Benjamin Mayo

     Benjamin Mayo was born on 11 December 1750 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.¹ He was the son of Major Joseph Mayo and Esther Kenrick.¹ About 1772, he opened a public house in what is now North Orange.² In 1773 in Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, Benjamin married Dorothy Goddard, daughter of Nathan Goddard and Dorothy Stevens.^1,3 Benjamin Mayo and Dorothy Goddard filed marriage intentions on 1 November 1773 in Warwick, Franklin County, Massachusetts.¹ He served in he Revolution as a Sergeant in Peter Proctor's Company, of which his brother, Joseph was a First Lieutenant, Col. Samuel William's Regiment. He marched to reinforce the Northern Army 10 July to 12 August 1777, a service of one month, nine days and 120 miles traveled.¹ On 1 January 1781, in Benjamin Mayo's house, a committee met, which agreed to build a meeting house, more close to them. At the meeting were Benjamin Mayo; Nathan Goddard; Nehemiah Ward, serving as clerk; John Stow; Edward Ward; and Ebenezer Foskett. To this document they added the words, "Moreover, the subscribers do covenant, promise and agree that the said Meeting House is build and intended for a Congregational Church and Society to worship in; nevertheless, we do hereby covenant, promise and agree that whenever there shall be a Town, District or Parish set off by the General Court in this place then the said House shall be free for all the inhabitants thereof to hold all their legal, Town, District, or Parish meetings in." From this meeting house grew the Town of Orange, Massachusetts. The Meeting House was dedicated 31 March 1782 . Orange remained a "District" until 1810 because the Massachusetts General Court wanted to limit membership.² Benjamin Mayo was chosen on 15 March 1784 in Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, as the Pound Keeper.² He served in 1785 in the District of Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, as a Selectman.² He died on Tuesday, 2 May 1797 in Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, at age 46 years, 4 months and 21 days.¹ Benjamin's gravestone inscription in North Orange Cemetery, Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts, reads:



In the same plot is the following stone:

^1,4