Henry A. Bentley Family 1934, Buffalo, Ks. Bert, Ed, Fred, Earl, Ralph Myrt, Henry, Liza, Fannie E. L. not pictured

Henry A. Bentley, born 18 August, 1867 at Sullivan, Ill, was brought to Wilson Cty. in 1870 by his parents, Joseph Albert and Lucinda (Newman) Bentley. He and his sister Maude J. were raised on their father's farm south of Little Sandy Cemetery. On 11 July 1886, Henry married Eliza Jane Wilbur, daughter of W'm. A. Wilbur and Caroline Hill who had homesteaded about 1870 in Belmont Twp., Woodson Cty. just north of the Middletown corner.

In about 1889 Henry, on a long legged sorrel horse, and his father Joseph in a wagon filled with supplies made the run from the southern Kansas border into Oklahoma Territory in what was called the "Cherokee Strip", but returned to Wilson Cty. soon after. The family farmed till about 1920 when they bought a home and moved into the northwest part of Buffalo. Eliza lived till 26 Nov. 1944 and Henry till 26 August 1951. Both are buried at Little Sandy Cemetery west of Buffalo on the Wilson-Woodson Cty. line.

To this union were born the following children:

(1) Albert, born 31 July 1887 (Wretha Gibson, 31 Oct. 1910) and died on 17 Sept. 1975 at Fredonia. Buried at Fredonia. They had four children. Harvey Emmet, Adda Marie, Clarence Albert and Kenneth Edward.

(2) Edward, born 11 Aug. 1889 (Mary Emma Margraff, 16 July 1922) and died 1 Aug. 1966 at Akron, Ohio. Raised one child, Darrell E.

(3) Elsworth, born 12 March 1891 (Verna Claburn) and died 10 March 1947. No children.

(4) Fred, born 4 Feb. 1893 (Ethel Stockwell, 28 Oct. 1922) and died 19 Feb. 1982 and buried Hoisington, Ks. Raised two children: Eugene D, and Ronald D.

(5) Earl, born 27 March 1895 (Ollie Devault) and died 19 Feb. 1973 in California but buried in Little Sandy Cem. Raised four children: Helen, Leslie, Ella Mae and Harold.

(6) Ralph, born 12 May 1897 (Ruby M. Swinney, 8 Oct. 1917 and Mrs. Elnora Tennant, 1 Oct. 1948) Died Houston, Tx. 3 Nov. 1977 and buried Little Sandy Cemetery. Raised four children: Phyllis Jean, Evelyn Maxine, Bill B. and Donald Ralph.

(7) Myrtle Gladys, born 5 May 1900 (Lon Johnson and Herman Forman) died 4 April 1983 near Los Angeles, Cal. and buried there. No children.