Anecdotes & Stories
Anecdote 1:
In 1759, Samuel Bent was serving under Wolfe at the battle of the Plains of Abraham. When victory was assured, a flag-staff was called for. Young Bent, being a mechanic was detailed to procure one from the tall, straight fir trees which lined the heights, while others dug a hole to set it in. In their haste they forgot to reeve the necessary lanyard before raising the pole. Several tried to climb it and failed, but Samuel was able to climb the pole, carrying the line in his teeth. Because of this accomplishment, he was awarded the honour of raising the flag of victory declaring the defeat of Quebec. His handsaw and sash are still in the hands of Bent descendants.
Anecdote 2:
In the summer of 1675, two brothers were on a hunting expedition to bring game home to their families. Peter Bent accidently shot his brother Joseph. Joseph died of his wounds. My family is descended from Joseph's son Joseph,who was born the year his father died. Peter's family also prospered, and was married into the Longley family, who married into the Height's. My sister married a Height and when the genealogies were checked, it was found that she was descended from Joseph and he was descended from Peter. My father, having a great sense of humour, told Faye that he was bringing up the shot gun to get even.
Anecdote 3:
When I first made the connection back to Samuel Bent, I did a "pedigree chart" and distributed it to all my aunts and uncles. It had my name and address on it. My uncle in San Jose gave a copy to a cousin, who passed it on. One day in February a few years ago I answered the phone to "You don't know me, but I think we are related." Susan (Bent) Russell is my second cousin, but her grandfather went to the States in the early 1900's and we lost contact. She had obtained a copy of the pedigree chart and recognized the connection. She was coming to Nova Scotia and wanted to be reaquainted with the family. The funny part of the story is that her husbands family was very strong in their family history, but try as they might they could find no connection to the famed Charles Marion Russell, who painted indian pictures in the 1800's. Charles Russell's grandmother was a Bent, so Susan's son is the only Russell in the family to be connected to the painter, beacuse his mother is a Bent.
Anecdote 4:
While researching my family connections. I came across an interesting bit of information. My grandmother was a Farnsworth and the Farnsworths are married into the Tarbell family. In 1679 a Nancy Tarbell was hanged in Salem, Massachusetts for witchcraft at the age of 92.
