Genealogist J.A. Kelly wrote the following in the William And Mary Quarterly in October 1931 on page 325, "Benjamin Borden, Shenandoah Valley Pioneer". "... That he was honest, intelligent, ambitious and enterprising is evident; no less so that the natural limitation imposed upon him by his primitive environment thwarted his plans for his own career and for the future of his family. ... His first recorded appearance in Virginia was apparently on January 21, 1734, when he was appointed one of the justices of the newly formed county of Orange. From that time till his death in 1743 his name appears frequently in land transactions in various parts of the Shenandoah Valley. His most important enterprise was the settlement of "The Patent for Borden's Great Tract" which was granted to him from King George II on 6 November 1739 by William Gooch Esquire, the Lieutenant Governor at Williamsburg, Virginia for 92,100 acres in what later became Rockbridge County." Parcels of this land became the campuses for Washington and Lee University and Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia.
[Many unproven legends and inaccurate information about his birth date, parents and how he obtained this land abound.]
Benjamin Borden's father, Benjamin, was born at Portsmouth, Rhode Island May 16, 1649. In 1665 Benjamin Jr. settled on some of his father's lands in Monmouth County, New Jersey where he held elective positions. His father married Abigail Grover September 1, 1670, who died January 8, 1720. His father then married Susannah Page who administered his estate in 1728. Benjamin Jr's brother, Joseph (1687-1765) was the first English child born in Portsmouth and was the founder of Bordentown and a leading citizen of New Jersey. The father of Benjamin's mother was James Grover, who was active in the settlement of East Jersey. He was one of the grantees of the Monmouth County patents in 1663.
Benjamin was born in Monmouth County, New Jersey April 6, 1675 where he resided before moving to Freehold, Virginia. He died in 1743 near Winchester, Virginia about the time of his appointment as one of the original justices of Frederick county. His wife, Zeruiah Winter was his cousin, being a daughter of of William Winter who married Hannah Grover, the daughter of the James and Rebecca Grover. He and Zeruiah had (three sons and seven daughters), all except the youngest born in Middletown, New Jersey.
The Fifth Lord Fairfax married the daughter of Lord Culpepper and by this alliance obtained possession of Culpepper grants in Virginia that had been issued by James II of England to Culpepper, for lands known as the "Northern Neck" which included ten counties in lower Shenandoah Valley. Borden was Lord Fairfax's agent in America and was therefore known as "Fairfax Ben". Benjamin's home plantation known as "Borden's Great Spring Tract" of 3143 acres, granted him 3 Oct 1734, which shared a boundary Greenway Court, the home of Lord Fairfax, on the S-E. Borden's house stood at or near the present residence in what is now Clark County. In September 1737 Fairfax Ben Borden became anxious to establish the boundary lines of his land grant. He had agreed to deed to each resident settler 100 acres of land and promised the privilege of buying land at the rate of 50 shillings for 100 acres. Each cabin meant 1000 acres granted to Borden. James McDowell, was educated & grew to manhood in Ireland. He had located in Borden's Grant in the spring, and raised a crop of corn on the South Fork of the Shenandoah near Woods's gap. One night, Benjamin Borden, Jr. came up and asked leave to spend the night there. Borden exhibited documents which satisfied the McDowells he held the grant for the large body of land, and he offered to give one thousand acres to anyone who could help. Assisted by James Wood, Orange Co. surveyor, when Borden left the grant in 1739, having secured his grant, he committed his interests largely to John McDowell, who attended to them in his absence.
John McDowell and his wife, Magdalene, then were responsible for bringing into the grant most of the 92 original families in 1738-1739, and the deed for the grant was recorded in 1739 for a total of 92,100 acres. John McDowell with eight of his men, on December 25, 1742 fell into an ambush and was killed by indians. Just about a year later his widow married Benjamin Borden III.
It seems Benjamin Jr. followed the pattern of land speculation of his father. There is documentation of purchases from 1700 through 1743 by him and his wife, Zeuriah. At the time of his death he possessed approximately 130,000 acres of land in Virginia and New Jersey. In his will he leaves his lands in New Jersey as well as land in Bullshire, Smith's Creek, North Shenandoah and James River, except 5000 acres which is devised to his daughters, Abigail Worthington, Rebecca Bronson, Deborah Borden, Lydia Borden and Elizabeth Borden; other legacies and devises to sons: Benjamin, John and Joseph; and his wife, Zeuriah and daughter Marcy Fearnley, the Wife of William Fearnley. In 1746 Zeuriah, on account of bodily infirmities, resigned and Benjamin took the estate. In April 1753 Benjamin Borden III died.
