Personal data
Thomas Benson
ca.
Born 1730   Died 1777  

Son of John Benson. Married (1752) to Jane Fletcher (1734-1760) with whom he had two children, Thomas and Margaret.1 His estate was Wreay Hall near Carlisle. 

Benson was a steward to the Duke of Portland and acted as his agent in Cumbria.

 

Boswell met Benson at Springkell on October 11, 1762, describing him as "a genteel, sensible man who has an estate in Cumberland and is a steward to the Duke of Portland".

  • 1Their son Thomas (1758-1825) succeeded to the estate of Wreay Hall and in 1814 was appointed High Sheriff of Cumberland. He died without issue, and Wreay Hall passed to his cousin, John Philip Fletcher (1815-1905). Their daughter, Margaret, married Robert Harrington (1751-1837), a doctor of medicine.

Unless otherwise noted, the source for a dated quotation of Boswell's is generally the corresponding volume of the Yale Trade Editions of Boswell's journals.