The stories and history of

This was abt 1788-1789.

The chapter on the Town of Veteran (20) notes:  “The first white man who settled in this town was Green Bentley.”  Criddle (8, 20) notes:  “Green Bentley and his group were the first European-American settlers of the area.  In the spring of 1789 Green Bentley erected the first house within the present limits of Ashland, on the banks of the creek that now bears his name, near the village of Wellsburg.”   The first United States Census in 1790 listed Green Bently as head of household in Chemung Twp, Chemung, Co, NY. on Aug 2 with a household consisting of two free white males age 16 and above (Greene and Benjamin), one free white male under 16 (Green, Jr), and three free white females (likely wife Diana and two daughters).

NOTE:  The Town of Veteran, at least partially named after the veteran Greene Bentley, Sr., was formed in 1823 from the Town of Catharine.  The village of Millport (where Greene’s marker is located) is within the Town of Veteran.  The town is in Chemung Co, NY, which is adjacent to Schuyler Co, NY (north), Tompkins Co, NY  (northeast), Tioga Co, NY  (east), Bradford Co, PA (south), Tioga Co, PA (southwest), and Steuben Co., NY (west).  The county lines changed many times and thus various villages and towns were at times in different counties.  Greene Bentley, Sr. and his family at various times lived in these counties---whether by them moving or the county lines changing.  Bentley Creek runs from PA into NY.  George Cargill Bentley, the son of Green, Jr., was born in Bentley Creek, Bradford Co, PA and migrated to South Dansville, Steuben Co, NY.

The newspaper article on the Greene, Sr. marker continued from when he settled the Town of Veteran and first purchased land there:

 “Here he stayed until 1798, when he sold out and bought three hundred acres of land, on a part of which Millport now stands.  He built a log house upon it.”   That house was directly opposite the house built later by his son, Green Bentley, Jr. (17)   

Greene, Sr. died in about 1823 in probably Millport, Town of Veteran, NY.

"History of The Genesee Country (Western New York)" edited by Lockwood R. Doty, Vol II, 1925

page 1443:  "In 1788 Green Bentley settled near the site of Wellsburg and two years later the Wells family, the Traceys, Isaac and Henry Baldwin and Ebenezer Green made settlement."  "Other early settlers were...Elder Roswell Goff"

    NOTE:  Rev Goff the feared leader of the Wellsburg Baptist Church of which Green, Sr an early member

page 1444:  "One of the first settlers of the town of Veteran was Green Bentley in 1798.  He had previously settled near Wellsburg, but purchased land in Baldwin in the year mentioned. Grants of land were given to Preserved Cooley, John Pazley, John Carpenter, Henry Wisner and to John Nicholson.  The town of Veteran was formed from the town of Catherine April 16, 1823, and the unusual name given to honor the military record of Green Bentley, who had served in both the French and Indian and Revolutionary wars.
XXXCENSUS
Q2---1800 Census lists Green, Jr as head of household but it is marked off as 3 people living there---male and female over age 45 and female age 16-25.  But Green and Olive married 1798 and were only 22 in 1800.  So this an error and age 16-25 male should have been checked off for head and the female 16-25 was Olive?  And the male and female over 45 was Green Sr and Diana?    1800 Census doesn't list both Sr and Jr separately as head of households as in 1810 Census.  Just one listing.   Was this Sr and Diana in 1800 with age 16-25 female being Phebe?  if so, where were Jr and Olive? Perhaps in a household with a relative?

Q2---1800 Census lists Green, Jr as head of household but it is marked off as 3 people living there---male and female over age 45 and female age 16-25

I agree that either -- whoever transcribed the Census made an error in the age ranges OR it has to refer to Greene Sr and Dinah. However, I have never found any evidence of a Phebe. I stumbled on some Tax records that showed Greene Sr in PA with some of the Bennetts. And the only NARA Military records for Greene Sr., concern his witnessing a letter sent by some Bennetts to their old Militia officer about their back pay.

    --likely refer Sr + Diana + ? w/ Jr missing and living elsewhere

Seems unlikely that Green Sr and Diana would be living with Jr in 1800 and head of nearby household in 1810 and then back with Jr again in 1820?  At age 60, 70, 80 maybe?  If it should read Sr then Diana is with him but who the age 16-26 female?  Can't be Sarah.  Phebe exists?    And then it means Jr and Olive not head of a household but living in area with a relative?  Maybe her parents?  Possible at age 22.   And by 1810 had their own household.  

