The Search for Benjamin Harrison Bentley

I copy my pictures on little SD disks that fit in my digital camera. I know I can put the pictures on my computer or disks and delete them and reuse the SD disks, but I cannot hit the delete button on the SD disks. I have about a dozen of them now. It was how I was able to reconstruct my pictures when my computer crashed last November. Just before the reunion I copied the pictures to my computer and organized them. I have one disk that is the running things that happen throughout the year like birthdays, holidays, etc. Then I have another disk where I am putting cemeteries (like Dr. Can's) and old picture work. Since the pictures are dated, I was able to easily separate them into subjects. One of the first in the year was my trip to Cleveland in January so I was able to put pictures in folders by January 19 Uncle John Vint, January 20 Aunt Hazel, January 21 Otho & Pat Holcomb and January 21 Uncle John's again.

There was a post card picture that I didn't even remember copying on Day Two. I copied pictures at Hazel's on my trips last year and I didn't remember seeing anything new at her home. In fact, I took her pictures on that trip. I wrote to Lisa and Nancy to see if they remembered the picture. They suggested (from the carpet around the picture where I had laid it on the floor) that it might have been at Aunt Ernestene's when we stopped and picked up Candy and Ernestene and had a brownie before we went to Hazel's. I thought I would check with Candy at the reunion and ask her, but she wasn't able to come because of work and Bernie's graduation from High School. I wrote to her when I got home.

She said that the picture, which was one of those post card ones, was sent to her grandfather, Benjamin Harrison Hall, from his namesake uncle Benjamin Harrison Bentley. She went on to say that the lady in the picture was a girlfriend, but not the lady he had married. She thought the wife's name was Lenora, or something like that.

The post card says " Hello Ben, Here is your Name Sake and his Best Girl and See how you like her fine I hope. Be good as ever, Your Ben" It was sent to Mr. Ben H. Hall at Baker, Kentucky.

I went into my database expecting to find this man easily, but he wasn't there. I started with Ernestene's father who had received the card. I hadn't entered them in the family tree yet, so I went back to a sheet I had on that family and started filling in the blanks. According to a sheet that Ernestene had given me Benjamin Harrison Hall's parents were Solomon and Allie Jane Hall. I thought since this was an uncle then Allie Jane must have been the Bentley sister. The sheet also said that Solomon's parents were Matthew Bentley and Servilla Hall. I did have Matthew C. "Mack" Bentley and Servilla Caroline Hall in my work already, but I had it marked that I had not searched for all of their children. I started through my normal checks of census records, etc. and I was coming up blank except for Matthew and Servilla in the 1880 census. I found a Matthew and Diadema in 1910 and 1920, but I didn't know if that were the same Matthew.

I searched for the better part of two days finding bits and pieces on this family.

June 19, 1880 Letcher County Family 407 was

Bentley, Matthew 29, head

Caroline 23, wife

Miranda, 6 daughter

Daniel, 4 son

Noah M. 2 son

Mary F, 3 months, daughter

John, 30, brother

Samuel, 19, brother.

That matched what I had for Matthew and Caroline and the brothers matched for Matthew. Then I went dry. Finally, I found that Mack and Didama Belcher had married.

In 1910 they were in Greenup County.

Bentley, Matthew, 58, head, marriage 2, married 20 years, Farmer

Diadema, 54, wife, marriage 2, had 7 chilodren, 7 living

Anderson B., 21 son

Thomas T, 17 son

Cynthia, 15 daughter

In 1920 they were in Leatherwood, Greenup County, Kentucky.

Bentley, Matthew, head, 54, farming, general farm

Diadame, wife, 66, farm laborer, home farm

Alexander, George, son-in-law, 35, farm laborer, home farm

Rausie E., daughter, 27, farm labore, home farm

Cecle, grandson 9, farm laborer, home farm

Betrese, granddaughter, 6

Ralph, grandson, 4 years 1 month

Alta, granddaughter, 1 year 7 months

Carrie, granddaughter, 0 months

Bentley, John M. cozen, 70, widowed

Now at this point I am thinking that "Rausie" must be a daughter of Servilla and Servilla had died and Matthew remarried. I have also not found Benjamin Harrison. I might have stopped here, but families are usually correct on who they say their aunts and uncles are when the families are close like the relationship between Benjamin Harrison Bentley and Benjamin Harrison Hall. So I went back again.

