Hannah Smith

The following is a copy of an obituary notice, re Hanna Bentley as published in the "Daily Examiner" Charlottetown, on Feby. 12, 1880:-

"Died. At the residence of the daughter Mrs. John Tuplin, Margate, on Friday, the 30th ul to " (This should be 31st, W.E.B.) "Mrs Hanna Bentley, aged 80 years, relect of the late Thomas Bentley, Esq. of the same place. Deceased was the mother of G.W. Bentley, Esq., M.P.P., and was highly respected by a large number of relatives, friends and neighbours. Mrs. Bentley came to the Island in the year 1799, having ben born on the passage from England and her parents settled in Margate when there was not a house between that place and Charlottetown"

(Note:- the distance is about 28 1/2 miles)

"A little memorandum book was kept by Hanna Bentley, Thomas' wife in which she made entries from time to time of family matters including the births of her own children. For a time while was growing up there was, according to the foregoing record no douse between her and Charlottetown. In those days there was not even a colporteur with a bible, let alone book agents selling dictioneries. I think you will prefer to have Hannah's centers just as she wrote them rather than correcting her spelling. Concerning her father (John Smith) she wrote:-

"The year 1824. My father died the 5 of March Satterday 25 minutes after 2 oclock in the morning. My father was 5 munths sick but he never kept his bed he sum times layed down befor the fire and som times he leaned upon the table. Sum times he leaned against a chare upon his knees and he did not no witch way to be easy but i hop he had all his

truble in thes world my father sayed when he dyed he would be happe."

"Of her sister Charoltte, Hannah wrote:-

The year 1827 my sister Charlotte died february 18 in five days sickness in a fever"

Concerning her mother she worte:-

"1838 sunday twentyseventh of May my Mother died she had been a long time that she could not help hir self in aney way she could not git in bead nor out with out help nor pit on hir one Clothes".

On the inside of the book cover she had written:-

be shure to keep all sores clean by washing them with soap and warter".

This antiseptic prescription is what might well have been expected from the "Orderly's daughter.

P.S.

I have some othere documents including a copy of the certificate of character of the Orderly himself (who was afterwards a carpenter) given him in 1780 and in 1789; also a copy of a nicely worded note he sent to the Honourable Colonel Palmer in April 1810 enclosing his certivicates: Also a copy of a Petieion