Stott & Bennet Family
By Helene Stott Franchot
Written some time after World War I
[The author is Helene Stott Franchot (1867-1939), who is a grandchild of Jonathan Stott. She was Kate Stott’s youngest sister and Grandma’s aunt. She spells “Bennet” with both one and two T’s – I’m trying to type faithfully. -KPJ]
The Bennet Family
An early mention of the name of Stott, is from Col. Chesters “London Marriage Licences”
Stott, Jonathan, gent, of St. Clement, Eastcheap. London, bachelor, 27, and Susan Weeks, of Reigate, Surrey, spinster, 18, daughter of Thomas Weeks, of same, gent, who consents, at St. Clements, Eastcheap, aforesaid, 28 Nov. 1626.
The Stott family vault in England is in the churchyard at Failsworth. This Church is probably the one at Newton, between Manchester and Failsworth. The vault is near the street and at the left of the Church as the building faces, here Robert Stott and his wife Jane Taylor, are buried. While in England about 1849, my Grandfather, Jonathan Stott, gave the old vault of the Stott family, to the Taylor family, it is therefore possible that the vault bears the Taylor name.
Robert Stott and Jane Taylor, were married about 1790. Robert was a silk manufacturer at Failsworth, and lived the life of a sporting country gentleman of his time, dying at middle life, after wasting a good part of his property.
Of his wife, nothing is known except that she was of good family.
Robert Stott had three brothers, one married but died leaving no children, one brother left two daughters who never married, and lived at Failsworth, the third brother settled in Hudson, N.Y., U.S.A. as is shown later in this paper.
The children of Robert Stott and Jane Taylor were,
Joseph, born at Failsworth Oct. 9th, 1791. He enlisted in the English army at an early age, and went to India with his regiment. One letter came from him after his arrival in India, in which he stated that they were ordered up country. After this all trace of him was lost and it is supposed that he was killed in action, even his regimental number is unknown.
Jonathan, born at Failsworth, May 10th, 1793, and died in Stottville, Col. Co. N.Y. May 23rd, 1863.
As a boy Jonathan learned the trade of a weaver in his father’s mill, but soon followed the example of his elder brother, and enlisted in the army. His mother unwilling to lose a second son, bought his discharge but Jonathan ran away and enlisted again, about 1810, at Oldham near Manchester, he was then seventeen years old. The Regiment was the “6th Foot” now known as the Royal First Warwickshire Regiment of Foot. This regiment is one of the oldest in the English Army, having first been formed in 1674.
Soon after Jonathan’s enlistment, the regiment was divided, the first battalion being ordered to Ireland, while the second, to which Jonathan belonged, was ordered to the Isle of Jersey. Obtaining a short leave, before sailing, he started for Failsworth to visit his family. Approaching the village and hearing bells tolling, he asked a countryman who was dead, and was told it was for the Widow Stott, his own mother. He hid behind the roadside hedge until the funeral party passed, and then returned to his regiment.
The 6th had been ordered to join the army under the Duke of Wellington, then on the Spanish Peninsula, and sailed in the fall of 1812, the two battalions joining at Lisbon, on the 5th of Nov. For nearly two years the 6th saw hard fighting in Spain and France, Jonathan reaching the rank of Sergeant. Jonathan said his uniform was so magnificent that when sent on one occasion under a flag of truce into the French lines, he was given the honors due a field officer. On the fall of Napoleon the 6th was ordered for service in Canada, and sailed from Bordeaux, France on the 5th of May, and landed in Quebec early in June 1814. From Quebec the battalion by forced marches, was hurried to the St. Lawrence to join the army under General Drummond, then besieging Fort Erie at Niagara. As the 6th did not join Gen. Drummond until the 1st and 2nd of Sept. it was impossible for them to have taken part in the battle of Lundeys Lane, which was fought July 25th, 1814.
Jonathan said the soldiers of the 6th, having met and defeated the best of the French army, felt that in the American army they were meeting raw volunteers. In consequence of this feeling, when ordered on a scouting party, in command of a Sergeant, kept but a poor outlook for possible enemies, and Jonathan, with his squad was promptly captured.
