Immigrant: Leonard Bentz

Leonard Bentz

Here we have a strong example of a cold case, with little opportunity to connect the immigrant to any existing Bentz lines.

Leonard arrived 30 Sep 1732 in Philadelphia, aboard the Dragon. As he's listed among the German immigrants, he most likely hailed from the Palatinate, like other Betnz's. But no specific placename is specified.

Unfortunately, we don't know much else. The only other evidence we have for a man called by this name in (possibly?) 18th century America is an un-dated church record:

Northampton County, Pennsylvania Church Records, 1774-1840
Surname: Leonhardt Bens
Description: Father
Event: Birth
Church: Records of Salem Lutheran and Reformed Congregations, Mooretownship, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, 1774-1840

Moore Twp is about 50 miles north of Philadelphia, a place where we don't find a population of Bens, Bentz, Pentz or Pence families until the 1820s. We also don't see any men named Leonard Bentz in any Pennsylvania records until well into the 19th century.

Until further records surface, immigrant Leonard seems to have disappeared shortly after his Philadelphia arrival. There could be three common reasons for this:

1. He died (mortality was high in those days) before being entered into any records.
2. Leonard went by a different name after his arrival. Perhaps his first or middle name. The Bentz's were well-known for this.
3. Early records documenting Leonard were destroyed, or misplaced, or have yet to be made available.

If anyone has information that supersedes the above conclusion, please let me know.