Benton

Most recently updated: 

Benton Surname Origin

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.

Ina Belle Benton > Thelma Irene Brown > William Harris Lawson Sr.

Benton Migration

Epping, Epping Forest District, Essex, England > Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut > Prince George's, Maryland > Hyattsville, Montgomery, Maryland > Frederick County, Maryland > Columbia County, Georgia > Hamilton, Harris, Georgia > Westerville, Harris, Georgia > Cumby, Hopkins, Texas > Dangerfield, Morris County, Texas > Portland, Sumner County, Tennessee > Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana

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

Sherron Cemetery
Oak Grove, Sumner County, Tennessee

Ancestry | FamilySearch | Find a Grave | Geni | MyHeritage | Permanent Archive

"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
Mary Kates, mother of Charity Elizabeth Spear, mother of Elizabeth Adeline Crawford, mother of Ina Belle Benton

Spouse 1: Harris Brown Brown 1887-1954
Married: 25 November 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 August 1942
Children: 0

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

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

East Mount Cemetery
Greenville, Hunt County, Texas

Ancestry  | Find a Grave

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 1: Margaret E Nelson 1851-1875

Married: 13 Dec 1871

Children: 2

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

Spouse 2: Elizabeth Adeline Crawford 1857-1935
Married: 3 August 1876

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

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Eugenius N Benton, Bill's 3rd Great-Grandfather

1814 - 30 March 1864
b. Georgia
d. Hamilton, Harris, Georgia

Cemetery TBD

Ancestry | Find a Grave (no record)

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 February 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

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Nathan Benton, Bill's 4th Great-Grandfather

10 April 1764 - 26 July 1826

b. Frederick County, Maryland

d. Columbia County, Georgia

Cemetery TBD

Ancestry | Find a Grave  

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, Bill's 5th Great-Grandfather

15 Oct 1725 - 06 Mar 1807
b. Prince George's, Maryland
d. Hyattsville, Montgomery, Maryland

Buried on the family farm in Potomac, Maryland

Ancestry | Find a Grave

Parents:

Joseph Benton Sr 1703-1752

Anne Esther Bishop 1695-1752

Maternal Lineage:

Anne Esther Bishop, 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

Tags: Slaveholder_ 

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Joseph Benton Sr, Bill's 6th Great-Grandfather

1703 - 19 September 1752
b. Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut
d. Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut

Cemetery TBD

Ancestry | Find a Grave

Parents:

James Benton 1665-1733

Hannah Bushnell 1670-1756

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

Spouse:  Anne Esther Bishop 1695-1752

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

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James Benton, Bill's 7th Great-Grandfather

1 December 1665 - 7 November 1733
b. Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut
d. Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut

Village Green Cemetery
Guilford, New Haven County, Connecticut

Ancestry | Find a Grave

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

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Andrew Benton, Bill's 8th Great-Grandfather

1639 - 13 January 1714
b. Epping, Epping Forest District, Essex, England
d. Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut

Village Green Cemetery
Guilford, New Haven County, Connecticut

Ancestry | Find a Grave

Noteworthy

1. Obituary TBD
2. Tags: Immigrated_to_USA

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

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Edward Benton, Bill's 9th Great-Grandfather

24 February 1600 - 28 October 1680
b. Epping, Essex, England
d. Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut

Village Green Cemetery
Guilford, New Haven County, Connecticut

Ancestry | Find a Grave

Noteworthy

1. Obituary TBD
2. Tags: Immigrated_to_USA

Parents:

Andrew Benton 1565-1623
Mary Boutell 15671642

Maternal Lineage:

Mary Boutell 15671642

Spouse: Alice Purden 1606-1671
Married: January 15, 1626
Children: 10

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

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Andrew Benton, Bill's 10th Great-Grandmother
2 December 1565 - 1623
b. Epping, Essex, England
d. Epping, Essex, England

Saint John the Baptist Churchyard
Epping, Epping Forest District, Essex, England

Ancestry | Find a Grave 

Parents: 
Edward Benton 1539-1605
Joan Halloway 1543-1599

Maternal Lineage:
Joane Halloway 1543-1599

Spouse: Mary Boutell 1567-1642
Married: 1594
Children: 7

1. John Benton 1595-1662
2. Andrew Benton 1598-1683
3. Edward Benton 1600-1680
4. Ralph Benton 1602-1602
5. Susan Benton 1605-1610
6. Mary Benton 1608-1610
7. Marie Benton 1612-1613

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Edward Benton, Bill's 11th Great-Grandfather