The English soldier captured on the Niagara frontier were sent to Pittsfield Mass. and there confined in the military prison. Lemuel Pomeroy, a manufacturer in Pittsfield, had in his mills, English built looms, which his weavers did not understand, and he visited the military prison in search of English weavers. Jonathan volunteered his services to Mr. Pomeroy, and was released on parole. During the Winter of 1814 and 1815, Jonathan worked for Mr. Pomeroy, and his wish to leave the army and remain in America, became known. In the Spring of 1815, the war being ended, all prisoners were to be sent back to England.
Robert Stott’s brother William (Jonathan’s uncle) had come over and settled in Hudson, N.Y. about 1800, and was engaged in the manufacture of cloth. William had 3 sons, Jonathan, Robert, and Frederick, who was Jonathan’s favorite cousin, and several daughters. Fred located in Rochester, N.Y. He had three sons. (I knew Herbert quite well, while in Olean, N.Y. he was slightly lame, looked like all the Stotts, and was very nice. His brother Fred, I also knew, H.S.F.) Nothing is known of Robert and the sisters.
Gen. Brown, commander of the prisoners at Pittsfield, had taken some notice of Jonathan (Sgt. Stott), and knew of his wish to remain in America, and of his relatives in Hudson. About the time the prisoners were to be exchanged, Gen. Brown met Jonathan and said to him, “You have an uncle in Hudson, N.Y. I believe, would you like to see him?” This hint was taken and Jonathan started at once for Hudson. Reaching there he stopped at the house of an Englishman asking to be directed to his uncle’s residence. A daughter of the house was sent to show him the way, and two years later she became his wife. Jonathan worked as a weaver for his uncle until the Spring of 1817, when his savings had reached $100.00, and on June 14th, he married Juliet Cooper Bennett, daughter of John Bennett.
The Bennetts had 3 daughters, and when each married their Father presented them with a desk that he had made himself (Frank Stott my brother has Auntie’s, H.S.F.), a tailor’s goose, and a cutting knife. One of these knives is still in possession of the Meyer family, as is another of the desks.
Jonathan worked for his uncle until he had saved enough to start looms on his own account. At one time he lived the brick building, still standing on the East side of South and Front Streets, near the corner of Union St. In this building he later ran one or more looms. The business was successful, and about 1820 Jonathan moved to a frame house on the South side of Warren St. where the Waldron House now stands. In this building Jonathan had the first Franklin stove, the first sofa and the first French clock, owned in Hudson. Back of this dwelling was another frame building, used as a factory or weaving mill, a number of weavers being employed.
In 1825 Jonathan sent to England and bought his discharge from the English army for forty pounds sterling, in this discharge the Sergeant was rated as a deserter.
The fire which swept over the lower part of Hudson in 1826, destroyed both of Jonathan’s buildings. The sofa and French clock were saved and were owned by Aunt Jane Stott. The Franklin stove was also saved, and for many years was used in the Stottville residence.
A new set of buildings were at once erected to replace the burnt ones, but built of brick, the present Waldron House being built for the home and store, the building in the rear, now used as a tenement, for a weaving mill. The Waldron House was originally but two storied, an extra story and high roof have been added since, to the old building. The down town, or Western end of the building was the residence, the upper, or Eastern end, the store. The lot next below the building, now built on, was the family garden.
When the business became well established in the new mill, the introduction of the power loom caused financial failure, all weaving up to this time had been done by hand, and now there was no power in Hudson, and water power was necessary for successful manufacturing. So in May 1825 the grist mill and water privileges at Springville, now called Stottville, were bought.
The first purchase was made on the north side of the creek. During the early life of Jonathan’s business life, and until finally established at Stottvilee, his principal financial backer was Mr. Elisha Williams of Hudson. The Springville property was owned by Mr. Josiah Barber, who afterwards settled at Auburn N.Y. Mr. Barber had a small satinet mill and probably a grist mill also in Springville. The property on the South side of the creek was owned by Mr. Van Rensselaer, but held under a mortgage by John Gaul of Hudson. Jonathan wanted this property, but the price was too high. Before he sailed for England, about 1840 Jonathan instructed an agent to buy this property, should it be sold under a foreclosure. The property was sold and bought by this agent, Mr. Gaul not knowing who was the real bidder, did not run the price up, and always afterwards claimed that he had been swindled.
