Samuel Dent

Other Events and Attributes:

• HIST: Place name: St. Johns https://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_franklin.html Description: A small village or settlement once located somewhere on St. Johns Creek. According to Kiel, when a post office was established there on August 30, 1833, it was on the upper part of the creek, in what is now the northeast part of Lyon Township. The post office was discontinued on July 29, 1840, and the place has so entirely disappeared that its exact location is uncertain. The earlier St. Johns Settlement, from which the village was doubtless descended, was probably nearer the mouth of the creek, a short distance west of the present Washington. It seems always to have been a scattered country community, and never became a place of any importance. Its insignificance probably accounts for the apparent mistake made on May 25, 1804, by the companies of Lewis and Clark in transferring the name to the village of La Charrette across the river in Warren County. The mistake is not made by Clark himself, or by Lewis, both of whom knew it as La Charrette or Charrette's village; but in the four other journals that are preserved, kept by subordinate members of the party, the place is called St. Johns. The four sergeants Floyd (Thwaites' ed., VII. 5), Whitehouse (Thwaites' ed., VII. 25), Gass (1847 ed., p. 15), and Ordway (Quaife's ed., p. 81) record the events of May 25 in almost identical words: After telling how they spent the night of May 23 encamped near Tavern Creek (q.v.) on the south side of the river, then occupied the whole day of May 24 in a difficult struggle with the rapid known as the Devil's Race-Ground, winning only ten miles during the day, and again encamping on the south side, they started out on the morning of Friday, May 25, and after passing the mouth of "a creek called Wood River" (i.e., on the north side) called St. Johns. This is the last settlement of whites on this River." The editors Coues, Thwaites, and Quaife accept these entries of the worthy sergeants as evidence that the Warren County village of La Charrette had previously borne the name of St. Johns, although they note that no other records survive of the use of the name on the north side of the river, whereas it was indubitably applied to a creek, an island, a village, and a township on the southern side. It may be observed that the almost identical wording of the four journals suggests that three of the entries were copied from the fourth, as we know was often the case among the Lewis and Clark diarists; hence we really have only a single witness to the name St. Johns for La Charrette, as against that of the two leaders Clark and Lewis. It is at least possible that these men, who had just passed close to the mouth of St. Johns Creek and perhaps also the St. Johns settlement on the south side, and near the St. Johns Islands (q.v.) as they crossed over, merely transferred the name to La Charette by pure inadvertence. Closely tied up with the question of whether the village of St. Johns was on the south or the north side of the river is that of the location of what must have been its predecessor, the Spanish "Fort San Juan del Misuri." Our information about the Spanish fort comes from Houck, who bases it apparently on a document from the Spanish archives which he unfortunately fails to quote in full. "Of this fort one Antonio Gautier, lieutenant of the militia, and who in 1796 was an inhabitant of St. Charles, had command. What manner of fort this San Juan del Misuri was, we do not know, nor whether the garrison was a squad of Spanish soldiers or composed of local militia; but most likely this fort was a small log-house built to protect the first settlers against the Indians" (Houck, HIST. MISSOURI, II, 