Law suits and counter suits between the daughter Lydia, who married Jacob Peck, and her descendants vs. descendants of her brothers and sisters, regarding the settling of the estate, continued for about one hundred and fifty years. Records concerning this legal battle are said to fill a filing cabinet in the Clerk's office at Staunton (Augusta County, formerly Orange County), Virginia. Benjamin Borden, Jr., because of his close and profitable relationship with Lord Fairfax, is referred to as "Fairfax Ben" in these legal records. Affidavits and other records in this file are of much value in tracing descendants of Benjamin and proving the relationship between the White County Burdens and the earlier generations of the Borden family.
[Many unproven legends and inaccurate information about his birth date, parents and how he obtained this land abound.]
Benjamin Borden's father, Benjamin, was born at Portsmouth, Rhode Island May 16, 1649. In 1665 Benjamin Jr. settled on some of his father's lands in Monmouth County, New Jersey where he held elective positions. His father married Abigail Grover September 1, 1670, who died January 8, 1720. His father then married Susannah Page who administered his estate in 1728. Benjamin Jr's brother, Joseph (1687-1765) was the first English child born in Portsmouth and was the founder of Bordentown and a leading citizen of New Jersey. The father of Benjamin's mother was James Grover, who was active in the settlement of East Jersey. He was one of the grantees of the Monmouth County patents in 1663.
Benjamin was born in Monmouth County, New Jersey April 6, 1675 where he resided before moving to Freehold, Virginia. He died in 1743 near Winchester, Virginia about the time of his appointment as one of the original justices of Frederick county. His wife, Zeruiah Winter was his cousin, being a daughter of of William Winter who married Hannah Grover, the daughter of the James and Rebecca Grover. He and Zeruiah had (three sons and seven daughters), all except the youngest born in Middletown, New Jersey.
The Fifth Lord Fairfax married the daughter of Lord Culpepper and by this alliance obtained possession of Culpepper grants in Virginia that had been issued by James II of England to Culpepper, for lands known as the "Northern Neck" which included ten counties in lower Shenandoah Valley. Borden was Lord Fairfax's agent in America and was therefore known as "Fairfax Ben". Benjamin's home plantation known as "Borden's Great Spring Tract" of 3143 acres, granted him 3 Oct 1734, which shared a boundary Greenway Court, the home of Lord Fairfax, on the S-E. Borden's house stood at or near the present residence in what is now Clark County. In September 1737 Fairfax Ben Borden became anxious to establish the boundary lines of his land grant. He had agreed to deed to each resident settler 100 acres of land and promised the privilege of buying land at the rate of 50 shillings for 100 acres. Each cabin meant 1000 acres granted to Borden. James McDowell, was educated & grew to manhood in Ireland. He had located in Borden's Grant in the spring, and raised a crop of corn on the South Fork of the Shenandoah near Woods's gap. One night, Benjamin Borden, Jr. came up and asked leave to spend the night there. Borden exhibited documents which satisfied the McDowells he held the grant for the large body of land, and he offered to give one thousand acres to anyone who could help. Assisted by James Wood, Orange Co. surveyor, when Borden left the grant in 1739, having secured his grant, he committed his interests largely to John McDowell, who attended to them in his absence.
John McDowell and his wife, Magdalene, then were responsible for bringing into the grant most of the 92 original families in 1738-1739, and the deed for the grant was recorded in 1739 for a total of 92,100 acres. John McDowell with eight of his men, on December 25, 1742 fell into an ambush and was killed by indians. Just about a year later his widow married Benjamin Borden III.
It seems Benjamin Jr. followed the pattern of land speculation of his father. There is documentation of purchases from 1700 through 1743 by him and his wife, Zeuriah. At the time of his death he possessed approximately 130,000 acres of land in Virginia and New Jersey. In his will he leaves his lands in New Jersey as well as land in Bullshire, Smith's Creek, North Shenandoah and James River, except 5000 acres which is devised to his daughters, Abigail Worthington, Rebecca Bronson, Deborah Borden, Lydia Borden and Elizabeth Borden; other legacies and devises to sons: Benjamin, John and Joseph; and his wife, Zeuriah and daughter Marcy Fearnley, the Wife of William Fearnley. In 1746 Zeuriah, on account of bodily infirmities, resigned and Benjamin took the estate. In April 1753 Benjamin Borden III died.
Law suits and counter suits between the daughter Lydia, who married Jacob Peck, and her descendants vs. descendants of her brothers and sisters, regarding the settling of the estate, continued for about one hundred and fifty years. Records concerning this legal battle are said to fill a filing cabinet in the Clerk's office at Staunton (Augusta County, formerly Orange County), Virginia. Benjamin Borden, Jr., because of his close and profitable relationship with Lord Fairfax, is referred to as "Fairfax Ben" in these legal records. Affidavits and other records in this file are of much value in tracing descendants of Benjamin and proving the relationship between the White County Burdens and the earlier generations of the Borden family.
