Benton

Ina Belle Benton, Great-Grandmother
8 March 1885 - 27 November 1972
b. Dangerfield, Morris County, Texas
d. Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana

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"Grandma Brown" was among the sweetest, funniest, and most loving people I've ever known. She grew up picking cotton in northeast Texas and married a Tennessee General Baptist preacher/blacksmith/railroad fireman. This pastor's wife raised my father's mother and her two sisters in harsh conditions and less-than-bare-necessity homes in early 20th-century Sumner County, Tennessee, near Westmoreland, and Hopkins County, Texas, around Cumby. In her elder years, she lived in a cottage beside my grandparents for most of the twenty years I was in her life. The poverty of her youth resulted in painful life-long health conditions, yet I never remember her complaining about anything (in the sense that she seemed to navigate all her challenges with grace and dignity), and I have no recollection of a missing smile on her kind face. 

I remember sitting with her on Sunday evenings to watch Ed Sullivan shows on a black and white TV that had a pink case. Each time she would complain about how scantly dressed the dancers were, I would reach out and offer to change the channel for her. She would smack me gently with her cane, and then we would share a big laugh at the teasing that had become a hallmark of our relationship. One time, as our family gathered around my grandparents' dining room table (that now blesses our home) and took each other's hands to say grace, I asked her if her hands were clean. She immediately responded, "They were 'til you touched them." I recall multiple occasions whenever alcohol was discussed, and she would remark with a twinkle in her eyes that she never used whiskey except for medicinal purposes, which always brought chuckles from everyone except for the mild frowns from my mother and her strict teetotaler side of the family.

Ina Belle Benton and Harris Brown Brown were married on 25 November 1906 in Cumby, Hopkins County, Texas. Their three children were Ina Vastie Brown, Linda Mae Brown, and my grandmother, Thelma Irene Brown. Late in life, her second husband was Edward David Gray. Grandma Brown died on 27 November 1972 and was buried in Sherron Cemetery, Oak Grove, Sumner County, Tennessee.

Parents:
Charles Eugenius Benton 1853-1924
Elizabeth Adeline Crawford 1857-1935

Maternal Lineage

Elizabeth Adeline Crawford  > Charity Elizabeth Spear  > Mary Kates  > 

Spouse 1: Harris Brown Brown 1887-1954
Married: 25 Nov 1906

Children: 3

1. Ina Vastie Brown 1907-2000
2. Linda Mae Brown 1910-1992
3. Thelma Irene Brown 1912-1991

Spouse 2: Edward David Gray 1863-1957
Married: 7 Aug 1942
Children: None

______________________________________

Charles Eugenius Benton, 2nd Great-Grandfather
13 May 1853 - 18 August 1924

b. Westerville, Harris, Georgia
d. Cumby, Hopkins, Texas

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Parents:

Eugenius N Benton 1825-1904

Roxie Ann Davis 1833-1904

Maternal Lineage:
Sarah Everett 1768-1828, mother of Mary Ann Parramore 1801-1852, mother of Roxie Ann Davis, mother of Charles Eugenius Benton

Spouse: Margaret E Nelson 1851-1875

Married: 13 Dec 1871

Children: 2

1. Eugenius Roscoe Benton 1873-1933
2. Alexander H Benton 1875-1918

Spouse: Elizabeth Adeline Crawford 1857-1935

Children: 12

1. Charles Adis Benton 1877-1950
2. Charles Ellis Benton 1877-1965
3. Twin Baby Benton 1879-1879
4. Henry Oscar Benton 1879-1964
5. Laura Ophelia Benton 1881-1959
6. Jacob B Benton 1883-1923
7. Ina Belle Benton 1885-1972
8. Mardie Cleveland Benton 1886-1914
9. Georgia Ann Benton 1888-1967
10. James Daniel Benton 1890-1929
11. Judge Malcolm Benton 1895-1963
12. Roxie Lola Elizabeth Benton 1899-1988

______________________________________

Eugenius N Benton, 3rd Great-Grandfather
1814 - 30 March 1864
b. Georgia
d. Hamilton, Harris, Georgia

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Parents:

Nathan Benton 1764-1826

Nancy Smith Tinsley 1787-1818

Maternal Lineage:

