Midwest Family Research: Bentley Family

Watson Bentley was born on January 1, 1881. He first appeared on the 1900 US Census. The 1900 census indicated that he was living in the Moniteau Township in Howard County, Missouri. Up until 1845 Moniteau consisted of a portion of Cole and Morgan Counties.

Watson was listed as a servant for Howard and Rachel Jordan. Howard and Rachel had moved to Moniteau from Kentucky. Since Watson is not visible on any of the 1790 Missouri census records it may be safe to assume that he also migrated to Missouri from Kentucky.

Watson next appeared on the 1920 Howard County Moniteau Township census. He was married to Allie Mae (Ray) Bentley. County records show that they were married on 12-2-1906. In 1920 the couple had eight children. All of the children including Watson and Allie were listed as Mulattos. The following is a listing of the 1920 family.

Watson Bentley (head) b: 1886
Allie "Olive" Mae Bentley(wife) b: 1894
Archie Bentley(son) b: 1907
Ruth Bentley(daughter) b 1907
Alfred "Isaac" Bentley(son) b 1910
Wallace Bentley(son) b 1913
Roger Bentley(son) b 1914
Helen Bentley(daughter) b: 1916
Nina "Nadine" Bentley (daughter) b: 1917
Lizzie Bentley (daughter) b: 1919)

Watson Bentley's 2nd Generation Off-Springs:

Alfred Isaac Bentley

Alfred was born 28 May 1922 in Roche Port, Missouri, and died 01 Mar 2005 in Cedar Rapids, IA. He married (1) REBECCA WILHITE, daughter of RICHARD WILHITE and BURLIE WILHITE. She was born 10 Oct 1927 in Richmond, MO, Howard County, and died 01 Sep 1982. He married (2) GERTRUDE GREEN 1960 in Denton, Texas.

Isaac was an employee of the city of Cedar Rapids in the Sanitation department. He was also a painter, roofer and carpenter. He enjoyed fishing and hunting.

He was a member of the Holy Temple Church of God in Christ of Cedar Rapids.
Isaac died Tuesday, March 1, 2005, in St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids, IA following a longtime illness. Services were held at the Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids, by Bishop Hurley Bassett Sr. and Mother Bassett, Pastor George Stevens, Supt. Jerald J. Woods Sr. and Elder Robert Oliver. Burial: Oak Hill Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.
Descendants of Isaac Bentley

1 Isaac Bentley 1922 - 2005
.. +Rebecca Wilhite 1927 - 1982
......... 2 Donald Lee Bentley 1945 - 2007
............. +Hazel Mae Harris 1946 - 2008
......... 2 Joann Bentley
............. +Lemay ?
*2nd Wife of Isaac Bentley:
.. +Gertrude Green
......... 2 Gertrude Bentley
............. +? Bernard

Archie Bentley

Archie was born on September 9, 1907 in Howard County, Missouri. He married Odessa H. Stubbs (1914-1987). He died on February 1, 1984 in Cooper County, Boonville, MO. He and his wife are buried in the Boonville Memorial Gardens Cemetery in North Eastern part of Boonville, Missouri. The cemetery is located six blocks east of Fifth Street on Cherry Street.

Nadine Bentley

Nadine was born on August 31, 1919. She died on June 26, 1999 in Springfield, Illinois.

Roger Bentley

Roger was born in 1914. He enlisted in the Army on August 12, 1942 and served during World War II. His occupation at the time of his enlistment was Auto Mechanic.