Betty (daughter of Robert Stott and Jane Taylor),
Born at Failsworth Dec. 10th 1795, and died there June 14th 1801
Mary,
Born at Failsworth Oct. 21 1797 supposed to have died young
Robert,
Born at Failsworth May 15th 1799, and died there Aug. 20th 1800
Jane,
Born at Failsworth Feb. 20th 1801 and died in New York in 1862 and is buried in Grandfather’s lot in Hudson, N.Y. She never married. Jule said she remembered her as a little girl, she was not just “right” in her later years.
The Bennett Family
John Bennett
Born in Staley Bridge, near Manchester, England (Staley Bridge and Failsworth are now all one, I have been told) in 1761 and died in Hudson N.Y. Dec. 7th 1842, age 81 years. His parents were Horatio Bennett (Uncle Frank Stott was named for him) and his mother [unknown] Randale. He married Mary Cheetham of Manchester Eng. in 1783 or 4. John Bennett, with his wife and six children, sailed from England in 1794, in an emigrant ship bound for New York. England was at that time at war with France, and the ship was taken by a French ship. The English Captain finally convinced the French Captain that it would not pay him to hold an emigrant ship, while valuable transports were following, and so secured the release of his vessel. Mrs. Bennett’s sister came with her, she had married and Englishman named Viddler, or Viller. Mr. Viddler had come to America at an earlier date, so that now his wife and children came in Mr. Bennett’s care. This family settled in or near Troy, and the family name changed to Vidler.
The Bennetts went directly to Hudson N.Y. on landing in N.Y. Mr. Bennett was a hatter by trade, and located in Hudson to be near a good beaver country, as the hats of those days were made of the fur of the beaver. The house at 417 Warren St. still standing, was built by John Bennett, the clay being dug and the bricks being burned in the yard of the house which was two storied, but which has since been remodeled.
The children of John Bennett and Mary Cheetham were,
Charles, born at Staley Bridge, England, July 14th 1785, and died in Sailors Snug Harbor Staten Island, N.Y. in 1861. This grave is No. 165 in the old cemetery at the Harbor. Charles went to sea from Hudson at an early age, and was a sailor all his life, sometimes Mate, but often before the mast. During the war of 1812 Charles was in an American privateer schooner, family tradition says the “Live Yankee.” As no privateer of this name is known, it is probably confused with the “Yankee Lass,” a schooner owned in Bristol R.I. This vessel sailed from Bristol in April 1814 and on May 12th was captured by the English frigate “Severn.” Her crew was sent to Bermuda first, then to England. “Capt. Charles Bennett” appears in the list of prisoners of war at Dartmoor, England, 1814. As a Captain Churchill was in command of the “Yankee Lass” it is probable that Charles was on the schooner as a prize Master. These extra officers were carried to be put in charge of prizes, and ranked as Masters. Sent home with the other prisoners, after the war was over, Charles was much in and about the Gulf of Mexico, and around Cuba possibly in a privateer from Cartagena in Colombia, or in a vessel of this class. Old inmates of the Sailors Home, Snug Harbor” S.I. said that Charles’ description of this part of his life was most interesting. He followed the sea until his health began to fail, when he was admitted to the Sailors Home, “Snug Harbor,” in 1841 and remained there until his death.
Two daughters were born in Staley Bridge, and died there in infancy.
Josiah and Charlotte, twins, born at Staley Bridge, England, March 16th 1789. Josiah married Ruth Reeves at Williamson, Wayne County, N.Y., where he practiced medicine, and died there Oct. 10th 1850.
Charlotte married her own first cousin, Alfred Cheetham, in Hudson, N.Y. in 1817 and moved to Brooklyn N.Y. and died there Aug. 30th 1876.