Catherine Byrd, mother of Nancy Smith Tinsley, mother of Eugenius N Benton

Spouse: Roxie Ann Davis 1833-1904

Married: 10 Feb 1847

Children: 5

1. Laura Olivia Benton 1848-1930
2. Thomas L Benton 1850-1851
3. Maria Louisa Benton 1841-1859
4. Charles Eugenius Benton 1853-1924
5. Joseph H Clayton Benton 1856-1859

______________________________________

Nathan Benton, 4th Great-Grandfather

10 April 1764 - 26 July 1826

b. Frederick County, Maryland

d. Columbia County, Georgia

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Parents:

Joseph Benton Jr 1725-1807

Elizabeth Smith 1727-1786

Maternal Lineage:

Elizabeth Landsdown 1649-1706, mother of Susanna Parrott 1675-1762, mother of Mary Parker 1704-1754, mother of  Elizabeth Smith 1727-1786, mother of Nathan Benton

Spouse 1: Susannah Crawford 1775-1804

Married: 6 Mar 1796

Children: 1

1. Nelson Moore Benton 1800-1854

Spouse 2: Nancy Smith Tinsley 1787-1818

Married: 31 Mar 1806

Children: 4

1. Parmelia Frances Benton 1807-1881
2. James Tinsley Benton 1808-1860
3. Thomas H Benton 1810-1870
4. Eugenius N Benton 1814-1864

Spouse 3: Lucy Hamilton 1792-1852

Married:  1819

Children: 1

1. George E Benton 1823-1883

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Joseph Benton Jr, 5th Great-Grandfather
15 Oct 1725 - 06 Mar 1807
b. Prince George's, Maryland
d. Hyattsville, Montgomery, Maryland

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Parents:

Joseph Benton Sr 1703-1752

Anne Benton 1704-1752

Maternal Lineage:

Anne Benton, mother of Joseph Benton Jr

Spouse:   Elizabeth Smith 1764-1769

Married:   1754

Children:  11

1. Joseph Benton III 1757-1815
2. Benjamin Benton  1759-1833
3. Mordacai Benton 1762-1811
4. Nathan Benton 1764-1826
5. Erasmus Benton 1766-1822
6. Hezekiah Benton 1768-1840
7. Elizabeth Benton 1770-1820
8. Marian Benton 1770-1820
9. William Benton  1772-1824
10. Ann Benton 1774-1803
11. Thomas Benton 1776-1803

Spouse:  Rachel Offutt 1743-1837

Married:  1787

Children: 2

1. Nathaniel Offutt Benton 1785-1859
2. Leaven Benton 1788-1868

Slaves:

1. Josh
2. Isaac
3. Sucke
4. Leathey
5. Aleck
6. Grace
7. Abraham
8. Anthony
9. Henry

______________________________________

Joseph Benton Sr, 6th Great-Grandfather
1703 - 17 September 1752
b. Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut
d. Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut

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Parents:

James Benton 1665-1733

Hannah Bushnesll 1670-1756

Maternal Lineage:
Johanna Scranton, mother of Sarah Scranton, mother of Hannah Bushnell, mother of Joseph Benton Sr

Spouse:  Anne Benton 1704-1752

Married:   1724

Children:  4

1. Joseph Benton Jr 1725-1807
2. Ester Benton 1730-1773
3. Eliakim Benton 1732-1755
4. Elihu Benton 1734-1798

______________________________________

Anne Benton, 6th Great-Grandmother

(maiden name unknown)

1704 - 29 December 1752
b. Montgomery, Maryland

d. Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut

 Find a Grave (no record)

Parents & Maternal Lineage Unknown

Spouse:  Joseph Benton Sr 1703-1752

Married:   1724

Children:  4

1. Joseph Benton Jr 1725-1807
2. Ester Benton 1730-1773
3. Eliakim Benton 1732-1755
4. Elihu Benton 1734-1798

______________________________________

James Benton, 7th Great-Grandfather
1 December 1665 - 7 November 1733
b. Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut
d. Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut

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Parents:

Andrew Benton 1634-1713

Elizabeth Relf 1647-1713

Spouse:   Hannah Bushnell 1670-1756

Married:   2 Aug 1694

Children:  

1. Hannah Benton 1695–1740
2. Elizabeth Benton 1697 – 1763
3. James Benton 1700–1785
4. Joseph Benton Sr 1703 – 1752
5. Thankful Benton 1701 – 1733
6. Sarah Benton 1705-1767
7. Jedidiah Benton 1708-1743

