The following is Chapter Four of "Supplement to the Hess Family in America" 1984, by Barbara Allison. Barbara has researched these family lines for many years and has graciously allowed me to use excerpts from her book. Barbara, thanks for all your help. Oh, that I could be just half as organized and thorough as you! ~ Linda ~
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124. Benjamin Hess (Jacob, #248) was born on 29 September 1824 in Belfast Twp. in Bedford (now Fulton), Pennsylvania. He married Mary Polly Garland, daughter of Nicholas Garland and Barbara Steel, on 2 April 1844 in Bedford (now Fulton), Pennsylvania. In 1849 Benjamin and his brother Jeremiah bought 400 acres of land in Monroe Twp., formerly Southampton Twp., of Bedford County, Pennsylvania from John Falck and his wife Elizabeth S(161). They sold part of this land in 1851 to James Morgret. (162) The rest of this land was sold on 21 June 1854 to David Ward and Henry Ward.(163) These deeds identified Benjamin's wife as Mary and Jeremiah's as Delilah. Benjamin obtained a warrant to 138 acres of land in Bethel Twp., Fulton County, Pennsylvania in 1851.(164) This land was surveyed on 3 March 1855 by Job Garland. (165) The last information on Benjamin Hess in Fulton County, Pennsylvania is in court docket case 31 filed in the October 1858 Term. The court found in favor of Benjamin with a judgment of $128.40 plus interest of $5.78 against Isaac Hunter.(166) Benjamin and Mary moved to Maryland, where they lived for a time. A Benjamin Hess purchased 13 acres on 26 March 1859 in Washington County, Maryland from Thomas M. Carter and his wife Catherine.(167) This land was part of the Durac Carter estate. (168) (169) On several occasions, Benjamin bought other land from the estate. In November 1861, he mortgages part of his crop to his cousin Aaron Hess of Fulton County, Pennsylvania for $80.00.(170) By this time, Benjamin must have fallen on hard times, since a Joseph Murray also recorded a Mortgage against Benjamin Hess in February of 1861 for various debts owed by Benjamin totaling $633.75. (171) In this Mortgage, Benjamin mortgaged 183 acres of the Carter lands and personal property of 4 horses; 2 sorrels, 1 gray and 1 bay; 4 milk cows; 11 head of hogs; head of sheep; 1 wagon, 1 barshear plow; 1 double shovel plow; 1 single shovel plow and sundry other farming utensils also 1 cook stove 5 beds and bedsteads; one cub board; 1 bureau; 1 clock; 1 table and all household and kitchen furniture; also 1000 lbs. Of pork, seventy five barrels of corn also 20 acres of wheat and rye in the ground and all said property in the possession of the said Benjamin Hess upon and about the premises upon which he now resides. It appears that Benjamin was preparing to leave but the stipulation was made that if he paid the debt by 1 January 1862 with interest then the mortgage will be voided. Although these date differ by approximately 6 years from that reported by tradition,(172) it appears that this Benjamin is the same Benjamin of California, Missouri. In particular, the reference to the debt to a cousin Aaron of Fulton County, Pennsylvania is also interesting that at the time Benjamin is identified as Benjamin F. Hess. Then they moved on to Ohio. They were living in Ohio when the Civil War broke out and Benjamin was working for the government until about 1864, when, with his family, he started West, and after having gone through much trouble with the soldiers, and suffering many hardships, they settled down in Cooper and Moniteau Counties, Missouri. (173) They were living at the old home place located four miles northeast of California, Missouri at the time of Benjamin's death. He died on 18 August 1868, while digging a water-well for Mr. John Wood, in California, Moniteau Co., Missouri,(174) at age 43. His estate was probated 5 December 1871, in California, Moniteau County, Missouri.(175) Dennis Hess, son of Benjamin Hess and Mary (Garland) Hess, was born on 4 February 1845 in Bethel Twp., Bedford (now Fulton), Pennsylvania. Dennis migrated with his parents to Missouri. He married, first, Jeremiah Elizabeth Vaughan circa 1869 in Missouri. After the death of Jeremiah Elizabeth he then married, Mary Elizabeth (Bull) Whittaker, the widow of John Whittaker and the mother of two young sons. He died at Saint Anthony's Hospital, on 6 April 1915 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Co., Oklahoma, at age 70. The primary cause of death is listed as uremia.(176) According to the death certificate Dennis also suffered from Arteriosclerosis. He was buried 8 April 1915, at the Fairlawn Cemetery in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. We will discuss this family in detail in chapter five. Valentine Hess, son of Benjamin Hess and Mary (Garland) Hess, was born 19 September 1848 in Bedford County (now Fulton), Pennsylvania. (177) Ephraim Hess, son of Benjamin Hess and Mary (Garland) Hess, was born 11 February 1850 in Fulton County, Pennsylvania. He married Pernecia Vaughan. Of the three children born of this union, we have only been able to identify two of the three. Ephraim died January 1880 after he shot himself accidentally. He had gone out to shoot a wild goose, and hid his gun in a brush heap and went to his brother's house. On returning and attempting to get the gun from its place of concealment, the hammer came in contact with some brush, discharging the gun, the entire contents entering his right chest and causing almost instant death. His clothing took fire by the discharge of the gun, and his left arm and the clothing on his left side were badly burned.(178) Hannah Hopps Hess was born 27 March 1852 in Fulton County, Pennsylvania. She married Green Berry Vaughan, 11 September 1871, in Missouri. She died 25 December 1929 in Clarksburg, Missouri. Eleven children were born to Hannah and Green Berry.(179) Isaac Hess was born 16 October 1853 in Fulton County, Pennsylvania. (180) Ambrose Hess was born 22 May 1856 in Washington County, Maryland. He married Mary Elizabeth Birdsong, the daughter of William Birdsong and Martha Louise Allee, 21 December 1876, in California, Missouri. Mary was born 10 April 1859, in Moniteau County, Missouri and she died 5 July 1941, in California, Missouri. He died 9 March 1942 in California, Missouri. (181) Benjamin Hess, Jr. was born 22 March 1858, in Washington County, Maryland. He married Mary Howard, circa 1878, in Missouri. (182) Mary Ellen Hess was born 5 May 1860 in Washington County, Maryland. (183) She married William David Howard, 5 October 1876, in Missouri. He died 12 January 1916 in Miami, Ottawa County, Oklahoma. (184)
161. Bedford Co.,
Pennsylvania. Deed Book AB, p. 559.
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