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Benjamin Borden, Early Virginia Land Speculator
Facts and Events
Benjamin Borden was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia
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Overview
Benjamin Borden, Gentleman, was among the settlers who came to the Shenandoah Valley in 1734 under authority of "Orders in Council" and received several land grants. These grants were from the Crown, free of any obligation of feudal services to the Fairfax family. He established Borden's Grant, comprised of 92,100 acres, in 1738 which includes most of what is now Rockbridge County, Virginia.
Benjamin Borden also received other grants in and near early Orange and (as of 1738/39) Augusta County:
- 810 acres granted on Apple Pie Ridge in Frederick County. [Source: "Procedings of the Clarke County Historical Association, Vol. XXIII, 1983-84].
- His home plantation known as “Borden's Great Spring tract” of 3,143 acres granted him October 3, 1734, joined on the southeast what was later known as "Greenway Court". [Source: "Procedings of the Clarke County Historical Association, Vol. XXIII, 1983-84].
- 3 October 1734, Benjamin Borden, Andrew Hampton and David Griffith received a joint patent for 1,122 acres west of the Sherrando (Shenandoah) River, in the area to become part of Orange County. The land patented to the three parties was theirs "to hold or co-hold, yielding and paying rents as provided." The tract was adjacent to the land of Edward Maloy, it was on the south side of Bullskin Run and Bullskin Marsh.
- 8,100 acres patented to Benjamin Borden Sr., 6th November, 1739; corner to tract No. 2 on Cataba Creek. (Chalkley's, Vol. 3)
- 3,553 acres patented to Benjamin Borden Sr., 9th March, 1740. (Chalkley's, Vol. 3)
- Grants on the James River, Smith's Creek and an 800-acre grant on the North Branch of the Shenandoah River (also mentioned in his will) [http://thebeardfamilyhistory.wikia.com
- 1743 Benj. Borden of Frederick transfers by deed to son Benj. Jr, for £50, two-thirds parts of a tract of 720 acres granted by patent to Borden Sr. in partnership with Andrew Hampton & David Griffith. Borden by written instrument had bought all of Andrew Hampton's right and land in said tract. The tract was called Bullskin.
Personal Data
| Personal Data
| | Vita | Datum | Source/Basis/Comment
| | DOB: | 6 April 1675 |
| | POB: | Middletown, Monmouth County, New Jersey |
| | DOD: | 1743 |
| | POD: | Augusta County, Virginia |
| | Father: | Benjamin Borden |
| | Mother: | Abigail Grover |
| | |
| | Spouse: | Zeruiah Winter |
| | DOM: | bef. 1711 |
| | POM: | prob. Monmouth County, New Jersey |
| | Children
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| Name | DOB | POB | DOD | POD | Spouse | DOM | POM | Dispersion and Notes
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Will Abstract
- Borden, Benjamin
- Will, of Orange County, Virginia. 3 April 1742. 9 October 1743.
- Sons: Benjamin, John, Joseph Borden.
- Legatees: Edward Rogers and wife Hannah; William Hearnly adn my dau., his wife; dau. Hannah Rogers; dau, Rebekah Branson, Abigail ___; Deborah Leavy [?].
- Exrs: Zeruiah Borden (wife) and Benjamin Borden.
- [Abstracts of Wills, Inventories, and Administration Accounts of Frederick County, Virginia, 1743-1800, by J. Estelle Stewart King, pg. 4].
Records in Orange County, VA
- Letter to the Judge of the Co[u]rt of Orrange County in Vergine. [sic, uncorrected from source]
- November ye 15 Day 1735
- Sir
- I did desire to com and see you last Cort by all my hous kind was poor a coming to this country and this Cort I did think to com and I have got cold and a pain in my bones and next Cort I purpose to com if I am well, if I due not go back to Jersey where I cam from to sell several places which I left honsole [unsold?] and if I should not com next Cort I desire the favour of the Cort to excuse me tel I have got bettter settleed and then I hope I shall perform my duty better. So genttle men I hope you are wise men and would consider the grate vantage of moving so far with a grate famaly and settleing all a new. So in hopes I rest your obed.[obedient?} and humbl ser. [servant].
