Benning Wentworth issues the first of the New Hampshire Grants, leading to the establishment of Vermont.

Benning Wentworth (24 July 1696 – 14 October 1770) was a pivotal figure in colonial American history, serving prominently as a merchant and, most notably, as the long-standing governor of the Province of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766. During his influential tenure, Wentworth became renowned for his ambitious land policies, particularly the extensive issuance of land grants in the territory west of the Connecticut River. These grants, later known as the New Hampshire Grants, ignited a significant territorial dispute with the neighboring Province of New York, a conflict that ultimately laid the groundwork for the eventual establishment of Vermont as an independent republic and later, a U.S. state.

Early Life and Path to Governorship

Born on July 24, 1696, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Benning Wentworth hailed from one of the colony’s most prominent and influential families. His father, John Wentworth, had himself served as Lieutenant Governor of New Hampshire, shaping young Benning's early life with the expectation of assuming control over the family’s substantial mercantile interests. However, Benning's academic career at Harvard College faced an early setback due to reported misbehavior, leading him to depart in 1715. Subsequently, he was sent to Boston, then a bustling colonial port, where he was apprenticed within his uncle's business. This practical experience eventually allowed him to establish himself as a successful merchant.

Upon the death of his father in 1730, Wentworth returned to New Hampshire to manage the family estate and enterprises. This period marked his initial foray into public life, as he began to engage in colonial politics during the 1730s. Wentworth held seats on both the colonial assembly and the governor's council, key legislative and advisory bodies. During this time, he forged a strategic alliance with Theodore Atkinson, a significant political figure, against powerful rivals such as Jonathan Belcher, then Governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and Richard Waldron. A critical financial challenge arose in 1733 when Spain defaulted on payment for a substantial timber shipment, leaving Wentworth in considerable debt. His subsequent negotiations in London, aimed at resolving this financial crisis, serendipitously paved the way for his appointment as governor of New Hampshire in 1741, leveraging his connections and the British government's interest in colonial stability.

Governorship and the Era of Land Grants

As governor, Benning Wentworth wielded his authority to solidify and expand his family's considerable economic and political dominance within New Hampshire. He strategically used patronage, appointments, and land distribution to strengthen his faction's influence. However, his most enduring and contentious legacy stems from the New Hampshire Grants.

The New Hampshire Grants, also widely known as the Benning Wentworth Grants, comprised a series of land allocations issued between 1749 and 1764. These grants, totaling approximately 135 townships (including 131 formally designated towns), were situated on lands claimed by the Province of New Hampshire west of the Connecticut River. Crucially, this same territory was also vehemently claimed by the powerful Province of New York, based on a royal charter granted to the Duke of York in 1664 that ambiguously extended New York’s boundary eastward to the Connecticut River. Wentworth, however, interpreted New Hampshire’s western boundary as extending much further, to within 20 miles of the Hudson River. This conflicting jurisdictional interpretation led him to boldly issue these grants, attracting settlers with relatively low fees and promising vast tracts of fertile land.

The resulting land dispute escalated significantly, pitting the thousands of settlers who had purchased land from New Hampshire against the Province of New York, which demanded new purchases and fees. This created widespread unrest and resistance, particularly from groups like the Green Mountain Boys, led by figures such as Ethan Allen and Seth Warner, who actively defended the New Hampshire titles against New York authorities. This protracted conflict ultimately catalyzed the movement for independence among the inhabitants of the disputed territory, leading to the declaration of the Vermont Republic in 1777, an independent state that existed for 14 years before becoming the 14th U.S. state in 1791.

End of Tenure and Lasting Legacy

By the 1760s, the escalating land dispute with New York, coupled with growing royal scrutiny of his administrative practices and widespread complaints about his perceived nepotism and land speculation, began to undermine Governor Wentworth’s position. In 1764, the Privy Council in London ruled in favor of New York, declaring the Connecticut River as the boundary between the two provinces, effectively invalidating Wentworth’s grants. This decision severely curtailed his power and brought an effective end to his controversial land-granting activities. Under pressure, Benning Wentworth quietly stepped down as governor in 1766, succeeded by his nephew, John Wentworth.

He retired to his opulent personal mansion, known as Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion, in Portsmouth, where he spent his final years. Benning Wentworth passed away four years later, on October 14, 1770. Despite the controversies surrounding his governorship, his name endures prominently in American history; the town of Bennington, Vermont, a key site in the land disputes and later the Battle of Bennington during the American Revolution, was named in his honor, a lasting testament to his significant, albeit contentious, role in shaping the geopolitical landscape of colonial New England.

Frequently Asked Questions about Benning Wentworth and the New Hampshire Grants

Who was Benning Wentworth?
Benning Wentworth was a prominent colonial administrator and merchant who served as the governor of the Province of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766. He is primarily known for issuing extensive land grants west of the Connecticut River, which played a crucial role in the formation of Vermont.
What were the New Hampshire Grants?
The New Hampshire Grants, also known as the Benning Wentworth Grants, were land parcels (totaling around 135 townships) issued by Governor Benning Wentworth between 1749 and 1764. These grants covered territory west of the Connecticut River, which was simultaneously claimed by both New Hampshire and New York, leading to significant disputes.
Why were the New Hampshire Grants controversial?
The grants were controversial because the land they covered was also claimed by the Province of New York, leading to a direct conflict over jurisdiction and property rights. Settlers who had purchased land from New Hampshire faced demands from New York to repurchase their land, sparking widespread resistance and legal battles.
How did the New Hampshire Grants lead to the creation of Vermont?
The intense land dispute between New Hampshire and New York, exacerbated by the grants, fostered a unique identity and spirit of resistance among the settlers in the contested territory. This led to the formation of groups like the Green Mountain Boys and, ultimately, to the declaration of independence by the Vermont Republic in 1777, which later became the 14th U.S. state.
Where did Benning Wentworth live after his governorship?
After stepping down as governor in 1766, Benning Wentworth retired to his personal estate, the Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where he passed away in 1770.