91). In his SPANISH REGIME IN MISSOURI, Houck gives a little more information about the officer who was in command of the fort: he gives us the roster of St. Louis militia companies in 1780, and in the list appears (p. 184) the name "Antonio Gotie, twenty-six years old, born in Canada, rower." To this Houck adds a footnote (p. 190): "Antoine Gauthier married Elizabeth Becquet, widow of St. Joseph Chancelier. He moved to St. Charles, where he was an officer in the militia and in command of the Fort San Juan del Misuri above St. Charles, presumably where the village of Charette afterwards stood." Another document reproduced by Houck (p. 30) is a commission, dated July 9, 1793, to Don Antonio Gautier as Lieutenant in the militia at San Carlos del Misouri, granted by Baron de Carondelet." As for the location of his "Fort San Juan del Misuri" which is obviously not exactly given in the documents before him, Houck accepts La Charrette on the north side of the river. His only ground for doing so is the fact that Gass names the settlement "St. Johns" in his journal, although he notes with surprise that "All rememberance of Fort San Juan del Misuri in 1804 appears to have faded from the recollection of the people there" (HIST. MISSOURI II, 91). It would indeed have been strange if a fort in full operation in 1796 were already completely forgotton in 1804, and on the face of the facts we have it seems far more likely that the fort was south of the river, where it has left so large a crop of descendants. One other possibility may be suggested. Houck gives in his Spanish Regime in Missouri an account, taken from the Spanish archives, of a double fort erected by the Spanish at the mouth of the Missouri River on March 10, 1769: "the royal Spanish fort, Don Carlos el Senor Principe de Asturias, and of the blockhouse Don Carlos Tercero el Rey, both of which are located at the mouth of the Misuri--the first on the south bank, and the latter on the north bank." (p. 49). Might not the later "Fort San Juan del Misuri" have been a similar double fort or pair of blockhouses, one south of the Missouri at the mouth of the "Riviere St. Jean," and the other on the north side, somewhere near La Charrette? This would account for all the facts we have, and vindicate the sergeants from the imputation of error. A definitive solution of the whole problem must await the fuller publication of material from the Spanish archives. In any event, all the St. John names, on both sides of the river, must have been derived from the Fort. The name San Juan was doubtless chosen by the Spaniards in the same spirit as inspired the choice of San Carlos and San Fernando (q.v.): i.e., directly in honor of well known saints of the church, indirectly in honor of royal personages who also bore those names. Thus San Juan would be primarily named for the Apostle, secondarily for one of the many Johns in the royal lines of Spain or Portugal. The most likely candidate for such honor at this time was Don Juan of Austria (1547-1578), the famous Spanish general and victor at Lepanto, illegitimate son of the emperor Charles V. (L&C, & Pike, ed. Coues; L&C, & EWT, ed Thwaites; Gass's JOURNAL, 1847 ed.; Ordway's JOURNAL, ed. Quaife; Houck's HIST. MISSOURI & SPANISH REGIME; all with pp. as cited above; HIST. FRANKLIN, 217; Kiel's BIOG. DIR., 210; Miss Johnson: George Klenke) Source: Harrison, Eugenia L. "Place Names Of Four River Counties In Eastern Missouri." M.A. thesis., University of Missouri-Columbia, 1943.
• MILF: Y
• Residence: By 1787, Franklin Co., VA
• Residence: 1795, Madison Co., KY
• Census: 1810, Madison Co., KY
• PURC: 1818, Franklin Co., MO
• Census: 1820, St. John’s Twp., Franklin Co., MO
• Census: 1830, St. John’s Twp., Franklin Co., MO
• PURC: 1 Oct 1835, Franklin Co., MO