I tried finding birth and death records for the Benjamins, Matthew, and Servilla. I started reseaching under the name Mack instead of Matthew. I found Mack died of cancer of the stomach in 1923. I struck out on the rest, but I found a census record for Mack Bentley with a wife of "Dame" in Millstone in 1900.

Bentley, Mack, head, Nov 1851, 48, married

Dame, wife, May 1852, 46

Mary E., daughter, May 1879, 21

Sarah J., daughter, Feb 1884, 16

Bitha, daughter, Oct 1885, 14

Anderson B., son, Jun 1890, 9

Rausy E., daughter, Nov 1891, 8

Tom T., son, Jan 1893, 7

Cynthia A., daughter, Nov 1893, 6

I always look to see who the neighbors are when I am doing a census page. Family 223 is

Hall, Servilla, head, Jan 1854, 48, widowed

Ally J., daughter, Apr 1883, 16

Nerve, daughter, Jan 1886, 14

Benjamin H. son Sep 1889, 10

Finally, I have found Benjamin. Now I know that Servilla did not die and that Mack was having children with both Servilla and Diadema for part of his marriage to Servilla. The families are:

Matthew C. "Mack" Bentley & Servilla Carolina Hall

Ally Jane Bentley

Marinda Bentley

Noah Milburn Bentley

Daniel Boone Bentley

Mary F. Bentley

Manerva Bentley

Benjamin Harrison Bentley

Matthew C. "Mack" Bentley & Didema Belcher

Sarah J. Bentley

Tabitha Bentley

Anderson Bunker Bentley

Rose Ellen "Rausy" Bentley

Thomas T. Bentley

Cynthia Ann Bentley.

Millstone School at the Forks between 1959 and 1962

Kris sent an email thanking me for the Happy Birthday.  I meant to include in that story at the end that what he wanted for his birthday was a picture of the school at Millstone there at the Forks.  At the reunion Eddie (DV & Mary Evelyn Bentley's son) told him that there had been one printed in the Mountain Eagle recently.  Kris tracked it down and sent me a copy.  If you can identify folks or if you have any other pictures of the school, please share them.

Kris is in the second row 1st person on the left.  I love the kid in the front row with the light pants.  I would have expected to be able to pick some others out, but I wasn't. 

Kris Edward Bentley Happy Birthday

Kris Edward Bentley was born on July 7, 1950. He is the son of Alma Eva Henrikson and James Martin "Joe" Bentley.

Kris with dad, Joe.

Joe, Kris & Alma

Kris & Shirley Cole, couisn daughter of Wilma Bentley & James Cole

After graduating from high school Kris went to Morehead State University.  He studied Math and the sciences.  He was a student teacher.

Kris went into the Air Force.  He was stationed in Germany and got to travel Europe on his off time.  When he returned to the states he went to San Angelo, Texas.  Later, he was at Ft. Leavenworth.  This was one of the tumbleweeds he encountered when living there.

When the military service was over he returned to Morehead and got his master's degree.  He worked for Hughes and lived in California for several years.  The company went through a number of changes and he moved to Dallas, Texas.  He worked between the Dallas office and their Washington, DC office as a senior scientist.  He left the company and went back to school to get his teaching credentials and began teaching various math classes in Dallas. 

Me and Kris at one of the Bentley reunions, possibly 1997.

At another Bentley reunon, Kris was in deep conversation with Carrie Wolfenbarger, wife of Wes Bentley (son of Othos's sister Laura Belle Bentley and her husband Sherman Bentley).

While at Morehead Kris roomed with Gary Adkins.  Gary married Sherry Bentley.  Sherry is the daughter of Bob and Charlotte Clark Bentley.  Bob is the son of Laura & Sherman Bentley.  This is at another of the Bentley reunions.

And this was Kris at the 2008 Bentley Reunion.

Happy Birthday KRIS!!

Schenck Family Reunion

Margaret Ann Mullins, daughter of J. D. & Cora Bentley Mullins, married David Schenck. Dave is the son of Lowell David and Virginia Gibson Schenck. Roelof Martense Schenck born about 1629 in Amersfoort, Utrecht, Holland. He came to America and settled in Flatlands, Kings County, New York where he died on January 14, 1795. His son, Jan Roelofse Schenck was the first Schenck born in America. He died in New Jersey on January 30, 1753. The next son, John Schenck was also born and died in New Jersey. The next son, William Janse Schenck moved from New Jersey to Warren County, Ohio. His son, David Schenck stayed in Warren County where he was born in 1779 and died January 22, 1827. His son, John David Schenck moved from Warren County a bit further north to Franklin, Ohio in Butler County. His son, Obediah Schenck, had 12 children: Pearlie, Samuel, Edward, Mary, Harriet, William, John David, Josephine, Maude, Claude, Myrtle and Harry. John David Schenck moved to Jefferston Twp., in Montgomery County, Ohio, near Dayton. His son Paul David Schenk married Rachel Louella Loy who was known as Lulu. Paul and Lulu had ten sons: Kenneth, Wendell, Harold, Paul, Lowell David, Kenneth, Richard, Dwain, Ronald and Merle Schenck.

