Benning

Who is the Notorious Benning?

The Story
	Almost every Dibrell descendant has heard the story of how after Anthony Dibrell's father died, he was placed in the custody of a man named Benning who is said to have treated him cruelly: About the time of the marriage of Anthony's mother to Saberrarie, he then a small boy was given up to a man named Benning, and unlearned and tyrannical man, who treated him cruelly and raised him in profound ignorance until about eleven years old, when he sent him with two African negroes (a man and his wife) to work on a plantation he had purchased on State River, in the county of Buckingham. These negroes whipped Anthony so often, worked him so hard and otherwise treated him with so much cruelty, that when about thirteen years of age, he ran away from them and made his way back to Manakin town, a distance of seventy miles, without hat or shoes. Shortly after this occurrence, Benning removed his family to his farm on State River, where Anthony continued to labor for him, half clad and half fed, during which time he received every kind of unkind treatment, with many, many curses, until it was supposed he must be twenty-two or twenty-three years old. His friends advised him to claim his freedom and leave, which he was unwilling to do for fear that he could not prove his age and believed that Benning would sue him if he left. He had no money to defend a law suit nor any friends to back him, but being encouraged to leave and his neighbors promising to stand by him, if sued, he left the services of Benning. The following anecdote will illustrate the character of Anthony's ill natured old master; one cold frosty morning Benning sent him, bare-footed, into a distanct field for a turn of fodder; mistaking the directions given him, Anthony brought a turn of tops. When Benning discovered the mistake, he said to a neighbor present, "Dar one of de damed braig ups. I sent him for de fodder and he brings me de tops." [Recollections of Charles Lee Dibrell, 1860] Around the time he reached the age of 21, Anthony Dibrell left Benning, and the rest is history. Benning appeared to have faded into the mists of time- at least, until now.

The Story

Almost every Dibrell descendant has heard the story of how after Anthony Dibrell's father died, he was placed in the custody of a man named Benning who is said to have treated him cruelly:

About the time of the marriage of Anthony's mother to Saberrarie, he then a small boy was given up to a man named Benning, and unlearned and tyrannical man, who treated him cruelly and raised him in profound ignorance until about eleven years old, when he sent him with two African negroes (a man and his wife) to work on a plantation he had purchased on State River, in the county of Buckingham. These negroes whipped Anthony so often, worked him so hard and otherwise treated him with so much cruelty, that when about thirteen years of age, he ran away from them and made his way back to Manakin town, a distance of seventy miles, without hat or shoes. Shortly after this occurrence, Benning removed his family to his farm on State River, where Anthony continued to labor for him, half clad and half fed, during which time he received every kind of unkind treatment, with many, many curses, until it was supposed he must be twenty-two or twenty-three years old. His friends advised him to claim his freedom and leave, which he was unwilling to do for fear that he could not prove his age and believed that Benning would sue him if he left. He had no money to defend a law suit nor any friends to back him, but being encouraged to leave and his neighbors promising to stand by him, if sued, he left the services of Benning.

The following anecdote will illustrate the character of Anthony's ill natured old master; one cold frosty morning Benning sent him, bare-footed, into a distanct field for a turn of fodder; mistaking the directions given him, Anthony brought a turn of tops. When Benning discovered the mistake, he said to a neighbor present, "Dar one of de damed braig ups. I sent him for de fodder and he brings me de tops."

[Recollections of Charles Lee Dibrell, 1860]

Around the time he reached the age of 21, Anthony Dibrell left Benning, and the rest is history. Benning appeared to have faded into the mists of time- at least, until now.

