Peninsula In Passage

went to the church wardens to use for the relief of the poor. In 1749, the grandson enhanced the legacy in his own will, giving all his Virginia lands and property in trust to generate an annual amount of 30 pounds silver sterling for the poor of the Lower Parish. Over time the administrators of the trust have been known as Trustees of the Lower Parish Poor Lands, Trustees for the Poor Donations, Trustees for the Poor of the Lower Parish and Overseers of the Poor of the Lower Parish. Grants from the trust have always been limited to the northern tip of Nansemond County (now generally Bennett’s Creek, Driver, Harbour View and parts of Chuckatuck). Administration of the Trust changed from wardens of the Episcopal Church to elected appointees and then again to five court-appointed trustees from what is now the Sleepy Hole and Chuckatuck boroughs of Suffolk. Members of the board have worked for years to insure that Bennett’s intentions are met. Early board members were elected and included Dr. William T. Jordan of Driver who served for 51 years from 1871 to 1922. He was the great-grandfather of Judge William Wellington Jones who served as well. Richard A. Davis served as a trustee for 54 years until his retirement in 2006. John Harlow, who was appointed by James Godwin, recently retired from the board after 26 years. He shared his thoughts about the Trust’s work. Richard Bennett’s will was probated in 1674 when nobody around here had any wills. His will stated that the proceeds of his will should be distributed to the poor and needy of Sleepy Hole and Chuckatuck borough of Suffolk. I think the intentions in his will have been such that everything has been passed on and done. Large numbers of widows received money, as did parents who needed help to send children through school. The Board long sought to find a painting or some kind of picture of Bennett. We looked in England and all over the U.S but couldn’t find one. The Richard Bennett Trust, first established to benefit the poor, has expanded over centuries to support local civic groups, volunteer organizations and countless individuals in need. Richard Bennett’s generosity continues to touch the citizens of northern Suffolk to this day.

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