Notes:

Following info from Leon Wilde's Genealogical Research Website:

In 1777, in Charles Co., VA, Samuel was on county-wide militia list (listing able-bodied men 16-50 years) as private in Henry Clarkson’s Company of militia, 12th Bttn, published in Clements & Wright “Maryland Militia of the Revolutionary War.”
1778 - Charles Co. MD. Samuel Dent not in 1778 constables' lists, and not in Co. oath of fidelity lists of men 18 and up.
Virginia courthouse records show Samuel was in Henry and Franklin Co. Virginia from about 1782. He probably moved there in 1786-87.
1781-82 - Samuel Dent on 18 Aug 1781 to receive 18s each from the western shore treasurer "of the money appropriated for the present Campaign for rations."
1787 - By this time Samuel had moved his family from Charles Co. MD to the Snow Creek area of Franklin Co. VA.. Bought 150 acres of land.
1791 - Married Martha Harris, possibly in Henry Co. VA
1795 - Moved to Madison Co. KY
Samuel sold his 150 acres on Reedy Creek (NC) in 1795 to John Dent (possible brother), and by 1796, both Samuel and his father-in-law Henry Harris, were living in Madison Co., Ky. and were listed on the annual tax list.
1818 - Went to Franklin Co., MO and received a land grant in 1818.
Samuel is listed in the 1810 census for Madison Co., Ky., but in 1817 once again sold land, this time 118 acres on Drowning Creek in Madison Co., KY. A year later Samuel was granted land, on Aug. 26, 1818, in Franklin Co., MO. (SE Qtr. of Sec 5, Twp. 43, Range 1 W, and the NE Qtr. of Sec 6, same Twp. and Range.) Krakow area.
Settled and owned property at what is now Krakow, MO. Purchased more land in 1831 and 1835.
———
Early land entries – Franklin Co. MO
Source: Goodspeed's Franklin County History, 1888, Goodspeed Publishing Co
Transcribed by: Barb Z. © 2009
August 26, 1818-  Samuel Dent, southeast quarter of Section 5, Township 43, Range 1 west, and the northeast quarter of Section 6, same township and  range; 
———-
Deed made 6th day of August, 1827, between Samuel Dent and his wife Patsy and Baley Dent for the sum of $1

The western half of the north east quarter of section six in township forty three or range one west.

Patsy signed with her mark.

Entered and recorded 6 August, 1827, Hurt, J.P. and Owens, Clerk

Deeded land is northwest of Krakow.


Deed made 6th day of August, 1827, between Samuel Dent and his wife Patsy and Ephriam Strickland for the sum of $250

The eastern half of the north east quarter of section six in township forty three of range one west.

Patsy signed with her mark.

Entered and recorded 6 August, 1827, Armstrong Hurt, J.P. and Wm. G. Owens, Clerk in Book A, page 383 ff.

Deeded land is northwest of Krakow.}


This info from a book named PIONEER TIMES/July 1966 Vol. 10., NO 3
THE FAMILY OF SAMUEL DENT 1755-1834
Bonds and Administrations of Franklin Co., MO. 1836 - 1847 list Patsy Dent, Dec'd. Administrator of her estate was Robert Beatty, son-in-law, and husband of daughter, Lavinia. Securities were Thomas McCalister/ McAlister and Masters Campbell. This document was dated 10 Feb. 1842 and recorded 3 March 1842. Patsy Dent died intestate in Franklin Co., MO. Robert Beatty, son-in-law, was the administrator of her estate in records dated 10 Feb. 1842 (book A p. 230). Her personal property was sold 25 Feb. 1842. Some purchasers included: F. Regle, M. Closemore, Wm. Neidermire, James Parks, John Williams, John Barrett/Bassett, G. Stumper, D. Johnson, Wm. Quesenberry, C. Dimler, R. Beatty, F. Dearking/Dearling, Wm. Holtmire, H. Sickendick, Lewis Cox, Samuel Cahill, Richard Clark, C. Lesker, John River, E. B. Stricklen/Strickland, F. G. Mosley, H. Kahmann, J. T. Gregory, Thomas G. Childers, H. Otty, H. Longumback, J. T. Gregory, F. Beckmann, G. Lay, and a couple of others.

