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vital records sources
go to Dinah Bouton's page






John's signature as executor in the probate papers of his father-in-law Joseph Bouton



his signature on his will.

John was a deacon in the Congregational Church at Norwalk. He and his family moved to what is now New Canaan, Connecticut, formerly Canaan Parish in Norwalk, by 20 June 1733, when John and Dinah are recorded as being admitted to the church there by a letter from the Norwalk church.1 He was elected a deacon there in 1738.2 He is buried in Lakeview Cemetery, where all the burials from the Congregational churchyard were transferred.

The will and inventory of John Benedict:

In the name of God amen I John Benedict of Norwalk in the county of Fairfield and colony of Connecticut knowing it is appointed for all men once to die and being a disposing mind thanks be to God; therefore calling to mind my mortality do make and ordain this my last will and testament; and first of all I recommend my soul to God who gave it, and my body to the earth to be buried at the discretion of my executors not doubting that I shall receive the same again at the resurrection by the mighty power of God; and as touching such worldly estate as it hath pleased the Lord to bless me with; I give devise and bequeath the same in the following manner viz.

imprimis my just debts and funeral expenses being paid my will is that my movable or personal estate shall be disposed of to pay my debts so far as it will answer and what remains not paid my order so much of my lands to be sold as shall pay the whole, further I order and impower my executors hereafter named to sell my personal estate and lands above described to pay my debts.

I give to my loving wife Mary Benedict ye use of one lower room in my house and also other particulars mentioned in a jointure made between me and my wife before marriage.

Item I give and bequeath To My Loving Daughter Mary Benedict and to a her heirs forever the sum of seventy pounds York money including what she hath already received which is entered on my book and what remains to be made up to her to make the seventy pounds.

Item I give and bequeath to my loving daughter Lois Ells and to her heirs forever the sum of seventy pounds York money including what she hath already received which is entered on my book and what remains to be made up to her to make the seventy pounds.

Item I give and bequeath to my loving daughter Rhody Larrance and to her heirs forever the sum of seventy pounds York money including what she hath already received which is entered on my book and what remains to be made up to her to make the seventy pounds.

Item I give and bequeath to my loving daughter Sarah Hoyt and to her heirs forever the sum of seventy pounds York money including what she hath already received which is entered on my book and what remains to make up to her to make the seventy pounds.

I am I give and devise to my loving grandson Elezer Bouton ye 3d heir to my daughter Dinah deceasd. The sum of seventy pounds York money including what my said daughter received in her lifetime which is entered on my book and what remains to be made up to my said grandson to make the seventy pounds.

Item I give and devise to my two loving grand sons viz Elezer Benedict and Jakin Benedict and to their heirs forever three pieces of land; one piece of woodland lying near the sawmill on the south side of the highway in quantity ten acres and is bounded north by highway and George
[?] land west by highway south by the heirs of Caleb Benedict deceasd. east by Daniel Benedict's land - also one piece of my land in my home lot containing for acres also my dwelling house erected on the same and also half of the barn the east part of said barn said land is bounded south by highway west by my own land and Hezekiah's land north by John Benedict's land east by Hezekiah Benedict's land and my own also one piece of my land called Canno Hill swamp containing five acres bounded south by highway east by my own land north by Hezekiah's Benedict's land west by my own land beginning to rods east of ye southeast corner of Hezekiah's home lot and running north to Hezekiah's land and easterly till it makes five acres.

Further my will is that my executors hereafter named shall pay to my said daughters above-mentioned or to their heirs out of my real or personal estate at their discretion of what is wanting to make up the seventy pounds.

Further my will is that the remainder of my estate shall be divided between my four sons viz. John Benedict Daniel Benedict Joseph Benedict and Hezekiah Benedict and their heirs in equal parts between them.

Finally I make constitute and ordain my four sons viz. John Benedict Daniel Benedict Joseph Benedict and Hezekiah Benedict executors of this my last will and testament ratifying and confirming this and this only to be my last will. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the 19th day of February AD 1770.

Norwalk March ye 15th, 1770

An inventory of ye estate of Deacon John Benedict of Norwalk decsd taken by us the subscribers under oath for that purpose

the wearing cloaths of ye desd.

