our best, searched all the records available and prayed The Benson Family of for help, the Lord will come to our rescue with Northern Ireland additional help. Some of this will be manifest in the story of the Bensons. Researched and written by Clella Hull Hollands pleaded for work to be done on Robert Rigby Hull the Benson line before she died. I have felt her influence. The life of Mary Benson Hull was varied and full of We know from previous research that Mary Benson great service and spirituality. Her personal life has was born at New Buildings, and that her father was been written by members of the family, which is Peter Benson and her mother was Biddy Donley. Her beautiful and wonderful. In the story of Thomas Hull grandfather was Daniel Benson, who had married and Mary Benson, from Dungiven to Londonderry, to Rachael Maughlin. They were all in Londonderry. Her Scot1and, to Liverpool, and on to New York, father had a brother James, who studied to be a doctor Pennsylvania, Illinois, across the plains to Salt Lake at Belfast, who was also born in Londondery. Thomas City, Kay's Creek, Franklin, Idaho, and on to Hooper, Hull had the work done for these people in the Logan Utah, I have tried to bring out her wonderful Temple. Peter evidently had a sister, because Thomas contributions to her family, her church, her neighbors had the work done for a William Dougherty, who was and communities. What a contribution she made, in his uncle-in-Law. her sixty-four years of life! We found, in the Public Record Office in Belfast, Ireland, the Parish Registers of Clondermot Parish, where New Buildings is located, dating from 1812, also Dungiven and Bovevah Church, as well as Lower Cumber. All began about 1812 up to modern times. This New Buildings is located just four to six miles south of Londonderry City, and about fifteen miles west of Dungiven, and is well established. It is in Derry County. Daniel, Peter, and Mary Benson were all born in Derry. However, no entry was found of Mary’s christening in New Buildings. There are only a few skimpy entries in 1812 and 1813 and only one in 1811. There are, however, many entries for Donley’s and Maughlin’s. In fact, in Clondermot, Lower Cumber and Templemore Parishes, were the only places a Maughlin entry could be found, another proof in our research. Templemore is the parish for Londonderry City and one of the key places of our research. The Lower Cumber parish is just across the river Foyle from Templemore, and joins the Clondermot Parish on the north and east. The Dungiven records were a key find. There is a Peter Benson, a flax dresser, with his wife, Susan, and Mary Benson Hull seven children, christened between 1824 and 1835. There were six girls and one boy. Iris records usually show the birth dates also. I believe that this is our All this has intrigued me. I desire to find out more Peter Benson, the father of Mary, with his second about her ancestors genealogically, and to have work wife, whom he married after Mary's mother, Biddy done for them in our Temples, and to help her Donley, died. descendants appreciate her more than ever. I am a believer in inspiration, even in genealogy, and I must follow the promptings, as well as information that can be found. We are told that after we have done The census of 1831 (3) shows a Peter Benson living in the Magherboy township of Dungiven with three males and seven females, who could be the mother, Susan, five girls, and our Mary. Another girl was born after the census. Thomas Hull and his family, two males, and three females lived nearby, which fits his first marriage with Mary McIlvenna. The Bensons and Thomas Hull’s family are listed as members of the established church. Whereas, his folks’, Thomas Hull the first, were listed as Presbyterians. Our Thomas had his children with Mary McIlvenna christened in the Bovevagh Presbyterian Church. (4) After his marriage to Mary Benson in 1834, their first two children, Elizabeth (or Eliza) and Thomas, were christened in the Dungiven church before they left for Scotland. In fact, we found Thomas Hull 1st buried in the

Cathedral of Columbo where many of the Benson family were baptised and attended church during the 1600-1800's.

