Author: James Edward Mitchell
Benjamin Wightman was born during August 1755 at New London County (Co) Connecticut (CT), where his father, Abraham Wightman (1681-1750) and mother, Susannah Stark were born. A latent relative of Abraham’s identified as Enos Wightman, was recorded baptized on 28 Oct 1688 in Manhattan, New York, NY at Collegiate Church; source, U.S., Dutch Reformed Church Records , New York, Manhattan, Ecclesiastical Records, Baptisms, etc., 1639-1774.

The American Norwich, New London, area was popularly engaged in colonial seafaring trade and family business between CT and New York, NY. Tryon Co. & Albany Co. NY militia attracted him to muster as a private in a minute company raised for Tryon Co., commanded by Capt Phillip Connie and Col Marinus Willett. On Aug 22, 1775 the New York Provincial Congress ordered the Tryon Co. & the Albany Co. militia to combine militia volunteers to form a minute brigade that could march at a moment’s notice; see, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tryon_County_militia

At age 20, Benjamin asked Esther Randall age 17, born at Colchester, New London, to marry (1775). Their 1st child, a daughter, Jerusha was born at home in 1776 at German Flatts, Herkimer Co., NY, where Benjamin was a Protestant minister. Nearly a dozen children that included two sons, were born to their family marriage between 1776 and early 1800.

Benjamin Wightman and Esther Randall’s son, Elias Wightman (1792-1841) established a business connection with Stephen F. Austin, born in Virginia during 1793. Austin reached early man-hood, in Potosi, Missouri then mapped as a Spanish province, and later still, admission as state on Aug 10, 1821 (Louisiana –Missouri) after 16 years as a Territory.

Stephen F. Austin utilized his father Moses’ carefully established Spanish authority connections between Mexico City and the capital at Los Adaes Mission, Louisiana that allowed Stephen to start an Anglo-American colony at Brazoria District, Mexico formerly, New Spain.

During 1828, Elias Wightman brought a group of colonists from New York to Matagorda, Brazoria District [(Mar 2, 1836) Republic of Texas] which included his parents Benjamin and Esther. The arrival at Matagorda Bay was marked with limitations of food and safe-drinking water. During the building of a small stockade over a few months time, Esther grew feverish (typhoid) and died on 20 Jun 1830. The popular, native Texas author, Clovis H. Brakebill wrote that following her death Esther was the 1st individual buried at Matagorda Cemetery Road, Matagorda, TX 77457; her husband and Revolutionary War soldier, Benjamin, died 6 weeks later and was interred beside his wife, mapped at Latitude: 28.701299 and Longitude: -95.955963; source, American Revolutionary Soldiers Buried in Texas, Copyright 1998, Texas Society SAR, published by Henington Publ., Co., Wolfe City, TX, pgs 145-6.