______________________________________

Andrew Benton, 8th Great-Grandfather
1639 - 13 January 1714
b. Epping, Epping Forest District, Essex, England
d. Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut

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Parents:
Edward Benton 1600-1680
Alice Purden 1606-1671

Maternal Lineage:

Rebeka Purden, mother of Alice Purden 1606-1671, mother of Andrew Benton 

Spouse: Elizabeth Relph 1647-1713
Married: 4 February 1664
Children:

1. James Benton 1665-1733
2. Others TBD

______________________________________

Edward Benton, 9th Great-Grandfather
24 February 1600 - 28 October 1680
b. Epping, Essex, England
d. Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut

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Parents:

Andrew Benton 1565-1623
Mary Boutell 15671642

Maternal Lineage:

Mary Boutell 15671642

Spouse: Alice Purden 1606-1671
Married: January 15, 1626
Children:

1. Edward Benton 1637-1698
2. Daniel Benton 1638-1672
3. Andrew Benton 1639-1714
4. Hannah Benton 1642-1643
5. Mary Benton 1642-1718
6. John Benton 1643-1680
7. Tabatha Benton 164501692
8. Elizabeth Benton 1647-1654
9. Sarah Benton 1650-1692
10. Zacheus Benton 1652-1685

______________________________________

Benton Lineage

Humphry Benton 1520-1583, father of  Edward Benton 1539-1605, father of  Andrew Benton 1565-1623, father of  Edward Benton 1600-1680, father of Andrew Benton 1639-1714, father of  James Benton 1665-1733, father of  Joseph Benton Sr 1703-1752, father of  Joseph Benton Jr 1725-1807, father of  Nathan Benton 1764-1826, father of  Eugenius N Benton 1814-1864, father of  Charles Eugenius Benton 1853-1924, father of  Ina Belle Benton 1885-1972, mother of  Thelma Irene Brown 1912-1991, mother of William Harris Lawson Sr 1931-2020, father of the author.

Benton Migration

England > Connecticut > Maryland > Georgia > Texas > Tennessee > Indiana

My 12th great-grandfather, Humphry Benton, was born in Epping, Essex, England, and the next four generations were born there. My 9th great-grandfather, Edward, immigrated along with his son Andrew to the United States, settling in Connecticut, where the next few generations lived. My 5th great-grandfather, Joseph Benton Jr., was born in his mother's birth state of Maryland. as was his son Nathan who moved to Georgia. His son, Eugenius N. Benton, settled in Harris County, Georgia. His son Charles Eugenius moved to Texas, where his daughter/my great-grandmother Ina Belle was born. In Hopkins County, Texas, she married Harris Brown, who was from Sumner County, Tennessee, where they returned and my grandmother, Thelma Irene Brown, was born. My grandmother moved to Indianapolis where she met and married my grandfather, and her mother joined them late in life and lived in a cottage beside their house.

Geography

England

• Essex County | Epping

United States of America

• Connecticut
• New Haven County | Guilford
• Georgia
• Harris County | Hamilton | Westerville
• Indiana
• Clinton County | Frankfort
• Marion County | Indianapolis
• Maryland
• Columbia County
• Frederick County
• Montgomery County | Hyattsville
• Prince George's County
• Tennessee
• Sumner County | Portland | Westmoreland
• Texas
• Grayson County | Denison
• Hopkins County | Cumby
• Morris County | Dangerfield

Acknowledgments

Family Photo. "Ina Belle Benton," ca. 1965. 

Bibliography

Ancestry ®. "Public Member Trees Database.” © 1997-2023 Ancestry®.   Ancestry.   www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/10075800/person/-701515245/facts  User profile for William Harris Lawson, Jr., user Livingweb. 03 March 2024.

Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/139651956/ina_belle-brown: accessed March 4, 2024), memorial page for Ina Belle Benton Brown (8 Mar 1885–12 Nov 1972), Find a Grave Memorial ID 139651956, citing Sherron Cemetery, Oak Grove, Sumner County, Tennessee, USA; Maintained by Keith Spears (contributor 48591231).

Miscellanea

The original date of this post: 8 March 2024, the 139th birthday of Ina Belle Benton.
Last updated: 3 October 2025.