Green, Jr is noted  in  the1820 Census as head of household and Sr is not listed as a head---at abt age 80 he was likely living  with his son Green, Jr. and that Census reports a male over age 45 in that household.

So in 1800 and 1820 Green Jr listed as a head but not Green sr; in 1810 they are both listed living nearby.  Likely the over age 45 living in 1820 with Jr is Sr.  So then Sr and Jr accounted for in 1810 and1820.  But what of 1800 when Jr listed and not Sr but ages match Sr and not Jr?

1800  ---Green Bentley, Jr .(now abt age 22) listed as head of household in  Newtown, Tioga Co., NY with one male age 45 and older, one female 16-26, and one female age 45 and older.  But---Green Jr. and wife Olive (m 1798) were abt age 22. Who were the male and females listed age 45 and older and why was Green Jr listed on Census but his age range not checked off?  And who the female age 16-26?  If not Olive then perhaps the Phebe who may be daughter of Sr. and b abt

    So was 1800 Census an error and listed Jr. after Green and it should have been Sr. and Sr and Diana lived there with daughter Phebe?  

Greene does not appear in  the1820 Census as head of household---at abt age 80 he was likely living  with his son Green, Jr. and that Census reports a male over age 45 in that household.

 Greene, Sr. apparently died and was buried on this Bentley farm land in abt 1821/1823.
To be updated
MILITARY HISTORY OF GREENE BENTLEY

According to the newspaper clipping for the dedication of his state marker at the cemetery in Millport, “Green Bently emigrated from Rhode Island to Warwick in Orange County in 1775, just before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War.  There he joined the patriots and served as an officer during that long struggle, and was ever after known as Sergeant Bently.  It is said that he also served in the French War.”  (17)

According to the “Rhode Island War Servicemen,”posted at ancestry.com, Greene Bentley served in the Old French & Indian War in the campaign of 1762, as noted in the 1925  “”A List of Rhode Island Soldiers and Sailors in the Old French and Indian War” by Howard M. Chaplin.  

E.T. Bentley claimed of his grandfather:  “At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War in 1775 he enlisted and served seven years.”  (15)  If this is accurate, it means Greene served from about 1775 to about the end of the war in 1783.  Greene initially served as a private in Capt. Richard Baly’s company of the 4th Regiment of the Orange County Militia (Florida,NY and Warwick, NY) districts.

Stephen Beers Bennett (16) questioned in his 1899 book whether Greene was an officer, Criddle wrote in reference to this:  “It was said that Green Bentley was a major in the Revolutionary Army, but it does not appear that he rose above the rank of private.  Often ex-soldiers would naturally secure prominent places in local militias and have applied to them the term of their rank.  Later it would be assumed that they were of the same rank during the war, an assumption that the soldiers were not quick to correct, and after their deaths the error would be perpetuated.  No record has been found relating to Green Bentley’s affiliation or rank within a local militia.”

Cowan:  “Whatever active military service Greene or his unit may have seen is unreported. There were battles fought in the area of Orange county (at Tappen on December 07, 1776 and September 28, 1778. Also at Tarrytown August 30, 1779 and July 15, 1781).  He (evidently) never made a claim for a pension or bounty land but this does not mean he was not entitled to these benefits.

DAR—Viola Tripp Weber: Green M. Bentley (1741-1823) served in Hawthorn's regiment; also Captain Bailey's company, Colonel Wisner's regiment, New York militia.

http://home.frognet.net/~bobt/Sources%20of%20Additonal%20Info/Trippdar/Tripdar11.htm

The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution Volume 103

[p.170] Mrs. Viola Tripp Weber.

