The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-16

married Mary Earl, the daughter of Will liam Earl of the same place. December 70. 1870. He was one Of the pillars of the town and religious community: he possessed business sense and excellent judgment. keen intelligence and untiring energy and heeame a most successful man. He owned large tracts of land in Rhode Island. New Jersey. Pennsylvania and Delaware. He was appointed by the General Court of Plymouth, to use his influence with King Philip just before the Indian War. on account of the intimacy existing between them and the confidence which the Indians had In his word. Phil ips eloquent reply is given in Arnold's s History of Rhode Island. From 1880 to i706 he frequently represented the town in the General Assembly. (page 55.) In 1884 he had trouble with the Plymouth colony. which attacked him unjustly; but the General Assembly of the Colony of Rhode Island made his cause their own and defended him stoutly. He was ex- tensively known throughout the country as Friend and with seven others erected meeting houses for the Friends in New port and Portsmouth. He died in 1716. His sons were Richard. John, Joseph, Thomas. William, Benjamin; his daugh- ters were Amey. Mary and Hope.
 His son, Benjamin Borden, is the next In the line of descent He was born in Portsmouth, R. l.. in 1892, and died in Virginia in 1743. His father left him 800 acres of land in Pennsylvania. He did ttoe acAhdlh iOHS I'll IlHout ISiduut Ho was man of great courage energy and en- terprise: he crossed the ocean at least twice to visit England on business; as an explorer he must have ridden hundreds through trackless forests in peril of savage foes. His wife was named Zeruiah which would point to New England origin It Is said that he first went to Virginia in 17s2; there is grant of land In Orange County patented to Beniamin Borden. Andrew Hampton and David Griffeth. He was agent for Lord Fairfax. proprietor of the Northern Neck, and was hence called Fairfax Ben.'' In 17S6. Governor Gooch gave him large grant of land on the Shenandoah and James
 Rivers. The history of this grant is told in Howes History of Virginia. which states that he was on a visit to John Lewis of the Valley of Virginia, who met Ben Borden in Williamsburg and invited him to spend some time in the valley. On one of their hunting expeditions they captured a buffalo calf and Borden pre- sented the animal to Governor Gooch on his return to Williamsburg. The Cover nor was so delighted with the present that he entered an order in his official book authorizing Benjamin Borden to locate 500.00 acres of land or less on the that he should not interfere with any previous grants and that he should within ten years settle at least one hundred fam
 lilies on the located lands. Borden re-
 
 next year he brought over upwards Of one hundred families and settled them on the granted lands Most of them were Scotch-Irish Presby yterians and we find among them the familiar names of Ephraim Mcdowell. Archibald Alexander. John Patton. Andrew Moore, Hugh Tel ford, John Matthews, etc. There were also the Prestons. Paxtons. Lyles, Grigs-
 Browns. walaces, Wilson's. Caruthers, Campbells, McClungs. McCreas. Mckees. McCowns etc. These are fine and we'll known names end the families represent ed have made useful citizens and many of them have been prominent in the his tory of the country. Ben Borden showed
 rare judgment in using his influence to Secure such emigrants as those of 1137. The early historians of Virginia speak
 most highly of these emigrants, their
 morality. intelligence and industry. The grant to MT. Borden was between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Allegha- nies on the headwaters of the Shenandoah and James Rivers. It comprised Rock
 bridge County and portions of the ad- iacent counties. Ben Borden was an ex- tensive purchaser and shipper of tobacco and In the scarcity of money he would give his notes of hand on time, which were payable to bearer and made them
 negotiable. These notes passed from hand to hand and the saving ''As good
 as Ben Borden's Bll' which has been handed down to the present day, is monument to the integrity of his char acter. He died in November, 1743 His home was in Orange County, Va, but his will was recorded in Frederick Coun- ty. His sons were named Benjamin. John. Joseph: his daughters were Hananh. Marcy, Abigail. Rebecca, De- borah. Lydia and Elizabeth.
 The history of the management of the large estate left by Benjamin Borden is history of recklessness, injustice and wrong. Benjamin. Jr., one of the three executors mentioned in the will seems to have taken upon himself the exclusive management of the estate. Consequently the other heirs had to bring. after long years of waiting. suits in the Court of Chancery of Staunton. Va: some of these suits begun over one hundred years ago have not yet been settled.
 Joseph Borden of the Query was his youngest son. dates of birth and death unknown. He emigrated to North Caro- lima. In a letter written by Deborah Borden to her brother Benjamin, Jr.. in i75O, urging him to speedily divide the estate, she says that Brother Joseph has chosen him a guardian and we infer that he was a minor at that time. There Is a suit brought by Joseph Borden in 1903 against the estate. but this may have been the son of Joseph of the Query.