William Bentley and Mary Elliot

Citing this biography: Boyd, Michelle, "William Bentley and Mary Elliot," article, Olive and Eliza, last accessed [current date]."

William Bentley and his sisters Mary and Hannah “Bentlet” were christened 12 April 1691 in Milton, Norfolk, Massachusetts, all at the same time. They were noted as the grandchildren of “Brother R. Haughton.” This R. Haughton would have been Ralph Houghton, who died in Milton in 1705 and whose wife Jane died there in 1701. Ralph and Jane are recorded as having a daughter Mary born in 1653 in Lancaster, Worcester, Massachusetts and a Mary Houghton married a William Bently in 1675 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts (some of Ralph’s other children are found dying in Suffolk county in 1679 at ages 11 and 24, indicating that the Houghtons had probably moved to that area by then). Therefore, William and his sisters were almost certainly the children of William Bentley and Mary Houghton.

William married Mary Elliot 21 April 1703 in Stonington, New London, Connecticut. Mary and her sisters Deborah, Anna, and Hopestill were all baptized on the same day on 22 May 1687 in Stonington, New London, Connecticut. They were daughters of Henry Elliot and Deborah Bell. On 5 June 1704, William and Mary owned the covenant at the First Congregational Church at Stonington, New London, Connecticut, the same day their daughter was christened.

William and Mary’s children are:

1	Mercy Bentley, baptized 5 Jun 1704 in Stonington, New London, Connecticut, married Stephen Lee 20 May 1725 in Lebanon, New London, Connecticut, died 25 Nov 1755 in Lebanon, New London, Connecticut. Husband: Stephen Lee, b. 19 Dec 1700 in Lebanon, New London, Connecticut to Stephen and Elizabeth (Woodward) Lee, m 2) Mary (Walker) Gay.
2	William Bentley, baptized 9 Nov 1707 in Stonington, New London, Connecticut, married Orange –, served in the French and Indian Wars. Wife: Orange –, b. abt. 1714, d. 1 Mar 1797, bur. Old Franklin Plains Cemetery, Franklin, New London, Connecticut.
3	John Bentley, baptized 27 Jul 1712 in Stonington, New London, Connecticut, married Mary Roberts 12 Jul 1731 in Lebanon, New London, Connecticut, served in the French and Indian Wars (serving at the time of an alarm for relief of Fort William Henry and parts adjacent in Aug 1757). Wife: Mary Roberts, of Colchester, New London, Connecticut.

Summary of Sources

Trask, William Blake, "Milton (Mass.) Church Records - 1678-1754," New England Historic and Genealogical Register, vol. 22, Oct 1868, p. 443.
Stonington, CT: Index to the Records of the First Church of Stonington. Manuscript. R. Stanton Avery Special Collections, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, MA. (Online database:AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2003).
Stonington, CT: First Congregational Church Records, 1674-1874. (Online Database. AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008), Originally published as: History of the First Congregational Church, Stonington, Conn., 1674-1874 with the Report of the Bi-centennial Proceedings, June 3, 1874. Richard A. Wheeler, T. A. David and Co., Norwich, CT, 1875.
Marriages from First Congregational Church, Lebanon, New London Co., CT; Early Connecticut Marriages As Found on Ancient Church Records Prior to 1800, Vol 2, Rev. Frederick W. Bailey, 1896, http://dunhamwilcox.net/ct/lebanon_marr_g.htm
Ancestry.com. Connecticut, Church Record Abstracts, 1630-1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: 2013. Original data: Connecticut. Church Records Index. Connecticut State Library, Hartford, Connecticut.
Ancestry.com. Early Connecticut Marriages [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Bailey, Frederic W. Early Connecticut Marriages as Found on Ancient Church Records Prior to 1800. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1997.
Schott, Nancy E. (comp.), The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Records Vital Records, Lebanon, vol. 1 & 2, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1999.
Ancestry.com. Connecticut, Town Marriage Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection) [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Original data: White, Lorraine Cook, ed. The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records. Vol. 1-55. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1994-2002.
Wheeler, Richard Anson, History of the Town of Stonington, County of New London, Connecticut, New London, CT: Press of the Day Publishing Co., 1900, p. 696.
Guertin, Iris, Rose, comp. Connecticut Soldiers, French and Indian War, 1755-62 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Original data: Connecticut Historical Society. Rolls of Connecticut Men in the French and Indian War, 1755-1762. Vol. I-II. Hartford, CT, USA: Connecticut Historical Society, 1903-1905.
Probate Records of Norwich, Connecticut, Volumes 1–3, (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2003), (Abstracted by Jennie F. Tefft Gallup. "Abstracts of the first probate records of Norwich, Conn., 1740-1770," 3 vols, typescript. Acquired by NEHGS, 1929).
Ancestry.com. Connecticut, Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions and Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: The Charles R. Hale Collection. Hale Collection of Connecticut Cemetery Inscriptions. Hartford, Connecticut: Connecticut State Library.
Ancestry.com. Connecticut, Deaths and Burials Index, 1650-1934 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: "Connecticut Deaths and Burials, 1772–1934." Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009, 2010. Index entries derived from digital copies of original and compiled records.
Tombstone of Mrs. Orange Bentley, Plains Cemetery, Franklin, New London, Connecticut.

