Jesse Bentley (abt. 1749 - bef. 1836)

Born about 1749 in Richmond County, Virginia [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Scott (Townsend) Bentley — married 5 Oct 1784 in Wilkes County, Georgia, USA

Descendants

Died before 23 May 1836 before about age 87 in Stockbridge, Henry, Georgia, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: George F. Bentley [send private message] and Russell Johnson [send private message]

Biography

Jesse Bentley was born circa 1749, most likely the son of John Bentley-5050 and Christian Hammock-432. Jesse passed away in 1836.

"North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2WT-532D : accessed 15 July 2021), Jesse Bentley, May 1783; citing Edenton, Chowan, North Carolina, United States, State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh. [This 1783 pay record applies to this Jesse ONLY if other Wilkes Co GA soldiers are on this same pay list. I do not think this is him...

Plus wrongfully, his widow was turned down for his pension and this pay would have made that academic! GFB]

• Eighteen Pounds Specie from image

"Georgia, Headright and Bounty Land Records, 1783-1909", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:CLHR-SM3Z : 7 May 2020), Jesse Bentley, 1784.

• Warrant: 10 March 1784, Wilkes County, 200 Acres
• On the South Fork of Little River adjoining Wm. Bentley, on his own Head Right
• See source image posted on this profile

"Georgia, Headright and Bounty Land Records, 1783-1909", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:C1D6-JY3Z : 23 June 2020), Jesse Bentley, 1785.

• Grant: 13 October 1785, Wilkes County, 200 Acres
• butting . . . southwest by Joseph Williams and Bentley(s) land, . . .

EARLY RECORDS OF GEORGIA, Volume One, Wilkes County

comp. Grace Gillam Davidson, pub. Macon 1933

Page 208 -- WILLIAMS, JOSEPH and Wife Franky to John Williams

• for L30, 300 acres on waters of Little River adj lands of said Joseph and Wm. and Jesse Bentley.
• 2 February 1785, Chas. and Anthony lvey, Test.

Page 107 -- BENTLEY, JESSE and wife Mary to James Green

• 100 acres on the south bank of South Fork of Little River just above said Bentley’s mill seat.
• 16 July 1787, A. Bedell, A. J., Test.

A 1790 CENSUS FOR WILKES COUNTY, GEORGIA

Prepared from abstracts of the 1790 Tax Returns, compiled by Frank Parker Hudson

District GG -- This area is now in the eastern part of Greene County.

BENTLEY:

• Jesse -- GG-29

TRAWICK

• Francis

1820 Georgia Residence:^[1] Jesse Bentley was residing in Walton County with his wife and two sons.

"United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YB8-647?cc=1803955&wc=3L7F-2NY%3A1586985603%2C1586985683%2C1586984616 : 16 July 2015), Georgia > Walton > Not Stated > image 12 of 30; citing NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• M = 000111
• F = 00001

1827 Descendant Land Lottery Record:^[2]

• Date Granted: 11/31/1836
• Place: Troup County, Georgia

Georgia Will:^[3] On 5th September 1829, Jesse declared his wife and five children as beneficiaries.

• Wife: Mary Scott Bentley
• Children: Listed below

0. Elizabeth J. [ not named in Jesse's will ]

1. John T.
2. James J.
3. William
4. Josiah
5. Hannah T. Ray [ nee Bentley ]

• Family Bible Records (see below) indicate Jesse's children were all born after 1785.

: Georgia Death:^[4] re Allan Bentley, RootsWeb.com, Person Id: I1941

DEATHS OF REVOLUTIONARY WAR SOLDIERS WHO DIED IN GEORGIA, by Jeanette Austin

BENTLEY, Jesse -- THE GEORGIA JOURNAL, 6/20/1836, Milledgeville (newspaper)

• Died May 23rd at his son's residence, John T. Bentley of Henry County, aged 87 years.

The Georgia Journal (Milledgeville, Georgia)

6 October 1835 to 27 September 1836

20 June 1836

JESSE BENTLEY departed this life on 23rd of May last, at the residence of his son JOHN T. BENTLEY, Esq. in Henry County, at the age of 87 years. He was born in North Carolina and entered the service of his country at about 18 years of age. He was at the sieges of Augusta and Savanah, and served throughout the war, principally fighting against the Indians, who at that day committed so many depredations on the property of the whites and was present, when under the orders of General ELIJAH CLARK, the noted Tories, LUNY and MURPHY were hung on the banks of the Oconee River.