Genealogist J.A. Kelly wrote the following in the William And Mary Quarterly in October 1931 on page 325, "Benjamin Borden, Shenandoah Valley Pioneer". "... That he was honest, intelligent, ambitious and enterprising is evident; no less so that the natural limitation imposed upon him by his primitive environment thwarted his plans for his own career and for the future of his family. ... His first recorded appearance in Virginia was apparently on January 21, 1734, when he was appointed one of the justices of the newly formed county of Orange. From that time till his death in 1743 his name appears frequently in land transactions in various parts of the Shenandoah Valley. His most important enterprise was the settlement of "The Patent for Borden's Great Tract" which was granted to him from King George II on 6 November 1739 by William Gooch Esquire, the Lieutenant Governor at Williamsburg, Virginia for 92,100 acres in what later became Rockbridge County." Parcels of this land became the campuses for Washington and Lee University and Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia.
[Many unproven legends and inaccurate information about his birth date, parents and how he obtained this land abound.]
Benjamin Borden's father, Benjamin, was born at Portsmouth, Rhode Island May 16, 1649. In 1665 Benjamin Jr. settled on some of his father's lands in Monmouth County, New Jersey where he held elective positions. His father married Abigail Grover September 1, 1670, who died January 8, 1720. His father then married Susannah Page who administered his estate in 1728. Benjamin Jr's brother, Joseph (1687-1765) was the first English child born in Portsmouth and was the founder of Bordentown and a leading citizen of New Jersey. The father of Benjamin's mother was James Grover, who was active in the settlement of East Jersey. He was one of the grantees of the Monmouth County patents in 1663.
Benjamin was born in Monmouth County, New Jersey April 6, 1675 where he resided before moving to Freehold, Virginia. He died in 1743 near Winchester, Virginia about the time of his appointment as one of the original justices of Frederick county. His wife, Zeruiah Winter was his cousin, being a daughter of of William Winter who married Hannah Grover, the daughter of the James and Rebecca Grover. He and Zeruiah had (three sons and seven daughters), all except the youngest born in Middletown, New Jersey.
The Fifth Lord Fairfax married the daughter of Lord Culpepper and by this alliance obtained possession of Culpepper grants in Virginia that had been issued by James II of England to Culpepper, for lands known as the "Northern Neck" which included ten counties in lower Shenandoah Valley. Borden was Lord Fairfax's agent in America and was therefore known as "Fairfax Ben". Benjamin's home plantation known as "Borden's Great Spring Tract" of 3143 acres, granted him 3 Oct 1734, which shared a boundary Greenway Court, the home of Lord Fairfax, on the S-E. Borden's house stood at or near the present residence in what is now Clark County. In September 1737 Fairfax Ben Borden became anxious to establish the boundary lines of his land grant. He had agreed to deed to each resident settler 100 acres of land and promised the privilege of buying land at the rate of 50 shillings for 100 acres. Each cabin meant 1000 acres granted to Borden. James McDowell, was educated & grew to manhood in Ireland. He had located in Borden's Grant in the spring, and raised a crop of corn on the South Fork of the Shenandoah near Woods's gap. One night, Benjamin Borden, Jr. came up and asked leave to spend the night there. Borden exhibited documents which satisfied the McDowells he held the grant for the large body of land, and he offered to give one thousand acres to anyone who could help. Assisted by James Wood, Orange Co. surveyor, when Borden left the grant in 1739, having secured his grant, he committed his interests largely to John McDowell, who attended to them in his absence.
John McDowell and his wife, Magdalene, then were responsible for bringing into the grant most of the 92 original families in 1738-1739, and the deed for the grant was recorded in 1739 for a total of 92,100 acres. John McDowell with eight of his men, on December 25, 1742 fell into an ambush and was killed by indians. Just about a year later his widow married Benjamin Borden III.
It seems Benjamin Jr. followed the pattern of land speculation of his father. There is documentation of purchases from 1700 through 1743 by him and his wife, Zeuriah. At the time of his death he possessed approximately 130,000 acres of land in Virginia and New Jersey. In his will he leaves his lands in New Jersey as well as land in Bullshire, Smith's Creek, North Shenandoah and James River, except 5000 acres which is devised to his daughters, Abigail Worthington, Rebecca Bronson, Deborah Borden, Lydia Borden and Elizabeth Borden; other legacies and devises to sons: Benjamin, John and Joseph; and his wife, Zeuriah and daughter Marcy Fearnley, the Wife of William Fearnley. In 1746 Zeuriah, on account of bodily infirmities, resigned and Benjamin took the estate. In April 1753 Benjamin Borden III died.
