Nat Gould

John Murrell Bennington 1828-1901

John Murrell Bennington 1899

John Murrell Bennington was born in 1828 at Wendling in Norfolk, and was baptised there on 27 April 1828. He was the son of John Bennington of Wendling and his wife nee Martha Murrell 1797-1875.

The reason why he moved to Staffordshire is unknown.
He was known to the village people in Milldale and Alstonefield as “Owd Norfolk”.

He married Hannah Austin on 6 February 1860 at Alstonefield. She was born in 1832 at Stanton-under-Weaver in Staffordshire, the daughter of Samuel Austin. They had the following children :

Elizabeth Austin 1855-1920. She was born at Milldale in 1855, before her parents married. She was called Bessie within the family. In 1873 she was married to Matthew Mellor of Longnor in Staffordshire, and was a certified midwife. They had thirteen children, and lived and died in Longnor.

William Bennington 1860-1923. He married Ann Gould 1857-1923 on 9 December 1878 at Grindon in Staffordshire.

Retta Bennington 1862-1948. She was married to William Gibbs in 1878. He was born in Hartington in 1858. They had twelve children.

Hannah Bennington 1864-1939. In 1898 she was married to William Higton, a farmer of Hall Fields, Wetton. He was born in 1840. They had no children.

John Bennington. He was born in 1865, and died in 1872.

Martha Bennington. She was born in 1867, and died in 1870.

Annie Bennington 1869-1950. She was known as Nancy Bennington.

Daniel Bennington 1870-1941. He was the twin brother of Samuel Bennington. He married Ellen Barns in 1897 and they had four children. He died in 1941 aged 70 years.

Samuel Bennington 1870-1905. He was the twin brother of Daniel Bennington. He married Millicent Boden and lived near Rocester in Staffordshire. On 20 June 1905 he died aged only 35 and was buried at Rocester on 23 June 1905.

Martha Bennington. Born and died in 1874. Twin of Mary Bennington 1874-1874.

Mary Bennington. Born and died in 1874. Twin of Martha Bennington 1874-1874.

Alice Bennington 1876-1949. She was married to John Bunting in 1901, and lived near Chesterfield. She had a son John who was killed in the First World War.

John Murrell Bennington and Hannah his wife were living in Milldale in 1861. In 1874 he was recorded as the owner there of a freehold house and garden.
He died at his home in Milldale in 1901, his wife having predeceased him at Milldale in 1899. He was buried in Alstonefield churchyard on 26 October 1901.