PIONEER TIMES, July 1966 Vol. 10., NO 3
THE FAMILY OF SAMUEL DENT 1755-1834
Samuel Dent, according to census records, was born circa 1755, although his birthplace and his family ties have not been determined. Many Dent families settled originally in Maryland during the late 1600s and early 1700s. Some of these Dents are said to have emigrated from Yorkshire, England. Records in the Maryland Archives list a Revolutionary War service record of one Samuel Dent, of Capt. Clarkson's Company in the Charles Co., MD militia. Many of the Maryland Dents moved westward into neighboring Virginia. Courthouse records list a Samuel Dent in Henry and Franklin (formed 1786 from portions of Henry and Bedford) Counties, from about 1782, as the name appeared on a petition of inhabitants requesting that the county be divided and again on a land record in 1787. Oaths of Allegiance were recorded for Peter Dent and John Dent in 1777 in Bedford Co., Va. Samuel Dent married MARTHA (PATSY) HARRIS, daughter of Revolutionary War Soldier, HENRY HARRIS and ANNIE BIRD/BYRD of that same area, although the Harrises had lived in pre-revolutionary war days in Orange Co. and possibly in Albermarle Co. Patsy Harris Dent was born 23 May 1770. Samuel Dent sold his 150 acres on reedy Creek in 1795 to John Dent, and by 1796, both Samuel Dent and Henry Harris were living in Madison Co., KY., and were listed on the annual tax list. In 1817, Samuel and Patsy Dent decided to head west and once again sold land, this time, 188 acres on Drowning Creek in Madison Co., KY. (Book M, page 212) A year later, the Dents were over in Franklin Co., MO. Many of the other settlers of Franklin Co., MO were familiar names from KY. About twelve years later, in 1830, Henry Harris, Samuel's father-in-law, being old and infirm, divided and deeded all his Madison Co., KY property to his children and grandchildren. Samuel Dent died in 1834 in Franklin Co., MO. The inventory of his estate was witnessed by John Goode, William Truesdell and C. B. Hinton. Alexander Chambers was executor of the will. The inventory contained notes on H. Fackler, A. Chambers, Samuel Beatty, Dyson Johnson, William Parks, John Harris, Prior Brauly and L. D. Walls. Securities of the estate were William Truesdell and Sion Pritchett.
(Note: Anthony S. Garrett died in 1855 in Monroe Co., MO. Bailey Dent was a witness. Garrett (1850 census) lived with his grandson, John Truesdell. Perhaps the William Truesdell, mentioned above, was related to him).

See http://dkwilde.com/Genealogy/Dent/genmain/dent/john1/john2/thos3/saml4_chrono.html for more information about Samuel Dent.

Place name: https://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_franklin.html
Krakow
Description:
A town located on the northern border of Union Township. It is the successor of Henrietta, which was only a short distance to the north, on the southern border of St. Johns Township. Henrietta was named by Peter Haeverle, the only postmaster, for his wife. The post office was established July 15, 1867, and discontinued November 8, 1869. Its place was taken by Krakow, where a post office was established August 11, 1870. The office was discontinued in 1867 or thereabouts to the star mail route between Union and Washington. Krakow, which had many Polish settlers, was named for Krakow, chief city of Galicia, Poland, formerly a province of Austria-Hungary. Krakow is the correct Polish spelling of the city, which usually appears as Krakau in German and Cracow in English. Both Krakow and Henrietta were and still often called St. Gertrude, from St. Gertrude Catholic Church (q.v.) and Cemetery in the same neighborhood. (Postal Guide; COUNTY ATLAS, 1878, 13; HIST. FRANKLIN 342; Kiel's BIOG. DIR., 203-5; Miss Johnson: Charles Cole; Miss Agnes Neider; Rev. R.B. Schuler; E.O. Griese)
Source:
Harrison, Eugenia L. "Place Names Of Four River Counties In Eastern Missouri." M.A. thesis., University of Missouri-Columbia, 1943.

Birth:
Date 1760 calculated from census. GENI information gives birth year as 1765.

Residence:
Moved from Chas Co. MD to Snow Creek area of VA

Census:
Head of household, with family

PURC:
southeast quarter of Section 5, Township 43, Range 1 west, and the northeast quarter of Section 6, same township and  range

