From Chapter 3
Benjamin Hess, the son of Jacob Hess and Mary (Daniels) Hess, was born on 29 September 1824 in Belfast Twp., Bedford (now Fulton), Pennsylvania. He married Mary Polly Garland, daughter of Nicholas Garland and Barbara Steel, on 2 April 1844 in Bedford (now Fulton), Pennsylvania. He died on 18 August 1868, while digging a water well for Mr. John Wood, in California, Moniteau Co., Missouri, at age 43. His estate was probated 5 December 1871, in California, Moniteau County, Missouri. We will discuss this family in detail in chapter four.

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From Chapter 4
124. Benjamin Hess (Jacob, #248) was born on 29 September 1824 in Belfast Twp., Bedford (now Fulton), Pennsylvania. He married Mary Polly Garland, daughter of Nicholas Garland and Barbara Steel, on 2 April 1844 in Bedford (now Fulton), Pennsylvania.

In 1849 Benjamin and his brother Jeremiah bought 400 acres of land in Monroe Twp., formerly Southampton Twp., of Bedford County, Pennsylvania from John Falck and his wife Elizabeth S . They sold part of this land in 1851 to James Morgret. The rest of this land was sold on 21 June 1854 to David Ward and Henry Ward. These deeds identified Benjamin's wife as Mary and Jeremiah's as Delilah. Benjamin obtained a warrant to 138 acres of land in Bethel Twp., Fulton County, Pennsylvania in 1851. This land was surveyed on 3 March 1855 by Job Garland.

The last information on Benjamin Hess in Fulton County, Pennsylvania is in court docket case 31 filed in the October 1858 Term. The court found in favor of Benjamin with a judgement of $128.40 plus interest of $5.78 against Isaac Hunter.

Benjamin and Mary moved to Maryland, where they lived for a time. A Benjamin Hess purchased 13 acres on 26 March 1859 in Washington County, Maryland from Thomas M. Carter and his wife Catherine. This land was part of the Durac Carter estate. On several occasions, Benjamin bought other land from the estate in November 1861, he mortgages part of his crop to his cousin Aaron Hess of Fulton County, Pennsylvania for $80.00. By this time, Benjamin must have fallen on hard times, since a Joseph Murray also recorded a Mortgage against Benjamin Hess in February of 1861 for various debts owed by Benjamin totaling $633.75. In this Mortgage, Benjamin mortgaged 183 acres of the Carter lands and personal property of 4 horses; 2 sorrels, 1 gray and 1 bay; 4 milk cows; 11 head of hogs; head of sheep; 1 wagon, 1 barshear plow; 1 double shovel plow; 1 single shovel plow and sundry other farming utensils also 1 cook stove 5 beds and bedsteads; one cub board; 1 bureau; 1 clock; 1 table and all household and kitchen furniture; also 1000 lbs. Of pork, seventy five barrels of corn also 20 acres of wheat and rye in the ground and all said property in the possession of the said Benjamin Hess upon and about the premeses upon which he now resides. It appears that Benjamin was preparing to leave but the stipulation was made that if he paid the debt by 1 January 1862 with interest then the mortgage will be voided.

Although these date differ by approximately 6 years from that reported by tradition, it appears that this Benjamin is the same Benjamin of California, Missouri. In particular, the reference to the debt to a cousin Aaron of Fulton County, Pennsylvania. It is also interesting that at the time Benjamin is identified as Benjamin F. Hess. Then they moved on to Ohio.

They were living in Ohio when the Civil War broke out and Benjamin was working for the government until about 1864, when, with his family, he started West, and after having gone through much trouble with the soldiers, and suffering many hardships, they settled down in Cooper and Moniteau Counties, Missouri. They were living at the old home place located four miles northeast of California, Missouri at the time of Benjamin's death. He died on 18 August 1868, while digging a water well for Mr. John Wood, in California, Moniteau Co., Missouri, at age 43. His estate was probated 5 December 1871, in California, Moniteau County, Missouri.

. Bedford Co., Pennsylvania. Deed Book AB, p. 559.

. Bedford Co., Pennsylvania. Deed Book Z, pp. 288-289.

. Bedford Co., Pennsylvania. Deed Book Z, p. 558.

. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Division of Land Records; P.O. Box #1026, Harrisburg, PA.
17108.

. Ibid.

. Fulton Co., Pennsylvania. Orphan's Court Docket Book.

. Washington Co., Maryland. Land record IN-14-59, pp. 38-39.

. Ibid. p. 6.

. Ibid. IN-16-61, p. 257.

. Ibid. IN-15-60, p. 724.
. Ibid. p. 409.

. Notebook of Hattie (Hess) Wallace, Tulsa, OK.

. Obituary of Hannah Hopps (Hess) Vaughan, The Boonville Weekly Advertiser, Boonville, Missouri.

. Obituary, The Central Missourian, 22 August 1868, p. 1.

. Montieau Co., Missouri. Probate Records: Judgements pp. 249, 301. Orders and Settlements pp. 213, 330, 413,
506, 511. Final Settlement Probate Book D, p. 418.

"Supplement to The Hess Family In America" (1984) by Barbara Allison

• Married: 2 APR 1844 in Bedford Co., PA

1. Dennis Hess b: 4 FEB 1845 in Bethel Twp, Bedford County (now Fulton), Pennsylvania
2. Valentine Hess b: 19 SEP 1848 in Bethel Twp, Bedford County (now Fulton), Pennsylvania
3. Ephriam Hess b: 11 FEB 1850 in Bethel Twp, Bedford County (now Fulton), Pennsylvania
4. Hannah Hopps Hess b: 27 MAR 1852 in Bethel Twp, Bedford County (now Fulton), Pennsylvania
5. Isaac Hess b: 16 OCT 1853 in Bethel Twp, Bedford County (now Fulton), Pennsylvania
6. Ambrose Hess b: 22 MAY 1856 in Washington County, Maryland
7. Benjamin Hess ,Jr b: 22 MAR 1858 in Washington County, Maryland
8. Mary Ellen Hess b: 5 MAR 1860 in Washington County, Maryland