THE BENSONS OF GRATES COVE
Hello and Welcome all!! My name is Douglas Ariel Benson, and I am a great grandson of Joshua and Sarah Anne (Meadus) Benson. We have been researching the Benson name primarily in the province of Newfoundland, Canada. Many heartfelt thanks to Susan Snelgrove, Marie Cramm, Kay Benson Lopez and many other Benson researchers and family members who gave me my start through the sharing of their information. Without it I wouldn't have connected with my roots and a rich proud family history.
Homestead in Grates Cove of Joshua & Sarah Anne Benson
Hello and Welcome to our family Web page!! Our Bensons in Canada are believed to have come from Salisbury, Wiltshire, England and Bristol before that. Two BENSON brothers are believed to have come to Carbonear, Newfoundland from England during the mid 1700's. They came for the rich fishing grounds of the Grand Banks and to operate as merchants and planters. To settle on the shores of Newfoundland at this time was prohibited by the King of England. Many ignored the law and took their chances settling in the NEW - FOUND -LAND!!
The two Benson brothers, believed to be Thomas and William Benson did just that, first in Carbonear and then branching out to Grates Cove. Grates Cove is located at the tip of the Avalon peninsula between Conception and Trinity Bays. It holds the land and Cemetery's of 300 years of Bensons. The old foundation of Joshua and Sarah Anne Benson, and other Benson family homes, can still be seen on the land located on the southern plateau of the cove overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
Thomas Benson was born September 23rd 1740 in Salisbury Wiltshire England. In the early 1760's Thomas came to and settled in Carbonear, Newfoundland. He married Mary Palmer August 9th, 1766 in Harbour Grace Newfoundland. The Benson land in Grates Cove was initially claimed and used as an extension and addition to Thomas Bensons fishing business in Carbonear. Thomas was also a planter (land owner and leaser) in Carbonear and had business interests in Trinity and Conception Bay. #838 THOMAS BENSON 1770 / CARBONEAR PLANTATION BOOK As his family grew and learned the fishing business they could see the best place to make a living was farther out from Carbonear toward the beginning of the headlands. When his son Joseph grew old enough he married and settled in Grates Cove where he and his family ran their fishing business from the family land in Grates Cove. Joseph’s brother Edmund sold his land interests in Carbonear bequeathed to him by his father but Joseph kept his to pass onto his sons. One son Eli, who was also born and lived in Grates received most of his fathers fishing properties to be kept in “the name of Benson forevermore”. One of Eli’s sons by the name of Joshua Benson was my great grandfather. Joshua was a great seaman, fisherman, ship builder and businessman who taught his eldest sons the family business. Joshua Benson was a Merchant Planter in Grates Cove Newfoundland. His family built schooners for the family fishing business and had five cod liver oil factories in Grates Cove, Twillingate, Little Catalina, English Harbour and Melrose. Two schooners built by Joshua Benson were " J.S. Benson" and " Olive and Ella". The Olive and Ella was a working ship until the 1950's and both were used for fishing and the transport of dried fish and cod liver oil to St. Johns and goods to be brought back for sale from the Benson stores. The Schooners were occasionally used as transportation for people from Grates and surrounding villages and to acquire firewood and lumber in Trinity Bay. Joshua operated supply stores in Grates and employed his sons in the fishing business as well as men from surrounding communities. After Joshua's death in 1936 his son Joseph Corbett Benson ran the fishing business out of Grates with the help of his cousin Levi Benson (son of Elijah) and Another son, Allan Benson ran the business end in St. Johns and eventually moved there with his family. The Bensons fishing property lies on and above the southern shore of Grates Cove. A plateau of Benson farm land is also on the highest plateau above the water were vegetables were grown. It is now only known as " THE FARM" in Grates. Foundations of Joshua and Sarah Anne Benson, Corbett Benson, Allan Benson and Levi Benson's homes are still found on the land.
CLICK THESE LINKS FOR VIEWING OF PICTURES AND FILES
Ariel Edwin Benson Memoirs Grates Cove Pictures 2002 Benson Genealogy on Facebook
Benson families Of Grates Cove Grates Cove Pictures 2004
Robert Bensons 1820 Journal (first 50 pages) Benson Newfoundland Cemetery Headstones
We will be providing links to pictures and documents for your research and viewing. The site will be constantly evolving as we receive new information. Please feel free to contact us or send pictures and documents as we are always hoping to find new information and connect with other Benson branches.
Please direct any e-mail or questions to Douglas Benson - mynorthquest@hotmail.com
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