Census:
Head of household

Census:
Head of household, with family and 12 slaves

PURC:
Twp. 43N, R1W

Died:
Will in file. Franklin Co., MO

Buried:
Valentine Miller Cemetery or nearby that area

Samuel married Martha “Patsy” Harris about 1791 in Henry Or Franklin Co., VA. Martha (daughter of Henry Harris and Annie Byrd (Bird)) was born on 3 May 1770 in Orange Co., VA; died on 10 Feb 1842 in Franklin Co., MO; was buried in Franklin Co., MO. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Winnie Ann Dent was born between 1792-1795 in Franklin Co., VA; died after 1832 in Franklin Co., Boone Twp., MO; was buried in Franklin Co., MO.
2. Bailey Dent was born on 5 Dec 1794 in Franklin Co., VA; died after 1870 in Randolph Co., MO.
3. Olive (Olly) Dent was born about 1800-1802 in KY; died after 1850 in Franklin Co., Boone Twp., MO.
4. Josiah Dent was born on 4 Feb 1800 in Madison Co., KY; died on 9 Nov 1875 in Hickory Co., MO; was buried in Cross Timbers, Hickory Co. MO.
5. Henry Dent was born in 1801/02 in Madison Co., KY; died before 1860 in St. Clair, Franklin Co., MO.
6. Lavina Dent was born in 1804 in Madison Co., KY; died in 1873 in Livingston Co., MO; was buried in Mooresville, Livingston Co., MO.
7. Malinda Dent was born on 6 Apr 1814 in Madison Co., KY; died on 13 Nov 1897 in Franklin Co., MO.

Notes:

Died:
Near today’s Dentsville, Md.

Thomas married Catherine Manning about 1744 in Pt Tobacco W Hd, Charles Co., MD. Catherine (daughter of John Manning and Mary Wade) was born about 1721 in Port Tobacco W Hd, Charles Co., MD; died about 1790 in Newport W Hd, Charles Co., MD. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Died:
Trinity Parish

John married Catherine Turner about 1703 in Charles Co., MD?. Catherine was born about 1682 in St. Mary's Co, Or Charles Co MD; died after 16 Jul 1740 in Charles Co., MD. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

“Although I have commonly seen Catherine, wife of John DENT listed as a
TURNER, I think that may be in error. Do you know of any evidence for
her being a TURNER? I have never seen anyone give a source for her being
a TURNER. Harry Wright Newman's, *Charles County Gentry* only lists her
as Catherine. My guess is that someone took the 1733 inventory of John
DENT where George DENT and Edward TURNER signed as next of kin, and
assumed that John DENT's wife Katherine was a TURNER.
Fredric Z. Saunders [SMTP:fzsaund@ix dot netcom dot com]
===
John Dent 17.243 CH £95.11.2 Jun 8 1733 Jun 12 1733
Appraisers: John Burch, John Chunn.
Creditors: Benjamin Edwards, John Haw.
Next of kin: George Dent, Edward Turner.
Administratrix: Catherine Dent.”

Died:
Trinity Parish

John married Mary Wade about 1709 in Charles Co., MD. Mary (daughter of Richard Wade and Anne Jones) was born in 1687 in Charles Co., MD; died after 1744 in Charles Co., MD. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Immigration: Abt 1662-63

Notes:

Born in Gisborough, Yorkshire, he was referred to as Captain and as a Gentleman. He died in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

By 1662 John was in St.George's Hd St Mary's County, Maryland and by 1666 in Charles County, Maryland. He had a plantation called Cool Springs, a manor named Westbury on the Wicomico, and the manor Ginsboro on the Potomac. This last seems to add circumstantial evidence linking him to the Yorkshire and Cambridge Dents. By 1672 John was at Chaptico Hd St. Mary's County, Maryland.