The best hat 0-3-0
do. old hat 0-0-9
the best broad cloth coat 1-10-0
the blue humspun coat 1-15-0
the old crape coat 0-10-0
the great coat 0-9-0
one old coat 0-6-0
blue homespun jacket 0-16-0
1 old black jaccoat 0-1-6
old do. 1/6 do. 1/0 0-2-6
blue homespun breaches 0-8-0
3 pair of old breaches 0-2-0
1 pair of leather breaches 0-9-0
1 old great coat 0-0-6
1 pair of lining breaches 1/0 do. 1/0 0-2-0
1 homespun check shirt 5/0 0-5-0
old 1/6 do. 1/0 0-2-6
2 check woolen shirts 5/0 each 0-10-0
black bassilony
[Barcelona] handkerchief 0-2-0
2 homespun lining caps 0-0-6
1 white lining handkerchief 0/4d do. 0/4 0-0-8
1 pair of lining shirts No. 1 0-15-0
do. no. 2: 9/0 do. no. 3: 5/0 0-14-0
do. no. 4: 3/6 do. no. 5: 3/0 0-6-6
do. no. 6: 3/6 do. single sheet 1/0 0-for-6
one pair of pillow cases No. 1: 0-2-7
do. no. to: 1/6 do. no. 3: 1/6 0-3-0
do. no. 4: 2/0 No. 5: 1/6 0-3-6
do. no. 6: 1/9 single pillowcase 0/9 0-2-6
best tablecloth 2/0 do. 1/0 old do. 0/6 0-3-6
some old lining 0-1-0
lining shirt cloth cut out 0-5-6
3 1/4 yards of lining cloth 0-5-4
1 1/4 of coarse lining cloth 0-1-10
1 featherbed 2-1-0
2 pillows 0-3-4
1 pair of brass
[sleve? - the "l" is crossed like a "t," which is likely a mistake] buttons 0-0-1
-----------
12-10-6

1 boalster 1 old pillow 0-2-6
1 bed quilt
1 black & white coverlid 0-10-0
1 birds eye coverlid 0-6-6
1 old white blanket 0-2-0
1 old dutch blanket 0-1-0
1 old rag coverlid 0-2-6
1 pair of white mittins 0-0-6
ye best pair of blue stockings 0-3-3
ye next best pair of stockings 0-2-0
do. 1/4 do. 1/2 0-2-6
4 pair of old stockings 2 pair of leggings 0-2-6
1 pair of shoes 2/6 1 pair of brass buckles 4/3 0-3-9
1 great Bible 0-9-0
1 old Bible 0-2-0
1 old small Bible 0-1-0
2 thirds of the Martyr book 0-4-0
1 sermon book no. 1: 2/0 no. 2: 1/6 0-3-6
do. no. 3: 0/9 no. 4: 0/6 no. 5: 0/6 0-1-9
no. 6: 0/6 no. 7: 0/4 no. 8: 0/6 0-1-4
no. 9: 0/6 no. 10: 0/6 no. 11: 0/6 0-1-6
1 old Psalm book 0-1-0
1 pair of tongs 0-1-0
1 fire
[prob. pail] 0-1-9
1 grid iron 0-1-6
1 toasting iron 0-1-6
1 roasting iron & hook 0-0-8
1 iron candle stick 0-0-4
1 iron trammel 0-1-9
1 iron trivet 0-0-6
2 old swords 0-1-0
1 pair of old bellows 0-1-2
1 pair of hand irons 0-4-0
1 old square 0-0-6
1 pair of shears 0-0-4
three knives & six forks 0-1-4
1 brass ladle 0-1-3
1 pair of old spectacles 0-0-9
1 chopping knife 0-0-6
1 iron pestall 0-0-9
1 small mortar & pestall 0-0-9
1 old iron shovel 0-2-6
1 old hoe 0-2-0
1 old jack knife 0-0-4
1 ivory comb 0-0-6
1 pair of sad irons 0-3-6
----------
5-5-7