When we visited Ireland in 1971, we searched everything that could be found on this area. A visit to Londonderry City was a must as well as Dungiven and Belfast, which proved to be very interesting. In preparing to go to Londonderry City from Dungiven, a Dungiven Presbyterian Church where warning was issued by the Military patrol, reporting Thomas Hull II and Mary Benson that two people had been killed by the Melville Hotel and their family went to church. in Londonderry City where our reservations were and Dungiven Churchyard with his marker. advising us not to go there. The war in Northern The Bensons and Hulls, being neighbors and Ireland was raging all around. We stayed at the famous belonging to the same church, it was only natural that Pellipar House in Dungiven and even though we had they got together at the death of Mary McIlvenna in cancelled our reservations in Londonderry City, we 1833. Marry Benson, being a nurse, may have assisted had a very strong desire to go there the next morning. in caring for Mary McIlvenna and her three children at We had prepared ourselves for ten months to go to this time, which might have led to the marriage of Derry City and we could not give it up. We prayed Thomas Hull and Mary Benson the next year in 1834. about it. “Let’s go down to the New Buildings and the She certainly took good care of the children after her outskirts of Derry anyway.” On the approach toward marriage. the city and the River Foyle, there was a dark but substantial old church, which seemed to lure us in. It A book containing the Templemore Parish Registers of was the ancient Glendermot Parish Church of New Londonderry City up to 1700 was found at the Society Buildings. Two gentlemen and a lady were there of Genealogists’ in London, which contained several surveying the old building for renovation and as we Benson and Hull entries, which were recopied. Aunt got in conversation with them, we told them of our Gretta Rallison mentioned some of them and claimed desire to go to the famous old Columbo Cathedral in they were related. Some of these have been submitted Londonderry City where the records were that we for temple work. wanted so desperately to see. “Why don’t you go?” said one man. “We were told not Dungiven.) to by the military.” “Come on, we will fix that,” was the reply. This man got in the car with us. The other man and his wife drove their car and we were off to the city. When we reached the River Foyle Bridge, which is over a block long, the military stopped us and our guest spoke to them and on we went through the famous wall gate to the Cathedral. Our friend helped us park and after directing us to the Dean’s parsonage and receiving our sincere thanks, he left us. This beautiful old Cathedral is the most outstanding we saw in Northern Ireland. It is several hundreds of years old and can be seen from all the area around. The minister in charge of a Cathedral is called a Dean because he has supervision over several other churches, including the one at New Buildings. Peter Benson was the head contractor when they We had written to Dean Goode, of this Cathedral, and built the wall around Londonderry. asked permission to see the records, on the day we had This is one of the portals. arrived. We had made it! He was most courteous. He placed the records of the Templemore Parish during the 1700’s, on the table in the Vestry, which he had taken from a cupboard which had been securely locked. We told us where to put the records when we were finished. We could get out, but not back in. He left us with our sincere thanks. Naturally, both of us worked frantically. For five hours we copied from the records of one hundred years. As name after name of Benson appeared, we were thrilled; many christenings, marriages and deaths were found. When, in 1749, a certain girl was christened, Ann, a daughter of Peter Benson, I was alerted. Then followed several other children of this Peter Benson until 1756. Five year’s records were now missing. A warm feeling came over me. This is where Daniel Benson fits in, was the thought that struck me. As we put the records away, looked over the city with its Guildhall towering over the city, apprehensive to stay longer, and passed through the Bishop’s Gate in the wall, over the River Foyle, and back to Dungiven, Cannons on the wall of Londonerry we decided this was a great day in our lives. Now, the questions arise. Was it the Spirit that inspired us that day? Why did we stop at the Clondermot Church and find two men surveying the church, to clean and decorate it for the first time in 75 years, and then have them pick us up (literally) and set us down in front of our destination? Why were we so thrilled at what we found in the records of the Cathedral? Subsequent events and time will answer. Before going to Ireland, we obtained advertising material from various cities. The little booklet on the City of Londonderry had a picture of an ancient wall being built around the ancient city between 1613 and 1619. The builder of the wall was a Peter Benson who was Later, Peter Benson’s family had holdings in sent there by King James I from London, as part of the Londonderry City and Birdstown, a few miles north Plantation of Ulster. We also read from Pinnar’s and west of Derry City. Their lands there were known Survey, as found on page 515 of Reverend George as Elagh, Elaghbeg and Elaghmore. These latter places Hill’s book “The Plantation of Ulster,” that, as a result are all in Donegal County. Londonderry City of Peter Benson’s work as a builder, he was given boundaries go right to the county line of Donegal. some 1500 acres of land about ten miles south and We had a strong urge to go to Northern Ireland and west of Derry in Donegal County. He started this in England again, so in July 1974, we again took a tour 1616. The land was divided among twenty-four there under the direction of Brother David Gardner. families with their under tenants, making 68 men for While searching in the records in Dublin, Ireland, we military service, making quite a village. They were all had another surprise. Among the record of wills in the of English descent. The original families are all listed Public Record Office, in the Four Courts area, in the Pinnar report. The place was called Shragmielar. described in the synopsis of our trip, was a seven-page There is now a parish town there and it is called Will of Peter Benson, the Builder, dated on August 23, Stranorlar (see above map). 