BENJAMIN GRAVES AND RUTH STERLING

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RUTH STERLING (William, #38) was born on 17 December 1679 at Haverhill, Essex Co., Massachusetts. She married Benjamin Graves (see #18), son of Benjamin Graves and Mary Hoar, circa 1696.   Ruth died in childbirth in 1710.

BENJAMIN GRAVES (Benjamin, #36) was born on 2 March 1676 at Concord, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Benjamin married, first, Ruth Sterling (see #19), daughter of William Sterling and Mary Blaisdell, circa 1696.   Ruth died in childbirth 1710, it is assumed that shortly there after he then married Mary Margaret Haynes between 1710 and 1712 at Clochester, Connecticut. There was a land deed recorded at Clochester in 1712 and his wife's name was Mary.  Mary  died 24 November 1780.   He went with his father who settled in Saybrook, Connecticut about 1681-1683. He was described as a resident of New London, Connecticut in a deed to him of lands he purchased in Clochester, Connecticut, in 1709.   He was admitted inhabitant of Colchester at a town meeting on 8 January 1716.  He was chosen lister at town meeting on 11 December 1727.  They resided two and a half miles from Colchester, on the road to Lyme, Connecticut.   They owned the Covnant at Lyme, Connecticut.   The children by Benjamin's second marriage who were baptized 1741-1749 were apparently baptized as adults, since marriage dates were soon after baptismal dates. He died on 30 December 1752 at Colchester, New London Co., Connecticut, at age 76.

The children of Benjamin  Graves and Ruth Sterling (see #19) were:

                                       i.       Benjamin ⁴ Graves was baptized 1699 at First Church of Christ, New London, Connecticut. He married Mary Jones. He died on 25 March 1770.

                                      ii.       Ruth Graves was born baptized on 25 October 1702 at New London, Connecticut.

                       9.           iii.       Mary Graves.

                                      iv.      Jedediah Graves was born circa 1708 at New London, New London Co., Connecticut. He was christened on 15 May 1709 at First Church of Christ, New London, Connecticut. He married Jerusha Ackley in 1728 at East Haddam, Middlesex Co., Connecticut. He married Elizabeth Allen in June 1737. He married Ruth Bennett on 27 December 1758. He died on 10 November 1800.

                                       v.      Jonathan Graves was born circa 1710 at Colchester, New London Co., Connecticut. He married Mary Tisdale.

Will of Benjamin Graves II

In the name of God Amen. This 11th day of December A.D. 1752 and ye 21st year of ye reign of our Sovereign Lord George of Great Britain &c the King. I Benjamin Graves of Colchester in the County of Harford and Colony of Connecticut in New England yeoman being sick and weak in body but of sound and disposing mind and memory (and praise be God for ye same) and being desitous to settle my affairs, do make and ordain this my last will and testament in the manner following.

First and principally I resign my soul in ye hands of God Almighty my Creator, hoping and believing in and through ye alone merits of Jesus Christ my only Lord and Savior to obtain everlasting happiness in his eternal Kingdom. My body I commit to ye earth from which it was taken in ye faith of a joyful resurrection, willing ye same to be decently buried at ye discretion of my executive hereafter named.

And as to such temporal goods and estate as it hath pleased God to bestow upon me after my funeral charges and just debts are discharged which my will is that it be done with all convenient speed after my decease by my executrix and executors hereafter named I give and bequeath to my dear wife Mary Graves ye whole use of all my real estate with all ye privileges and appurtenances thereunto belonging during her natural life or so long as she remains my widow for her to use and dispose of in that way that she may think most to her advantage, and be my widow and then to be equally divided to my two daughters viz. Deborah and Abigale, that is to say all my personal estate excepting one gun and that I give to my son Peter and also two cows and them I give to my two daughters Deborah and Abigail an also my will is and I do give unto my children hereafter named five shillings old tenor apiece that is to say, Benjamin, Jedediah, Jonathan, Ruth, and Mary Daniels, James, Hains, Elizabeth, Margaret and Mary Hungerford, to be paid to them out of my personal estate by executors hereafter named and I do hereby constitute and appoint and ordain my wife Mary Graves and my Son Benjamin Graves of East Haddam executive and executors of this last will and testament and I do hereby utterly disavow revoke and disannul all and every her former testament, will, legacy and executive and executors by me in any way before made, confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament.

In witness whereof I have set my hand and ye day and year as above written.
His mark Benjamin X Graves (L.S)

In presence of Alice Ransom Amy Ransom Jabez Jones

FROM THE BOOK: "Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts, Including Waltham and Weston", by Henry Bond 1855

BENJAMIN3 (Benjamin2, John1), born March 3, 1676-77, in Concord, Mass.  He was descended as from New London, Conn. in a deed given to him of lands, purchased at Colchester, Conn., in 1709 where he had just moved.  He was admitted inhabitant of latter place at town meeting January 1716, chosen lister at town meeting December 1727.  He lived two and one-half miles from the village of Colchester on the road to Lynn.  He held several Colonial offices.  He was buried in the churchyard in the village, the tombstone after standing 150 years when visited by J.C. Graves was in as good condition as it naturally would be after exposure of but a few years.