Horatio Randale, born at Staley Bridge, England July 2nd 1790, his life unknown
Aron, born at Staley Bridge England, June 25th 1791, died in New York of smallpox, he never married
Juliet Cooper, Born in Staley Bridge England, Jan 23rd 1793, married Jonathan Stott in Hudson, N.Y. June 24th 1817 and died July 16th 1862
Thomas, Born at Hudson, N.Y. May 29th 1795, married Nancy Winslow, life unknown
Mary, Born at Hudson, N.Y. Jan. 9th 1797, married Dareius Culver of Great Barrington Mass. in 1817, lived for a short time in Hudson, then moved to Brockport N.Y. and from there to Ohio (I knew their grandchild, Grace Culver, while in Sandusky with the Mosses)
John, Born at Hudson, N.Y. Sept. 10th 1796. He went to Missouri, married there and died there. (Cousin Mary Myer told me that he had two boys and a little girl, that the boys used to write to her, and finally told her the little sister had died, and they themselves had had to bury her, out on the ranch, they were quite poor then, and both parents had died, and after that she did not hear from them, and did not know where they were. This was at St. Claire Co,. Missouri.)
Elizabeth, Born at Hudson, N.Y. Mar. 17th 1801, married Robert Meyer, June 17th 1818, moved to Troy N.Y. in 1830 and died there July 26th 1872. Their children were:
Gilbert McPhaedras, b. 18 Dec 1820
Sarah Cornelia, b. 24 Aug 1822
Aaron Bennett, b. 1 Mar 1824
Robert Emmet, b. 9 Dec 1826
Henry Beekman, b. 15 Oct 1829
Mary Elizabeth, b. 22 Feb 1832
Margaret Hellen, b. 3 Oct 1833
Jane Augusta, b. 6 Jul 1835
John Francis, b. 6 Sep 1837
Thomas Ten Broeck, b. 6 Aug 1839
Charles Frederick, b. 26 Oct 1843
Horatio Franklin, Born at Hudson, N.Y. July 15th 1802. He was very ambitious and wanted to go in business, so his father set him up in business in Charleston, Mass. with a partner, they failed, and sold out. He was broken hearted over the failure, but his father wrote to him to come home. He started to, but never reached home. As he had money with him, some thought he was murdered, others that he had drowned himself, but he was never found. That was in 1821.
Sarah, Born at Hudson, N.Y. Oct. 27th 1803, she never married, and is buried in Grandfather Stott’s lot in Hudson, N.Y. The lot is just below Charles Stott’s lot.
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Juliet Cooper, born in Staley Bridge, England, in Jan. 23rd 1793 and married Jonathan Stott, had
Mary Elizabeth, born in Hudson, N.Y. Mar. 14th 1818 and died in Stottville, N.Y. of diphtheria, Sept. 24th 1828.
Jane Charlotte, born at Hudson, N.Y. Sept. 19th 1820, died at Stottville, N.Y. 1906. She never married (Aunt Jane)
Julia Matilda, Born at Hudson, N.Y., Dec. 31st 1821 and died at Stottville, N.Y. Sept. 27th 1828, of diphtheria (Auntie’s two little sisters)
Charles Henry, Born at Hudson, N.Y. Aug. 6th 1822, died at Stottville, N.Y. July 27th 1891. He married Catherine Adams Oakley, daughter of Charles and Margarette Oakley of New York, N.Y.
Francis Horatio, Born at Stottville, N.Y. Feb. 18th 1856, died there Nov. 1900, he married Helen Elizabeth Lathrop, daughter of Capt. Gideon and Elizabeth Dunlop, of Stockport, N.Y.
[I’m here leaving out four pages of children in the next generation, but will enter them into the family tree —KPJ]
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Notes by Jane Stott and Mary Meyer given to Arthur Curtiss Stott at Stottville, N.Y. while getting this record together
The Cheethams in Manchester were large cotton manufacturers, and the descendants are still in the same business. Alfred Cheetham was a Member of Parliament for years, and until his death.
John Bennett came to America because he was disgusted and alarmed at the enormous increase of taxation during the war between England and France. He was a cotton manufacturer and hatter by trade. With a number of friends and neighbors, they chartered a sailing vessel from Liverpool, and provided their own food for the long journey to America. They were seven months on the way, having been captured by a French privateer, but as they had no plunder and the men noncombatants, they were allowed to go on after a while. John found good clay on the Claverack road, and built a kiln and made the bricks for his house, this kiln was on what is now Warren St. He built a double house, and sold the remainder of the bricks. The house is now the Surrogates Office. They were the first brick houses in Hudson. These two houses are still standing. John had his hat works in the basement, and bought his skins from the Indians. During the war of 1812 John sent his sons away, as he could not bear that they should fight against his people, otherwise he was loyal and gave money to help the Americans.
