Friday, December 31, 2010

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

The Mystery of Joseph BENTLEY

There are two sections at Brooks Cemetery (Homer Township, Will County, Illinois) containing BENTLEY burials. Transcriptions of this cemetery were published in 1940 (Northern States Mission, Genealogical Society of Utah), 1971-72 (Marilyn D. Brill, South Suburban Genealogical & Historical Society), and 2000 (South Suburban Genealogical & Historical Society), but there are inconsistencies in the BENTLEY transcriptions, in particular with regard to a broken stone for Joseph BENTLEY.


(click here for a full-screen version of the spreadsheet)

22 Oct 2003 Note:

There are inconsistencies in the facts for this person [Joseph BENTLEY]. The 1940 transcription has birth and death dates and says Joseph is s/o Robert & Catherine. Age calc. from 1940 transcription: 19y 2m 30d (or 29d). IF the transcription is accurate for the Joseph Bentley stone I identified and photographed in 2003, the stone style doesn’t make sense, it is very similar to the 1849 stone for William Bentley, but other children of Robert and Catherine who died before this Joseph have smaller and different style stones (Frederick, Florence). However, this could be due to their much younger age at death. There is no son Joseph listed in the Will County history book, though it does list three other children who died young. This Joseph is not with his parents in the 1850 or 1860 census, and in fact has not been found in either census. IF the transcription is inaccurate, there are other possibilities. If the birth year is actually 1836, this could be the Joseph age 14 living with Robert & Catherine in 1850, though he is listed at the end of the household as if he is not the birth child of Robert and Catherine. If the death date is actually 1856, the stone style makes more sense, but there is still no explanation of where he would be in 1850. Looking in detail at the stone I photographed, the name is clearly Joseph Bentley. The style is virtually identical to the stone for the 1849 burial of William Bentley (it is possible that both stones were added later at close to the same time). The stone does not seem to have a place to say s/o Robert & Catherine. The second line after the name clearly says “died.” The date of death is illegible. The next line is largely illegible, but could be something like “Aged 30...” The last line is the most readable (though barely) and may say something like “7 Mo 20 D” It is conceivable that the “7” could be a “2” and the “20” could be a “29.”

19 Feb 2005 Note:

After analyzing the 1940 Brooks reading, and comparing it to the 1971/2 and 2000 readings, I now think that the half-buried stone at Brooks Cem. is for Joseph b.<1816England. The 1940 reading appears not to be a literal reading. Individuals are listed alphabetically in the 1940 reading, with no indication of geographic position. Each stone lists birth and death dates as well as parents, and this information is clearly not on all of the stones. I suspect the death date in the 1940 reading (1866) is correct or close, but the birth date was calculated from an erroneously read, largely illegible age. I also think the parents were attributed due only to the position of the stone in the plot. No son Joseph is listed in the 1878 Will Co. history entry about Robert Bentley. The identity of the other Joseph Bentley (b.abt1836NY) with Robert and Joseph in the 1850 census is still a mystery. 22 May 2007 Note:

Here is a photo of the Joseph stone displayed next to the stone for the patriarch William BENTLEY (1788-1849). The two stones appear to be of similar vintage (click for a larger version).

A possible candidate for the "other" Joseph Bentley (b. abt 1836 NY), with Robert and Joseph in the 1850 census, is Joseph BENTLEY son of John and Margaret. However, this would mean he was enumerated twice (and his age is off by three years between the two):

1850: Bently: John 33 England; Margaret A. 34 Scotland; Joseph 11 NY at school; Rachel 10 NY at school; Albert A. 5 IL; Mary J. 3 IL. Lockport Twp., Will Co., IL.

1850: BENTLY: Robert 36 farmer $3000 England; Cathern 29 England; Wm J 7 IL_w attend school; Robt J 6 IL_w attend school; Char E. 4 IL_w attend school; Mary A. 2 IL_w attend school; Sarah 1/52 IL_w. RUTHEFORD: Chas W. 48 farmer England. BENTLY: Joseph 14 NY; Joseph 34 farmer England. Homer, Will Co., IL.


He doesn't appear to be a son of any of the other five BENTLEY brothers. William was not yet in the US until 1850. Robert wasn't married until 1842. It's possible he is a son of Joseph (b. 1816) from a completely unknown first marriage (however, He would then typically have been listed after his father in the census). James probably didn't marry until sometime between 1840-1845. The only known record of Benjamin is the 1835 ship manifest (it is likely that Benjamin died between 1835-1840).

The notes for the patriarch William BENTLEY can be found here.

Section IV-10 Photos:


Section XIII-14 Photos:



More information on this family is at:

Elizabeth P. MITCHELL (abt1789-aft1850)

1810: Botetourt Co., VA. DEATON, Levy. (1) M <10 [?], (1) M 16-26 [Levi Jr.], (1) F 16-26 [Elizabeth P.]. 1820: Roanoke, Botetourt Co., VA. DEATON, Levi. (1) M <10 [?], (1) M 10-16 [?], (1) M 26-45 [Levi Jr.], (3) F <10 [Martha Ann & ? & ?], (1) F 26-45 [Elizabeth P.]. 1830: DEATON, Levi, Montgomery Co., VA. (1) M <5 [George], (1) M 5-10 [?], (1) M 10-15 [?], (1) M 20-30 [?], (1) M 40-50 [Levi Jr.], (2) F 5-10 [Ellen & ?], (1) F 10-15 [Eliza P.], (1) F 15-20 [Martha Ann], (1) F 40-50 [Elizabeth P.]. 1840: DEATON, Levi, McMinn Co., TN, p. 104. (2) M <5 [??], (1) M 10-15 [George], (1) M 15-20 [?], (1) M 30-40 [?], (1) M 50-60 [Levi Jr.], (1) F 5-10, [<- Ellen?? ->], (1) F 20-30 [?], (1) F 50-60 [Elizabeth P.].

1850: DEATON, Levi 67 farmer VA, Elizabeth 67 VA (cannot read & write), Ellen 24 VA, George 21 farmer VA, 4th Civil District, Monroe Co., TN, p. 51.

More information on this family is at:
Ancestors of Dorset B. SPEARS & Ann E. GRAY