Benjamin Buffington still has many mysteries about his life to solve since many researchers have conflicting information about him and his family. This story is written with the idea that those who have documentation will help us clarify and correct this story. This will be a work in progress until we can solve these mysteries.

The first conflicting detail is who are his parents. Most trees have William Buffington and Alice Rupp listed as his parents, but his Find A Grave memorial makes the following claim, "Benjamin was the son of Thomas Buffington, Jr. and an unidentifiable German lady. (the Yeager book mistakenly named William Buffington and Alice Rupp as his parents - an error that is oft repeated)." No source is given for either set of parents, but he was born in Upland, Chester, Pennsylvania according to the memorial.

[See the uploaded 1729 map Pennsylvania showing boundries of the counties at the time of his birth with Upland plotted as well as Kennett Square. AniMap software was used to create this map. Please note that Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware is directly below Chester County. Lancaster County contains the area, which later in 1785, became Dauphin County.]

A direct descendant, Norman Gassbaro, has a "story" of notes with sources attached to Benjamin Buffington on his tree on Ancestry.com. Several of the notes are discussed below.

An excerpt from The Buffington Family in America, p. 138.

"BENJAMIN BUFFINGTON OF LYKENS VALLEY

Benjamin Buffington is presumed to be the oldest son of William Buffinton and Alice Rupp. Little is known of his early life. He was not a tax payer at an early age, so he may have lived on property still in his father's name, or, he may have been a merchant. He served in the American Revolution and acquired land, later he and his older sons acquired land in the Lykens Valley area in central Pennsylvania."

Benjamin must have moved about some because he married Mary or Mercy Frissell in Holy Trinity (Old Swedes) Church, Wilmington, Delaware on 29 November 1755 (see link for page 701 and image).

Text: Anno 1755 November 29 Benjamin Buffington and Mercy Frisdell.

The marriage records start in 1750 with Israel Acrelius offciating.

Children born to Benjamin and Mary Mercy Frissell Buffington include:

Thomas Buffington
Rachel Buffington
George Buffington
Sarah Ann Buffington
Elias Buffington
Levi Buffington

There are probably more, but I still need to document them since many trees have conflicting information.

There is also conflicting information about how soon Benjamin Buffington moved to Lykens Valley, then in Lancaster County. Below is a timeline of documented residences or locations of interaction, along with histories or stories about him and his family. All dates and places should be verified and sourced.

1730 : Birth in Upland, Chester, Pennsylvania

1755 : Marriage to Mercy Frisdell (Mary Frissell) in Wilmington New Castle, Delaware.

1756 : Birth of son, Thomas Buffington, possibly in Strasburg, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

1758 : Birth of daughter, Rachel Buffington, possibly in Lancaster, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

1759 : Birth of son, George Buffington, Bradford Township, Chester, Pennsylvania

1762 : Birth of daughter, Sarah Ann Buffington, ? Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware

1765 : Birth of son, Elias Buffington in Pennsylvania

1768 : On a Lancaster County jury pool list, residence given as Strasburg, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

1771 : Birth of son, Levi Buffington (estimated birth from age on census and other records

1773 : Benjamin Buffington on tax list in Strasburg, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

1776 : Benjamin Buffington was a constable in Lykens Valley, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States.

1776 : Estimated death date of first wife Mary Mercy Frissell.

1777 : Marriage to Anna Catharine Shupp Deibler, widow of Albrecht Deibler.

1777 : Inlisted in Lee's Regiment in the Continental Army (Lancaster County)

1778 : Left (or deserted) the Continental Army

1778 : 6th Class Private in Capt Martin Weaver's Company, Col. Robert Elder's Regiment, 4th Battalion of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Militia.

1778 : Birth of son, John or Johannes Buffington in Lykens Valley, Lancaster (now Dauphin) County, Pennsylvania, United States.

1779 : Birth of daughter, Mary Buffington in Lykens Valley, Lancaster (now Dauphin) County, Pennsylvania, United States.

1780 : Birth of son, David Buffington in Lykens Valley, Lancaster (now Dauphin) County, Pennsylvania, United States.

1785 : Birth of daughter, Elizabeth Buffington in Lykens Valley, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, United States.

1785 : Warrant and survey of land located in present day Mifflin Township, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, United States

1785 : Tax list for Upper Paxton Township, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, United States

1786 : Patent issued for land located in present day Miffling Township, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, United States.

1786 : Tax list for Upper Paxton Township, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, United States.

1795 : Benjamin Buffington's application for 150 acres of land in Upper Paxton Township, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, United States.

1798 : Tax list for Upper Paxton Township, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, United States.

1800 : Census in Upper Paxton Township, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, United States.

1810 : Census in Upper Paxton Township, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, United States.

1814 : Death of Benjamin Buffington in Lykens Township, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, United States.

1814 : Burial of Benjamin Buffington in Lykens Township, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, United States.