The family is a close one as were the Loys, Sears, and Wombolds. These intermarried families had reunions dating back to at least 1914. The Schencks had many reunions.During WW2 seven of the ten sons of Paul and Lulu were in service. As each son returned home from war the family gathered together and had dinners to welcome the son home. They would gather on weekends thankful that all returned home safely.

As the families grew, Paul and Lulu wanted their grandchildren to know each other. From the family dinners welcoming their sons home, came the 4th of July reunion which is still held today. The sons took on hosting the gatherings when Paul and Lulu were no longer able to do so. At first they were held right on the fourth. Later, they were moved to a weekend either before or after the fourth where they began camping and spending the weekend together.

The family whose ten sons were great athletes, hosted a family baseball game. They have volleyball and play many games together. They eat their meals together. Merle and his wife, Gladys, cook breakfast for all on Saturday and Sunday mornings. They work together to put up tables and chairs. They police the entire area before they leave the gathering on Sunday.

Now, for the fourth year, Margaret and David host the reunion at their home in Arcanum.

On Saturday after lunch, the baseball game and water balloon games, Lowell Schenck gathered the family around. He told stories of growing up with ten brothers and what it was like when he was younger.

Lowell David Schenck

Ronnie Schenck telling the charcoal on the beach story.

Merle Schenck

Others in the family including brothers, wives and cousins stood and told family stories or remembrances of gatherings in the past at Uncle Harold's or other locations.

Rebekah, (David's sister Ellen's daughter), Amy holding her son Logan (Margaret and Dave's daughter), Barbie (Margaret and Dave's daughter) and Margaret listen to the stories being told.Brother Ronnie compiled a book on the military service and family life while the seven brothers served in World War 2. Lowell wrote a book with remembrances and family pictures which he gave a copy to all the brothers or wives and the cousins. Both are great books. A wall showing the ten sons and their children was made by Ronnie for the 2006 reunion and was displayed again this year and updated.

You might think that things would calm down after the games and remembrances, but when it is dark they build fires for roasting hot dogs and marshmellows and eat cowboy beans. Before this meal they do a few fireworks. Click on this link to see a bit of them.

Fireworks

Also remember that these fireworks go on for about thirty minutes.

Lana and I have come over for the fireworks for the past three years and then stayed in my little RV. This year we had tickets to the Dragons baseball team, a Red's farm team, followed by a fireworks display. Lana told me to give those tickets away that we were going to Aunt Margaret for her fireworks.

We went earlier this year since we usually don't arrive until it is getting dark. By coming earlier she got to participate in the games, get closer to her cousins and we both got to listen to the wonderful stories that were told.

The Schencks are a loving, close family who take care of each other and keep close by attending this family weekend of fellowship.

Bentley Cemetery at Neon Junction

When Terry Bentley went to visit his father, Dr. Can Bentley's, grave, I went along.  I had never been there.  Here is what we saw.

Dr. Can is my second cousin twice removed.  He was born on September 2, 1897 and died on May 14, 1985. He was the son of John Quiller "Quiller" Bentley and Ellen Bates.  On his World War I Draft Registration card he listed his occupation as "preparing to study medicine" in Louisa, Kentucky.  He was described as medium height, medium build, blue eyes and dark brown hair.

In the 1920 Census he was listed as a teacher in the public school system.  His sisters, Manerva "Nerva" and Susan were also listed as teaching. 

In the 1930 Census he was listed as a physician.  He was living with his wife, Sarah Haydon "Sallie" Douglas.  Together they had five children:  Doris, June, Robert, Can and Addie.

Dr. Can married Lettie Malinda Bentley.  They had Allen, Carol Ann and Terry Bentley.  They divorced.

Dr. Can died on May 14, 1985 in Henry County, Kentucky. 

