Person Page - 948

     Benedictus Townsend was born say 1710. He married Lucilla Light, daughter of William Light, circa 1735 at probably "Millfield" on Broadkill Creek, near Beaverdam Branch, Sussex Co., Delaware.¹ Benedictus Townsend died before 1769 at probably Hilson Bay, Craven Co., South Carolina.
     
Biography of Benedictus Townsend:

Benedictus Townsend and his wife, Lucilla Light probably lived their early married life on the 200-acre estate called “Millfield” in Delaware. The earliest record we are aware of concerning Benedictus Townsend is a Sussex County, Delaware Deed dated 4 August 1736 wherein Benedictus Townsend and Lucilla, his wife, and Mary Light all of Sussex County deed a 300 acre plantation “situated… on the East and West side of a Branch called The Beaver dam branch...” to John Light.¹ William Light, who died intestate, and was the father of Lucilla, Mary and John Light had owned this plantation. The land was transferred “for divers good causes and consideration of the full and just sum of three pounds lawfull money of America”. This deed likely was to provide John Light clear title to his father’s land, which he likely had title to under the right of primogeniture. This record places Benedictus in Sussex County in 1736. Another Sussex County deed dated 10 December 1745 shows Mary Light, Betty Light and Benedictus Townsend buying for 4 pounds current money the 200 acre plantation called “Millfield” located on the south side of Broad Kill Creek from the descendants of William Clark.² As indicated in this deed, William Clark on 10 October 1696 “did convent to survey and make over” the plantation called “Millfield” to John Light, the elder. Although it is not clearly stated in the deed, it would appear that this 1745 deed was to finally “make over”, after 49 years, "Millfield" to the heirs of John Light, the elder. The deed clearly cites this land passing from John Light, the elder to his son, William Light and then to William’s issue, Elizabeth Light, John Light, the younger, and Lucilla Light. John Light, the elder, William Light and recently John Light, the younger, had all died intestate, thus likely causing confusion as to the ownership of this estate, thereby causing this deed to be prepared. Mary Light and Betty Light are the children of John Light, the younger. Benedictus Townsend represents his wife, Lucilla. The next record is a Sussex County Delaware deed of sale dated 3 May 1750 wherein Benedictus Townsend and Lucilla, his wife, sell 200 acres of land call “Millfield” to Adomozah Little for 30 pounds money.³ For Benedictus and Lucilla to sell this land they would have had to have clear title. We infer from these three deeds that John Light by 1736 was probably living at his 300-acre plantation on Beaver Dam Creek and that Benedictus and Lucilla Townsend were living on their 200 acre plantation called “Millfield”. As the Light’s had owned and likely lived at “Millfield” since 1696, it is very probable that Lucilla was born there and also married Benedictus there. From the property description in the deeds, the “Millfield” plantation encompassed the Gitto Branch on the south side of Broadkill Creek in Sussex County Delaware. Broadkill Creek is now called the Broadkill River. We were not able to determine the location of Gitto Branch. However, the location of “Millfield” is likely within a mile or two south of where present day Delaware Highway 1 crosses the Broadkill River as this is the same location where present day Beaverdam Creek flows into the Broadkill. John Light’s 300-acre plantation was on Beaverdam Branch and likely located near “Millfield”. Probably all of Benedictus and Lucilla’s children were born at “Millfield”.

We also know that Benedictus may have been literate as he signed his name with his signature rather than “his mark”. He must have taken great pride in his name as he consistently used Benedictus in all the records we have found on him. The rarity and his consistent use of the name Benedictus assured us that records containing that name were of him and not another Townsend. In later generations the name Benjamin frequently occurs no doubt in place of Benedictus.

Benedictus removed from Delaware to North Carolina in 1750, based on the date of the sale of his “Millfield” land and his appearance as “Benodictos Townson” on "A List of Tythables on Dan River for the Year 1751”⁴ in Granville County, North Carolina.

The Granville County North Carolina tax list for the previous year, 1750, is entitled "A list of Thythables on Dan River from ye Countrey Line Creek & upwards".⁴ The 1750 list has many of the same names appearing on it as appear on the 1751 list. For example, Abraham Whitworth paid 2 tithes for himself and for Isaac Whitworth on both the 1750 list as well as on the 1751 list. Abraham and Isaac Whitworth are listed just above Benedictus Townsend on the 1751 list. Thus the two lists clearly cover the same geographic area for succeeding years. Both lists have “Dan River” in their titles, however, the 1750 list contains “from ye Countrey Line Creek and upwards” whereas the 1751 list does not contain that statement. This area encompasses the northern half of present day Caswell County, North Carolina above Country Line Creek. Country Line Creek flows from the southwestern edge of Caswell County northeast to the northern edge of the county where it flows into the Dan River near the North Carolina/Virginia border near present day Milton, North Carolina. Thus this area borders present-day Pittsylvania County Virginia just south of Danville, Virginia.