“Perhaps no family of Southern Maryland is better known than the Dents. In the formative days of the Province it produced some of the most prominent and outstanding colonial subjects of Lord Baltimore and the Crown. The early members were conspicuous for their public services.
On May 26, 1662-63 Thomas Dent, born circa 1630 in Gisborough, Yorkshire appeared at the land office in St. Mary’s City and proved rights to land. “Came Thomas Dent of St. Mary’s County, Gentleman and proved his rights to 600 acres it being due him for transporting 12 persons (including John Dent) into the Province to inhabit.” On March26, 1673 he again entered his rights for John Dent, four others and himself for land due him. Therefore the Surveyor General issued a warrant “to lay out for Thomas Dent 300 acres return 30, September next.”
It is noted here that he twice proved headrights for a John Dent. It seems reasonable to believe that both were for one and the same man. Settlers returning to England for a temporary period were not infrequent. At least one of these John Dents was certainly the Captain John Dent who later appeared as an important personage in St. Mary’s County.
It has been claimed that Thomas and John were brothers. No facts have been found to establish that relationship. The two led separate lives in the province and were not connected in business nor were there any matrimonial alliances between the two families. John was undoubtedly the son of Thomas’ brother William. He was too old to be the son of Peter Dent of Cambridge or of the even younger brother George. Peter was the name of the sons of both Thomas and John thereby giving much credence that both settlers were descended from the second and third Peter Dent of Gisborough.
Further, a memorial plaque to the Reverend Hatch Dent which is installed in the Dent Chapel at Charlotte Hall Military Academy reads as follows: “Reverend Hatch Dent, son of Hatch and grandson of Captain John Dent of Yorkshire, England, and one of the early settlers of Maryland was born May 1757 and died December 30,1799. Hatch was an honored officer in the army of the Revolution of 1776 and an eminent teacher and Minister of the Church, ordained by Bishop Seabury in 1785.”, a memorial plaque to the Reverend Hatch Dent which is installed in the Dent Chapel at Charlotte Hall Military Academy reads as follows: “Reverend Hatch Dent, son of Hatch and grandson of Captain John Dent of Yorkshire, England, and one of the early settlers of Maryland was born May 1757 and died December 30,1799. Hatch was an honored officer in the army of the Revolution of 1776 and an eminent teacher and Minister of the Church, ordained by Bishop Seabury in 1785.”

