Silas Bent, appointed Postmaster of Brooke Court House in 1802, came west in 1789 scouting for General Rufus Putnam's "Ohio Company", an association made up of revolutionary war soldiers who had what might be termed the "western itch".
Silas' father held one share of this company and had sent his oldest son ahead to establish a home for the rest of the family in Ohio. They settled in Marietta, Ohio, and in 1790 moved sixteen miles downstream and helped in the establishing of Belpre Ohio (Known at one as Bent's Post Office).
Young Silas drifted up north to Wheeling, Virginia, and began studying law. Finding no profit in this profession he continued north to Charlestown,* Virginia, opened a store and married a MISS MARTHA KERR.
Their first son was born November 11, 1799, and named Charles. Other children followed and in time there were eleven- seven sons and four daughters.
He received his appointment as Postmaster in Charlestown from his father's oldest neighbor and brother officer, General Rufus Putnam. He was no more successful with his store or his term as postmaster then he had been with the law profession. In 1803 he again applied for a job to Rufus Putnman, who now held the position of Surveyor General of the United States. Putnam placed him in the surveyor's office in Marietta, Ohio. Apparently he was successful as a surveyor and was elevated to the rank of deputy. He was also appointed Associate Judge of the Washington County Court of Common Pleas in Ohio, so his law profession was finally put to good use.
In July of 1806, he was appointed deputy surveyor in charge of the Louisiana Territory and left the Ohio Valley for St Louis Missouri, arriving there in September of 1806.
Charles, the first son born in Wellsburg continued west and became a famous scout as well as the builder of Bent's Fort in Colorado, which was one of the most important forts in the opening the vast southwest territory.
Now is Wellsburg, WV