Law suits and counter suits between the daughter Lydia, who married Jacob Peck, and her descendants vs. descendants of her brothers and sisters, regarding the settling of the estate, continued for about one hundred and fifty years. Records concerning this legal battle are said to fill a filing cabinet in the Clerk's office at Staunton (Augusta County, formerly Orange County), Virginia. Benjamin Borden, Jr., because of his close and profitable relationship with Lord Fairfax, is referred to as "Fairfax Ben" in these legal records. Affidavits and other records in this file are of much value in tracing descendants of Benjamin and proving the relationship between the White County Burdens and the earlier generations of the Borden family.
[Many unproven legends and inaccurate information about his birth date, parents and how he obtained this land abound.]
Benjamin Borden's father, Benjamin, was born at Portsmouth, Rhode Island May 16, 1649. In 1665 Benjamin Jr. settled on some of his father's lands in Monmouth County, New Jersey where he held elective positions. His father married Abigail Grover September 1, 1670, who died January 8, 1720. His father then married Susannah Page who administered his estate in 1728. Benjamin Jr's brother, Joseph (1687-1765) was the first English child born in Portsmouth and was the founder of Bordentown and a leading citizen of New Jersey. The father of Benjamin's mother was James Grover, who was active in the settlement of East Jersey. He was one of the grantees of the Monmouth County patents in 1663.
Benjamin was born in Monmouth County, New Jersey April 6, 1675 where he resided before moving to Freehold, Virginia. He died in 1743 near Winchester, Virginia about the time of his appointment as one of the original justices of Frederick county. His wife, Zeruiah Winter was his cousin, being a daughter of of William Winter who married Hannah Grover, the daughter of the James and Rebecca Grover. He and Zeruiah had (three sons and seven daughters), all except the youngest born in Middletown, New Jersey.
The Fifth Lord Fairfax married the daughter of Lord Culpepper and by this alliance obtained possession of Culpepper grants in Virginia that had been issued by James II of England to Culpepper, for lands known as the "Northern Neck" which included ten counties in lower Shenandoah Valley. Borden was Lord Fairfax's agent in America and was therefore known as "Fairfax Ben". Benjamin's home plantation known as "Borden's Great Spring Tract" of 3143 acres, granted him 3 Oct 1734, which shared a boundary Greenway Court, the home of Lord Fairfax, on the S-E. Borden's house stood at or near the present residence in what is now Clark County. In September 1737 Fairfax Ben Borden became anxious to establish the boundary lines of his land grant. He had agreed to deed to each resident settler 100 acres of land and promised the privilege of buying land at the rate of 50 shillings for 100 acres. Each cabin meant 1000 acres granted to Borden. James McDowell, was educated & grew to manhood in Ireland. He had located in Borden's Grant in the spring, and raised a crop of corn on the South Fork of the Shenandoah near Woods's gap. One night, Benjamin Borden, Jr. came up and asked leave to spend the night there. Borden exhibited documents which satisfied the McDowells he held the grant for the large body of land, and he offered to give one thousand acres to anyone who could help. Assisted by James Wood, Orange Co. surveyor, when Borden left the grant in 1739, having secured his grant, he committed his interests largely to John McDowell, who attended to them in his absence.
John McDowell and his wife, Magdalene, then were responsible for bringing into the grant most of the 92 original families in 1738-1739, and the deed for the grant was recorded in 1739 for a total of 92,100 acres. John McDowell with eight of his men, on December 25, 1742 fell into an ambush and was killed by indians. Just about a year later his widow married Benjamin Borden III.
It seems Benjamin Jr. followed the pattern of land speculation of his father. There is documentation of purchases from 1700 through 1743 by him and his wife, Zeuriah. At the time of his death he possessed approximately 130,000 acres of land in Virginia and New Jersey. In his will he leaves his lands in New Jersey as well as land in Bullshire, Smith's Creek, North Shenandoah and James River, except 5000 acres which is devised to his daughters, Abigail Worthington, Rebecca Bronson, Deborah Borden, Lydia Borden and Elizabeth Borden; other legacies and devises to sons: Benjamin, John and Joseph; and his wife, Zeuriah and daughter Marcy Fearnley, the Wife of William Fearnley. In 1746 Zeuriah, on account of bodily infirmities, resigned and Benjamin took the estate. In April 1753 Benjamin Borden III died.
Law suits and counter suits between the daughter Lydia, who married Jacob Peck, and her descendants vs. descendants of her brothers and sisters, regarding the settling of the estate, continued for about one hundred and fifty years. Records concerning this legal battle are said to fill a filing cabinet in the Clerk's office at Staunton (Augusta County, formerly Orange County), Virginia. Benjamin Borden, Jr., because of his close and profitable relationship with Lord Fairfax, is referred to as "Fairfax Ben" in these legal records. Affidavits and other records in this file are of much value in tracing descendants of Benjamin and proving the relationship between the White County Burdens and the earlier generations of the Borden family.
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