Marriage and Death Notices from The Charleston Observer, 1827-1845

Issue of July 9, 1836

• Departed this life in Heury [Henry] co., Ga., on the 22nd May, Jease [Jesse] Bentley, a Revolutionary Soldier, aged 87 years.

Family Bible Records

Births:

• JOHN T. BENTLEY b 27 May 1786
• JOSIAH BENTLEY b 3 Nov 1788
• ELIZABETH J. BENTLEY b 14 Aug 1791
• JAMES J. BENTLEY b 19 Dec 1793
• WILLIAM BENTLEY b 17 Aug 1797
• HANNAH T. BENTLEY b 1 Oct 1800
• JAMES JACKSON RAY b 9 June 1820
• MARY T. RAY b 25 May 1823
• WILLIAM RILEY RAY b 9 Aug 1825
• EGBERT EMMET RAY b 18 Dec 1827
• JOHN THOMAS RAY b 27 Oct 1830
• MARY ANN SCOTT BENTLEY b 28 Oct 1830

Deaths:

• JESSE BENTLEY d 23 May 1836 . . .on the 91th year of his age or thereabout

Marriages:

• JOHN T. BENTLEY and POLLY his wife m 23 Oct 1807
• JOSIAH BENTLEY and NANCY his wife m 3 Jan 1813
• HANNAH T. RAY m to THOMAS her husband 25 July 1816
• JAMES J. BENTLEY m ELIZABETH his wife 28 Aug 1823
• WILLIAM BENTLEY m MARGARETT his wife 28 Aug 1828
• THOMAS L. BENTLEY m ELIZABETH ANN his wife 30 June 1831
• ELIZABETH SCOTT LEE m to WILLIAM A. LEE her husband 28 August 1831

Research Notes

SOURCE: Margaret M. Hoffman, COLONY OF NC 1765-1775, Abst. of Land Patents

DATE: October 30, 1765

NAME: BALLARD, JESSE

PLACE: Onslow Co., NC ABSTRACT:

• Book 18 Pg 194 Jesse BALLARD 138 acres in Onslow County, North Carolina on the N.W. of New River, joining Eleazer BRACK, TRAWICK line and BENTLEY line.

"North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2WT-532D : accessed 20 October 2020), Jesse Bentley, May 1783; citing Edenton, Chowan, North Carolina, United States, State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh.

"Georgia, County Marriages, 1785-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FW7W-T4F : 7 February 2020), Thomas L. Bently and Elizabeth Lee, 30 Jun 1831; citing Marriage, Henry, Georgia, United States, Georgia Department of Archives and History, Morrow, FHL microfilm 175,289.

"Georgia, County Marriages, 1785-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FW7W-FJ4 : 7 February 2020), William A. Lee and Elizabeth Bentley, 28 Jul 1831; citing Marriage, Henry, Georgia, United States, Georgia Department of Archives and History, Morrow, FHL microfilm 175,289.

From George F Bentley

I have edited Jesse Bentley's place of birth from Bertie NC. to Virginia (possibly North Carolina)

Fact is by DNA, he is NOT of the "Bertie Bentleys.

DNA Proof is he is of the "SE VA Bentleys.

That said; If his c1744 DOB is accurate: He almost certainly was born in VA, very possibly Richmond Co.

CORRECTION: Please DISREGARD this statement by me: ["If he was born after - say 1754, he is probably born in or near Onslow Co or NC (my guess is that he is probably a son of John Bentley bc1715 or possibly his brother William born 1721 NFPRCVA.)"]

Regards,

George Bentley

PS: It is absolutely a shame that his Rev War widow's pension was turned down, as her statement regarding the 2 Tories that were hung, is today's historian's source for them being ID'd!

Source: "North Carolina Taxpayers, 1701-1786", comp. Clarence E. Ratcliff, p.16

RE-ARRANGED BY George F. Bentley - Edits in [ ] Tightened 4/2021

• [1763 James Jesse William ] All born pre c1745 (@18+)
• [1769 James bc1748 William bc1750 father John bc1715 ] ------------- Proves John had another son - William All born pre c1751 (@18+)
• [1769 William ] --------Proves another William
• [1770 James bc1748 William bc1750 father John bc1715] ------ OTHER William MISSING

TEXT:

• BENTLEY, James NewH 1763
• BENTLEY, Jesse NewH 1763
• BENTLEY, William NewH 1763

• BENTLEY, John Onslow 1769
  • BENTLEY, James son of John Onslow1769
  • BENTLEY, William son of John Onslow1769
• BENTLEY, William Onslow 1769 [ 4 Bentleys - 2 are Williams! ]

