Lt. Benjamin Kilbourn

Birth: Apr. 4, 1728 Litchfield Litchfield County Connecticut, USA Death: 1810 Ontario, Canada

Eldest son of Capt. Joseph Kilborn/Kilbourn and Abigail Stockwell. Benjamin was involved in the Revolutionary War and remained in Litchfield during that period. He was imprisoned due to his loyalty to the Crown and his land was confiscated. He escaped prison and emigrated with some family members to Canada in early 1780s to retain his love for British rule. He settled on the banks of the St. Lawrence River, in Elizabethtown, Ontario where he lived out his life and died. After the revolution, Benjamin had said that he wanted to be buried on British soil and so he got his wish. He was married twice: (1)On Dec. 5,1751 to Hannah Stoddard (Mar.24,1833-Oct.3,1856). They had two children - - Ruth (Oct.17,1752-Apr.30,1814) married Jonah Stone. She is buried in Bantam Cemetery, Litchfield. They had five known children.

- Lewis (May 22,1755-Aug.30,1804) married Anne Parmelee (ca1859-Aug.20,1839) on Jan.30,1782) and had four known children. After his death Anne married Calvin Bishop.

(2)On Mar.20,1757 to Lucy Bishop (June 22,1735-after 1801 in Brockville, Ont.) They had ten known children: - Charles (Col.) (Mar.3, 1758-June 19,1834) married Margaret Young and had 10 known children. They resided in Stanstead, Quebec.

- Nancy (Dec.13,1760- ) married Bradley Catlin and had 5 known children. She died at her daughter's place in Sacket's Harbor, NY.

- Hannah (Feb.1762- ) married John Bissell.

- Benjamin Jr. 1765-1796, married, had two daughters and hung himself in Leeds County.

- David 1767-1847 married Hannah White (1772-1821), and had ten known children. Though residing on British soil in Leeds County, he was a Republican at heart and in the war of 1812 he engaged in the secret service ofthe U.S., became a spy of sorts for the Americans and was nearly killed twice for his actions. For safety reasons he escaped with his wife to Scriba in Oswego County, NY where he died. Hannah returned to Leeds County after his death and died in Brockville.

- Samuel (Feb.21,1769-1849) married Abigail Griswold (1772-1860) and had 12 known children.

- Joseph (Capt.) (Feb.15,1771-Nov.15,1814)

- Lucy (Mar.16,1773-ca1856) married John White. She died in Augusta, Ontario.

- William (twin) (May 6,1778-1847) married first a Miss White and second Catherine Powell. He died in Chili, Munroe County, NY.

- Polly (twin) (May 6,1778-circa 1803) married Maj. Reuben Sherewood.

Note - reference/source for above information is taken from Payne Kenyon Kilbourne's book titled "The History and Antiquities of the Name and Family of Kilbourn, and it varied Orthography" published in CT in 1856.

Family links:

Parents:

 Joseph Kilborn (1700 - 1756)

 Abigail Stockwell Kilborn (1701 - 1748)

Spouse:

 Hannah Stoddard Kilborn (1733 - 1756)

Siblings:

 Charles Kilborn (____ - 1756)*

 Elisha Kilborn (1726 - 1815)*

 Benjamin Kilborn (1728 - 1810)

 Ruth Kilbourn Colver (1734 - 1818)*

 Solomon Kilbourn (1736 - 1806)*

 Abigail Kilborn Whitman (1744 - 1825)*

*Calculated relationship

Burial: Unknown

Created by: George DeKay Record added: May 09, 2015 Find A Grave Memorial# 146271263

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From Payne Kilbourne's history of the Kilbourn family:

"He was esteemed as a man of integrity and sound judgment, and was much employed in settling the estates of deceased persons. In May, 1769, he was commissioned by Gov. Pitkin , as Lieutenant of the first military company in Litchfield. On the breaking out of the Revolution, he, (in common with many prominent and influential men in his native town) steadfastly adhered to the cause of the king. He is spoken of by those who remember him, as a man of uncommon energy of character, and was accustomed to speak with great freedom and often with severity relative to what he considered the "rebellion;" yet none were more liberal or humane to those who were suffering in the cause of their country.

(Kilbourne relates that Benjamin was cashiered by the Conn. legislature for speaking against the revolution, and that it ordered the Attorney for the county to prosecute him)

"He continued to reside in Litchfield until some years after the close of the war, when he removed with most of his family to Elizabethtown, near Brockville, Upper Canada - being determined, as he said, to "lay his bones on King George's soil."

Benjamin Kilborn settled along the banks of the St. Lawrence River on Lot 4 of the First Concession of Elizabethtown. He was close neighbors with Thomas Sherwood and the Whites. — Chaffey

Military: In May, 1769, he was commissioned by Gov. Pitkin , as Lieutenant of the first military company in Litchfield. On the breaking out of the Revolution, he, (in common with many prominent and influential men in his native town) steadfastly adhered to the cause of the king. 30

GEDCOM Note

585. Lt. Benjamin KILBOURNE (Joseph10, Joseph9, John8, Thomas7, John6, John KYLBORNE5, John4, William3, Richard2, Richard1)87,119. Born on 4 April 1728 in Litchfield, Litchfield Co., Connecticut. Benjamin died in 1810 in Elizabethtown, Upper Canada, Canada. 30 p. 50-2, 81. 120 p. 456-7.

