Person:William Bentman (1)

William Bentman's origins have yet to be established for certain. It is quite likely he was the William Benteman baptised at Shillington on 12th February 1727, son of James Bentman and Mary Dicks. William's first confirmed sighting is on 4th August 1751, when he was married to Elizabeth Hill at Barton in Bedfordshire. The following year they had a son, James, baptised at Barton.

Some time between 1752 and 1756, William and Elizabeth moved to Shillington, where their second child, a daughter named Elizabeth was baptised.

In 1757, William's wife Elizabeth died, being buried at Shillington on 22nd March 1757. They had been married for less than six years. William was therefore left with their two children to look after, who were aged four and one when their mother died.

Four years after Elizabeth's death, William married again. His second wife a widow named was Mary Pakes, and they married at Hexton, which lies between Shillington and Barton.

William and Mary settled at Hexton, where they had three children baptised between 1761 and 1769: John, Sarah and Mary.

William's wife Mary died in 1786, being buried at Hexton on 7th February 1786. After her death, William appears to have returned to neighbouring Barton, where he had lived over thirty years earlier. He only outlived Mary by six months, being buried at Barton on 30th August 1786.

1.   Bedfordshire Family History Society. Shillington Parish Register Transcript. (Bedford).

   ch. 12 Feb 1726/7: Wm s Jas & Mary Benteman {BT gives "Bateman"}

   This seems the most likely baptism, but definitive proof linking it to the William Bentman who married Elizabeth Hill in 1751 has yet to be found.

2. ↑ Bedfordshire Record Office. Transcript of Barton in the Clay Parish Registers. (Bedford).

   Burials:
   30 Aug 1786: Wm Bentyman