Benjamin R York (1761 - 1852)

Born 1761 in Brentwood, New Hampshire

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Hinkley) York — married 18 Sep 1796 in Fayette, Lincoln, Massachusetts, United States

Husband of Eunice (Knight) Barton — married 6 Nov 1845 in Peru, Oxford, Maine, United States

Descendants

Died 20 Jul 1852 at about age 91 in Mexico, Oxford, Maine, United States [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Bill Teschek [send private message]

Biography

Birth

According to his written statement in his 1818 Revolutionary War pension application, Benjamin York, then aged 57, was born at Brentwood, New Hampshire in 1761^[1] to Richard York.^[2]

Revolutionary War Service

In his 1818 Revolutionary War pension application, Benjamin York states that in June 1779 he enlisted from Brentwood, New Hampshire, as a private in Captain Runnels' company of Colonel Moony's regiment in the New Hampshire line and was discharged at Providence, Rhode Island, in December 1779. He then enlisted in June 1780 in a company of Colonel George Reed's regiment and was discharged in December 1780.^[2]

His pension file also includes a statement by a Joseph York, who says he is the brother of Benjamin York, that in April 1779 Benjamin was in the Naval Service on board the ship Ranger.^[3]

On 13 Jul 1779 Benjamin York and Joseph York were two of the five signers of a receipt to the Selectmen of Dover for payment of 11 pounds 13 shillings each for travel to Providence, RI at two shillings per mile. ^[4]

In June 1780 he enlisted again as a Private for six months in Capt. Carr's Company of Col George Read's Regiment. He served in New York and was at West Point Benedict Arnold fled there after his treason was discovered. Benjamin was discharged in December while stationed at the Soldier's Fortune encampment which is in modern day Philipstown, N.Y. on the east bank of the Hudson River not far out of New York City. Pension papers state that he served during this final enlistment for 5 months and 14 days.

On 27 Apr 1818 he deposed about his Revolutionary War service, giving his age as 57, born in Brentwood, now living in Jay, Maine. He signed his pension depositions with a signature not a mark. Edward Ellis of Dearborn, Maine deposed in May 1818 to Benjamin's service and concluded "From his reduced circumstances in life he is in need of assistance from his country for support. He sustains the character of a man of truth."

He moved to Mexico, Maine around 1821 and was enumerated there in the 1830 census. On 14 Aug 1832 he was 71 years old and living in Mexico, Maine when he deposed about his Revolutionary War service.

Benjamin York is included in the 1840 census of Revolutionary War pensioners as a 79-year-old resident of Mexico, Maine.^[5] He is not listed as a Patriot ancestor by the DAR.

Marriage

Benjamin York married Sarah Hinkley on 18 Sep 1796 at Fayette, Maine (then in Massachusetts).^[6]

Benjamin was living in Peru, Maine when he married second, on 6 Nov 1845, when he was 84 years old, the 83-year-old widow Mrs. Eunice (Knight) Barton.^[7]

Residences

An 1832 pension application filed when he was a resident of Mexico, Maine, says that during the Revolutionary War, Benjamin York was living at Dover, New Hampshire and that he later lived in Maine, in "Readfield, Fayette, & other places, lastly in said Mexico."^[8] One of those "other places" was Jay, Maine, where he was living when he filed his 1818 pension application,^[2] and he recorded five children in Livermore, Maine, between 1797 and 1808.^[9] (The Livermore vital records include many children who were born elsewhere and whose parents recorded them there after they moved to Livermore, so it is uncertain when Benjamin and Sarah York moved to Livermore.)

Benjamin was living in Mexico, Maine as an 88-year-old farmer in the 1850 census. Living in the same household were 17 year old Hannah G. Walker, born in Maine, and 58 year old Nancy Walker, born in Mass. The relationship of these Walkers is unknown but his second wife Eunice did have Knight relatives through her sister Martha. Eunice was not living with them. She was living a few towns away back in Peru, Maine with her son James Barton and his wife Abigail.

Death

A pension list from Maine includes a Benjamin York and shows him receiving a pension from Mar of 1831 to Sep of 1849, which is when this particular file stops recording payments. [Ancestry.com, U.S., Revolutionary War Pensioners, 1801-1815, 1818-1872, T718: 1818 - 1872, 08: Revolutionary War, 1831-1848, <https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1116/images/T718_8-0073>] Another from Maine shows payments after that, ending with a notation of his death on 20 Jul 1852. [Ancestry.com, U.S., Revolutionary War Pensioners, 1801-1815, 1818-1872, T718: 1818 - 1872, 09: Revolutionary War, 1849-1864, <https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1116/images/T718_9-0023>]

The last record found of him prior to his 1852 death is the 1850 census, when Benjamin York, age 88, born in New Hampshire was living at Mexico, Maine in the household of a Hannah Walker.^[10]

Census

Benjamin York. ^[11]

Born ABT 1761. ^[11]

Residence 1830 Mexico, Oxford, Maine, USA. ^[12] 1840 Mexico, Oxford, Maine, USA. ^[11]

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGRG-V1VL : Sat Mar 09 10:08:53 UTC 2024), Entry for Benjamin R York, 1 Jun 1840.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Pension application of Benjamin York, filed on 7 Apr 1818, S.16026, page 9 (subscription required) and (subscription required)
3. ↑ Pension application of Benjamin York, filed on 7 Apr 1818, S.16026, page 12 (subscription required)
4. ↑ NH Provincial and State Papers, 11:542
5. ↑ United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783, database with images, FamilySearch Maine, Census of pensioners, 1840 > image 7 of 30; citing various published state rosters, United States
6. ↑ Maine Marriages, 1771-1907, database, FamilySearch, Benjamin Yorke and Sarah Hinkely, 18 Sep 1796; citing Fayette, Kennebec ,Maine, reference ; FHL microfilm 10,862
7. ↑ Peru, Maine, Town and vital records, 1812-1892, Volume titled "Record of Births and Deaths, Marriage Certificates, Sheep Marks, &c," p.197 <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9BJ-X3PZ-J
8. ↑ Pension application of Benjamin York, filed on 7 Apr 1818, S.16026, page 5 (subscription required)
9. ↑ Vital Records of Livermore, Maine; Vital and town records, 1797-1910; "Livermore Vital Records, 1786-1840," page 74; FHL Microfilm 11332, Image 68 of 718
10. ↑ United States Census, 1850, database with images, FamilySearch, Maine > Oxford > Mexico > images 5 & 6 of 12 > family #42; citing NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2} "United States Census, 1840", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHY5-VRH : Sun Mar 10 19:27:57 UTC 2024), Entry for Benjamin R York, 1840.
12. ↑ 1830; Census Place: Mexico, Oxford, Maine; Series: M19; Roll: 50; Page: 94; Family History Library Film: 0497946 File @M7818@