Born 7 May 1772 Danbury CT to Captain Benjah Benedict and Hannah Seeley. Elam is the fourth of Benjah and Hannah’s seven children. His siblings were: Anna m. Dibble, Hannah m. Betts, Abel 1769-1800, James b. 1765, Najah b. 1782, and Ziba b. 1784 m. Hannah Keeler.
This is the way Elam traces back to our immigrant ancestors, Thomas Benedict and Mary Bridgham:
Benjah’s father was John Benedict b. 1717 (m.Lydia Gregory).
John’s father (Elam’s great-grandfather) was John b. 1689 (m.Rachel)
Elam’s great-great grandfather and John’s father was James b. 1649 in Southold LI (m. Sarah Gregory).
Making Thomas, father of James, great-great-great grandfather of Elam and the eighth great grandfather of Michael Grady.
It was Elam’s great great grandfather, James who, along with his brother Samuel (and two others) “bought” the land now known as Danbury from the Pequot Indians according to Wikipedia. However, a more trusted source, the writers of the Benedict Topics webpage, say that it was Daniel, the youngest of Thomas’ sons who was deeded the land from King George in appreciation for his noble service during King Philip’s War. The war which virtually exterminated the Pequot Indians.
Elam married Lydia Beebe, daughter of Lemuel Beebe and Hannah Dibble of Bethel CT. Lydia was b 30 Oct 1777 at Danbury, Fairfield County, CT and d 4 Mar 1864. Elam and Lydia had eleven children: George b. 1801, Harriet b. 1802, Charles b. 1804, Harry b. 1806, Gad b. 1808, Amanda b. 1810, Hannah b. 1812, Luke b. 1814, Brice b. 1816, Ralph b. 1818, and Clara b. 1819.
On 30 January of 1820, Elam put a For Sale notice in the Danbury paper for his property on the Turnpike Road midway between Danbury and Newtown. The two story house was situated on ten acres, an almost new pine barn, a horse shed, stable, and a shop for merchandise. A well was located five feet from the door. There was a young orchard, enough to make 40-50 barrels of cider yearly. There were also two or three wood lots within a half mile. Also available for sale were 30 to 150 other acres of land available “in order to accommodate purchaser.”
The Danbury census,taken on 7 Aug. 1820, lists 14 free white members of Elam’s household as well as 4 slaves.
In 1821, Elam moved with Lydia and their eleven children to Newtown, in an outlying section to the southeast of the center of town, called Hattertown, where he introduced the hatting trade to the community. It was a prosperous community of about 200. Elam built the hat shop across the street from his home at the junction of Stepney Road. His business partner was Levi Taylor (seen on the same 1820 Danbury census as Elam); together they made wool hats. Both men died within a year and Elam’s eldest son, George took up the business.
At 49 years of age, Elam died on 7 Feb 1821 in Newtown CT.. He’s buried, with so many of the family, in the Congregational Cemetery, Bethel CT. His will is an amazing inventory of goods of a successful working man at midlife. Some items include (between the writing and the spelling,I couldn’t translate some of the items) : 1 blue coat, 1 coverlet, 2 old woolen vests, 4 pair wool pantaloons, 2 cotton shirts, 2 pair old boots, 5 goose feather beds,2 hen feather beds, 1 pair cotton pantaloons, 2 cotton shirts, 2 pair wool stockings, 1 large platter, 1 pair hand shears, 5 earthen bowls, 9 dinner plates, 8 pie plates, part of a set of blueware,1 large oval platter,hand sheers, 2 tin pails, part of a set of blue tea dishes, 1 portmanteau, 1 bellows,1 double wheel, 5 mill bags,1 great wheel,1 keel, 1 foot stove, 2 cider hogsheads, 2 trunks, 2 razors, 5 silver teaspoons, 1 set knives and forks, 1 brass kettle, fat tub, 1 small iron pot, 1 brass wedge 3 old axes, 1 hand saw, 1 drawing knife, 2 wooden mortars, candle box,pitcher, 2 decanters, 2 vinegar cruets, 13 tin dishes and pans, stone jug, 2 wooden bottles, 5 glass bottles, 1 kitchen plate, 2 hair cards, a lot of vials, 1 hair rod irons, 2 fine shovels,1 nail hammer, 1 griddle, 1 spade, 3 iron candlesticks, the pickle barrel, 2 ink stands, 5 pewter plates, 1 flour barrel, 1 tumbler, a lot of vials, 2 washtubs, 1 half inch auger, 1 bread tray, 2 stone ink stands, 1 old saddle and bridle,1 grindstone and crank, 1 tin canister, 2 hair andirons, lot of books, 1 thimble,1 bible, 1 blank book, 1 tin sugar box, 5 meat barrels,soap and barrel, 8 pewter spoons, 1 half bushel, brush tray, 3 sheets, 8 pair linen sheets, 5 pillow cases, 2 cotton table cloths, six towels,5 calico bed quilts, 2 woolen quilts, 1 pair small blankets, sauce tub, 6 earthen platters, 5 silver tea spoons, 3 plain chests, 1 chest with 2 drawers, 7 bed steads, 1 broken table, 2 kitchen tables, 1 dining table, 8 Windsor chairs, 8 kitchen chairs, 1 looking glass, 1 umbrella, 1 dish towel (why would anyone need more?), 10 barrels cider, 30 bushels potatoes, 2 bushels turnips, 200 lb.pork, 1 lot hat trimmings, 1 wagon harness, 1 stove and pipe, 3 lb.wool, 93 hat bodies, 25 wool hats, 7 unfinished hats, 1 hardening skin, 1 hat iron, 2 brushes, 1 set sheep sheers, 1 boiling kettle, 1 copper kettle, 1 hatters basin, lots of hat blacks, 1 mow of hay,1 horse, 1 cow,3 hogs, 4 bow strings, scales and weights.
His barn remains standing and has been restored by the Newtown Historical Society. In addition, Elam,Gad, Ralph, and Charles Benedict’s homes are listed on The National Historic Register.
Lydia appears on the 1860 US census living with her eldest son, George, a hatter, his wife Jeerusha, and their youngest daughter,19 year old Celestia Benedict in Newtown. Celestia would remain in the home after she opened her medical practice. George’s real estate in 1860 was valued at 2500. HE also had 300 dollars worth of personal assets.
Lydia lived until 85, dying on 4 Mar 1864 in Newtown.
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