- (signed) Benja. Borden.
- [Source: Orange County, Virginia, Judgements, 1735, Dorman, pg. 72].
- Page 208 - Surveys made in Orange County since June 1738:
- [Dec.] 16 - Wm. Robertson & Ben. Borden - 92,110 (acres).
- James Wood presented the list of surveys.
- [Orange County, Virginia Deed Book 3, Dorman, pg. 15].
Records in Augusta County, VA
The following listings in Augusta County, Virginia records help to establish some of Benjamin Borden's children:
- Vol. 1 - NOVEMBER, 1758 (A). - Wm. Russell vs. Borden.--Benj. Borden's will dated 1742. He left his lands in New Jersey and lands in Bullshire, Smith's Creek, North Shenandore and James River, except 5,000 acres, which he devised to his daughters, Abigail Worthington, Rebecca Bronson, Debora, Lydia and Eliza Borden; other legacies and devises to sons, Benjamin, John and Joseph, and his wife, Zeruiah, and daughter, May Fearnley, wife of William Fearnley. Benjamin and Zeruiah qualified as executors. Fearnley refused. Afterwards (1746) Zeruiah, on account of bodily infirmities, resigned, and Benjamin took the whole estate. In April, 1753, Benjamin, Jr., died. John and Joseph, in 1753, conveyed their interests to William Russell. Benjamin Borden, Jr., had a daughter, Martha, an infant in 1754.
- Page 326.--1st June, 1761 (1760 ?). James Pritchard and Abigail ( ), of Orange County, North Carolina (Abigail was one of the daughters and devisees of Benj. Borden, to Joseph Borden, of Frederick County (Abigail was Abigail Worthington). £90. 1000 acres given to Abigail (then Worthington). Teste: John McDaniel. Jacob Layton, Levi Branson, John ( ) Alexander. Commission for privy examination of Abigail executed, 1st June, 1761. Delivered: Joseph, 10th March, 1763.
- Vol. 2 - Worthington's Reps. vs. Bowyer--O. S. 50; N. S. 17. Plaintiffs are, viz: Representatives of Abigail Worthington, deceased; of Rebecca Bronson, deceased; of Deborah Henry, deceased; of Lydia Peck, deceased; of Elizabeth Nichols, deceased; of John Borden, deceased; of Joseph Borden, deceased, which are daughters, sons and devisees of Benjamin Borden, Sr.
Notes
- From "New Jersey Archives", Vol. 2, pg. 362:
- Court of Sessions of Monmouth, New Jersey; (extract): "One Moses Butterworth who was accused of piracy (sailed) with Captain Kidd, who was bound to appear... During examination Willet said Governor & Justices had no authority & he would break up trial. Signaled to armed men to rescue prisoner. Benjamin Borden & Richard (his brother) took hold of the prisoner at bar and tried to take him by force, and were wounded in the scuffle. The other men in the company rescued the two Bordens and tore to bits the examination papers of the prisoner. The prisoner escaped and 100 men held the Governor & the Justices, the King's Attorney General and the sheriff and clerk of the court for 5 days. Later this group (Borden, Capt. Safety Grover, James Grover and William Winter), all relatives, petitioned the King of England to appoint a suitable person as Governor." (Note: William Winter was the father-in-law of Benjamin Borden)
Footnotes
- Benjamin Borden, in Find A Grave.
- ↑ King, J. Estelle Stewart (Junie Estelle Stewart), and Elizabeth P. (Elizabeth Petty) Bentley. Abstracts of wills, inventories, and administration accounts of Frederick County, Virginia, 1743-1800: with cemetery inscriptions, rent rolls, and other data. (Baltimore [Maryland]: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1982, c1980)
pg. 1.
Borden, Benjamin
Executors of estate: Jeremiah Borden and Benjamin Borden [Jr.]
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