Our Families Matter - Past and Present: Life Sketch of George Henry Bentz

Son of Andrew George Bentz and Catherine Hershey

World War I - 1918

George was born on 9 January 1871 in York County, Pennsylvania to Andrew George Bentz and Catherine Hershey. By 1885, at the age of 14, the family was living in Saunders County, Nebraska. His father owned a farm and both George and his older brother, Joseph were at home helping with the chores and not attending school at that time.

On 5 Apr 1893 when George was 22, he married Edith Turk, age 18 in Silver Creek, Merrick County, Nebraska. Edith was born Julia Edith Lorn Turk in Illinois in 1875 to Lewis H. Turk and Mary E. Ely. The family moved to Nebraska sometime before 1893. Her father was a veteran in the Civil War.

Following his marriage, George attended Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln; and later he was superintendent of schools at Silver Creek and Salem in Nebraska. By 1900 they had three children; Fern 6, Ivan 4, and Paul 1 years old. They were living in a house in the town of Ogden City, Riley, Kansas. George was attending the Kansas City Medical College, graduating in 1901.

George’s mother, Catherine, and his sister, Carrie, both passed away in April of 1903.

In June 1903, George was kicked by a horse while he was working in the barn. He was unconscious, badly bruised but no broken bones. He did have to have stitches in his face and ear.

1910 census shows him living in Swan Creek, Saline, Nebraska on Gage Street. By this time two more children (Kenneth and Everett) were born having a total of five children. He was working in the medical field.

In 1916 George was a member of the medical detachment of the Nebraska National Guard where he served on the Mexican border. A letter dated 26 February 1917 states: “Dr. G. H. Bentz wishes to announce his return, from eight months hospital service in the Medical Department of the U.S. Army.” Fairfield, Nebraska.

World War I broke out and George volunteered in 1918, serving nineteen months mostly overseas. He was appointed a major in the medical corps. He was shipped out of the New York Port on the ship Missanelli.

1920 George had a general practice in Fairfield City, Clay, Nebraska with two of their sons, Paul, age 20, and Kenneth, age 18, still living at home with no occupation given on the census. By 1930 he was living in Kearney, Nebraska and had a lodger living with them, Elva Roush, who was a teacher in the Public School.

On 3 June 1933, a Saturday afternoon, George died at home at the age of 63 years old. He is buried in the Fairfield Cemetery in Fairfield City, Nebraska. His wife, Edith, passed away in 1963.

From his Obituary:

For thirty-two years Doctor Bentz practiced medicine and surgery. Since 1926 he has lived in Kearney, and for seventeen years previous to that was in Fairfield Nebraska. In his earlier years he practiced in Plymouth and Swanton, Nebraska.

Doctor Bentz was an official member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and steward of First Church in Kearney Nebraska. George was also involved in the Boy Scout program, a member of the Masonic Lodge and the Modern Woodmen of America.

Children:

Ethel Fern (1894-1982) married Joseph Jacob Brown

Ivan Vincent (1896-1938) married Marie Weyenberg

Paul Andrew (1899-1981 married Elizabeth Blew Davis

Kenneth (1901-1950) married Hazel Comfort Louise Ziggafoos

Warren Everett (1908-1915)