Big Fish

A few years ago, to my surprise, I verified the apocryphal information that a town in Michigan was named for one of my relatives -- the brother of my great-great grandfather.

[Update]The critical thing I forgot to mention when first posting this was that before I found this article (by writing to the Bay County Historical Society) I had been at a dead end with my family history: I didn't know the name of George Nelson Bentley's father! And here I had not only his father's name but his brothers' as well. So at that point (thanks also to the LDS Family Search) the whole of my ancestry opened up, all the way back to Shakespeare's time. And that's when the genealogy bug really bit me hard.




History of Bay County, MI, by Augustus H. Gansser, 1905

Oscar F. Bentley, who was the second pioneer settler of Gibson township, Bay County, Michigan, resides in the town of Bentley, which was named in his honor. He was born in Monroe County, New York, in 1833, a son of Thomas and Sarah (James) Bentley.
Oscar Bentley. Looks to me like he's wearing his Union Army dress coat.

His father, Thomas Bentley, was born in New York State and lived there many years. In 1847, accompanied by his wife and children, he moved to Michigan and located near Flint, where he purchased a tract of 80 acres, now known [1905] as the Roat farm, the second best farm in Genesee County. Additions were made to this property from time to time and the members of the family became large property holders. Twelve children were born to Thomas Bentley and his wife, Sarah James, and of these our subject is the 11th in order of birth and the sole survivor at the present time. The mother died on the old homestead at the age of 68 years. Thomas Bentley formed a second marital union and with his wife spent his declining years on the [Livonia, MI] farm of his son, [George] Nelson. He died in his 71st year.

Oscar F. Bentley's educational training began in the public schools of New York State, and was completed in the schools situated in vicinity of Flint, Michigan. He remained on the home farm in Flint township, where his father and four brothers had cleared farms of dense forest and placed them in a tillable state, until his marriage in 1854. He then became a pioneer settler in Saginaw County, where he farmed until 1859. In that year he took up government land in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, and there maintained his homestead for 12 years, at the end of which time he moved to Northern Kansas and lived two years.

While a resident Minnesota at the time of the Civil War, he enlisted in the Union Army, but the outbreak of the Sioux Indians kept his regiment in the West. He served three years as a member of the Second Regiment, Minnesota Volunteer Cavalry. At the time of the New Ulm massacre, he with his neighbors moved to a place of safety to live until the depredations ceased.

Refugees flee New Ulm toward Mankato after sustained attacks by Dakota Sioux Indians

Upon leaving Kansas, he returned to Genesee County, Michigan, and in April, 1887, made his last pioneer stand at Bentley, Gibson township, Bay County, where he has since resided. When Mr. Bentley first came here, he erected a large sawmill, which burned four years later. He rebuilt it at once and two years later the second mill burned. He again rebuilt this mill, which is now owned and operated by his son Frank. He has three farms, consisting of 320 acres, and is one of the substantial men of his section.

Michigan Sawmill "shantyboys"

On February 8, 1854, Mr. Bentley was married to Matilda Anderson, and they have spent 51 years in happy companionship, together braving the struggles of pioneering in different sections of the United States. [After her death he married again.]

Oscar F. Bentley has always been an unswerving supporter of Republican principles, and takes an earnest interest in his party's success. He is a man of pleasing personality, and stands high in regard to his fellow-citizens, among whom he has lived so many years.





Thanks to:
bay-journal.com

hundorp.homestead.com

Michigan Historical Museum