The 1751 Tax list discussed above also indicates that there were no male children over the age of 16 living in Benedictus’s household in 1751. Tithes were required to be paid on all males age 16 and older at that time and it is unlikely that the tax collector would have missed anyone that owed a tax. From this record we infer that all the male children of Benedictus were born sometime after 1735.

That portion of Granville County 'from ye Country Line Creek and upwards" became part of Orange County when Orange was formed in 1752, and then became part of Caswell County when that county was formed from Orange in 1777. We were unable to locate any other tax, land or marriage records concerning Benedictus Townsend in Granville or Orange County except for the 1751 tithable tax record. We thus were unable to document where he resided during the period from 1751 to his appearance in South Carolina in 1764. However, we believe that he and his family were residents of Orange County during that time.

Benedictus Townsend may have moved to South Carolina by 1764 as on 9 November 1764 he applied to the South Carolina Council in Charleston for 100 acres of land on the Northeast side of the Pee Dee River.⁵ A month later, on 4 December1764, he applied for an additional 50 acres on the "Waters of the Pee Dee River". ⁶

On 18 January 1765, Benedictus was granted land described as " One Hundred acres situate on Hilson Bay on Head of Muddy Creek North East side of great Pedee River. bound on all sides by Vacant Land. Surveyed the Twenty Seventh January One Thousand Seven hundred Sixty four for William Wood" Plat certified 6 Nov 1764.⁷ On 16 July 1765 he was granted additional land described as "Fifty acres in Craven County on the NE side of Pedee River bounded on all four sides by Vacant Land".⁸ These were Crown grants from King George III signed by William Bull Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief of The Province of South Carolina. The rent to be paid "every 25th day of March in every year at the rate of three shillings sterling or four shillings proclamation money for every hundred acres ... the same to commence at the expiration of two years from the date hereof." Benedictus, and his heirs were further obligated to "do yearly, and every year, after the date of these presents, clear and cultivate at the rate of three acres for every hundred acres of land". These Crown Grants were offered as "headrights" to encourage settlers to come into the wilderness, clear and live on the land. The headright practice beginning in 1755 was to allow 100 acres for the head of the household and 50 acres for each additional person in the household be they male, female, free, or slave, white, or black. Thus his grant of 100 acres of land was for Benedictus, alone, which implies that his wife, Lucilla, may have died before 1764. Her death may also have been a reason for his leaving North Carolina. The second grant for 50 acres implies one other person was with him or possibly decided to join him shortly after he moved to SC based on the dates of the petitions.

The quit rent scrolls show “William Benedictus & William Townsend” listed as having paid the rent due the Crown in 1768 on 50 acres of land. “Light Townsend” is listed on the next entry as having paid the rent due on 100 acres of land. A notation to the “William Benedictus & William Townsend” entry shows “New Grant July 16, 1765. In those names.” A notation to the Light Townsend entry reads “New Grant Jan 18, 1765”⁹ These notations show that new grants had been made on the 50 acre and 100 acre properties that Benedictus Townsend had been granted in 1765.

The following year, 1769, a William Townsend paid the quit rent¹⁰ on the 50 acres of land. There was no mention of a William Benedictus or Benedictus. Also at that same time, Light Townsend paid the quit rent on the 100 acres of land. William Townsend and Light Townsend were also found to have paid quit rents on 50 acres and 100 acres respectively in 1770¹⁰ and in 1773¹¹. These entries for Quit Rent payments and “new” grants show that William and Light acquired Benedictus’s land before 1768, by purchase, gift or inheritance. William Benedictus Townsend is very likely Benedictus Townsend.

The above suggests that Benedictus Townsend who does not appear on the quit rent scrolls, either removed from South Carolina or died there before 1769 as no further records on him have been found. As his sons remained for several years in South Carolina this implies that he likely died there before 1769. That is the basis we have used for his date and place of death. However, another possibility is that Benedictus moved back to Orange County, North Carolina after establishing his sons, William and Light on their own land in South Carolina. It could be that William and Light were not old enough to petition and own land in their own right, so Benedictus petitioned for it in his name and then transferred it to them when they came of age. As will be shown in the biography of Thomas Townsend (1735-1796), Thomas and probably others remained in North Carolina until well after the Revolutionary War. It could be that Benedictus also returned to North Carolina about 1768 and possibly died there at a date later than 1769.

     Benjamin Townsend was born circa 1768 at Hilson Bay, Craven Co., South Carolina. He was the son of Light Townsend and (--?--) (--?--).
     
