Moses Benson facts for kids

Moses Benson (born 1738 – died June 6, 1806) was a wealthy merchant from the British West Indies. He became very involved in the Liverpool slave trade, which was a system of buying and selling enslaved people across the Atlantic Ocean.

Early Life and Family Background

Moses Benson was born in 1738. His father was John Benson (1684–1766), who sold salt in a place called Mansriggs, near Ulverston, in Furness, England.

Career as a Merchant

Starting in the West Indies Trade

In the 1760s, Moses Benson began his career as a ship captain. He worked in the West India trade for Abraham Rawlinson, a merchant from Lancaster. Benson also acted as Rawlinson's agent in Jamaica. Later, he started his own trading business in the West Indies.

Joining the Slave Trade

After earning a lot of money, Benson moved back to Liverpool. In 1775, he became involved in the slave trade. Between 1775 and his death in 1806, he was connected to at least 67 voyages that transported enslaved people.

Life in Liverpool

Moses Benson bought a large house in Duke Street in Liverpool. This house was so big it took up a whole city block. In 1797, he was chosen to be part of a group that planned how to defend Liverpool.

Helping the Community

In 1802, Benson built and paid for St. James's School. This school was located on St. James's Road and was for children from poor families. By 1835, the school was teaching almost 200 boys and about 100 girls.

Moses Benson's Death

Moses Benson died on June 5, 1806. After his death, in 1807, the people in charge of his money bought an estate in Lutwyche, Shropshire. This property then went to his children. However, some historians believe Benson bought the Lutwyche estate himself in the 1780s.

His Will and Estate

Moses Benson's will, which is a legal document about how his property should be divided after his death, caused some problems. It mentioned his four children and their mother, Judith Powell. Moses Benson and Judith Powell were never married. The will was so complicated that a special law had to be passed by Parliament in 1830, 24 years after his death, to help sort out his estate.

Family Life

Moses Benson had four children who were still alive when he died:

• Ralph Benson (died October 1845) married Barbara Lewin. He became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Stafford. An MP is a person elected to represent a group of people in the national parliament.
• Moses Benson (1780–1837) married Margaret Kendall. Her father, Captain John Kendall, was also involved in the slave trade with a ship called the 'Molly'.
• Mary Benson married Reverend Charles Gladwin.
• Jane-Dorothea Benson married Richard Elmshirst.