1887 Wichita city directory: “Bentley, Gaither, stone mason, bds 312 s Exposition w s.”
1892 Wichita city directory as “Bentley Gaither, r 309 s Topeka” and as “Bentley W G, blacksmith, 126 s Main, r 308 s Topeka. The “Gaither” is probably “W. G.”’s son.

1895 application for a pension indicated William was hard of hearing, weak eyesight. He had to stand to catch his breath from a heart/lung problem.

26 Feb 1907 in Declaration for pension indicates he moved to Wichita, Kansas in 1878

Compiled from Civil War Record #681592, Highland Co. Federal Census, Mercer Co. Ohio Census 1880, Sedgewick Kansas Census 1900, Cemetery Records, Newspaper, Birth Certificate, Death Certificate.

Helen Woodruff, Jan 3, 1984

Civil War H 27 Ohio Infantry

1880 Census
1885 Kansas Census (Harvey>Sedgwick>12): All were born in Ohio and all came to Kansas from Ohio. Wm Bentley 46 MW Black Smith, Emline Bentley 41 F W, Gaither Bentley 20 M W Single laborer, Alferd Bentley 18 M W Laborer, Edward Bentley 16 M W, Milton Bentley 12 M , Harry Bentley 11 M W, E. B. Bentley 9 F @, Georgeana Bentley 6 F W, C A Bently 4 M W, D. A. Bently 1 F W

BENTLEY, WILLIAM GAITHER, born 27-Dec-1836 in Leesburg, Highland County, Ohio. He was a Blacksmith by trade, Enlisted in the 27th Reg't of the Ohio Infantry on August 13, 1861 at Greenfield, Ohio. He was described as 24 years old. 6 feet 1 1/2 inches tall. Light complexions brown hair and grey eyes. His Military papers, # 681-592 indicates he was hospitalized on several occasions for different illnesses, He re-enlisted at Prospect, Tenn. on the 25-Dec-1863. He married MARY EMELINE SMITH, daughter of WILLIAM SMITH on 26-Jan-1864 In Leesburg, Highland County, Ohio. He was discharged 11-July-1865 at Louisville, Kentucky. Affidavits, when he applied for pension, from several of his Army companions. stated-, " He was a strong man until the tedious March with General Sherman from Atlanta Georgia to Savannah and on to Raleigh, Carolina. The veins in his legs burst and his legs swelled until they were twice or three times their size, Sometimes, some of us had to carry him." He applied for a pension In Sedgewick County, Kansas on 19-Dec-1888 and evidently received $12 a month. The Federal Census show he and his Family living in Samantha, Fairfield Township, Highland County In 1870. In 1880 they were in Dublin Township, Mercer County, Ohio. Sometime after this they moved to Kansas and started farming at Baynesville (Rainesville), located In Ohio Township, Sedgewick County, Kansas (specifically, 7 miles north east of Clearwater or 12 miles south west of Wichita). Due to crop failures, they moved into Wichita several years later. WILLIAM started a Blacksmith and Horse Shoeing Shop on West Douglas Street in Wichita,where later the Broadview Hotel stood for many years. On January 8, 1908 he fell from his buggy on South Water Street, at 10:30 in the morning. He died the same day of a stroke or paralysis. He was buried in Highland Cemetary in Section 4-Lot 124-Grave 12.