Re: Bentley Family Reunion 7/15/2001
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In reply to:
Re: Bentley Family Reunion 7/15/2001
Jane 6/20/01
Hi Jane,
The Thomas Bentley line is not my direct line, but it is one that I am researching.I am trying to link theThomas Bentley line back to mine or to a line one or two generations further back that might connect with mine.
Mary Kay Coker, a researcher here in the Bentley Forum, has done extensive research on the Thomas Bentley line and she has some evidence that shows that Thomas, Jr. originally came from Maryland and moved to North Carolina and his descendants moved on to Kentucky.Below I am listing quotes of her messages:
Hi, I am a descendant of Thomas and Hannah Bentley of NC (through daughter Mary Freeman) and recently sent for several articles on him.
A very well documented article called "Thomas Bentley of Old Rowan and Lincoln Counties, N.C." by James W. Miller, Jr., is found in the Rowan County Register, Vol. 6, No. 1, February 1991. It details all the records found up to that point in NC on Thomas.
Unfortunately, it doesn't even speculate on the origins of Thomas before NC. But a very short entry in (I think) Kinfolk & Connections, Vol. 9, No. 1, June 1991, apparently following up on this article, states that Clara W. Shook of Taylorsville, NC, furnished proof that Thomas Bentley and wife Hannah of Frederick Co., MD, sold land there in 1751 (Book B: 410) and in 1767, while residents of Rowan Co., NC, disposed of additional acreage they had owned in Frederick County (Book K:203).
If true, that means we know that the Bentleys were in MD, not VA or England, before going to NC. I only got this information today, so I have not had a chance to check it out. I assume the deed books are those in MD and not NC or we would have heard about it before now.
Has anyone else checked out the Maryland angle? I know that Miller's article has one of the Bentley's neighbors (Meshack Davis) coming from Maryland. And Thomas Bentley signed a petition to help out a Dunkard (German Baptist Brethren) neighbor. I know from my own Dunkard heritage that there were a number of them in Frederick Co., MD.
Mary Kay Coker
Hi, I posted earlier about the possibility that Thomas Bentley of Rowan Co., NC, was originally from Maryland, per a reference in a genealogy newsletter. Well, I've now had a chance to followup on it and found that there is indeed proof of the link from the land records of Frederick Co., MD:
Liber K, 1283-1284
To Jacob BANKER recorded 6 Jun 1767, made 5 Jun from Thomas BENTLY of Roan Co, NC, for 168 pounds PA currency, tract "Carolina" and "Addition to Carolina", containing 108 acres and 35 acres. Said tract Carolina containing acres sold to Bently in 1751 by Dr. Charles CARROLL. (Thomas' wife Hannah released dower).
I also have part of the deed in Liber B where Thomas Bentley sold another tract called "Hill Spring" to Jacob Banker in 1751. Thomas had received the patent for "Hill Spring" in 1745. Where Thomas came from before 1745, I don't know.Perhaps he was an immigrant. But, in any case, it does show that he was in Maryland, not Virginia, prior to the move to North Carolina.
I am sure if you have any questions about the Thomas Bentley line she would be happy to answer them for you and I will do my best to answer them as well.
Allan L. Bentley
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