Joseph Bennett Sr. was a farmer who ran a tobacco plantation and mill in southern Virginia, southwest of the present day town of La Crosse. Deed records from Mecklenburg County show his land lay in the vicinity of Flat Creek, Parham Creek, and the St. Tammany Rd, just south/southwest of Marengo crossroads.

His certain date of birth is unverified. The date of 1720 came from an unverified online source.

His will makes clear that in February 1805 he was married to a woman named Elizabeth and had 10 children, 6 sons and 4 daughters. It appears he was illiterate, or at least unable to write, given he signed the document with a mark. (Mecklenburg County will book #6 page 146).

The children of Joseph Bennett Sr., mentioned in his will:
Anthony (b.? d. <1808 in KY)
Jonathan (b.? d.1826 in VA)
William (b.1755 d.1835)
Jordan (b.1759 d.1822 in VA)
Joseph Jr. (b.1757 d.1843 in TN)
Evans (b.1762 d.?)
Bramley (b.? d.?) (Married to Isaac Watson)
Mary (b.? d.?) (Married to ? Lark)
Hannah (b.? d.?) (Married to ? Watson)
Martha (b.? d.?) (Married to ? Lambert)

From "Mecklenburg County Marriages, 1765-1810" there are two marriages involving a "Joseph Bennett". The book does not state whether the person is Joseph Sr. or Joseph Jr. The first was in 1785, Joseph Bennett to Nancy Lanier, with surety Ingram Vaughan, and appears to be his son, Joseph Jr., from many online sources. The second was in 1787 to Elizabeth Burrus. ("Burrus" as typed in the book held by Mecklenburg county. An online, alternate source of this book states her name as "Elizabeth Barnes"). The surety was Anthony Bennett, clearly one of Joseph Sr.'s sons. It's possible this was a second marriage involving Joseph Jr. after the untimely death of Nancy Lanier, however it's odd that in Joseph Sr.'s will he mentions being married to an "Elizabeth". Some online sources mention Joseph Sr's wife was an Elizabeth Evans, born in 1728. This would make sense given the name of one of Joseph Sr.'s sons, Evans. It's currently unclear which Joseph Bennett married Elizabeth Burrus in 1787, but it almost certainly either Joseph Sr. or Joseph Jr. based on the surety of Anthony Bennett.

Joseph Bennett Sr. was a slave owner and in his will the slaves were divided among the above children, as well as his land and possessions. He left his house and the property surrounding it to his wife, Elizabeth, and most domestic items to his daughters. It appears he also ran a mill of some kind along with a man named Watson, and his share of the mill was divided among his older sons Jonathan and William. Jonathan and William were also the executors of his will. He mentions his desire that "my (whiskey) still may remain where it now is for the use of all my children".

The listing of "Bennett Plantation" as his burial site is an educated guess, based on the usual practices in those days and the approximate location of his land on the St. Tammany Road from Mecklenburg county deed books.

Joseph Bennett Sr. was a farmer who ran a tobacco plantation and mill in southern Virginia, southwest of the present day town of La Crosse. Deed records from Mecklenburg County show his land lay in the vicinity of Flat Creek, Parham Creek, and the St. Tammany Rd, just south/southwest of Marengo crossroads.

His certain date of birth is unverified. The date of 1720 came from an unverified online source.

His will makes clear that in February 1805 he was married to a woman named Elizabeth and had 10 children, 6 sons and 4 daughters. It appears he was illiterate, or at least unable to write, given he signed the document with a mark. (Mecklenburg County will book #6 page 146).

The children of Joseph Bennett Sr., mentioned in his will:
Anthony (b.? d. <1808 in KY)
Jonathan (b.? d.1826 in VA)
William (b.1755 d.1835)
Jordan (b.1759 d.1822 in VA)
Joseph Jr. (b.1757 d.1843 in TN)
Evans (b.1762 d.?)
Bramley (b.? d.?) (Married to Isaac Watson)
Mary (b.? d.?) (Married to ? Lark)
Hannah (b.? d.?) (Married to ? Watson)
Martha (b.? d.?) (Married to ? Lambert)

From "Mecklenburg County Marriages, 1765-1810" there are two marriages involving a "Joseph Bennett". The book does not state whether the person is Joseph Sr. or Joseph Jr. The first was in 1785, Joseph Bennett to Nancy Lanier, with surety Ingram Vaughan, and appears to be his son, Joseph Jr., from many online sources. The second was in 1787 to Elizabeth Burrus. ("Burrus" as typed in the book held by Mecklenburg county. An online, alternate source of this book states her name as "Elizabeth Barnes"). The surety was Anthony Bennett, clearly one of Joseph Sr.'s sons. It's possible this was a second marriage involving Joseph Jr. after the untimely death of Nancy Lanier, however it's odd that in Joseph Sr.'s will he mentions being married to an "Elizabeth". Some online sources mention Joseph Sr's wife was an Elizabeth Evans, born in 1728. This would make sense given the name of one of Joseph Sr.'s sons, Evans. It's currently unclear which Joseph Bennett married Elizabeth Burrus in 1787, but it almost certainly either Joseph Sr. or Joseph Jr. based on the surety of Anthony Bennett.

Joseph Bennett Sr. was a slave owner and in his will the slaves were divided among the above children, as well as his land and possessions. He left his house and the property surrounding it to his wife, Elizabeth, and most domestic items to his daughters. It appears he also ran a mill of some kind along with a man named Watson, and his share of the mill was divided among his older sons Jonathan and William. Jonathan and William were also the executors of his will. He mentions his desire that "my (whiskey) still may remain where it now is for the use of all my children".

The listing of "Bennett Plantation" as his burial site is an educated guess, based on the usual practices in those days and the approximate location of his land on the St. Tammany Road from Mecklenburg county deed books.