Barack OBAMA, 44th President of the United States
descendant of Johann Pieter STRAUB, 1733 immigrant to Philadelphia, PA
"We are and always will be the United States of America." (4 Nov 2008, Grant Park, Chicago, IL)
Joseph N. BENSON
Elizabeth GOFF
Husband:  Joseph N. BENSON
Birth:  1830/1/2, Preston Co., VA [now WV]
Death:  15 Dec 1897, Preston Co., WV
Occupation:  farmer
Father:  George BENSON
Mother:  Keziah SPURGEON
Marriage:  23 May 1872, Preston Co., WV
Wife:  Elizabeth GOFF
Birth:  1847/8 or 1849/50, WV
Occupation:  homemaker
Brother:  George GOFF, b. 1845/6, WV
Children:
1.  John S. BENSON [twin], b. 10 Mar 1874; d.s.p. by 1880
2.  Nancy J. BENSON [twin], b. 10 Mar 1874
3.  Martha A. BENSON, b. 1875/6
4.  Mary Catherine BENSON [twin], b. Feb 1880
5.  George H. BENSON [twin], b. Feb 1880

The first set of twins is said to be born 10 Mar 1772, but our subjects were not yet married then.  The census shows Nancy's birth in 1874, which makes more sense.


Sources:

1.  LDS.  Family Search: Internet Genealogy Service:  IGI - International Genealogical Index (online at FamilySearch.org).
Joseph V. BENSON
Spouse: Elizabeth GOFF
Marriage: 23 May 1872, Preston, West Virginia
Husband Age at Marriage: 30
Wife Age at Marriage: 24
Source: patron submission
Joseph should be 40, not 30.  If Elizabeth's age is correct here, then she's fibbing about her age in the 1880 census.

2.  1860 Census Index/Images (online at Genealogy.com; Image #1 of 1):  Post Office at Guseman's Store, Brandonvile [near Bruceton Mills], District No. 2, Preston Co., VA [now WV], Roll 1372 (Book 1), p. 74, 491/483, enumerated 11 Jul 1860, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1860 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):
Kesiah Benson 70 F         Va
John      " 30 M   Farmer 400 183 "
Joseph    " 24 M   Farmer 400 183 "
Cecilia   " 26 F         "
Marcellus "  6 M         "
Allen     "  4 M         "
The ages in this census do not jibe well with those in other censuses.  Keziah is Joseph's mother; John and Cecilia are Joseph's siblings.  Marcellus and Allen are almost certainly Keziah's grandchildren.  The fact that John and Joseph have equal amounts of property suggests that they just came into an inheritance, which jibes with the fact that their father died in 1859.

3.  1870 Census Index/Images (online at Genealogy.com, Image #16 of 40):  Rowlesburg P.O., Pleasant Twp., Preston Co., WV, Roll 1697 (Book 1), p. 140B, PN 16, 106/106, enumerated 30 Sep 1870, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1870 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1870 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):
Benson Joseph ? 37 M W Farmer 700 300 Virginia
______ Caseah 75 F W Keeping House     Virginia
______ William A 16 M W Farm Laborer     Virginia
I can't read Joseph's middle initial.  "Caseah" (Keziah) is Joseph's mother.  William is presumably one of Keziah's grandchildren.  Living next to Joseph's brother, James BENSON

4.  1880 Census Images (online at Ancestry.com, Image #8 of 37 — indexed "Joseph M. Benson"):  Pleasant District, Preston Co., WV, p. 245D, PN 8, SD 1, ED 59, enumerated 7 Jun 1880, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1880 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1880 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):
1880:  for an explanation of the column headings, please see
What the Numbers in the Federal Census Mean (missing columns contained no data).
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 13 16 22 23 24 25 26
67 67 Benson Joseph N W M 48       / Farmer       WV WV WV
    ______ Elizabeth W F 30   Wife   / Keeping House     / WV WV WV
    ______ Nancy J W F  6   Dau /       X X WV WV WV
    ______ Martha A W F  4   Dau /       X X WV WV WV
    ______ Mary C W F 3/12 Feb Dau /       X X WV WV WV
    ______ George H W M 3/12 Feb Son /       X X WV WV WV
    Goff George W M 34   Brother-in-law /     / / / WV WV WV
There is something written (one tiny word) above Martha's name that I cannot decipher.  Living next to Joseph's brother, James BENSON

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