Bradshaw Family History
Thomas Bentley, Jr
1725 - Abt 1789 (64 years)-
Name Thomas Bentley Suffix Jr Born 1725 Massachusetts 
Gender Male Died Abt 1789 Lincoln County, North Carolina, USA Person ID I1980 My Genealogy Last Modified 1 Jan 2019
Mother Catherine Bentley, b. 1781, Wilkes, Georgia, United States , d. 1850, Kentucky, United States (Age 69 years) Relationship natural Mother Drucilla Bentley, b. Abt 1772, Bear Creek, Rowan, North Carolina, USA , d. 1865, Rowan, North Carolina, USA (Age 93 years) Relationship natural Married Abt 1746 Wilkes County, North Carolina Family ID F0745 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Father Thomas Bentley, b. 1690, Virginia , d. Abt 1789, Lincoln County, North Carolina (Age 99 years) Mother Mary Beasley, b. 1695, North Carolina Family ID F756 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 1 Mahaly Hall Children 1. Mary Bentley [natural] Last Modified 20 Feb 2014 Family ID F0716 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 2 Hannah Beasley, b. 29 Dec 1714, North Carolina , d. 1793, Lincoln County, North Carolina, USA (Age 78 years) Married 1745 Maryland, USA - Spouse: Thomas Bentley, Jr.
Children 1. Mary Bentley, b. 1748, Rowan County, North Carolina, United States , d. 1833, Buncombe County, North Carolina, USA (Age 85 years)2. Benjamin Bentley, b. 1750, Bear Creek, Mocksville, Davies, Rowan, Colony of North Carolina , d. 15 Mar 1839, Wilkes, North Carolina, United States (Age 89 years)3. Daniel Bentley, b. 8 Feb 1752, Frederick County, Province of Maryland , d. 15 Jul 1839, Neon, Letcher County, Kentucky, USA (Age 87 years)4. Lydia Bentley, b. 1755, Rowan Co., NC , d. 15 Jul 1847, Gilmer, now Fannin, Georgia (Age 92 years)5. Esquire Squire Bentley, b. 1770, d. 1851 (Age 81 years) 6. Patience Bentley, b. 15 May 1774, Frederick, Frederick, MD, USA , d. Jun 1860, Lincoln, North Carolina, United States (Age 86 years)7. Margaret Bentley, b. 1775, Lincoln County, North Carolina, United States , d. 1829, Perry County, Kentucky, United States (Age 54 years)8. Rachel Bentley, b. Frederick, Maryland, United States , d. Bef 1810, North Carolina, United States Last Modified 1 Jan 2019 Family ID F745 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 3 Mitchell Taylor Bentley Married 8 Feb 1782 Rowan County, North Carolina Children 1. Patience Bentley, b. 15 May 1774, Frederick, Frederick, MD, USA , d. Jun 1860, Lincoln, North Carolina, United States (Age 86 years) [natural]2. John Quiller Bentley, b. 1789, Rowan County, North Carolina , d. 8 Jul 1859, Letcher, KY, USA (Age 70 years) [natural]3. Mary Beasley, b. 1695, North Carolina [natural]4. Lydia Bentley, b. 1755, Rowan Co., NC , d. 15 Jul 1847, Gilmer, now Fannin, Georgia (Age 92 years) [natural]5. Solomon Bentley, b. 1792, North Carolina, United States , d. May 1860, Letcher, Letcher County, Kentucky, United States (Age 68 years) [natural]6. Daniel Bentley, Jr [natural] Last Modified 20 Feb 2014 Family ID F0773 Group Sheet | Family Chart
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Notes The earliest record of Thomas Bentley, an early settler of Rowan (now Davie) County, North Carolina is found in the 1768 Rowan County, North Carolina List of Taxables of Morgan Bryan's District. Here he and his son, Benjamin, are listed separately at one poll each. Thomas was born about 1725. In the 1778 Rowan County Tax List he is listed as "Thomas Bentley junr" indicating that his father may have been named Thomas Bentley. According to family tradition these Bentleys or their ancestor had migrated to North Carolina from Virginia, but it is not known where Thomas Jr. was born.
On 17 December 1769 Thomas wrote a note that his son, Benjamin, might sign the bond for his daughter, Mary, to marry Aaron Freeman. Benjamin did sign the bond for his sister to marry, along with James Freeman. In Rowan County Court, 9 August 1771 Thomas Bentley registered his livestock brand as a "crop and a hole in the right ear and a crop in the left ear."
Although Thomas' political affiliation is unknown, it is found that on November 4, 1777 he and others, including neighbors, Wm. Frohock and Anthony Peeler, appeared in Rowan County Court and swore an Oath of Fidelity to the State of North Carolina.
By 1783 Thomas and his family began moving from Rowan County. Thomas, his wife Hannah, and some of the children moved to Lincoln County, North Carolina. His son, Benjamin, sold the land he owned in Rowan and moved to Cedar Run - South Yadkin River area of Iredell (now Alexander) County while the other son, Daniel, moved to Lincoln County, North Carolina. Daniel Bentley married Nancy Lewis by bond in Rowan County North Carolina February 8, 1782. As he and his parents were moving to Lincoln County, it appears he could not bear to leave his sweetheart behind.
On January 1, 1783 Thomas Bentley bought 100 acres for 30 pounds on both sides of Indian Creek in Lincoln County from Robert Armstrong and Hugh Beaty, executors of Francis Beaty. On this same day, Thomas also bought 120 acres from Thomas Wilsh (Welch), planter, for 20 pounds. This land also lay on both sides of Indian Creek.
By 1789 Thomas may have begun to experience poor health as on the fourth of May that year he deeded to his wife, Hannah for the natural love and affection "which I bear & have unto Hannah Bentley, my beloved wife" all his goods, chattels, leases, plate jewels, working tools and one negro man named Saul.
In the Lincoln County census, Hannah was listed as the head of household with three other females in her house, which are probably the younger daughters which are not yet married. Thus it seems that Thomas died between the dates of May 4, 1789 and the census of 1790. Hannah sold to her "daughter," Margaret Bentley, all her goods, chattels, and plantation for "natural love and affection" on April 1, 1793. Margaret Bentley married by bond in Lincoln County on September 25, 1794 to William Younce (Yonts). Christian Eaker was the bondsman for the marriage.
December 1780, he was considered as a "Patriot" by selling corn at a price of 75 cents per bushel.