From Payne Kilbourne's history of the Kilbourn family:

"He was esteemed as a man of integrity and sound judgment, and was much employed in settling the estates of deceased persons. In May, 1769, he was commissioned by Gov. Pitkin , as Lieutenant of the first military company in Litchfield. On the breaking out of the Revolution, he, (in common with many prominent and influential men in his native town) steadfastly adhered to the cause of the king. He is spoken of by those who remember him, as a man of uncommon energy of character, and was accustomed to speak with great freedom and often with severity relative to what he considered the "rebellion;" yet none were more liberal or humane to those who were suffering in the cause of their country.

(Kilbourne relates that Benjamin was cashiered by the Conn. legislature for speaking against the revolution, and that it ordered the Attorney for the county to prosecute him)

"He continued to reside in Litchfield until some years after the close of the war, when he removed with most of his family to Elizabethtown, near Brockville, Upper Canada - being determined, as he said, to "lay his bones on King George's soil."

Benjamin Kilborn settled along the banks of the St. Lawrence River on Lot 4 of the First Concession of Elizabethtown. He was close neighbors with Thomas Sherwood and the Whites. - Chaffey

Military: In May, 1769, he was commissioned by Gov. Pitkin , as Lieutenant of the first military company in Litchfield. On the breaking out of the Revolution, he, (in common with many prominent and influential men in his native town) steadfastly adhered to the cause of the king. 30 On 5 December 1751 when Benjamin was 23, he first married Hannah STODDARD87 in Litchfield, Connecticut.157 Born in 1732. Hannah died on 3 October 1756 in Litchfield, Connecticut.87 They had the following children: 1581i. Ruth KILBOURNE (17 October 1752-) 1582ii. Lewis KILBOURNE (22 May 1755-1805) On 20 March 1757 when Benjamin was 28, he second married Lucy BISHOP87,119 in Litchfield, Connecticut.157 30 p. 50-2, 81. 120 p. 456-7. They had the following children: 1583i. Charles KILBOURNE (3 March 1758-19 June 1834) 1584ii. Nancy KILBOURNE (13 December 1760-) 1585iii. Hannah KILBOURNE (February 1762-) 1586iv. Benjamin KILBOURNE Jr. (27 January 1765-1790) 1587v. David KILBOURNE (21 February 1767-1847) 1588vi. Samuel KILBOURNE (21 February 1769-27 April 1850) 1589vii. Joseph KILBOURNE (15 February 1771-15 November 1814) 1590viii. Lucy KILBOURNE (17 March 1773-19 July 1843) 1591ix. William KILBOURNE (Twin) (6 March 1778-) 1592x. Polly KILBOURNE (Twin) (6 March 1778-)

Most of the Notes were taken from

http://web.me.com/k3urt/Kilborn/rr01/rr01_290.html#P59075

87. Woodruff, George C., A Genealogical Register of the Inhabitants of the Town of Litchfield, Connecticut 1720-1800, 1845.

119. Roberts, Gary Boyd, “Royal Descents, Notable Kin, and Printed Sources, #83,” http://www.newenglandancestors.org/education/articles/research/spec..., 2 September 2006.

126. Kilbourn, Payne Kenyon, The Family Memorial: A History and Genealogy of the Kilbourn Family in the United States and Canada from the Year 1635 to the Present, Hartford, CT: Brown and Parsons, 1845, p. 36-7, 54-5.

30. Kilbourn, Payne Kenyon, The Family Memorial: A History and Genealogy of the Kilbourn Family in the United States and Canada from the Year 1635 to the Present, Hartford, CT: Brown and Parsons, 1845.

4. Kilbourne, John Dwight, The ancestry of Thomas Kilbourn (1578-c.1637): of Wood Ditton, Cambridgeshire, England and Wethersfield, Connecticut, Washington, DC: Anundsen Publising Co., c. 1991.

Benjamin Kilbourn and the Revolution

Benjamin Kilbourn was born into a well respected and prosperous family in Litchfield County. Conn. His gradfather, Joseph, had been among the "first settlers" and a leading citizen in community affairs. Likewise, his father, Joseph, was a prominent man in the county and borough of Litchfield, having served in 1752 and 1753 as a representative for Litchfield in the Connecticut Legislature, as well as many town offices. Benjamin was esteemed as a man of integrity and sound judgment, and he was much employed in settling estates. In May 1769, he was commissioned, by Governor Laws of Connecticut, a lieutenant of the first military company in Litchfield, while his father was commissioned a captain. Despite his stature and standing, however, subsequent events resulted in his estrangement from Litchfield and his subsequent migration to Canada.