4 pewter basons 0-7-11
5 pewter platters 0-16-7
1 tin pan 0-0-8
1 pint pewter pot 0-1-3
2 porringers 1 beaker cup 0-1-11
14/16 of old pewter 0-11-8
old earthen platters pans & jugs @ 6 0-2-6
3 earthen basons 0-0-9
1 stone pot 0/4d 1 small stone pot 0/4d 0-0-8
1 large stone pot 0-1-0
1 earthen tea pot 0/9d 2 tea
[dishes?] 4 spoons 0/6d 0-1-3
1 salt cellar & mustard pot 0-0-3
1 pewter tea pot 0-2-0
1 flax hatchel 0-5-6
1 old gun 0-3-0
1 tea kittle 0-5-0
1 old warming pan 0-1-9
2 glass bottles 0-0-8
ye biggest iron kittle 0-2-6
small kittle 0-2-0
1 small iron pot 0-3-9
1 old brass kittle & skillet 0-5-6
1 great iron kittle 0-5-0
6 lbs of nails 0-4-1
1 pair of old chards
[cards for wool combing] 0-0-3
1 bedstead 0-4-6
1 bed cord 0-0-9
1 old bottle case with 3 whole bottles 0-1-9
1 large not
[nut?] bowl 0/9 do. 0/3 0-1-0
1 small not dish 0/9 do. 0/3 0-1-0
1 milk tray 1/6 small do. 0/6d 0-2-0
1 real 2/0 1 small gimblet 0/2d 0-2-2
3/16 of beef tallow 0-1-9
9 1/2 of candles 0-6-7
1 old candle box 0-0-4
3 small trunks at 1/6 each 0-4-6
1 pair of beatle rings 0-0-9
1 pair of iron wedges 0-2-0
1 old ax 0-0-9
1 pair of old steel yards 0-2-9
2 1/2 lbs of wool 1/5 pr lb 0-3-6
1 saddle & old bridle 0-3-3
1 yard of new woolen cloth 0-2-6
1 old cork basket 0/6: cloth basket 0/6: 0-1-0
2 small baskets 0-0-8
-----------
6-12-4

the draught chain 0-6-0
large chain 0-8-3
1 pair of horse geers 0-5-3
1 iron crow bar 0-3-9
1 iron frow 0-1-0
1 inch & half auger 0-2-0
1 small clock & pin 0-0-4
1 sickle 0-0-7
1 small adze 0-0-5
1 pair of sheep sheers 0-1-6
1 old drawing knife 0-1-2
yoke staple & ring 0-2-0
1 old sythe & tackling 0-1-6
2 plowbolts 5d each 0-0-10
1 wort sive 1/9 1 old half bushel 10/8 0-2-5
1 cedar pail 0-1-4
2 old pails at 9d each 0-1-6
1 small hand pail 0/6 cheese tongs 0/3 0-0-9
plow coller 0/6 plow share
[3/0?] 0-[3?]-6
1 bread tray 0-1-4
1 peck measure 0/9d 1 old sive 0/3d 0-1-0
1 half a bushel
[rim?] 0-1-0
1 cedar dye tub 0-1-0
1 carpenters adze 0-1-6
3 roap hooks & tacklin 0-1-0
1 jack table 0-1-9
1 old great chair 0-0-9
1 hogshead tub 1/0 old do. 0/6 0-1-6
1 box with 1 draw 3/0 sugar box 0/9 0-3-9
1 old cedar tub 0-0-9
2 1/2 bushels of corn 0-5-0
1 1/2 bushels of wheat 0-6-0
2 bushels of flax seed 0-9-0
[20 or 26] bushels of oats 1-3-0
2 1/2 bushels of wheat bran 0-1-0
half a bushel of Indian meal 0-1-0
1 small cag 1/0 old fat tub 0/6 0-1-6
2 old cyder barrels
[1/6?] each 0-3-0
1 meat barrel 0-2-3
200 lbs of pork in ye barrel 2-12-0
1 churn 0-4-6
5/16 of hogs fat 2/6 1 beer cag 0/9 0-1-6
1 white earthen pitcher 0-0-5
1 wash tub 0/8 2 small tubs at 5d each 0-1-6
2 old hogsheads at 1/0 each 0-2-6
2 old
[t--?] tubs 0-1-6
3 old barrels
[0/1 ir 0/6] each 0-1-6
-------------
8-17-9