Antoine Benin
	Several bits of evidence raise a very strong possibility that Benning is none other than Antoine Benin, the godfather of Anthony Dibrell: 1728. 15th Jeane Antoine Dubreuil was born, son of Cristoffe dubreuil and of Mariane, his wife; was baptized the 1st August following by Mr. Mason; was presented by Antoine Benin, and Elizabeth Dutoi was grandmother. [R. A. Brock, "Huguenot Emigration to Virginia" (pub. 1979), p. 81] This would make sense, since one of the traditional responsibilities of a godfather is to take care of the child should anything happen to the parents. (Perhaps Anthony Dibrell was even named after Antoine Benin?) Antoine Benin was also known as Benning. According to the genealogy, Antoine Benin is the son of Francois Benin and Ann de Bonnet. The descendants of Francois Benin are known by that the name Benning as illustrated by the book: "Francois Benin (Francis Benning): his descendants and allied families" by Eva Hardin Benning. (Fort Benning, Georgia is said to have been named after a descendant of Francois Benin.) Antoine Benin moved to Buckingham County at the time indicated in the Dibrell story. The children of Antoine Benin were all born in Manakin until the birth of his son, James Benning, Sr., who was born in Buckingham County in 1739. This fits well with the Recollections of John Lee Dibrell which indicate that Benning purchased a residence in Buckingham when Anthony Dibrell was around 11 years old, i.e. around 1739. Interestingly, it appears that the Benning and Dibrell families may have been related. Antoine Benin was a cousin to Marianne Dutoi, since she was the daughter of Pierre Dutoi and Barbara de Bonnet, a sister of Ann de Bonnet. There were also some intermarriages between the extended families. James Benning, Sr. married Lucy Ann Perkins, sister of William Harding Perkins, who married Elizabeth Lee Fearn. Another son, John Benning, commanded a company of militia during the Revolution. His descendants have obtained membership in the DAR under ID Nos. 25140, 40766, 57723, and 91486. Thus, not only did Benning not disappear, but he had descendants who may have a far different recollection of their ancestor than we do. It will be interesting to see what they have to say. Interestingly, it appears that Antoine Benin was, himself, an orphan. He appears in "Francois Benin (Francis Benning) His Descendants and Allied Families", by Eva Hardin Benning (1981): I. Francois Benin (Francis Benning) married Ann de Bonnette, daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth de Bonnette. They had only one son of record. Both parents died when their son was a very small child, leaving him to the care of Ann's sister, Barbara, and her husband, Pierre Dutois. II-1. Antoine Benin (Anthony Benning) was born about 1705 at Manakin Towne (Monacan Town), Virginia. After the death of his parents he is shown on the orphan lists of the Parish. [p.14]

Antoine Benin

Several bits of evidence raise a very strong possibility that Benning is none other than Antoine Benin, the godfather of Anthony Dibrell:

1728. 15th Jeane Antoine Dubreuil was born, son of Cristoffe dubreuil and of Mariane, his wife; was baptized the 1st August following by Mr. Mason; was presented by Antoine Benin, and Elizabeth Dutoi was grandmother. [R. A. Brock, "Huguenot Emigration to Virginia" (pub. 1979), p. 81]

This would make sense, since one of the traditional responsibilities of a godfather is to take care of the child should anything happen to the parents. (Perhaps Anthony Dibrell was even named after Antoine Benin?)

Antoine Benin was also known as Benning. According to the genealogy, Antoine Benin is the son of Francois Benin and Ann de Bonnet. The descendants of Francois Benin are known by that the name Benning as illustrated by the book: "Francois Benin (Francis Benning): his descendants and allied families" by Eva Hardin Benning. (Fort Benning, Georgia is said to have been named after a descendant of Francois Benin.)

Antoine Benin moved to Buckingham County at the time indicated in the Dibrell story. The children of Antoine Benin were all born in Manakin until the birth of his son, James Benning, Sr., who was born in Buckingham County in 1739. This fits well with the Recollections of John Lee Dibrell which indicate that Benning purchased a residence in Buckingham when Anthony Dibrell was around 11 years old, i.e. around 1739.

Interestingly, it appears that the Benning and Dibrell families may have been related. Antoine Benin was a cousin to Marianne Dutoi, since she was the daughter of Pierre Dutoi and Barbara de Bonnet, a sister of Ann de Bonnet.

There were also some intermarriages between the extended families. James Benning, Sr. married Lucy Ann Perkins, sister of William Harding Perkins, who married Elizabeth Lee Fearn. Another son, John Benning, commanded a company of militia during the Revolution. His descendants have obtained membership in the DAR under ID Nos. 25140, 40766, 57723, and 91486.

Thus, not only did Benning not disappear, but he had descendants who may have a far different recollection of their ancestor than we do. It will be interesting to see what they have to say.

Interestingly, it appears that Antoine Benin was, himself, an orphan. He appears in "Francois Benin (Francis Benning) His Descendants and Allied Families", by Eva Hardin Benning (1981):

I. Francois Benin (Francis Benning) married Ann de Bonnette, daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth de Bonnette. They had only one son of record. Both parents died when their son was a very small child, leaving him to the care of Ann's sister, Barbara, and her husband, Pierre Dutois.
II-1. Antoine Benin (Anthony Benning) was born about 1705 at Manakin Towne (Monacan Town), Virginia. After the death of his parents he is shown on the orphan lists of the Parish.

[p.14]