To be updated

Cowan—Dinah  

Greene married Dinah Straight in abt 1760.  The Daughters of the American Revolution, Lineage Book (7) notes she married in 1759; Stewart notes she married in 1760 in East Greenwich, CT;  Cowan estimates she married 1761-1763.  Ancestry tree lists as married Aug 1, 1734 in Newton, Tioga, NY

   Dinah was born in abt 1742 in possibly Greenwich, RI (6).  Stewart notes she was possibly born in 1737 , per Titus (11,25); Criddle in 1745.  Ancestry tree lists as Mar 23, 1748 in East Greewich, Kent, RI and died Mar 4, 1820 Newton, Tioga, NY

She was the daughter of Thomas Straight/Strait (b abt 1707/1710 in E. Greenwich, RI; d Aug 16, 1749 in W. Greenwich, RI), and Herodias Gardiner/Gardner (b abt  1710/1712 in poss. Kingstown, RI. (6, 7)

Ancestry tree has Thomas Straight (b Apr 5, 1713, Greenwiich, Kent, RI; d. Aug 16, 1749, W. Greenwich, Kent, RI) and Herodias Gardiner (b 1710 in E Greenwich, Kent, RI; d. Aug ,1749  West Greenwich)  And married Mar 3, 1731, E Greenwich, Kent, RI

Ancestry Tree has Herodias father as Joseph Gardiner (1671-1726) and mother Hannah Briggs (1685-1727)---see tree for going back more for Thomas and Herodias.

In 1775 she was listed as a member of the Old School Baptist Church, Warwick, NY.  The female over age 45 listed with Greene in the 1810 Census must be her, so she died sometime after that.
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THE CHILDREN OF GREENE BENTLEY, SR. and DINAH STRAIGHT BENTLEY

The exact number of children (7 to 9), their names, when and where they were born is in question as there doesn’t seem to be a lot of information, and often what is available is in conflict.  Further, Criddle’s info on his website doesn’t always match that in his history of Greene and Diana.   A.S. Bennett lists 7 children, but Cowan has 8, Criddle lists 9.  Bennett does not include Eunice.  Criddle is the only to include Phebe.

Their children: Sheba Eunice, Diana, Hannah, Elizabeth, Sarah, Benjamin , Rhoda , Green, Jr ----and perhaps Phebe.

1. SHEBA EUNICE BENTLEY BENNETT was born Jan 19, 1762 according to a Thaddeus Bennett handwritten recording in his family bible (6).  Criddle lists her as b Jan 2, 1765 in prob. East Greenwich, RI. (8) Cowan notes her birth as abt 1761 in prob. Richmond, RI.  Ancestry Famiy Trees lists as born Jan 19, 1762 in Litchfield, Ct and d Dec 31, 1799 Chemung

Cowan noted: Eunice Bentley Bennett died two days after giving birth to their son, Jehial Bennett. Her death date is listed in the family bible as December 31, 1799.  Stewart lists Jehiel as born Dec 19, 1799 in Chemung Twp, Chemung Co (8, 11) so perhaps she died on Dec 21, 1799 in Chemung Co.

Criddle also lists her as Sheba for her first name, but Cowan lists her as Eunice.  Sheba is likely the shortened version of Bathsheba, the name of her grandmother Bentley (wife of William #3).

Thaddeus is apparently the son of the Ephraim Bennett who migrated from Rhode Island to Orange Co, NY to the Wyoming Valley, PA, to the Chemung Co, NY area with the Greene Bentley, Sr. family.  We assume then that Thaddeus and Sheba were members of these family migrations as they were growing up.  The brother of Thaddeus (Ephraim) married the sister of Eunice (Hannah).  

Another note listed with Cowan:“According to Thaddeus' handwritten record in his family bible, he was born on May 9, 1760, in Warwick, Rhode Island. Ancestry Family Trees lists the same.

His tombstone lists his birth date as February 28, 1764. “ (So was he born in 1760 or 1764? The tombstone notes that he served in the Revolutionary War.  He was also, perhaps, a Baptist preacher. (6)

Criddle notes from “Jehiel Bennett: His Forebears and Descendants” that “Thaddeus Bennett died Jan 8, 1834 and was buried in the Stockdale Cemetery, just outside of Porstmouth, Scioto, Ohio.  His will, recorded in Sept 1834 indicates that he was a man of some wealth at the time of his death.”

