George N. Bentley

George Bentley

Much of the information for the biography below has been graciously submitted by Sean Bentley a descendant of George Bentley's brother.

George Nelson Bentley Sr. (1813-1880(?)) settled in Livonia Township c. 1835. He looked around the township for some time before finally buying 80 acres on Five Mile Road, a quarter mile west of the Inkster Road in 1843. He paid the sum of $300 for this land. Selecting large sandhill, he built a log house from timbers from the woods there. He originally came from New York state. In 1840, George Sr. married the former Elizabeth Blindberry (b. 1813). This may have been his second marriage. Since one of George Sr.'s sons was born in 1835 in New York.

Family history indicates that a town in Upper Michigan by Lake Huron was named after George Bentley Sr.

The young couple had three sons, John (1850-1922) , Charles (b. 1835, New York), and George Jr. (b. 1838, in Bloomfield) and four daughters.

George Jr. enlisted in company I on August 4, 1862 at Detroit. He was 24. The descriptive roster indicates that he was 5'1" tall with a brown complexion, gray eyes, and brown hair. O. B. Curtis (p. 341) indicates that he was working as farmer in Redford at the time of his enlistment, while the State Adjutant General has him in Livonia.

Although detail of his service are scant, George Bentley Jr. was promoted to Corporal, an indication of good service. According to a letter written by Capt. Gordon, Bentley narrowly missed being wounded at Fitzhugh Crossing. A bullet apparently passed through the seat of his pants.

On July 1, 1863, The 24th Michigan was heavily engaged during the first day's battle at Gettysburg. Before the day was through they would suffer almost 80% casualties. One of the dead was George Bentley. His gravesite is not currently known. When the Union Dead were moved to the National Cemetery, he was not among those identified. He may rest there in an grave marked "UNKNOWN". It is possible that his temporary gravesite was noted and the body exhumed and returned to Michigan, as were many. This possibility cannot currently be confirmed.

The company I descriptive book indicates "Final statement sent September 9, 1863. He was a noble soldier."

George Bentley Sr. also had four daughters, Mary, Suzanne, Charlotte, and Margaret. Charlotte married a man named Kingsley, quite possibly one of the Kingsleys in the 24th. Margaret married a man named Ora (?) Chilson, and there is a good chance that she was related by married to the Chilsons in the 24th.

Descendant:

Sean Bentley, seanbe@MICROSOFT.com