John’s son John Jr. went West to seek his fortune, nothing was heard from him until his father had been dead 5 years, but his share of the estate was set aside for him by will, if nothing was heard from him in 4 years, it was to be divided among his sisters. As Julia’s husband, Jonathan Stott, was rich, she gave up her share, and it was divided among the other four. Sen. Day of Missouri told Charles Stott, son of Jonathan Stott, there was a John Bennett in St. Clair Co. Missouri, who owned lead mines, and Charles went out there and found a feeble old man with two sons and a little daughter. The Missouri Compromise and the Slavery question were making trouble, and they were in disfavor with their neighbors. I (Cousin Mary Meyer) corresponded for some time with the eldest son, Franklin, until after the war broke out, and Gen. Pope made his raid through Southern Missouri. Franklin wrote of the difficulties of taking care of the father and little sister and keeping house, he lamented most the lack of opportunity for improvement, no facilities for getting a good education. He sent some minerals east, galena, mica, etc., but did not know what to call them. Then the little sister died and the two boys made her box, dressed her, dug the grave and carried the old father in an arm chair to the head of the grave, and then read the Episcopal burial service. All record of them was then lost until the war was over, when Franklin wrote that he and his family were on a plantation in Arkansas, and his daughter was a school teacher. The old father had died in Missouri and was buried in St. Clair, nothing further is known of them.
John Bennett’s youngest daughter Sarah, had one of the first four pianos brought to Hudson, also some of the first carpets, before that, the floors were strewed with white sand and made into patterns with the broom, the children not being allowed in the front room, lest the pattern be destroyed. Sarah took care of her parents as long as they lived, the Mother died first, then Sarah took her sister Charlotte’s daughter, Elizabeth Cheetham, to live with her, after her father died, Elizabeth went back to her mother in Brooklyn N.Y. and Sarah went to live with her sister Julia, in Stottville, she was happy and contented there for many years, but later became deranged and was sent to Bloomingdale asylum. Her niece, Jane C. Stott visited her almost weekly, until she died, and was buried by her father and mother in the Hudson lot, which by the will of Jane C. Stott, has perpetual care.
Thomas Bennett went to New York and into the teaming business, he prospered greatly, he had a family, his daughter Mary was a most beautiful girl, of the Bennett type, another daughter was almost stone deaf from illness, he had two sons, one Franklin, all married and there are descendants in and around New York.
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Notes sent to me by Ella Bennett, my cousin, 3rd. (H.S.F.)
[looks like text is missing. -KPJ]
who lives in Williamson, N.Y. near Rochester. Her grandfather was a brother of my Grandmother Stott. His name was Josiah, he went to Williamson, Wayne Co. N.Y. to practice medicine, here, he married Ruth Reeves, they had 4 children.
Myron, he married in Willimason, N.Y. and had 3 daughters, two of them died, and the third, Appie (do not know her full name, but I remember she came to visit Auntie once, H.S.F.) she married Dr. Ward, and I think lives, or did in Rock Island.
Charles, he married twice, by his first wife there were 5 children, Warner J., Ella, Fred, Augustus, and Mary, by the second wife Jennie.
Warner is married, but has no children.
Ella and Mary have not married, Ella says there seems to be an Independent Order of Old Maids in the Family.
Fred is married and has 1 son he lives in New York, the son’s name is Dana.
Augusts lives on the old farm in Williamson, they have 4 sons, Donald, Ralph, Lowell, and Edward.
Jennie, married a Mr. Brasser, and has 1 son, Charles Bennett Brasser, and he is married and has a little girl
John, married ——–, they had 3 sons and 1 daughter, William, Alvert, Ruth and Samuel
William has 2 sons and 1 daughter, his oldest son was in the World War and shell shocked, and was at this time in a sanitorium.
William Jr. and the daughter, Pauline, are at home.
John’s widow was alive in 1922 and living in the old homestead in Williamson.