: on the north
side of the St. Michael's River, Talbot County, of
age by 1750; only son. NATIVE: third generation.
RESIDED: on the north side of the St. Michael's
River, Talbot County. FAMILY BACKGROUND. FA-
THER: Perry Benson (1694-1751). MOTHER:
Rebecca, widow of Michael Russell. UNCLE: Ed-
mond Benson (1687-1734). HALF BROTHERS: Wil-
liam Russell; Thomas Russell. SISTERS: Rebecca;
Margaret; and Ann. HALF SISTERS: Sarah Russell;
Elizabeth Russell; and Mary Russell. MARRIED in
August 1748 Hannah, daughter of William Rat-
cliffe (?-1741), of Queen Anne's County, and wife
Hannah. Her sisters were Mary, who married by
1740 Thomas Hackett; Jane; Frances; and
Elizabeth. CHILDREN. SONS: Perry; James; William;
and Robert. DAUGHTERS: Margaret, who married
Dr. Edward White; Rebecca; Elizabeth; Charlotte;
and Anne. PRIVATE CAREER. EDUCATION: literate.
RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Anglican, St. Michael's
Parish, Talbot County; Methodist, 1781. SOCIAL
STATUS AND ACTIVITIES: Mr., 1750; Gent., 1772.
OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: planter; agreed to build
an addition to St. Michael's Parish Church and to
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