1642. *Notes: Derry means Londonderry City. Clondermot, also spelled Clendermot, Glendermot, Glondermot, etc. There are several spellings for Stranorlar. This is the beginning of the Manor of Stranorlar, Peter Benson, and the Lord of the Manor. He died the next day on August 24. He did not even have time to sign his Will before his death. It was finished by A. Calvin of the Londonderry Court. It seems that Peter Benson had holdings in various places. After the usual introduction, he instructs that his estate be divided into three parts: 1) The Manor House at Stranorlar and other buildings thereunto to his son, Richard, a son by his first wife; 2) To his lovely wife, Margaret and 3) unto his fo0ur children Estate of Birdstown where Peter Benson lived. by this Margaret, namely some Peter, Paul, Basill and youngest son of five boys and two girls of John and daughter, Margaret. He emphasizes this latter division Margaret Benson, viz. John, 1566, Valentine, 1567, by repeating the four children’s names six times. This Susan, 1568, Willliam, 1569, Elizabeth, 1573, includes properties in Elagh, Elaghbegg, just out from Thomas, 1574, and our Peter, 1576. His mother died Derry City in Donegal, and three special properties in when he was about a year old (5). This John’s father, Derry City in the County of Londonderry. He also had Thomas Benson of Sproxton of Parish Hemsley in about 1200 pounds sterling in the Society of Northing Riding, Yorkshire, England, left a will Governors in London to be divided equally among the naming seven sons and two daughters. John was the above named heirs, depending on the results of the oldest child listed, and would have been born around rebellion then in progress (still going on 300 years 1540. The children were John, Peter, William, later). He also left ten pounds each to his daughter, Prudence, Frances, James, Francis, Christopher, and Prudence, by his first wife and his grandson, Thomas Thomas. Knox, her son and a step-daughter, Elisabeth Lewis Our key Peter became noted for his building work and Lowe, five pounds to Margery Lewis, another step- married Jane Hobson at Barton-on-the-Number River daughter, and five pounds each to Robert & John in Lincolnshire in 1597. They had a son, William, a Lewis, which were step-sons. His wife, Margaret, and year later and he is listed as a bricklayer and a citizen her son, Peter, were named joint executors to carry out of London. Jane evidently died soon after because we his wishes. find him married to Margaret Pateshull by 1608, when Many other wills of Bensons and Hulls in Ireland were Prudence, their first child was baptized. Then followed also found recorded as well as many land leases, sales, two daughters, Flora and Margaret, who died as and property transfers were noted. Several pedigrees children and were buried in 1610 and 1611. Prudence were copied of different related families. These, with had a sister Mary, who was baptized in 1611, and a various memorials and records found before and since brother John, who was baptized in 1612, and another in the Geneological Library in Salt Lake, have given a brother Richard, who was baptized in 1613. The later great deal of material to analyze and evaluate, but he was 30 years old when his father died in 1642. best part is yet to come. Prudence and Richard are named in his will. Returning to the Public Record Office in Belfast, we The first Margarett also died because a second scanned many records of areas around Lisburn and Margaret is named in his will and pedigree (Peter Belfast where we found mostly Hulls. We located a Benson, builder) with four children: Peter (alderman), manuscript called “The Bensons of Donegal.” (5) It Paul, Bastil and Margaret. They are half brothers and contained 23 pages which were still under copyright sisters to Prudence, Mary, John, Richard and William. and could not be reproduced so we spent practically Richard married Elizabeth Freeman on March 28, all of one day frantically copying it. The title should 1637/38 and Peter, who is believed to have died in be “The Bensons of Londonderry City and nearby 1666, married Agnes Eden on March 7, 1639/40. So, Donegal and Londonderry County areas.” All the areas the first Margaret must have died soon after Richard discussed, except the historical background, are within was born in 1612. Prudence married Thomas Knox, ten miles of Derry City, which is only fifteen miles Mary married Hugh Rowley and Margaret married from Dungiven. As we tell the story of the Bensons, Thomas Groves. many entries are substantiated by other research, both Paul died in 1695, but married Elisabeth Lineing on in Utah and Great Britain. September 24, 1661. We have no marriage for Basill, The key person we start with is Peter Benson, who but his will, proved in 1700, left his estate to his son went to Northern Ireland, built a wall around Charles. Londonderry City and established the Manor at Which one is our ancestor? Richard and Basill were Stranorlar. He was our first Benson ancestor in both connected with Stranorlar and it was sold by Ireland. His is the one who left the will before 1700 when Basill died. We never hear about them or mentioned. He gained the title of Esquire, bring their descendants again in this area, but many so knighted in 1639, and citizen and bricklayer and tyler named are found in the Dublin area, showing they of London and North-Ireland. He was also an moved there. There could have been conflict over the alderman in Donegal and Lord of the Manor. Two of estate because Richard, Basill or Charles are not found his sons, Peter and Paul, were sheriffs and aldermen. again in the Derry area. There is also no record off The record (5) shows he was born in 1576, the John and Paul having any male children who grew to be adults, but there are several girls. According to the “Bensons of Donegal,” Peter the alderman, son of Peter the builder, had a son named Peter who was called the father of Birdstown, just north of Derry City. He is believed to be married to a Miss Hamilton, probably Elizabeth, and had at least three sons, Peter, Arthur and Frederick, and a daughter Dorothy, because there are records of them in Derry City and nearby. Dorothy married Reverent William Lopper who died in 1720. There is also the possibility of other children, which is true in many other cases.