Biography of Benjamin Townsend:

Benjamin Townsend (1768- )is very likely one of the two tithable persons listed on the 7 July 1789 tax list entry for Light Townsen on the Fayette County, Kentucky Tax List. This suggests that Benjamin was at least 21 by July 1789 as at that time all males 21 or over had to pay a tithable tax. In this case, Benjamin was most likely listed as part of Light Townsend's household; even thorough his name is not recorded. The next record is of Benjamin Townsend paying tax on 22 April 1791 in Woodford County, Kentucky. Light Townsend (1745-1817) was also recorded as paying his tax on that same date. This clearly is a record of Benjamin Townsend that suggests he was born before 1770. Based on these two tax records and the finding that his father, Light Townsend (1745-1817) had likely started his family shortly after 1765 when he bought his first land from his father, Benedictus Townsend in South Carolina, we show Benjamin as being born circa 1768 on Hilson Bay, Craven County, South Carolina. He no doubt was named after his paternal grandfather and very likely is the first born male of this family.

Benjamin is mentioned in Light Townsend's 1817 Will which means he was alive in 1817. However, other than the tax lists, no records on Benjamin were found in Kentucky after a brief search. No further work has been done on Benjamin.

     Benjamin Townsend was born circa 1764 at probably Orange Co., North Carolina. He was the son of John Townsend and Cortney (--?--).
     
Biography of Benjamin Townsend:

The earliest record we have found on Benjamin Townsend is a deed dated 4 September 1786 wherein George Trayweak, planter of Marlborough sells to Benjamin Townsend for the sum of 5 pounds sterling that “parcel of land containing One hundred acres more or less situate lying and being adjoining Lyght Townsend’s land whereon he now lives and hath such marks course and Shapes as is agreed on by the said parties … being part of a tract of land containing six hundred & forty acres granted to the said Geo Trayweak on the fifth day of June in the year 1786 by William Moutrie Governor & Commander in Chief in and over the State of South Carolina.” Signed. George Traweak, Witnesses: Wm Whitfield, John Hilson, Jessie John ¹ It is believed that this Benjamin is the son of John Townsend, just as another deed dated the same day from George Trayweak to William Townsend, son of John Townsend was recorded. Benjamin would have had to be at least 21 years of age at the time of this deed thus placing his birth year at 1765 or earlier.

Benjamin also witnessed the following Marlboro County deed dated 3 March 1787 where an abstract of that deed shows: "Georg. Trawek of Cheraws District Malburg County to Mashack Gin of same. For 60 (?) pounds Sterling, 50 acres more or less on E Side of the three Creeks, joining Jacob Green, William Townsend, Robert Blear... being part of a tract of 640 acres granted to sd George Trawek 5 June 1785... George Trawek, Wit: George Trawek, John (His mark) Townsend, Benjamin (his mark) Townsend. Rec 5 Mar 1787 [Hard to Read]" ²

The household of Benjamin Townsend is found in the 1800 Census of Marlboro County listing 1 male age 26-45 (Benjamin), a female age under 10( his unknown daughter), and another female age 16-26(likely his unknown wife). We were not able to find further records that we believe relate to this individual in Marlboro County suggesting that he and his family moved out of the county after 1800. Attempts to locate him elsewhere in the United States after 1800 were not successful.

     Benjamin Townsend was born in 1788 at Marlboro Co., South Carolina.¹ He was the son of Rhoda Townsend. Benjamin Townsend married Ester (--?--) circa 1810 at Marlboro Co., South Carolina.
     
Biography of Benjamin Townsend:

Benjamin Townsend appears in the 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840 and 1850 Censuses of Marlboro County, South Carolina. These censuses suggest that Benjamin had one additional unknown daughter born around 1815. We were not able to identify that daughter.

     Benjamin Townsend was born on 18 February 1818 at South Carolina.¹ He was the son of Jabish T. Townsend and Elizabeth Spears. Benjamin Townsend married Mary W. Brown, daughter of Harriet (--?--), circa 1841 at Marlboro Co., South Carolina. Benjamin Townsend died on 10 June 1885 at age 67.¹

     Benjamin Townsend was born circa 1874 at Marlboro Co., South Carolina.¹ He was the son of Charles Pinkney Townsend and Amanda McConnell. Benjamin Townsend married Althea (--?--) circa 1902 at Marlboro Co., South Carolina.²

     Benjamin Townsend was born circa 1834 at McIntosh Co., Georgia.¹ He was the son of Elijah Townsend and Louisa Harris.

     Benjamin Townsend was born on 30 August 1759 at probably Orange Co., North Carolina.¹ He was the son of Thomas Townsend and Anaphilda Watson. Benjamin Townsend married Martha "Patsy" Spraggins circa 1780 at Pittsylvania Co., Virginia.¹ Benjamin Townsend died in 1825 at Greenville Co., South Carolina.¹ He was buried at Townsend Cemetery, Greenville Co., South Carolina.¹

     Benjamin D. Townsend was born circa 1904 at Marlboro Co., South Carolina.¹ He was the son of Benjamin Townsend and Althea (--?--).

     Benjamin F. Townsend was born in June 1893 at Marlboro Co., South Carolina.¹ He was the son of Fletcher Townsend and Elizabeth (--?--).