The next grave is Dr. Can's sister, Susan A. Bentley

Next to Susan is Laura Bentley.  She is also Dr. Can's sister.  Her stone says:

LAURA BENTLEY

WIFE OF PRESTON BENTLEY

JAN. 10 1892

FEB 5 1971

THERE ARE NO DEAD. WE FALL ASLEEP

TO WAKEN WHERE THEY NEVER WEEP

WE CLOSE OUR EYES FROM PAIN AND SIN

OUR BREATH FLOWS OUT, BUT LIFE EBBS IN.

SHE WAS THE SUNSHINE OF OUR HOME

MOTHER

Her husband, Preston Bentley, lies beside her.  He was the son of Samuel Bentley and Sarah "Sally" Holbrook.  He was the grandchild of Daniel Bentley and Marinda Ramey, and the great grandson of John Queller Bentley and Margaret "Peggy" Hamilton.  His stone has the same verse as Laura's. 



Next to Dr. Can's grave is Ellen Bates Bentley, his mother.  She was the daughter of Henderson "Hen" Bates and Elender Dale. Henderson was the son of John Wallis Bates and Sarah Waltrip.  Henderson was the brother of  Elizabeth Agnes Bates who married Joel Ellis Wright and were my great great grandparents.  Henderson and Eliza Agnes were brother and sister to the Kentucky giant, Martin Van Buren Bates. 

Next to Ellen is John Quiller Bentley, her husband and Dr. Can's father.  They had five children that I have reseached so far:  Dr Can, Laura, Dr. D. V., Minerva and Susan Bentley. 

John Quiller was the son of Benjamin Bentley and Elizabeth H. Reynolds.  He was the grandson of John Queller Bentley and Margaret "Peggy" Hamilton.



There are two other graves at the cemetery.  The first is Timothy G. Hall.

I found Timothy's birth in the Kentucky Birth index.  His mother's name was Edith Rose.  I could not come up with which Hall was his father, nor could I place Edith.  I will have to do some more searching for her. 

The last grave is Eliza Ellen Newsom born in 1921 and died in 1954. 

                           

I couldn't find anything on this one.  It would seem she would be easier, but I struck out.

Violent Family Deaths

After I found the ones in the family who died of old age, I wondered how many of our relatives had died from gunshot wounds or the like.Harriet Adams was killed by her sons Elijah and Samuel Wright. She was the daughter of William and Christina Crace. She was married to Andy Wright, son of Joel Martin and Susannah Wright.


John Isom Adams was blown up by a bomb while attempting to kill a squirrel. I think this story deserves it's own blog. He was the son of Benjamin Adams and Nancy Holbrook.

McClellan Adams was killed by Ran Smallwood when he 20 years old. His was the son of George Adams and Sarah Johnson. He was the grandson of William Payne Johnson and Peggy Bates.

James Bates, age 41, was killed by the Union home guard. There is a lot to do with this story so I will put it in its own blog. He was the brother of the Kentucky giant, Martin Van Buren Bates.

Washington Uriah "Rarr" Bates, age 39, was killed by Richard Vance. He was the son of John Wallis Bates and Bett Hall. He was the grandson of John Wallis Bates & Sarah Waltrip and Gunsmith Billy Hall and Margaret Johnson.

Amanda Bentley, age 59, gunshot wound to the abdomen deemed an accident. She died during the surgery to remove the bullet and repair the damage. She was the daughter of Riley Bentley & Lucinda Profitt.Benjamin F.

 "B. F." Bentley, age 40, killed by a gunshot wound, homicide. He was the son of Thomas Bentley and Clarinda Fleming. Grandson of Big Jeff Fleming and Easter Bentley and Fighting Fred Bentley and Nancy Ann Wright.

Charles Willis Bentley, a dry cleaner, died of a gunshot wound at a friendly card game in a hotel in Pikeville. He was the son of James Gilbert & Mary Melissa Reeves Bentley. He was the grandson of William & Rebecca Ramey Bentley and the great grandson of Benjamin Bentley & Elizabeth Crace.

Lona Mae Bentley age 2, died of a gunshot wound to the head, deemed a suicide. It would have made more sense to me to be ruled an accident, but I do have some information coming to me that says it was actually a homicide. When I get that I will do a story on little Lona. She was the daughter of Sam Bentley and Eliza Jane Wright. She was the granddaughter of Solomon Bentley & Jane Bentley and William Jesse Wright and Maggie Perdue.