Pellipar House where Hulls and Bensons paid rent and their mortgage Murray, Carol, Cynthia and Dan Hull This latest Peter Benson married Catherine Carey, the on the steps of the Pellipar House oldest daughter of William Carey and a granddaughter with the owner who also hosted of George Carey, recorder of Derry in 1613. Uncle Bob and Evelyn back 30 years earlier Catherine’s mother was Elizabeth Carey of Dungiven, and a cousin to her husband. The Carey’s had leased Another important event took place. William Carey, the Pellipar House in Dungiven from the Skinner Cather’s father, owned an estate in Birdstown called Company of London and our Richard Hull paid rent Castle Carey. Their relative, Tristan Carey, had much money to the Carey’s until about 1800 when the land in Paughanvale in Derry County. In 1718, Peter Carey’s sold their lease to the Ogilby Family. Benson purchased this part of the Carey Estate for 800 My wife and I stayed two nights at the Pellipar House, pounds. Paughanvale parish and Muff, a townland in not knowing it was once owned by some of our Derry County, and just north of the Clondermot parish, earliest relatives. where New Buildings is and next to Derry City. Peter Benson and Catherine Carey had large land holdings in Birdstown, Londonderry City and Faughanvale. Their oldest son, Peter, born in 1714, was called Peter the Scamp because of his escapades. As it is recorded: (5) “He was an extravagant, agreeable, clever man. He gave parties at Binistown, pierced a hogshead of clarat, had plenty of fellows from Derry, and they drank away.” Peter the Scamp married Elizabeth Hamilton, one of six daughters of the Reverend Andrew Hamilton of Brown’s Hall. She was prudent and clever, set things right, and builder, Peter the alderman, Peter of Birdstown, Peter managed their estates herself, especially after her the Scamp and Peter the lawyer. Henry, the son of husband’s death when he died young, probably in his Peter the Scamp, died when he was about 25 years old forties. at Bay of Bengal in India. Paul died as an infant. Much is written in the “Bensons of Donegal” about Ann Benson. She was christened on June 15, 1749 in Derry City and died in 1794 at age 45 in Droheda. By marrying Richard Charleton in 1775, she became as heiress and had five children. In 1789, her husband changed his surname to Maxwell when he took over the Maxwell property. There must have been trouble between him and the Bensons because he took over the Bensons’ properties at Birdstown and Faughanvale as well as the Young and Maxwell family properties, causing other family members to move south to New Buildings or Londonderry City areas. Maybe this is part of the litigation that Thomas Hull and Mary Benson knew about when they left Dungiven. Is it possible that this is where the direct evidence of our Birdstown Estate owned by Peter Benson ancestors might have been lost? Those writing this who built the wall around Londonderry treatise, “The Bensons of Donegal” followed their in the early 1600s-in Donegal direct lines and ours were dropped. This work is the source of the evidence of this research. The Hamilton Family was very prominent in Ireland According to an Index of Benson wills from 1735- and there are many Hamilton names recorded. There 1789 found in Londonderry, there were wills for five are a t least two marriages of Hamiltons and Bensons, Peter Bensons, two Elizabeth Bensons, on Arthur and viz. Peter the Scamp’s wife and his grandmother. one Hamilton Benson. Those wills were destroyed in Further details are recorded in the “Bensons of 1922. If those were available, they might provide the Donegal.” answer to our problem. Peter Benson and Catherin Carey had other sons and So, what about Daniel Benson, our great grandfather, daughters. James, a son, moved to London and died who was born about 1760 in Londonderry and his son without issue. Paul moved to Cork in southern Ireland, Peter Benson, Mary Benson’s father, born about 1783 married Miss Nesbitt, and had a large family. No more in the same county? Their christenings have not been is know of him. Two daughters married other Carey found. Neither has Mary’s been found. If they were relatives. One married George Carey and Ann Benson christened, either in New Buildings or Clondermot married Edward Carey of Castle Carey on