Coosa County AlArchives Biographies.....Bentley, John S. ? - January 25 1892
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 17, 2004, 10:58 am

Author: Brant & Fuller (1893)
   JOHN S. BENTLEY, formerly probate judge of Coosa county, was a son of Hiram
and Levisa (Bentley) Bentley, husband and wife being cousins. The Bentley family
came from Elbert county, Ga., to Alabama, settling first in Chambers county.
They lived there for some years and then removed to Coosa county, locating near
Nixburgh. Hiram Bentley and his wife died in Coosa county. John S. Bentley grew
to manhood in this county, and was married November 1, 1850, to Miss Sarah C.
Suttle, daughter of I. W. Suttle, formerly a merchant, but later probate judge
of the county. To this marriage there were born ten children, viz.: Mary L.,
deceased wife of T. J. Pennington; Emma L., deceased wife of Rev. W. T. Stewman;
William H., a farmer, of Coosa county; Rufus A., member of the fire department,
at Birmingham; Archie D., probate judge of Coosa county; Sinclair M.,
bookkeeper, of Montgomery; John S., living at home; Oscee P. S., lawyer, of Good
Water, and Sarah Belle, at home. The mother of these children died in 1875. Mr.
Bentley then married Mrs. E. Phillips, of Opelika; after his marriage he taught
school in Central institute, Elmore county, for several years, then taught in
Hanover beat, Coosa county. He was one of the self-made men of the county, and
took up the study of medicine and also the practice of that profession, being
what was called a cold-water physician. He practiced at Robinson Springs, Elmore
county, for some years. He was a justice of the peace, also tax assessor and tax
collector. He also served as circuit court clerk for three terms. In 1874, he
was elected probate judge of the county, and was re-elected in 1880 and 1886. He
had nearly completed his third term in this office when he was stricken with
paralysis and died January 25, 1892. Judge Bentley was probably the most
influential and highly respected main in Coosa county. As will be seen from this
brief sketch of his career, he held various offices and for a long series of
years. He was very popular, even during radical times, and, though he was a
stanch democrat, he could not be defeated. His son, Archie D. Bentley, succeeded
him in the office of probate judge.



Additional Comments:
from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 722-723

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