Source Materials

Click on each category below to expand and see the copies of sources used to create the biography above (copyrighted and other restricted items are listed in the summary of sources above but not included below). Click again to close.

History of the Town of Stonington

James York, Jr., b. June 14, 1648. He doubtless came to Stonington, Conn., with his father, when under age, for his name is mentioned in the town records several times before the date 1672, when Savage says, 'He sold his estate in Boston, Mass., where he was engaged in business, and came to Stonington,' for on the Stonington town records, under date of Jan. 15, 1667, '100 acres of land layed out to James York, Jr.' and he was also one of the men who received land grants for service in Indian Wars. He was made a freeman in Connecticut in 1673, and died Oct. 26, 1676, and his widow m. for her second husband Henry Elliot, March 12, 1670

James York, Jr., (No. 3) m. in Stonington, Conn., Jan. 19, 1669, Deborah Bell, daughter of Thomas and Anna Bell.

CHILDREN:

4          DEBORAH BELL, b. Jan. 8, 1670, d. Feb. 21, 1672.
5          JAMES, b. Dec. 17, 1672.
6          WILLIAM, b. July 24, 1674, m. Mary Alley Dec. 18, 1696.
7          7          THOMAS, b. Oct 14, 1676, m. Mary Brown Jan. 9, 1704 (No. 19), of Lynn Brown family.

A Mary York m. Beriah Brooks April 8, 1698, who was probably daughter of this James York, Jr., and wife, Deborah Bell.

The children of Mrs. Deborah Bell York and second husband, Henry Elliot, were:

1          DEBORAH ELLIOT, b. April 11, 1680.
la         ANNA ELLIOT, b. Nov. 28, 1681.
2          HOPESTILL ELLIOT, b. Aug. 18, 1684.
3          MARY ELLIOT, b. May 22, 1687, m. William Bentley (No. 2).
4          DOROTHY ELLIOT, b. April 16, 1688.
5          ELIZABETH ELLIOT, b. Aug. 3, 1690.
6          HENRY ELLIOT, b. April 16, 1693.
7          JOSEPH ELLIOT, b. Oct. 21, 1694.

Source: Wheeler, Richard Anson, History of the Town of Stonington, County of New London, Connecticut, New London, CT: Press of the Day Publishing Co., 1900, p. 696.

Milton (Mass.) Church Records

April 12, 1691. William, Mary, and Hannah Bentlet, Grandchildren to Brother R. Haughton.

Source: Trask, William Blake, "Milton (Mass.) Church Records - 1678-1754," New England Historic and Genealogical Register, vol. 22, Oct 1868, p. 443.

Index to the Records of the First Church of Stonington, Connecticut

BENTLEY
1704 June 5    William and wf Mary and dr Mary bapt.
1704 June 5    Mary dr William bapt.
1707 Nov 9    William had s. William bapt.
1707 Nov 9    William Jr bapt.
1712 July 27    John s William of Lebanon bapt.
1712 July 27   William of Lebanon had s John bapt.

ELLIOT-ELIOT-ELOIT
1687 May 22 Mary dr Henry bapt.
1687 May 22 Henry had ch. Deborah, Anna, Hopestill, Mary bapt

Source: Stonington, CT: Index to the Records of the First Church of Stonington. Manuscript. R. Stanton Avery Special Collections, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, MA. (Online database:AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2003).
(Note: The names Mary and Mercy were sometimes interchangeable at this period of time.)

Stonington, CT: First Congregational Church Records

The same day, William Bently and his wife Mary owned the Covenant, and their daughter Mary baptized.

Source: Stonington, CT: First Congregational Church Records, 1674-1874. (Online Database. AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008), Originally published as: History of the First Congregational Church, Stonington, Conn., 1674-1874 with the Report of the Bi-centennial Proceedings, June 3, 1874. Richard A. Wheeler, T. A. David and Co., Norwich, CT, 1875.

Marriages from First Congregational Church, Lebanon, Connecticut

Groom & Bride Date of Marriage
Stephen Lee & Mercy Bently m. 20 May 1725

Source: Marriages from First Congregational Church, Lebanon, New London Co., CT; Early Connecticut Marriages As Found on Ancient Church Records Prior to 1800, Vol 2, Rev. Frederick W. Bailey, 1896, http://dunhamwilcox.net/ct/lebanon_marr_g.htm

Connecticut Church Record Abstracts

Name:    Mary Elliot
Father's name:    Henery Elliot
Baptism Date:    22 May 1687
Baptism Place:    Stonington, Connecticut, USA
Volume Title:    Volume 111 Stonington

Name:    William Bentley
Father's name:    William Bentley
Baptism Date:    9 Nov 1707
Baptism Place:    Stonington, Connecticut, USA
Volume Title:    Volume 111 Stonington
(Text: William, s. of William, of Lebonon, bp. Nov. 9. 1707)

Spurce: Ancestry.com. Connecticut, Church Record Abstracts, 1630-1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: 2013. Original data: Connecticut. Church Records Index. Connecticut State Library, Hartford, Connecticut.

