Lucy Jane's reminiscences, 2

This is the second document in which Lucy Jane recorded her memories of her ancestors going back to the late 18th century. This one is from 1945.

Written by Lucy Jane Hyder as best I can remember

June 10th, 1945.¹

My maiden name was Lucy J. Bentley, I was born in Big Stone Gap. (Virginia). Married Nelson Hyder in Big Stone Gap, Va. Jan. 23, 1896. My father's name was Squire Benjamin Bentley. Born in Yansey, N.C. My grandmother on my father's side, her maiden name was Mary Davis, Polly for short. Her father's name was Jerry Davis. Her mother's maiden name was Nancy Modcap.² Jerry Davis and wife and 4 married daughters and their family moved to Maravin [?] Falls, Illinois.³ The daughters Betty Simmons and Kate Robinson and Nancy Lackey, Salley [unreadable].⁴ Her brothers William Davis and Pete Davis. They left 2 married daughters in N.C. Mary Bentley and Fannie Bentley. Jerry Davis moved to Illinois in the early '60's. Shortly after the Civil War Mary Bentley's husband died and her and her 6 children moved to Big Stone Gap, Va. 4 of her boys was young men they made their home there as long as they all lived. William Bentley the oldest son married Rachel Odem.⁵ She died in a few years then he married his second cousin Louise Bentley at Whitesburg, Ky. The next oldest son Henry Bentley married Gerusha Elkins. Squire Benjamin married a niece of Gerusha Elkins, Virginia Elizabeth Wells at Big Stone Gap. Thomas Newton Bentley also married a niece of Gerusha, a sister of Virginia Elizabeth, Genett [Jeanette?] Wells. They was the daughters of David Wells and Nancy Elkins Wells. The only daughter of Benjamin and Mary Davis Bentley, Nancy Catherine Bentley, married James Chandler of N.C.⁶ at Big Stone Gap, Va.⁷ My mother Elizabeth Wells Bentley had 3 sisters, Lucy Ann Wells Scott, Genett Wells Bentley, Sommervill Wells, and 4 brothers, Jerry Wells, James Wells, Jonathan Wells, William Wells; 3 half sisters, Rebecca Wells Isom Pendleton, Rachel Wells Huff, and Peggy Wells. My mother's father had brothers 6, Elington, James, Dock, Bricky, Jackson, Janse, and 1 sister, Agnes Cooper. My great grandfather on my mother's side, Joseph Elkins, died suddenly after being caught in a wind storm.

1 This document was written in Lucy Jane's hand.

2 Name unknown. Metcalf perhaps? Available records show her maiden name as Bridgeman.

3 Actuality they settled at Smyrna Hill, near Cave-in-Rock, Hardin Co., Illinois. There is a Moravian Falls in Wilkes County, North Carolina. Lucy Jane evidently confused the two places.

4 I can find no record of a daughter named Sally, Salley or Sarah. DThK

5 Oldham?

6 Marie Hyder Gibson once visited the James Chandlers. They lived up in the mountains and hadn't been to town in 18 years. Their house couldn't be reached by car. [Jane M Koyzis]

7 Though it mentions Mary Bentley's children as being six in number, only five are mentioned in the body of the article. [JMK]