Edward "Neddy" Boone was killed by Indians at age 39. He was the brother of Daniel Boone. His story will be a separate blog.Ellender Bryan was killed by Indians at age 72. She was Rebecca Bryan Boone's aunt.William "Billy" Boone, age 47, was killed by Indians in 1780.

Charles A. Brummitt was stabbed and killed by his brother, John a Brummit, during a dispute over who owned or was going to wear a suit of clothes. They were the brothers of Mary Brummitt who was married to William Jesse Wright.

John Bryan, age 55, was a captain in the North Carolina Militia in 1780. He was shot by Colonel Edward Fanning for refusing to swear allegiance to the Crown. He was the uncle of Rebecca Bryan who married Daniel Boone.

Louranza Estep wife of Ira Mullins was 32 when she was killed in the Pound Gap Massacre.




Pridemore Fleming, age 48, was killed in a shootout. He was the sherrif of Dickenson County, Virginia. He was the son of Crippled Billy Fleming and Patsy Branham.

Margaret Greer, wife of Joel Wright, was killed by his nephew at the direction of John Wright over mineral rights for Joel's father's land

.George Hall was a revenue agent who was shot while trying to catch two men running whiskey in Ironton. He was the son of Cyrus Hall.

James Henderson "Hen" Hall, age 39, was shot in the back by Dolph Draughn in the Beaver Creek War. He was the son of Stiff Jim Hall and Nancy Jane Davis and the grandson of Gunsmith Billy Hall and Margaret Johnson.

Joe Hall, age 63, my great grandfather died as the result of a gunshot wound which was called a suicide.

John Lewis "Bad Lewis" Hall, age 77, died of gunshot wounds while resisting arrest for bootlegging. I will do a whole article in the future from the newspaper accounts of what happened. He was the son of Jonathan Hall and Nancy Higgins.

Marion Hall was bushwacked and shot in the back. He was the son of Lee Hall and Louisa Little. He was the grandson of Wash and Cindy Hall and the great grandson of Gunsmith Billy Hall and Margaret Johnson.

Thomas Hall was killed by Cherokee Indians in 1794. He was my 6th great grandfather.

Jim Johnson, age 32, was killed by his brother-in-law with a pistol shot to the heart. His wife was Tiny Johnson. He was the son of Will Johnson and Chat Bentley.Tiny Johnson was killed by her father in a domestic dispute. The story is outlined in a blog published on June 26th.

Willard Johnson was shot by Tivis Cola and Sol Johnson for a fee of $25. Willard himself had killed Bert Hamilton, a deputy, and Hayes Johnson, a store owner. He was the son of Will Johnson and Chat Bentley.

Morgan Martin Killen, age 68, was shot by his son, Alexander. (See blogs written May 1st and May 6th for details.) Morgan was the son of Alf Killen and Lucy Whitaker. Morgan was the husband of Delaney Bentley who was the daughter of John Vint and Annie Potter Bentley.

Thomas Kronis Meade, age 73, died of a gunshot wound. He died in 1876. He was the son of Samuel Meade and Katy Goodbread.Ira Mullins was killed in the Pound Gap Massacre by Marshal "the Red Fox" Taylor when he was 35. Ira was the great grandson of Old Booker Mullins.

John Mullins was killed by Indians in Ft. Griffith, Texas. He was the son of Caleb Mullins and Betsy Caudill.

Reuben Potter was killed by Devil John Wright. He was married to Hulda Wright and was the son of Benjamin Potter and Susannah Hollingsworth.

Drucy Ann Ratliff was killed by her husband, Daniel Hall.Abraham

Walter Smith, age 55, was killed by a handyman who did yard work for him. They lived in Union Township, Montgomery County, Ohio. Abraham was a great grandson of Thomas Smith and Mary Addington. Mary was the sister of Malinda Addington.

Alvin Duvall Tackett, age 48, died of a gunshot wound. He was the son of George Washington & Rebecca Tackett.Henry Vanover was ambushed while he and his wife were in their fields hoeing corn. Clifton Branahm and ahis brother, Tandy, were tried and convicted and sentenced to life in the Kentucky State Penitentiary. Both were released before serving out their sentences and were involved in other bloodshed. His wife was Sarah Bentley, daughter of James Martin Bentley and Sarah Lunsford Tucker. Sarah was the grandchild of Thomas Bentley who was the brother of Daniel Bentley.

Elmer Watkins, age 45, died by a gunshot wound called an accidental death. He story deserves a whole blog entry. He was the son of Caldonia Bentley, the sister of Otho Bentley.