Early Connecticut Marriages

Name:    John Bentley
Gender:    Male
Spouse's Name:    Mary Roberts
Spouse Gender:    Female
Marriage Date:    12 Jul 1731
Marriage Place:    Lebanon-Goshen, New London
(Text: John Bentley of Lebanon & Mary Roberts of Colchester, July 12, 1731)

Source: Ancestry.com. Early Connecticut Marriages [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Bailey, Frederic W. Early Connecticut Marriages as Found on Ancient Church Records Prior to 1800. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1997.

The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Records Vital Records

                                                                                                     Vol.    Page
LEE
Mercy, w. Stephen, d. Nov. 25, 1755                                        1        167
Stephen, m. Mercy BENTLEY, May 20, 1725                             1        171

Source: Schott, Nancy E. (comp.), The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Records Vital Records, Lebanon, vol. 1 & 2, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1999.

Connecticut, Town Marriage Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection)

Name:    William Bentley
Marriage Date:    21 Apr 1703
Marriage Place:    Stonington, Connecticut, USA
Spouse:    Mary Eliot
(Text from image: William, m. Mary Eliot, Apr. 21, 1703, by Rev. James Noyes)

Source: Ancestry.com. Connecticut, Town Marriage Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection) [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Original data: White, Lorraine Cook, ed. The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records. Vol. 1-55. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1994-2002.

Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions and Newspaper Notices

Name:    Orange Bently
Birth Date:    abt 1714
Death Date:    1 Mar 1797
Age at Death:    83
Cemetery:    Old Franklin Plains Cemetery
Burial Place:    Franklin, Connecticut

Source: Ancestry.com. Connecticut, Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions and Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: The Charles R. Hale Collection. Hale Collection of Connecticut Cemetery Inscriptions. Hartford, Connecticut: Connecticut State Library.

Connecticut, Deaths and Burials Index

Name:    Orange Bentley
Birth Date:    abt 1714
Age at Death:    83
Death Date:    1 Mar 1797
Death Place:    Connecticut
Burial Place:    Franklin, Connecticut
FHL Film Number:    3089

Source: Ancestry.com. Connecticut, Deaths and Burials Index, 1650-1934 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: "Connecticut Deaths and Burials, 1772–1934." Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009, 2010. Index entries derived from digital copies of original and compiled records.

Probate Records of Norwich, Connecticut

Names:
Bentley
Bentley William.
Original Text:
At a Court of probate held Dec. 1756
The court grants Power of administration unto Olive Bentley on Estate et her Dec'd Husband, Inv, approved and recorded 3 May 1757, taken 10 Dec 1766, first Inv totaled & 77.8.3, additions making total £217.8.3.
Israel Holmes, John Finney Jr. Apprs. First inv. Jeremiah Mason, Ebenezer Peck, Benjamin Lothrop Jr. Apprs.
Start Date: 1756
Record Type: Probate Record
Volume: 22

Names:
Bentley
Bentley Wm.
Original Text:
Orings Bentley widow admr. of Estate of wm. late of Norwich Deceased, exhibited her account, approved 4 Apr, 1769
Start Date: 1769
Record Type: Probate Record
Volume: 33

Source: Probate Records of Norwich, Connecticut, Volumes 1–3, (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2003), (Abstracted by Jennie F. Tefft Gallup. "Abstracts of the first probate records of Norwich, Conn., 1740-1770," 3 vols, typescript. Acquired by NEHGS, 1929).

Connecticut Soldiers, French and Indian War, 1755-62

Given Name:    William
Surname:    Bentley
Page #:    137
Regiment:    Third
Regt.Command:    Whiting, Nathan Col.
Company:    Sixth
Co.Command:    Hitchcock, Amos Capt.
Comments:    Muster Roll.

Given Name    John
Surname    Bentley
Page #    218
Regiment    Marsh's
Regt.Command    Marsh, Ebenezer Col.
Company    Nobles'
Co.Command    Nobles, Daniel Capt.
Comments    Service at time of alarm for relief of Ft.Willm. Henery and parts adjacent August 1757.

Source: Guertin, Iris, Rose, comp. Connecticut Soldiers, French and Indian War, 1755-62 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Original data: Connecticut Historical Society. Rolls of Connecticut Men in the French and Indian War, 1755-1762. Vol. I-II. Hartford, CT, USA: Connecticut Historical Society, 1903-1905.

Background Notes:
From http://www.fwhmuseum.com/history.html (retrieved 16 Oct 2016):
August 3-9, 1757: Fort William Henry – The commander-in-chief of the French forces, Louis-Joseph de Montcalm, lays siege to Fort William Henry which Lt. Col. George Monro is finally forced to surrender. The infamous massacre occurs on August 10 which will later be dramatized in James Fenimore Cooper’s book, The Last of the Mohicans. The fort is burned in fires that lasted two days and could be seen from Fort Edward, 16 miles to the south.

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Plains Cemetery, Franklin, New London, Connecticut

Gravestone of Orange Bentley — Orange Bentley
Photo credit:
Sara (#47069894),
Findagrave.com