| Notes |
Cossum Bennett was born Jan 29, 1687. Cossum was a minor when his father, William, died. Daniel Field was appointed trustee by Cossum's father "for the good of my son to advise and instruct him in the management of his estate." Approximately one year following the death of his father, Cossum petitioned the court to release Daniel Field as his trustee.
D & W 3, pg. 210. COSSOM BENNETT son and executor of WILLIAM BENNETT humbly sheweth that your petitioner was of the full age of seventeen 29 January last and having received my father's estate of DANIEL FIELD, administrator, during my minority, instant, prays that DANL. FIELD may be discharged from the same.
23 Feb. 1703/04. Acknowledged.
Shortly afterward, the following deed appears.
D & W 3, pg. 273. 27 Sept. 1704. MARGRETT HART of Stafford County to COSSUM BENNETT and JOHN HUDSON. For a consideration already received. My interest of the within land according to the last will and testament of WILLIAM BENNETT.
Signed: Margaret Hart
Wit: NATHL. POPE, GEORGE ESKERIDGE
27 Sept. 1704. Acknowledged by MRS MAGARET HART.
Note that the will of William Bennett gave Cossum's sister Margaret, William's plantation in Stafford Forest. One might therefore assume that the Margaret Hart referred to in the above deed is Cossum's sister. That may not be correct.
Daniel Field, trustee for Cossum Bennett also had a sister named Margaret, who married Edward Hart. Therefore, it is possible that the Margeret Hart is Daniel's sister, not William's daughter. Many sources identify Henry Cossum as Margaret Field's first husband. I have not confirmed this information, but it does explain the source of the name Cossum. A man named Henry Cossume did in fact live in Westmoreland near the Machotick River, the same area where the Bennettts lived as evidenced by the following deed.
I have not researched deed records for Henry Cossume, so further investigation in that direction might prove fruitful.
Magaret Field married Edward Hart, presumably after the death of Henry Cossum. Edward Hart was Justice of the Peace for Stafford County, Virginia, in 1702. On September 4, 1703, an inventory of the estate of Edward Hart was filed by his widow, Margaret Hart. After the death of Edward Hart, Margaret married Charles Ashton, who is the grantor in the deed mentioned above. Note also the name of the grantee, Joshua Hudson.
Margaret's marriage to Charles Ashton, and her prior marriage to Edward Hart are evidenced by the following Stafford County deed.
7 Jul 1706. MARGARET HART of St. Paul's Parish in Stafford Co., to CHARLES ASHTON of Washington Parish, Westmoreland Co., for £50 sells 500 acres, the said ASHTON intending by the sufferance of God Almighty the said MARGARET HART to espouse, marry and to take to wife. July 10 1706, this deed recorded between MARGARET HART and CHARLES ASHTON, GENT.
Proof that she is the sister of Daniel Field is contained in the following deed in Westmoreland County.
Book 4, page 165. Jan 22, 1708. MARGARET ASHTON, widow of CHARLES ASHTON, Dec'd., to his sons BURDETT and CHARLES ASHTON. Her 'loving brother DANIEL FIELD ' to be her attorney.
The deed from Margaret Hart to Cossom Bennett and John Hudson was dated Sept. 1704. John Hudson is the brother of Joshua Hudson mentioned above. Since Edward Hart died in 1703, Margaret (Field) Hart was a widow at the time and had not yet married Charles Ashton. Therefore she could deed property in her own name. Also, it seems significant that Magaret Hart does not refer to William Bennett as her father in the deed. Since her brother Daniel Field was trustee for Cossum during his minority, it may very well be that Margaret obtained property from her brother that had been willed to Cossom and was simply conveying the property back to Cossum upon his reaching majority.
In 1708 Cossum Bennett, Catherine's then husband, relinquished his interest in the estate of Charles Ellis to the widow, Joyce Ellis. This record confirms the identify of Catherine Ellis as the daughter of Charles Ellis. Stafford Co. Book Z, p. 419.
31 MAR 1703 ORDER BOOK, page 188. Last Will and Testament of William Bennett....son, Cossum Bennett, his sole executor and to be at age at the hour of his death and Daniel Field to be trustee for the good of son....Dorothy relinquished all manner of Claim or title of his estate....Josua Hudson, William Rush and John Lilly to appraise the estate....
28 JUL 1708 ORDER BOOK, page 100. Last Will and Testament of John Hudson....a probategranted to William Rush and Joshua Hudson, executors therein named. Ordered John Pratt, John Lilly, Daniel Field and Cossum Bennett appraise.
26 JAN 1708/09 ORDER BOOK, page 107. Administration is granted to Elizabeth Rush of the Estate of William Rush , deceased. Ordered Peter Skinner and Cossum Bennett, Securities in 50,000 pounds of tobacco for her due administration. Ordered shee return a true and perfect Inventory of the dec’d Estate to the next Court upon Oath, and is Ordered that John Weedon, Thomas Weedon, John Barnard and Thomas Butler or any three of them being first sworn...doe some tyme before the next Court value and appraise the Deceased Estate and return their valuation to the said next Court.
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1687 - 1718 (31 years)
Children