Enoch Benson (1756 - 1840)

My fifth great-grandfather.

Born: December 1756 in Culpepper County (or possibly Prince William County), Virginia

Died:  4 September 1840 in Gwinnett County, Georgia

Father: Prou Benson
Mother:  Elizabeth Berry Thomson (Born: c, 1729)

Siblings:
   Thomasina Benson, c. 1750
   Benjamin Benson, c. 1752
   Sarah Benaon, c. 1754
   Francis Benson, c. 1756
   William Benson, c. 1760
   Robert Benson, 1762
   Zacariah Benson, 1764
   Joshua Benson, 1766
   George Benson, c. 1768
   Mary Benson, c. 1770
   Clary Benson, c. 1772
   Elizabeth Benson, c. 1774
   Henry Benson, c, 1776

Married: Jemima (maybe Berry?)

Children:
   Elizabeth Benson, c. 1780
   Mary Polly Benson, 1781
   Frances "Franky" Benson, 1784
   Rueben Benson, 1786
   Clarissa "Clary" Benson, 1791
   John "Jackie" Benson, 1795
   Jim Benson, 1797
   Willis Benson, 1799
      There were also three daughters born and died before 1797 and another in 1801.

 

As I was doing my research, I found this Facebook post above and was surprised to see Enoch called a Revolutionary War hero. I sent them a request for more information. I'll have to wait and see if I get a response. Sugar Hill is in Gwinnet County, Georgia.

In the meantime, I was able to gather bits and pieces of information. Although the first US census was taken in 1790, Enoch's name is included in the "Virginia volume, Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States taken in the year 1790: Records of State Enumerations, 1782-1785: Virginia." It shows him living in Stafford, Virginia, during that time. 

In 1785, he moved to Greenville District in South Carolina. He preached there at the Noonday Baptist Church in 1786. He was included on the 1890 US Census in South Carolina. On 11 May 1812, he shows up as the administrator of his mother's will.

Enoch moved his family to Gwinnet County, Georgia in 1818. They were members of the Head of Enoree Baptist Church in Greenville. (The church wasn't officially incorporated until 1840.) It was located near the Traveler's Rest.

Enoch and Jemima, along with George and James Tippens, purchased land in Cherokee County on 15 October 1829, but in 1832 they were still in Gwinnet. The 1830 Owners of Slaves list includes JB Benson (his brother Joshua) with 3 slaves, Enoch with 9 slaves, and brother Benjamin with one slave. Enoch was not on the 1840 list. They had moved to Cherokee County, Georgia, by 1840.

In 1832, Enoch applied for a Revolutionary War pension. The application is here. It is much easier to direct you to it than to write it out. Enoch explains his enlistments, but I don't see anything that makes him sound like a hero - unless it was just because he served. But so did almost everyone else who was in the right age bracket.