Little Andy Wright was killed by his cousins Elijah and Samuel Wright. He was married to Polly Collier, the daughter of Willaim Dee Collier and Rebecca Meade. His mother was Susuannah Wright, daughter of Joel & Susannah Wright. He was adopted and raised by her brother, William "Uncle Bill" Wright.

Booker Van Buren Wright, age 43, was shot and killed when he went to a house to arrest a suspect on a warrant for public intoxication. The suspect opened fire. Wright returned fire but was shot in the right and left thigh and killed by the suspect. The suspect was arrested and charged with murder, but was found not guilty by reason of self defense. He was the son of Joel Martin & Jane R. Venters. Joel was the brother of William Jesse Wright. There are several other blogs about Joel and Jane's families

.Grant Wright was stabbed and died eight days later from peritonitis. He was the son of Alexander Wright and Hannah Houston. He was the brother of Chigger Jim.James "Chigger Jim" Wright died from a gunshot wound to the face. I have a blog written about this incident but am still checking a few facts before I publish it. He was the son of Samuel Wright and Elizabeth Adams, the grandchild of Joel and Susannah Wright.Joel Wright, husband of Margare Greer, was killed by his nephew at the direction of John Wright over mineral rights of Joel's father's land. Joel's parents were Samuel Wright and Elizabeth Adams. Samuel was given twenty-five cents for the mineral rights.Joel Martin Wright was a deputy sherrif for Letcher county. He was holding his pistol while arresting a man on a warrent. The man's daughter saw the gun on her father. She ran up, grabbed the pistol and shot Joel. He died twenty days after he was shot. He was 36. Both the girl and her father were arrested. I don't know the outcome of the charges against the girl. He was the husband of Mary Killen, daughter of Morgan and Delaney Bentley Killen. He was the son of George Wright and Mary Potter. He was the grandson of Joel Martin and Susannah Wright.John Phillip Wright was killed by Bad Henry Adams. He was the son of Bad John Wright and Mattie Humphries. This will be a separate blog.Margaret Wright was shot by her grandson, William S. Wright, when he was a child. He was either cleaning or playing with the gun when it went off. The bullet went through the ceiling and into his grandmother who was sitting in her rocker sewing. She was the daughter of Joel and Susannah Wright.Samuel "Kinky Haired Sam" Wright, a city policeman for Neon, was involved in a dispute over an electon. He got into a shootout on the street with Dabber Bentley. Both Dabber and Sam were killed. Dabber should be on this list, too, but so far I can't place him in the family tree. Samuel was the son of Joel and Susannah Wright.William "Willie" Wright was ambushed and killed by the Ku Klux Klan. He was the son of William S. Wright and Letty Bates.William "Uncle Bill" Wright was killed by Elijah & Samuel Wright. William was the son of Joel and Susannah Wright.William S. Wright, the grandson of Margaret Wright from above, was killed by Noah and John Reynolds in an ambush after a long series of disputes.There are many other violent deaths in the family. These are the ones I have documented so far in my database.

Old Age

I was working on Bryant Bentley last night. This morning I found his wife's death certificate. It said she died of "old age". Since I am considered "old" by some of my nieces and nephews, and probably by my son and his wife, (I am only 5 to my granddaughter), I got to wondering what the doctors and coroners considered old age. I did a search among my 21,000 folks entered into the family tree so far and came up with five death certificates whose cause of death was listed as old age. They are:

Archelaus Craft who married Elizabeth "Betsy" Adams and is my 5th great grandfather was born on December 25, 1749 and died November 8, 1853 at age 103.

Ephraim Thomas Hammons, a first cousin five times removed, married Drucilla B. Craft. He was born on February 14, 1833 and died September 19, 1916 at 83.

Sarah F. Holcomb who married Robert Bryant Bentley was 86 when she died on December 25, 1943 in Whitesburg.
.

George Washington Hall who was married to Elizabeth Tackett and was Enoch Mahlon Hall's brother died of arterisclerosis due to old age at 95. He died on January 1, 1948.

Susannah, my 3rd great grandmother, who was married to Joel Martin Wright died in April 1860 at age 75. Her death cerificate says old age.

We don't know the date of Susannah's death, but I am guessing she died on Good Friday or Easter Sunday because from this list of deaths it appears that those who reach an "old age" were either born or died on a holdiday. Maybe that's the secret of living to a ripe old age. (And yes, for those of you who don't know me, I am kidding)