Ancestry Family Trees lists his death thee sam in Harrisonville, Scioto, Ohio

Although Thaddeus married a Bentley, he had  some problems with Sheba;s family according to the Wellsburg Baptist Church:

“Jeneary the 5 1799 and heard a Complaint aginst Brother James Bentley and Green Bentley By Brother Thaddeus Bennit in their refusing him his Right to the Skin of a dear which they had Kild to geather and when Consid[er]ed By the Church there judgement was that the Skin ot to Be Eaqually divided.”  (6, 17)

Eunice and Thaddeus had 9 children born 1782-1799. (6)

According to the Jehiel Bennett book (8), in 1817 the widowed Thaddeus and his family traveled from New York state by covered wagons and rafts and arrived in Scioto, OH in 1818. He married Rachel Mead and they had several children. Cowan notes her as Elizabeth Meade and that they had 5 children (giving Thaddeus a total of 14).  Cowan also notes Elizabeth died May 7, 1826, and that Thaddeus married his 3d wife Rachel Chaney Aug 17,1828 in Scioto, Ohio.  
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2.  DIANA BENTLEY was born abt 1763 in Richmond, RI. (6)  Criddle lists her as “Dianna,”  b abt 1786, Northumberland Co, PA.  Cowan:  

3.  HANNAH HUMILITY BENTLEY BENNETT was born Jan 2, 1765 in prob. East Greenwich, Kent Co, RI.  (8) She married Ephraim Bennett, Jr (#3) on Feb 7, 1781 in Goshen, Orange Co, NY.  (7, 8, 10) She was barely 16 yrs old when she married and was not yet 17 when she bore her first of thirteen children.

In 1820 they lived in the Town of Catherine, Tioga Co. NY near her parents Green and Olive Bentley.

Hannah died Mar 1, 1836 in Willardsburg, Tioga Co, PA.;  and was buried in the town cemetery, Montour Falls, Schuyler Co., NY with her husband. (6) Hannah was visiting her brother Benjamin Bentley in Tioga Co. PA  when she died.  (6, 16)

His grave marker at the town cemetery in Montour Falls Cemetery reads: (8)

            A Revolutionary Soldier
            Born 1762 in Rhode Island
           Died Oct 26, 1843 in Town of Dix, NY
            Age 86 yrs, 5 mos, 26 days

The Funeral Book Records, Havana, NY (presently Montour Falls), indicates that he was moved from an old burial ground that was transferred to another site, probably in 1860, as were at least three of his children (6):

http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyschuyl/FunBook1.html

“Ephraim BENNITT [BENNETT], lot 59-1-, age 81y-5m-26d, d. 26 Oct 1843, 
   moved from old burial ground.  [A Soldier of the Revolution] 
   [his wife was Hannah BENTLEY, 1765 – 1839.”   Note that the records show he was 81 when he died and the transcription of the tombstone states he was 86.  The transcription is likely wrong as it also states he was born in 1762 so he would have been age 81 when he died.

Ephraim (#3) was the third consecutive male of that name, we think.  Ephraim Bennett (#1) was born in 1705 in Fairfield, CT and died in 1788 in Warwick, Orange Co, NY.  He married Hannah Benedict (b abt 1708 in Fairfield Co, CT) May 29, 1730 in Ridgefield, CT.  The documentation on the birth of Ephraim #2 to Ephraim #1 and Hannah Benedict Bennett is sketchy, but one researcher theorizes that might be because the British burned the courthouse in Danbury, CT in 1777 and that is likely where he was born.  Ephraim #2 was perhaps born Apr 30, 1732 and died Oct 20, 1813 in Montour Falls, NY.  Ephraim #2 married, according to many researchers including Criddle, Mary Stafford.  Cowan firmly states that he married Susannah Lobdell, which does seem a better fit.

Whatever, Ephraim #2 is apparently the father of Ephraim #3.  And Ephraim #2 was also the father of Thaddeus Bennett who married Eunice (Sheba) Bentley, the sister of Hannah Bentley and daughter of Greene Bentley, Sr. That is, two Bennett brothers married two Bentley sisters.  Hannah and Ephriam #3 accompanied their families as they migrated together from Rhode Island to New York.  

And to make the story more intriguing, it appears that Hannah Benedict Bennett, the grandmother of Ephraim Bennett #3, who married Hannah Bentley Bennett (who is the daughter of Greene Bentley, Sr, who is the ggg gg grandfather of Robert H. Glover) may be a relative of Shelly Florence Glover (wife of Robert H. Glover, daughter of Sally Benedict Florence and granddaughter of Walter F. Benedict (1910-2004)).  Walter Benedict, in fact, helped Elwyn Benedict research “Genealogy of the Benedicts in America.”  That genealogy begins with the first Benedict to migrate to America in 1638: Thomas (b 1617) who was the great grandfather of Hannah Benedict Bennett.  To date, a missing link still hasn’t been solved which would tie Walter Benedict to Thomas Benedict #1.  If so, what kind of relative does that make Robert H. Glover and Shelly Florence Glover?

