The following is a letter from James Patterson.
I am a descendant of CHRISTIAN BENNER(1764-1840) This Christian was the father of JOSHUA BENNER and the grandfather of THEOPHILUS JAMES BENNER. Christian was born in Germany in 1764. He migrated to this country while still a young man, and joined the colony of Germans which had settled in eastern Pennsylvania between Philadelphia and Lancaster. It is assumed that he lived in the vicinity of the little town of Nantmeal. He migrated to Ohio in 1803, the year in which Ohio was admitted to the Union. He had married in Pennsylvania and several children were born to him and his wife MARY ANN before 1803. The story of what he and his relatives did in Ohio is set down in print in two books. One, entitled "Pioneer records of early settlers and settlements of Ross County, Ohio" was written by Isaac Finley & Rufus Putnum and was published in 1871. In this book, on page 76 is the following: "Christian Benner built the first iron works at the Little Falls of Paint Creek, just above the town of Bainbridge, Ohio. Henry Benner, a brother, served as the Justice of the Peace and Captain of the Militia for may years. John Benner, one of the sons, when only a small child, came to Ohio in 1803 with his parents. Here he studied for and was admitted to the Bar but soon left the practcie of law as his father needed him on the farm. John died on September 13, 1869 at the age of 67 years. At the time of his death he held the office of Mayor of Bainbridge and Justice of the Peace. On page 148 of the same book we find the following: "Christian Benner, farmer, erected a forge at the Falls of Paint Creek. A second book, "History of Ross and Highland Counties (Ohio)" by Williams Bros., 1880 printed by W.W. Williams of Cleveland, Ohio, has some longer references to CHRISTIAN BENNER. The following quotations are taken directly from this book, page 322: "No name is more frequently mentioned in the list of the earlier settlers of Paxton Township than that of CHRISTIAN BENNER. In the year 1803 this sturdy German settled on the north side of Paint Creek near the mill that now bears his name. No sooner had he arrived than he began work on building a dam, a saw mill and a grist mill, and in 1804 they were in operation. After the dam was completed the primitive saw mill stood where its successor now stands and the flour mill just west and adjoining the grist mill. This remained in use until 1879 when it was torn down. In 1845 the present flour mill was built, and the two were operated in connection until the tearing down of the old one".
"About 1810 CHRISTIAN BENNER resolved to extend his business still further and built just above the mouth of Buckskin Creek, and not far from his other mill, a forge. Here he hammered in primitive style iron such as is now made by rolls. This business as well as his other enterprises were carried on until his death. JOHN BENNER, his son who as a child came from Pennsylvania with him, now took charge of the businesses.
"In 1845, finding that the innovations in the iron business had left his forge somewhat out of date, John changed his machinery for woolen manufacturing apparatus and began that business. Finding it successful, in 1850 he tore down the old building and replaced it with a larger and better adapted one. He conducted all three establishments and his farm until he died on September 13, 1869.
Mr. T.D. BENNER John's son succeeded him in the businesses. The wollen mill was rented for a time, but now, in common with most others of the west it has been out of business for some years past. During the eleven years since his father's death he conducted the business successfully through the very trying years of the financial depression. His grist mill, even now, has but one competitor in Paxton Township."
On Page 325 is the following: "On February 13, 1807, CHRISTIAN BENNER was nominated Trustee in Paxton Township instead of Michael Harr. He was House Appraisor in 1809 and Overseer of the Poor in 1813. HENRY (Brother of CHRISTIAN) was constable in 1814.
It is obvious from the above account that CHRISTIAN BENNER was a man of considerable ability and that he was able to adapt his ability to the requirements of the development of a primitive region. He was a successful business man, was public spirited and had the confidence of the people with whom he was associated. Other sources of information regarding CHRISTIAN BENNER have been, wills of CHRISTIAN and JOSHUA and documents in the courthouse in Chillicothe, Ohio and the gravestones in the BENNER cemetery on the old farm on Cliff Run Road near Fruitdale, Ohio.
signed . . . James Robert Patterson, Son of Dorothy Leona Knisley Patterson (1909-1998), Grandson of Exilva Benner Knisley (1870-1932), Great-Grandson of Josua Benner (1835-1917), Great-Great-Grandson of Joshua Benner (1792- ? )
I was raised near the farm on Cliff Run Road and have recently (1998) visited the old NIXON cemetery.
E-Mail jrpatterson@worldnet.att.net now at jrpatterson@charter.net as of April, 2004
Jim further states he has moved to the St. George, Ut area,
Washington, UT 84780
Ph: 435-627-1268
Still working on my BENNER line.
James (Jim) Patterson
I was raised near the BENNER farm near Bainbridge, Ohio. The NIXON family cemetery is located on my grandfather and grandmother's farm. It belonged to James and Exilva BENNER Knisley. A full record of the old deed indicates that this farm was transferred from David NIXON to his son-in-law, Joshua BENNER Jr., in 1886 and later to Exilva BENNER KNISLEY. There are, however, two BENNER cemetaries located nearby, the "old" BENNER cemetery is located just off of State Highway 41 about a mile east of the NIXON family cemetery. The other BENNER cemetery is located just outside of Bainbridge, Ohio on Tong Hollow Rd. just east of Benner Hill Rd. I have a Ross County map depicting the location of these cemeteries.
To clarify my BENNER line, it goes like this, from my mother, Dorothy KNISLEY PATTERSON (1909-1998) to my grandmother Exilva BENNER KNISLEY (1870-1932) to my great-grandfather Joshua BENNER,Jr., (1835-1917) to my great-great grandfather Joshua BENNER, Sr. (1792-1871) to my great-great-great grandfather Christian BENNER (1764-1840) who was born in Germany. He came to Ohio from eastern Pennsylvania.