1539- 16 September 1605

b. Epping, Essex, England
d. Epping, Essex, England

Saint John the Baptist Churchyard
Epping, Epping Forest District, Essex, England

Ancestry | Find a Grave

Parents: 
Humphry Benton 1520-1583
Joan Graygoose 1520-1583

Maternal Lineage:
Joan Graygoose 1520-1583

Spouse: Joan Halloway 1543-1599
Married: 10 May 1563
Children: 7

1. Joane Benton 1564-1564
2. Andrew Benton 1565-1625
3. Edward Benton 1568-1603
4. Elizabeth Benton 1570-1570
5. Matthew Benton 1574-1588
6. Rachel Benton 1575-1582
7. John Benton 1578-1653

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Humphry Benton, Bill's 12th Great-Grandfather

1520-1583 (63)
b. Epping, Epping Forest District, Essex, England
d. Epping, Epping Forest District, Essex, England

Saint John the Baptist Churchyard
Epping, Epping Forest District, Essex, England

Ancestry | Find a Grave

Parents & Maternal Lineage TBD

Spouse: Joan Graygoose 1520-1583
Married: 12 October 1539 at Epping, Essex, England
Children: 

1. Edward Benton 1539-1605
2. Others TBD

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Narrative

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. 4 December 2025.

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).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9291744/charles_eugenius-benton: accessed November 11, 2025), memorial page for Charles Eugenius Benton (13 Mar 1853–18 Aug 1924), Find a Grave Memorial ID 9291744, citing East Mount Cemetery, Greenville, Hunt County, Texas, USA; Maintained by John Armstrong (contributor 46567031).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/191539229/nathan-benton: accessed November 11, 2025), memorial page for Nathan Benton (10 Apr 1764–26 Jul 1826), Find a Grave Memorial ID 191539229; Maintained by Louise Jenkins (contributor 47614951).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/161706153/joseph-benton: accessed November 11, 2025), memorial page for Joseph Benton (15 Oct 1725–6 Mar 1807), Find a Grave Memorial ID 161706153; Maintained by Bill Hilton (contributor 47729177).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/194682182/joseph-benton: accessed November 11, 2025), memorial page for Joseph Benton (1703–unknown), Find a Grave Memorial ID 194682182; Maintained by Lotsacousins (contributor 48730524).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/161462303/james-benton: accessed November 11, 2025), memorial page for James Benton I (1 Dec 1665–7 Nov 1733), Find a Grave Memorial ID 161462303, citing Village Green Cemetery, Guilford, New Haven County, Connecticut, USA; Maintained by Mookie (contributor 47515129).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/161444004/andrew-benton: accessed November 11, 2025), memorial page for Andrew Benton I (1639–13 Jan 1714), Find a Grave Memorial ID 161444004, citing Village Green Cemetery, Guilford, New Haven County, Connecticut, USA; Maintained by Mookie (contributor 47515129).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/161348912/edward-benton: accessed November 11, 2025), memorial page for Edward Benton (24 Feb 1600–28 Oct 1680), Find a Grave Memorial ID 161348912, citing Village Green Cemetery, Guilford, New Haven County, Connecticut, USA; Maintained by Mookie (contributor 47515129).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/125773586/andrew-benton: accessed November 11, 2025), memorial page for Andrew Benton (2 Dec 1565–1625), Find a Grave Memorial ID 125773586, citing Saint John the Baptist Churchyard, Epping, Epping Forest District, Essex, England; Maintained by Lara Thomas (contributor 50389694).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/125773735/edward-benton: accessed November 11, 2025), memorial page for Edward Benton (1539–16 Sep 1605), Find a Grave Memorial ID 125773735, citing Saint John the Baptist Churchyard, Epping, Epping Forest District, Essex, England; Maintained by Lara Thomas (contributor 50389694).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/140317231/humphry-benton: accessed November 11, 2025), memorial page for Humphry Benton (1520–1583), Find a Grave Memorial ID 140317231, citing Saint John the Baptist Churchyard, Epping, Epping Forest District, Essex, England; Maintained by Lara Thomas (contributor 50389694).

Geneanet. "Public Member Database." © 1996. Geneanet. en.geneanet.org Accessed 9 November 2025.

Google. "AI Overview." Search term, "Benton Surname Origin." Google. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=Benton+Surname+Origin  Accessed 4 December 2025.

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Miscellanea

The original date of this post was 8 March 2024, the 139th birthday of Ina Belle Benton.

Talking Kin™: Benton

https://www.talkingkin.com/2024/03/benton.html
© 2025 William H Lawson Jr

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