October 17, parishes, or in the Faughanvale parish, their records do 1749. We have the names of the other seven children. not go back that far. If Daniel Benson was born during Another noted son is Hamilton Benson, named after the period the Templemore parish in Londonderry is his grandmother’s maiden name. He was a prominent missing (1757-1764), was he one of Peter the Scamp’s business man in Londonderry City. He was born in younger children, or was he one of Hamilton Benson’s 1727, died and left a will in 1789 at age 62. He children? Could he be a grandson of Arthur, Abraham transferred and sold much property and had four or John Benson or maybe an unknown descendant of children: Peter, Edward, Catherine and Elizabeth, who Peter Benson, the builder of Londonderry City? were possible named after his father and mother and May we look into the background of the Benson maybe his wife’s family. Family in England and Ireland? Peter Benson, the Peter the Scamp and Elizabeth had thirteen children. builder’s ancestry (father and grandfather) are found in Four are named Peter, Henry, Paul and Ann, the latter Hemsley in North Riding, Yorkshire. A few miles being baptized in Templemore parish in Derry City. away, in Westmoreland and Cumberland counties in Their son, Peter, was born in 1737, became a North England, relatives are found. During the period prominent lawyer, but left no children and died in of the Ulster Plantation of Northern Ireland, some of 1773. Thus, we have a series of Peters: Peter, the those related families became active in the military. Also, our Peter went to London area and on to (4) Bovevah Presbyterian Church Records Londonderry around 1610. We know his story. (5) "The Bensons of Donegal" compiled by J.B. William Benson from Cumberland went to Dublin Benson; Maxwells, viz. Miss H.C. Koysey and R.S. about 1640 and Thomas Benson of Westmoreland Tepper, Esq. in 1928. Public Record Office. Belfast, settled in Down County near Lisburn in Antria Ireland #T2366 48 County. Our Peter Benson, living in London, influenced John Benson from north England to settle (6) Pedigree- Bensons of Down, Dublin, & Co Cork in Bristle, Somerset in southern England. This started Counties. F Ire 2 Page 140. a few generations of sea merchants, who did much (7) Index to Derry wills from Presbyterian Historical shipping with Dublin merchants. It is believed at least Society of Ireland one or two of this John Benson family settled in Dublin around 1700. (6) (8) Will of Peter Benson, Alderman - 20 August 1642 – County of Londonderry, 23 pages. This brings us to the Dublin problem. All roads in Ireland in that day lead to Dublin. Of the twenty-six (9) Dungiven Presbyterian Church parish records. Bensons who went to school at Trinity College in Dublin, half or thirteen were from Dublin or nearby, two from Cumberland, England, four from Down County/Lisburn, and seven from Donegal or Londonderry. The three Peter Bensons and the two Paul Bensons were all from Londonderry area. The cold climate of the Londonderry area or job opportunities influenced some to move to Dublin or southern Ireland, but most of them stayed because of land grants, military or family ties. In review, or conclusion, the Peter Benson family is OUR FAMILY because (1) No Peter Bensons are found in the Lisburn or Dublin areas, but almost every Benson family in Londonderry and environs have a Peter, including the father of our Mary Benson; (2) They all lived within a ten-mile area of Londonderry, except our Peter, who came to Dungiven, which is fifteen miles away; (3) Daniel Benson married Rachael Maughlin. The only Maughlins found in our research in Ireland were found in the Londonderry and New Buildings areas; (4) There are many Donnellys in Ireland, but this area of Londonderry is where many Donley names are found; (5) Lastly, we feel we were inspired to go to Londonderry City and to find the record of “The Bensons of Donegal.” This is our family. As a result of this research, much temple work can be done. May there be some way that his research can be carried on. Humbly submitted by Robert R. Hull. BIBLIOGRAPHY (1) Baptisms of the Dead - Logan Temple - 2 Sept 1884 (2) Public Record Office in Belfast Ireland - Personal visit; Robert R. and Evelyn B. Hull (3) 1831 Census - Londonderry County, Ireland. F.597, 161