Benjamin Kilbourn was a member of the Episcopal church and society at Litchfield. A group of prominent men in Litchfield had met at the home of Capt. Jacob Griswold on 5 Nov 1745 to organize the First Episcopal Society. Of this group of thirteen, four Kilbourn's figured prominently: Joseph, father of Benjamin, James, Samuel, and Abraham Kilbourn. We do not know how ardently any of this group felt about Episcopalianism, at least initially, but we do know that the immediate cause of the break with the Congregational Church had to do with a long-standing series of disputes, beginning with the issue of the pastor's compensation, with Mr. Timothy Collins, the minister of the First Congregational Church in Litchfield. Joseph, Benjamin's father, took a significant role in fostering the development of the St. Michael's Episcopal Church, and in the decades leading up to the Revolution, the attachment between many Episcopalians in Litchfield and England became stronger. As historian Payne Kenyon Kilbourne indicates, "Their clergymen were ordained and set apart to the work of the ministry, by English Bishops; and their Book of Common prayer taught them to pray for the King and royal Family. Besides, Litchfield was still a 'missionary station,' under the direction and patronage of the 'Venerable Society in England for Propagating the Faith in Foreign Parts'--the Rector of St. Michael's church received a portion of his annual salary directly from that Society. With them, independence not only involved a political separation from Great Britain, but a severance of an ecclestiastical bond of union which they had long regarded as indispensable to their prosperity, if not to their very existence as a church."

Patriotic and partisan fervor was strong in Litchfield. Litchfield was home to many ardent patriots including Ethan Allen, Tapping Reeve, Esq., who married Sarah, the sister of Aaron Burr, and Col. Benjamin Tallmadge, an officer of Gen. Washington and subsequently the President's counselor. Many Litchfield citizens had enlisted on the Revolutionists' side, and of the thirty-six in Capt. Beebe's Company (Col. Bradley's Regiment) sent in 1776 to the defense of Fort Washington and subsequently captured, all but six died in captivity or on the return journey home. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that some in Litchfield were against those they regarded as Loyalists even though the official position on the borough was to maintain tolerance. The Kilbournes themselves seem to have been rent by the division: Abraham, himself a founder of the Episcopal Society, was a Selectman during the Revolution and very active in supporting the Revolution, and Gen. Washington stayed at an inn owned by a Kilbourn. It is reported, however, that Benjamin lost his commission soon after the Revolution broke out, "owing to the freedom and severity with which he spoke regarding what he considered the 'rebellion.'" Historian Luther Brewer who reports this incident does add, "notwithstanding his steadfast adherence to the cause of the king, none were more liberal or humane to those who were suffering in the cause of their country."

Matters took a fatal turn in April 1777 when Benjamin's son, Charles, was arrested as a member of a group of Connecticut youth suspected of attempting to join the "ministerial army" of the king. The event occurred soon after the Danbury Alarm on 27 April 1777 at which some Litchfield men had been killed and while soldiers were returning to Litchfield. The "infamous" Daniel Griswold came into the western part of town, and there concealed, attempted to recruit some of the Litchfield men. A few days later Griswold and some of the men were arrested and taken to Derby for court martial. Griswold was sentenced and subsequently executed at New Haven, and the rest pardoned upon their enlisting into the Continental army. While the men were still in captivity, Benjamin Kilbourn's son Charles and Abraham Doolittle were reported to have been killed in an attempt to escape (letter by Dr. Smith to Gen. Wolcott). They both made good their escape, however, and Charles fled to Canada.

Benjamin continued to reside in Litchfield. At the town meeting for 25 March 1782 we see the following minutes, as reported by Payne Kilbourne, "Stepen Stone, Elijah Griswold and Benjamin kilbourn, having lately been assessed on examination by the Civil Authority and Selectmen, agreeable to law, for each a son gone to the enemy, and having requested a hearing in Town Meeting, and being heard accordingly, the question was proposed relative to said Stone in particular; and the town by vote did not discharge said assessment. Whereupon, it being late, and other business requiring attention--adjourned till Thursday the 28th, at 10 o'clock P.M." (126 emphasis in original). Payne Kilbourne adds that Stephen Stone was released from his assessment at a subsequent meeting, but the assessment was confirmed for the other cases. At some point following this event Benjamin and the remainder of his family removed to Elizabethtown, near Brockville, Upper Canada, being determined, as it is alleged he sais, to "lay his bones on King George's soil." There he died in 1810.

Sources: Kilbourne, Payne Kenyon, Sketches and Chronicles of the Town of Litchfield, Connecticut (Hartford: Case, Lockwood and Company, 1859; a facsimile reprint by Heritage Books, Bowie, Md. 1998).

Brewer, Luther Albertus, History of Linn County Iowa from Its Earliest Settlement to Present Time, Vol. II Biographical (Cedar Rapids, IA: Torch press, 1911). Provo, UT: USA: The Generations network, Inc. 2000.

RChurchilladded this on 13 Jul 2009