♂Benjamin Smith

Benjamin Smith (7 January 1658/59 – 4 July 1720) was a townsman of Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard whose name the town’s clerks wrote with the title “Esq.” He was the seventh great-grandfather of Frederic Roger Curtis (1928–2007), through his daughter Dorcas Smith (1687–1730).

Early life

A compiled genealogy, Charles Banks’s history of Martha’s Vineyard, makes him a son of John Smith and Susanna Hinckley, and lists him among their children. No record names them as his parents, so the link rests on that compilation.

Charles Banks’s history of Martha’s Vineyard gives his birth as 7 January 1658/59 at Barnstable, and describes him as a carpenter who also served as a magistrate, which fits the “Esq.” set after his name in the town’s records. Banks’s second volume also records him as attorney for the town in 1687 and 1692, as King’s Attorney for the county in 1691, and as a selectman, treasurer and representative.

Marriage and family

By Banks’s account, Benjamin and Jedidah married at Edgartown before 8 February 1683/84, probably in 1683. Their son Benjamin was born at Edgartown on 29 December 1691, entered in the town records as the son of “Benjamin Esq. and Jedidah”, and Banks gives the couple eight children in all, born between about 1685 and 1700. Their daughter Dorcas married Benjamin Hawes at Edgartown on 24 July 1705.

Death and will

Benjamin died on 4 July 1720 and was buried in Edgartown’s Old Burying Ground. His will, dated 14 February 1719/20, made his wife Jedidah sole executrix. It left his lands to his sons Thomas and Ebenezer, and the house and barn to his son Benjamin. His three daughters, Jane, Dorcas and Jedidah, were each left forty shillings, the will naming them Jean Chase, Dorcus Haws and Jedidah Osborn. Mary, named in the will as Mary Dagget, received five pounds, and Abiah twenty pounds. The will was proved at Chilmark on 17 August 1720. Jedidah outlived him by fifteen years.

Notes

The Edgartown records enter Dorcas’s marriage of 24 July 1705 as that of “Darcus, d. Benja[min] Esq.”; his son of the same name was then thirteen years old.

His birth date, his trade and the window for his marriage are Banks’s. His death date is the one on his gravestone, as printed in the Edgartown vital records, and Banks gives the same day. The printed transcription of the stone carries an editors’ query on his age, suggesting his 63rd year. A birth on 7 January 1658/59 would put him in his 62nd year at his death, so the query is not settled by the birth date.

The birth year

Banks’s second volume gives the birth as January 1658/59 at Barnstable (Banks 2:107). His third volume gives the day, 7 January, in the Old Style year 1658 (Banks 3:448), which is the same day as the double-dated year above.

The marriage date

Banks’s second volume dates the marriage before 8 February 1683/84, citing the Edgartown town records and the Dukes County deeds (Banks 2:109). His first volume has it before April 1685 (Banks 1:130), and his third volume after 16 June 1684 (Banks 3:448). The second volume’s date is the one given here.

The children

Banks’s second volume says children were born to the couple between 1685 and 1700 (Banks 2:108), and gives eight children, two of whom were Thomas and Ebenezer (Banks 2:109). His third volume gives Ebenezer’s birth as 1700 (Banks 3:448).

Offices

Banks’s second volume (page 109) gives his offices after the account of his marriage: attorney for the town in 1687 and 1692, and King’s Attorney for the county in 1691. The same account names him selectman, treasurer and representative.

The will

Dukes County probate records, volume 1 (1690–1752), pages 113–114, hold his will, dated 14 February 1719/20 and proved at Chilmark on 17 August 1720. Banks’s second volume says the widow survived him sixteen years (Banks 2:109); the dates here give about fifteen and a half.