Benjamin F. MCCLENDON was born ca. 1768 in North Carolina to Joel MCCLENDON and Frances LILLY. He died in 1808 in Henderson Co. (now Webster), Kentucky. He is buried there in the McClendon/Chandler Cemetery. He married ca. 1797/1798 probably in North Carolina to Sarah (surname unknown). She was born ca. 1780 probably in North Carolina. She died after 1818 in Henderson Co. (now Webster), Kentucky, and is buried there in the McClendon/Chandler Cemetery. She married 2) on 23 Apr 1808 to Joseph WINDELL.
In 1782 Benjamin witnessed a deed from Dennis MCCLENDON to James RAY. Then on 19 Jan 1878, he received a deed from his father, Dennis MCCLENDON (Book H, p. 54).
Benjamin was listed in the 1790 Anson Co., North Carolina, census in the Fayette District. He is listed as a free white male over 16 yrs. of age. He was probably living on the property that was either given or sold to him by Dennis D. MCCLENDON, Sr. on 19 Jan 1787. In 1792 he took a land grant on Jack’s Creek, adjoining his father and his brother Dennis MCCLENDON, Jr. In 1793 he witnessed a deed from Frederick MCCLENDON to Larkin INGRAM (Book C, p. 339). On 20 Jan 1794 he conveyed land on Brown’s Creek to James HOUGH, 50 acres (Book C, p. 220). In 1796 he witnessed a deed from Ezekiel MCCLENDON and John KIMBROUGH, Jr., two tracts of land in Anson Co. on Gold’s Fork of Brown’s Creek. In October of 1797 he conveyed land to Roland WILLIAMS (Book D, p. 398). At that time he was living in Anson Co. near his brothers Jesse, Frederick, Joel, and Ezekiel and his sisters Elizabeth and Semilia.
Benjamin moved to Kentucky sometime in 1797 or 1798 and settled first in Christian Co. He appeared in the 1799 Christian Co. Tax List. In 1800 he and Frederick MCCLENDON appeared in the Christian Co. Tax List. In 1801 he is listed as 1 male over 21 with 200 acres of land on Little River. On 28 Jan 1801 he witnessed a bill of sale from Lemuel SUGG to V. DILLINGHAM, covering a Negro boy named Harry (Book A, p. 135). SUGG was shown as a resident of Robertson Co., Tennessee. In Dec 1801 he appraised the estate of LEAFTUS. On 28 Mar 1803 he served as a Christian Co. Grand Juror. On 17 Oct 1803 he had a survey of 400 acres of land in Christian Co.
It has been said that Benjamin removed to Mississippi along with his first cousin, Frederick, son of Ezekiel and Mary Dunn MCCLENDON; however, no records have been found to prove that Benjamin ever went to Mississippi. This is, in my opinion, the Benjamin McClendon who came to Henderson Co., Kentucky, ca. 1797, and is the father of William, Joel, and Jesse and the grandfather of Clarinda MCCLENDON. A picture taken in the early 1800s is in my possession.
Their children were:
1. William MCCLENDON, b. 1797 in Henderson Co., KY; d. in KY, and is buried there;
2. MCCLENDON, b. ca. 1800 in Henderson Co., KY; d. ca. 1800 in Henderson Co., KY, and is buried there.
* 3. Joel MCCLENDON, b. 1803 in Henderson Co., KY; m. Sarah "Sallie" FRIER ca. 1820.
4. Jesse MCCLENDON, b. 20 Sep 1805 in Henderson Co., KY; d. 9 Nov 1893 in Webster Co., KY;
buried in Webster Co., KY, McClendon/Chandler Cemetery;
m. 1) Elizabeth BAKER 29 Jan 1829 in Madisonville, Hopkins Co., KY;
m. 2) Melinda Ann SIGLER 28 Sep 1854..