John Bentley (abt. 1679 - abt. 1741)

Born about 1679 in Chowan County, North Carolina

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 1741 at about age 62 in Moratock River, Bertie Co, North Carolina

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Biography

John Bentley was a North Carolina colonist.

The first record mentioning John Bentley was John reporting the murder of his father to the court in December 1687, resulting in a jury immediately condemned the boy to be hanged.^[1][2]

"John BENTLEY, Cooper—(son of Richard, of Perq Pre’ct, Cooper, Dec’d) sold 100 acres (part of a grant unto his father Richard BENTLEY, 15000 acres, Mar 29, 1680) unto Joyas (Josiah) FendallL, adjacent Cornelius Leary, & Henry Norman. Feb 4, 1691. Test’ John Harvey, John Philpotts, Alexander Lillington." ^[3]

According to records of Perquimans County, on December 3, 1695 John Bentley, son of Richard Bentley deceased, with the consent of Lede Hare, his mother, bound himself apprentice to Anthony Dawson. This apprenticeship was for five years to learn the carpentry trade. It was witnessed by John Hare, Lydia's second husband.

On November 30, 1702 Edward Norrington, and wife Comfort, to Jon Bentley, assignment of a patent. Argell Simons, and wife Lydia, to Edward Norrington; See also October 5, 1703. Test, John Falconer, Jon Beotley. (Tract of land on Yoppim River.) in Chowan (doesn't specify)^[4]

At a Court held, for Chowan Precinct, 16 April, 1717 Ordered, that John Bently be constable in Kesiah Neck. John was also appointed to a jury to lay out the main road down Kesiah Neck^[5]

John Bentley and his eldest son, William were juriors in Bertie County, N.C. in 1723 ^[6]

John BENTLEY (Sr.) received a grant of 300 acres in Chowan Precinct on April 6, 1722 and on April 12, 1739 he made a deed of gift of the "within" patent to "Jeremiah Bentley, my son^[7]

The Lords Proprietors granted John Bentley 480 acres on the north side of the Morattock River on Aug.4, 1723, and this was apparently inherited by his son James BENTLEY, who in Nov. 17, 1741 deeded 200 acres "part of the within land" to Hugh Hyman (D.B."F", pp.484 and 485, the grant and deed being right next to each other).^[8] Note this transaction took place a few years before the end of the Lord Proprietors rule in North Carolina. In 1729, the Crown bought out seven of the eight of the Lords Proprietor for £22,500, approximately the amount they had spent on the colony.^[9]

On Sept. 9, 1740 John B Sr. deeded to John Manning 225 acres in Cochie Neck of Cypress Creek, adjoining Jeremiah Bentley, James Beasley, Charles Manning and John Manning; and John Bentley Jr. and Jeremiah Bentley were witnesses ^[10]

Crime and Punishment in the 1700s

According to Minutes of the General Court of North Carolina of 1727, John Bentley was the victim of a theft:

The Jurors for our Sovereign Lord the King on their Oath do present that William Hughes ... not having the fear of God before his Eyes but being moved by the instigation of the Devil at Moratuck River in Bertie precinct within the province of North Carolina aforesayd on or about the eleventh day of September One thousand Seven hundred & twenty Seven by force and armes did fraudulently and feloniously Steale take & carry away from a Canoe then lying at the Landing of Mr David Henderson on the South Side of Moratuck River aforesayd & belonging to John Bentley of Bertie precinct planter three Jackeets one payr of Shoes two payr of yarn Stockings One Garlix Shirt one Course Shirt two payr of Breeches of Linnen one payr of Buckles One Ivory Comb & Comb Case and one old Silk Handkercheif of the value of ten shillings against the peace of our Sovereign Lord the King that now is his Crown and dignity

The thief "pleaded Guilty And humbly moves the Court for mercy. Whereupon It was Considerd Sentencd & Adjudged that he burnt in the hand with the Letter T: which Sentence was putt in Execution accordingly. ^[11]

Marriage

The Southern Historical Families states,

John Bentley . . . married, probably about 1700-1701, Sarah, who seems to have been a sister of James Farlee (Jr.) of Chowan Precinct, who in his will dated May 1, 1727 and probated May 15, 1727, mentions his wife (name not given), but leaves all his lands to James Bentley, son of Sarah Bentley ^[12]

Will of John Bentley

“John Bentley's Will dated December 15, 1728 and probated July 15, 1741 was found in Chowan County, North Carolina Courthouse, in Edenton, North Carolina”^[13]

March ye 15, 1738 (or 1728), No. Carolina

I John Bentley of Moratock River in ye province above said being in good health and in perfect mind and memory, blessed be God and it doe constitute and ordain this to be my last Will and Testament revocking all other wills heartofore made or done by me calling to mind ye uncertainty and frailty of mankind doe give and bequeath my worldly estate in manner and form following:

Imprimus:I give and bequeath to my son William ye land and plantation he now lives on.

I give and bequeath to my son John my manner plantation and ye land belonging to it to be equaly divided between him and my son Joseph and

my desire and will is that my loving wife Sarah shall have her life in ye plantation and my desire is that ye plantation and land shall not be sold to any till one or ye other refuses.

I give and bequeath my plantaion and land at Quitsna where Jon HAYS now lives to my son Jeremiah.

I give and bequeath to my son James my plantation and land at that going in at ye fork of Rockwis (Rocquist Creek)

My will is that ye stock which is at ye plantation that I give to my son Jeremiah to be equally divided between Jeremiah and son James and they to be at age eighteen to be there own men.

I likewise give to my son Jeremiah one jar pot holding about 8 gallons.

I give to my son Jeremiah one feather bed and one long pewter dish.