Hannah and Ephraim had 13 children.  None was named Ephraim #4, but one was named Greene Bentley Bennett for her father, and another Thomas Strait Bennett for her mother.  The first child, Samuel, was born in 1781 in Goshen.  The other dozen were born from 1783-1807, probably in Chemung Co.  According to the History of Schuyer County, NY (abt 1885), Town of Dix:  Col. Green Bennett was superintendent of the Chemung canal, and for many years was prominent in the affairs of Chemung county. http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyschuyl/dixhist.htm

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4.  ELIZABETH BENTLEY was b abt 1767 and Cowan notes:  “Everybody has her on their list but nobody seems to know anything about her.  Perhaps she died young.”  Criddle lists her as b abt 1780 in Warwick, Orange Co., NY in the Green Bentley history, but on his website he lists Mary Elizabeth b ab 1780 in Warwick.

5.  SARAH BENTLEY CORYELL, according to descendant Burr N. Coryell, was b abt 1770 and d 1818. (6, 7) She was prob b in Warwick, NY.

Before abt 1790, Sarah married Daniel Coryell (7, 11) who, according to the descendant, was b abt 1770, and died Dec 23,1811 in Montour Falls, NY. (6, 7)  He was the son of Michael Coryell and Rebecca McCarty (7)

Sarah and Daniel had 9 children b 1792-1808 in Chemung Co,NY, including Green Bentley Coryell named for Sarah’s father.  (8) Their son Daniel, Jr was b Feb 5,1811 and d Jul 27, 1864 in Marietta, Ga.  He was killed in the Civil War according to Burr N. Coryell and buried at the Marietta National Cemetery. (6, 7)

6.  BENJAMIN BENTLEY was b Sep 24, 1771; and died Sep 7, 1854 in Tioga Co., PA (7, 8).  Some list his birth as 1772 but Kent, RI Vital Records show 1771.  According to his son Elisha he was born in Litchfield Co., CT  (8) and was the first of Greene’s two children to be born there.   He was buried at the Evergreen Cemetery, Tioga Township, Tioga Co., PA. (6, 11, 17))

http://www.rootsweb.com/~srgp/cemt/evergren.htm

transcription:  Bentley, Benjamine, died 1854, age 82

He was referred to as Major Benjamin Bentley by a descendant (6)  An article on the Tice site states : “In 1810 he was commissioned by Governor Snyder a major to serve in a regiment commanded by Colonel Ambrose Millard, and received notice during the war of 1812 to hold himself in readiness for marching orders; but the war closed without requiring his services.” (6, 17)

Benjamin married Mary Keeney Feb 11, 1791 in Wellsburg, Chemung Co., NY (7, 11)  She was b abt 1772 (7); and died Sep 14, 1815 in Keeneysville, Tioga CO., PA.  (7, 10)  She was buried at the same cemetery as her husband (7, 11)  Her parents were Thomas Keeney and Mercy Lamb. (7)  Benjamin and Mary had 8 children b 1792-1815, including Bathsheba Bentley (named for Benjamin’s grandmother Bentley) and Greene Bentley (named for Benjamin’s father). (7, 8)

Benjamin married Jane Otterson Apr 19, 1816 in Springfield Twp, Bradford Co, PA (7, 10, 11)  She was b Nov 28, 1781 in Windham, VT; died Jan 18, 1866 in Tioga Co., PA; and was buried at the same cemetery as Benjamin (7, 11, 17)  She was the daughter of Joseph Osterson. (7)  Cowan:  She was an aunt of Franklin J. Otterson, long connected with the New York Tribune as associate editor.

Benjamin and Jane had three children b 1817-1821 (7, 8), including Elisha Tucker Bentley, who has contributed several memories to Bentley history, not all of them being accurate.  Elisha married Almira Edsel Mitchelll (7, 11), who it is claimed (19) by Elisha was the sister of Hon. John I. Mitchell, ex-United States Senator.