corn fan 0-6-0
1 bag 1/9 old pitch fork 1/0 0-2-9
flax in ye barn 0-6-6
ye hog in ye barn 2-14-0
1 old Dutch wheel 0-1-6
1 water pot 0-4-6
1 small iron skillet 0-1-0
1 roaling pin 0-0-3
31 lbs of old iron 0-3-10
4 old sickles 0-0-6
1 large bull 4-0-0
1 brownish gray mare 6-0-0
1 red stear 2-5-0
1 pide stear coming 2 yr old 1-10-0
1 year old stear 1-2-6
1 half of the barn ye east end & half of ye leanty 3-15-0
1 banister back chair 0-2-0
1 old banister back chair
3 four slat back chairs 1/4 each 0-4-0
8 lbs of gammon 0-3-0
1 round stand 0-3-0
4 lbs of grease 0-1-2
1 trammel 0-1-9
1 old chest coloured 0-3-6
1 old bedstead & cord 0-3-0
1 old hogshead 0-0-6
1 old square table 0-1-6
1 board settle 0-0-9
1 old white chest 0-3-0
1 old ax at 0/9d 1 old hoe at 0/4d 0-1-1
1 hoe 0-1-6
1 brass inkpot 0-1-0
1 cag filled with cyder 0-3-0
1 grind stone 0-5-0
1 cleve & pin 0-1-0
saw mill irons 1-14-0
old saw mill saw 0-6-0
old cross cut saw 0-6-0
4 cart hoops & washers 0-5-0
3 old chairs at 1/0 each 0-3-0

the wood land lying south of ye road that goes to the saw mill at £1-15-0 pr acre 19-5-0
one half & half a quarter of the old saw mill land lying by five mile river 2-15-0
also the second or new laying out north of the old mill spot containing about one acre & three roods of land 1-15-0
the dwelling house 12-0-0
the wood land at the upper end of Canaan on the east side of the river at 16/0 pr acre that on the west side of ye river at 8/0 pr acre 28-0-0
ye sedge flats at Bouttons meadow 7-0-0
the English meadow south of the highway 10-0-0 pr acre 18-15-0
ye west plow lot at 4-15-0 pr acre 17-16-3
ye wheat on the ground 6-0-0
the plow lot south of the house at 4-15-0 pr acre 11-1-9
ye east plow lot at 3-4-0 pr acre 16-5-0
ye pasture lot north of the high way at 2-15-0 pr acre 44-0-0
ye orchard lot at 8-0-0 pr acre 9-0-0
ye lot the house stands on at 4-15-0 pr acre 5-6-8
ye plow lot north of the orchard at 4-0-0 pr acre 20-0-0
1 acre in the drift way 2-15-0
ye north field west of Rose Swamp so called at 2-15-0 pr acre 6-17-6
Rose Swamp so called at 1-5-0 pr acre
----------
239-17-2

Theophilus Fitch
Nehemiah Benedict

apprizers




children of John Benedict and Dinah Bouton:

i. John b. 11 September 1724 (from Benedict genealogy, p. 57, not found in Norwalk records)
ii. Daniel b. abt 1726
iii.? Jachin/Jakin b. abt 1728
iv. Joseph b. 20 May 1730 (from Benedict genealogy, as above)
v. Dinah bap. 12 May 1734
vi. Lois bap. 14 March 17(35/?)36 (p. 36)
vii. Hezekiah bap. 23 October 1737 (p. 33)
viii. Rhoda bap. 16 June 1739 (p. 40)
ix. Sarah bap. 22 March 17(40?/)41 (p. 41)
x. Mary bap. 24 April 1743 (p. 37)





vital records sources: John and Dinah are named as the son-in-law and daughter of Joseph Bouton in his will. His death date comes from his gravestone in Lakeview Cemetery, New Canaan.

1. "Connecticut, U.S., Church Record Abstracts, 1630-1920," ancestry.com database online (Provo:2013), vol. 75, New Canaan, image 32. Images taken from original bound volumes in the CT State Library, 75:35.
2. Ibid.

all text and photographs © 1998-2021 by Doug Sinclair unless where otherwise noted