I likewise give to my son James one iron pot holding about four gallons and one feather bed and such furniture as their mother can contrive and one large pweter dish and each of them a mare or a horse.

I give to my son Joseph four cows and calves out of ye stock where my son William now lives.

I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary three cows and calves and a spring mare and one small pweter dish.

I give and bequeath to my daughter Lydia the mulatto boy Tom and one little Bellmotte Skillit and one small pweter dish and one cow and one calf.

I give and bequeath to my daughter Sarah three cows and calves and a young mare and one small iron pot and one small pweter dish.

I give and bequeath to my grandson John one young mare and her increase and a two year heifer.

And I give to my grndaughter Hanah one two year old heifer.

I give to my son John two cows and calves.

I give to my loving wife Sarah my old horse whip bridle and sadle and ye large feather bed and furniture we now lie upon and all necessarys which is in ye house for her life and two horses for ye plantation use and for ye stock which is at my dwelling plantation to run for ye benefit of bringing up of my children which are under her care.

Likewise my will is that my loving wife shall have ye benefit of ye stock that is at my son William's plantation and likewise ye benefit of ye stok which is at my now dwelling plantation during her life and after her decease to be equaly divided amongst all my children.

My will and desire is to appoint my loving wife Sarah Bentley and my son William to be my exectrix and executor to this my last Will and Testament as in witness I have hearunto set my hand and seal ye day and date above written.

signedJohn BENTLY

Testators: Will Lattimer, Moses Grooms, Elizabeth Lattimer Edenhouse

July 15, 1741

Proved then before me and Sarah BENTLY the within named Exectrix qualified according to law.

signed Gab JOHNSTON

Slave Owner

From John's will:

I give and bequeath to my daughter Lydia the mulatto boy Tom and one little Bellmotte Skillit and one small pweter dish and one cow and one calf.

Research Notes

Profile for this John by Allan L Bentley

• Allan's genealogy excerpted below by J. Russell Johnson

Children of JOHN BENTLEY and SARAH FARLEE are:

i. SARAH4 BENTLEY, b. Abt. 1701, Chowan County, North Carolina.

ii. WILLIAM W. BENTLEY I, b. 1702, Chowan County, North Carolina; d. Abt. 1778, Bertie County, North Carolina.

iii. JOHN BENTLEY, JR., b. 1703, Chowan County, North Carolina; d. Abt. 1754, Bertie County, North Carolina.

iv. JOSEPH BENTLEY, b. 1709, Chowan County, North Carolina.

v. JEREMIAH BENTLEY, b. 1711, Chowan County, North Carolina; m. JEAN MANNING.

vi. MARY BENTLEY, b. 1716, Chowan County, North Carolina; m. JOHN MANNING, JR.; b. 1707.

vii. JAMES BENTLEY, SR., b. Bet. 1717 - 1718, Chowan County, North Carolina; d. Abt. 1787, Bertie County, North Carolina.

viii. LYDIA BENTLEY, b. 1720, Chowan County, North Carolina.

Sources

1. ↑ Parker, N.C. HIGHER COURT RECORDS, 1670-1696, P.373
2. ↑ SOUTHERN HISTORICAL FAMILIES by Boddie, Vol. XVI, Appendix V, pp.168-169
3. ↑ History of Perquimans County by Ellen Goode (Mrs. Watson) Winslow (Raleigh, NC: Edwards & Broughton Co., 1931), Deed Book A Page 67 as cited on As cited in Allan Bentley Genealogy
4. ↑ THE NORTH CAROLINA Historical and Genealogical Register, J. R. B. Hathaway, Editor and Financial Agent, Vol. I. January, 1900. No. 1. ABSTRACT OF LAND GRANTS. (Taken from the Secretary of State's office, Raleigh, N. C, for Shaftsbury Precinct, Chowan Precinct, and Chowan County.),p.88, [available here]
5. ↑ THE NORTH CAROLINA Historical and Genealogical Register, J. R. B. Hathaway, Editor and Financial Agent, Vol. I. January, 1900. No. 1. ABSTRACT OF LAND GRANTS. (Taken from the Secretary of State's office, Raleigh, N. C, for Shaftsbury Precinct, Chowan Precinct, and Chowan County.),p.151, 158. [available here]
6. ↑ (N.C. Colonial & State Records, Vol. 25, p.188) cited in SOUTHERN HISTORICAL FAMILIES by Boddie, Vol. XVI, Appendix V, pp 171-172
7. ↑ SOUTHERN HISTORICAL FAMILIES by Boddie, Vol. XVI, Appendix V, citing Bertie Co. D.B."E", p.509
8. ↑ Id.
9. ↑ Wikipedia page on Lords Proprietor
10. ↑ SOUTHERN HISTORICAL FAMILIES by Boddie, Vol. XVI, Appendix V, pp 171-172 citing Bertie Co., D.B."F",p.229.
11. ↑ Minutes of the General Court of North Carolina North Carolina. General Court October 31, 1727 - November 04, 1727 Volume 02, Pages 712-720, [page 717]
12. ↑ (Grimes, op. cit., p.29) cited in SOUTHERN HISTORICAL FAMILIES by Boddie, Vol. XVI, Appendix V, pp 171-172, found on Allan Bentley on genealogy.com
13. ↑ Allan Bentley, As cited in Allan Bentley Genealogy

• John Bennett Boddie, HISTORICAL SOUTHERN FAMILIES, volume XVI, pages 167-176; Orlando Public Library

Acknowledgements

• WikiTree profile Bently-9 created through the import of paf910.ged on Sep 16, 2011 by Theresa Reynolds. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Theresa and others.