• BENTLEY, John Onslow 1770
  • BENTLEY, James son of John Onslow 1770
  • BENTLEY, William son of John Onslow 1770

ALSO:

• BENTLEY, John Chow1717
• BENTLEY, John Terr1755
• BENTLEY, William Bertie1757
• BENTLEY, James Bertie1769

From Allan L Bentley

Jesse Bentley's Wife Mary.. Last name solved

Allan Bentley July 02, 2007 at 05:35:15

• Over the weekend I received an E-mail from Ann Langford that at long last has finally settled the question of what Mary's last name is.

p. 387 GREENE COUNTY, STATE OF GEORGIA. This indenture made 24th day of March 1813 between John Townsend for himself, Joseph Catching, Jesse Bentley, Richard Walls [Watts], Lemuel Atkinson and Elizabeth Townsend, all legatees of John Townsend deceased of the one part, and Elijah Starr of Greene County of the other part.For and in consideration in the sum of $423 paid by party of the other part, to him sold and conveyed a tract of land, bounded by land of Thomas Watts, Thomas Atkinson, Joseph Catchings containing 216 acres measured by chains and links.. /S/ Elizabeth Townsend by her mark, John Townnsend, Lemuel I. Atkinson by his mark, Jesse Bentley and Richard Watts. Wit: Josiah Bentley, William Watts, Asa Starr, Yelberton Thaxton JP. Recorded 5 March 1814.

Source: Freda Reid Turner, Greene County, Georgia Land Records Deeds 1810-1815, Volume II (Milledgeville, GA: Boyd Publishing Co., March 2005), p.140.

Jesse Bentley being a Legatee of the deceased John Townsend proves that Mary Scott is a daughter of John Townsend and therefore is Mary Scott Townsend.

"This is the Will of Jesse Bentley who came to Henry County, Georgia from North Carolina. He lived in Wilkes and Oglethorpe Counties before moving to Henry County. I found his will at the Henry County court house. Jesse Bentley apparently wrote the will in Walton County, Georgia, but it was probated in Henry County. Jesse is buried in Henry County, Georgia.

"Will of Jesse Bentley

"Walton County Georgia

"Signed September 5, 1829

• "I, Jesse BENTLEY, of the State and county aforesaid do hereby testify the following is my last Will and Testament and do in presence of almighty God and the undersigned witnesses testify to the same in my proper mind and without persuasion of my own free will.
• "1st. I commit my soul to God and my body to the earth from whence it came.
• "2nd. I bequeath all my property to my wife Mary Scott BENTLEY her natural lifetime and after her death, I desire it to be equally divided between my children viz. John T. BENTLEY, James J. BENTLEY, William BENTLEY, Josiah BENTLEY, Hannah T. RAY.
• "3rd. I bequeath to my wife Mary S. BENTLEY her lifetime one Negro woman named Joan and her offspring and all my property both real and personal and that my wife Mary Scott BENTLEY and John T. BENTLEY be my lawful Executors to attend to the taking care of my estate during my wife's life and after her death to distribute it equally among my children afore named. In witness where of I do hereby affix my hand and seal this 5th September 1829.

Jesse BENTLEY (seal)

Witnesses: James SHELNUTT, S. BRYANT

Georgia, Henry County

Memorial Page

Jesse entered the army about 1767, at the age of 18. He was at the siege of Savannah and Augusta, and served throughout the war, principally fighting against the indians. He was present at the hanging of the noted Tories, Luny and Murphy on the banks of the Oconee River.

In her Pension Application, Mary Scott Bentley stated that she was 78 years old in 1845. She said that she was married to Jesse Bentley on October 5, 1784 in Wilkes County, Georgia by Rev. Benjamin Catching. According to the pension application, Jesse Bentley's house burned to the ground in 1805 and he lost everything. They did save the family bible, however. The family record pages were torn out and sent in with the pension application. These pages are still intact in the files at the National Archives and are part of the pension file.

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHG6-58D : accessed 6 March 2020), Jesse Benlly, Walton, Georgia, United States; citing p. 232, NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 10; FHL microfilm 175,769.
2. ↑ "United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QRW7-CYZM : 29 August 2019), Jesse Bentley, Nov 1836; citing Military Service, United States, Citing various published state rosters, United States; FHL microfilm 102229234.
3. ↑ http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/henry/wills/bentley.txt
4. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 06 September 2020), memorial page for Jesse Bentley (1748–23 May 1836) citing Bentley Family Cemetery, Stockbridge, Henry County, Georgia, USA

See also:

• Find A Grave: Memorial #86688796