CHRISTIAN BENNER'S FARM AND LAND HOLDINGS.
Christian's will was probated on May 1, 1840 and is recorded in the Probate Judge's office in Chillicothe, Ohio in book A.B.C.D, page 493. It is an accurate index of the holdings of Christian at his death. It provides as follows:
(1) That all debts be paid.
(2) That the surviving wife was to have the dwellinghouse, gardens, barns,
stables, corn crib, and lots and pastures attached to the premises. She was
to also have the sum of $100 annually during her natural life.
(3) Son Henry & heirs was to have the parcel of land on the west side of
Buckskin Creek of 125.35 poles & 2 rods, & also the 150 acres lying on the
waters of Whetstone Run & adjoining lands of John Edminston.
(4) Sons John & Jacob were to have the remainder of the farm lying west of
Buckskin Creek & containing 1050 acres, more or less.
(5) Daughter Elizabeth Temple the tract of land on which she now lives.
(6) To son Christian, 600 acres in Franklin County, Ohio.
(7) To son John, all of the Bainbridge property consisting of three lots.
(8) The remainder of the estate to be divided equally among the children,
Henry, Christian, Joshua, Elizabeth Temple, John & Jacob.
(9) $100 to grandson Christian BENNER.
(10) Sons Jacob & John to be Executors.
(11) Jacob to have $1,500 for previous services rendered.
More on the Benner Families of Ohio.....
The will of Christian BENNER provided for the gift of several parcels of land to the children of Christian. The plots of land, except for the one in Franklin County, are easy to locate due to their relative position to Paint and Buckskin Creeks.
It is interesting to note that no provision in the way of land is made for Christian's son Joshua (my great-great grandfather)in his will. Joshua had a flourishing farm near Fruitdale at this time. He had been married for twenty years, had six children, and had married a second time after the death of his first wife. It seems certain that Christian had purchased this farm for Joshua at the time of his marriage with the stipulation that he would not participate in later bequests. The loaction of Joshua's farm and the old deed associated with it will be described under "Joshua Benner" later.
The total amount of land owned by Christian BENNER at the time of his death was over 2,475 acres, or about 3 & 3/4 square miles. The dam and the old mill are now gone, but traces of the mill race could be seen as late as 1964. Near the spot is an historical marker indicating the site of the extinct town of New Amsterdam. Several miles to the north is the town of Greenfield which was founded by General Duncan McArthur, which survives and flourishes today.
Christian BENNER was born in Germany (place unknown) in 1764, and died on May 16, 1840 on his farm near Bainbridge, Ohio. He settled for a time in Chester County, Pennsylvania among other emigrants of German extraction. A brother Henry BENNER came with him from Germany and lived in the same Pennsylvania community. Christian married Mary Ann ? (other records record her name as Anna Maria Haas or Haws, born about 1765) and they had two children, Joshua and John who were born in Pennsylvania. The family migrated to Ross County, Ohio in 1803. Henry, Christian's brother had married Mary ? in the meantime and this couple migrated to Ohio the Christian and his family. If brothers, sisters or other relatives came to Ohio with Christian, there is no know record of the fact.
The sons and daughters of Christian and Mary Ann were; Joshua, Jacob, John, Elizabeth, Christian and Henry. It seems that all members of the family settled and lived in the vivinity of Bainbridge. John and his wife, Mary took over the industries of his father as described earlier and his son D.T. BENNER managed them after John's death. Joshua, Jacob and Christian Jr., took up farms further north on Buckskin Creek near the present village of Fruitdale and brought up their familes there. Elizabeth married a Mr. Temple and lived in the vivinity. Jacob and Henry also married and lived in the area. At one point between 1810 and 1850 there were eleven (11) seperate BENNER families living in Paxton Township (Bainbridge area), probably all decendants of Christian BENNER.
The Christian BENNER family vital statistics are:
Christian, born 1764 in Germany, Died May 16, 1840
Henry, Christian's brother, born 1788, Died January 27, 1870
Mary Ann, Christian's wife, born 1768, Died May 16 1854
Mary, wife of Henry, born 1790, Died September 4, 1878
Joshua, son of Christian, born 1972, Died January 11, 1871
John, son of Christian, born 1802, Died September 13, 1869
Jacob, son of Christian, born August 18, 1810, Died Oct. 16, 1864
Jacob's wife, Sara died July 18, 1881
All of the above, except Joshua are buried in the old BENNER Cemetery
known as the Benner Cemetery. Joshua is buried in the Greenfield
Cemetery along with his second wife and a son, T.J. Benner and his wife
Sarah Emily (NIXON) BENNER.
The author of the above information can be contacted at jrpatterson@worldnet.att.net
Also Tom Greene, who has an e-mail address of tgreene469@aol.com is interested in any Benner family information from Licking Co, Ohio. He also recommends going to this web page.
I'm looking for information on a Johann Frederich Benner (1776-August 26, 1871) born in Germany who married Sophia (Unknown) born in 1799 in Chester Co, PA. The couple had one daughter that I know about; Sophia Benner (1816-December 1896) born in Humbolt, Ross County, Ohio. Sophia married my 4th great grandfather James Gray (1810 - Oct 20, 1873). Married on
November 14, 1833. James and Sophia (Benner) Gray lived in Humbolt, Ross County, Ohio which is located between Bainbridge and Fruitdale.
I would appreciate any information you could share.
Thanks,
Matt Gray,
magaaocol@msn.com