“Captain John Dent, Gentleman born 1645/1651, died 1712, possibly settled in Maryland as early as 1658 but probably not before 1662. He was claimed as a headright by his (uncle?) Thomas in 1663.
John returned to England and came back to Maryland in 1773 where his relative Thomas claimed headrights for him a second time for additional land. There are definite indications that John married in England and left a wife and children there. His first wife is reputed to be Mary Schercliffe, born 1647, daughter of John Schercliffe and Anne Spinke. John and Mary’s children were Peter and Abigail. Captain John Dent had a warrant for a tract named “Promise” which was surveyed by Richard Edelen on September 26, 1673, and was located adjacent to “Baker’s Rest” and the lands of Edward Swann and Richard Marshall.
An exact quotation from the Land Office liber 18 folio 193. “Cecilius, Absolute Lord and Proprietor of the Province of Maryland and Avalon, Lord Baron of Baltimore etc.-To all persons to whom these presents shall come - greetings in our Lord God Everlasting. Know you that we for and in consideration that John Dent of Charles County in our said Province of Maryland hath due unto him 140 acres of land within our said Province, 40 acres due unto him for remainder of a warrant for 200 acres to him formerly granted and 100 acres by assignment from Giles Wilson and Nicholas Clemens for their time of service performed within our said Province as appeared upon record 1674. Witness: Son Charles Calvert Esquire, our Captain General and chief Governour of the Province.
A careful reading will show that Wilson and Clemens had been indentured servants of John Dent and had assigned their land rights to him. John is believed to have been a widower at the time of his second entry into Maryland. Two of his children by his first wife, Peter and Abigail are named in his will. Peter was still living outside the Province in England when John died. Abigail is believed to have come to Maryland in 1677 when John Harris proved rights for 50 acres of land for the transportation of Abigail Dent. Before 1678 John married Mary Hatch, daughter of John Hatch who was an employee of the William Cloberry Company and associate, employee or servant of William Claiborne who managed the company’s interests on Kent Island at the site of the very first English settlement in Maryland.
John Dent, like his father-in-law, and unlike his relative Thomas Dent seems to have been a liberal. He escaped impeachment during the Fendall Rebellion despite indications that he was involved in it. During Council investigations on October 12, 1682, Thomas Perry of St. Mary’s County made several references to him. Perry stated, “if he (Dent) declared all that he knew against Fendall and which he (Dent) heard Fendall say at his (Dent’s) father-in-law’s (Hatch’s) funeral he could have handed him.” He was also a witness against Fendall in 1682.
In the trial of Captain Fendall, a onetime Governor of the Province, John Dent was summoned by the Prosecution. On the witness stand he related how quite recently he had met with Captain Fendall “who after mutual salutations passed between them asked him how he did and told him he was glad to see him.” Then according to Dent the following conversation ensued:
Fendall: What news?
Dent: I live in the forest, where we have little or no news stirring.
Fendall: What? Do you hear no news of the Indians and the Papists joining with the Senaca Indians? Have you not heard of a track of two Indians lately seen in the snow? Do you not hear what my Lord has done?
Dent: No, What is it?
Captain Fendall then recounted how he had been forced “to flye his house” for fear that Calvert might arrest him. In order to prevent the conspiracy between the Catholics and the Indians, Fendall said he thought it would be a good idea to seize the Proprietor and all his officials. At the end of their talk together, Dent said that he had told Fendall that his remarks were “plain rebellion and so we parted.” William Fendall heard Dent make this last remark and asked why? Since he was Justice of the Peace he had not at once notified the Proprietor of these treasonable words. As a matter of fact, continued Fendall, Dent himself had told him of the alleged plot, “and how Dent has inverted the scene and to save him self throws it upon me.” Fendall was later found guilty and fined 40,000 pounds of tobacco.
John Dent became one of the leading planters in Maryland and held many offices of trust under the Lord Proprietor. In 1670 he and James Walker were appointed by the court to appraise the estate of Walter Beane. On November 9, 1673 he patented “Promise (see above). In 1674 he patented another 60 acres in Chaptico Hundred in St. Mary’s County that became his dwelling plantation named “Barnaby.” Before his death he had accumulated by purchase or inheritance an estate in excess of 3000 acres.
On August 13, 1678 John Dent and his wife appointed Richard Edelin their attorney to convey the right and title of “Promise” to Richard Ashman of Charles County. John was a commissioner and Justice of the Peace for St. Mary’s County in 1679, 1680, 1684 and 1685. He served in the war against the Indians at Susquehanna Fort in 1681. In November 1683 he was commissioned to purchase land for, and to lay out towns for the advancement of trade in St. Mary’s County. In 1689 he was commissioned to raise a troop of horses from Chaptico Hundred and was made a Captain at a session of the General Assembly. In
1689 he signed a petition to Their Majesties William and Mary and identified himself as “a dutiful and loyal Protestant subject.” In 1690 John Harrison of Charles County named John Dent executor of his will and principal heir. The will on page 56, Md. calendar of wills reads as follows:
John Dent of St. Mary’s County executor and residuary legatee of the estate of John Harrison of Charles County, dated 5 December 1690, probated 30 May 1705, real and personable property including “Harrisons Adventure” and, 215 acres “Providence.” In event of sale of latter not being confirmed to Edward Greenhalge it is devised to Mr. Dent as also all land in Correctoman, Virginia 3.483 (acres ?). Dent in the administration of this estate showed that Harrison removed to Virginia and had no personal estate in Maryland.
In 1691 he was appointed a member of the King’s Council by King William. In 1692 John Dent became one of the first vestrymen of the newly organized of King and Queen Parish incorporated by William and Mary from the parish land bordering the eastern bank of the Wicomico River in Chaptico Hundred. In 1693 he was referred to as Captain of the Proprietary Forces and was designated to regulate military affairs in Chaptico Hundred in 1694. He was Justice of the Quorum and vestryman of King and Queen Parish in 1694.
On November 24, 1698 the vestry of All Faiths Church ordered the Parish to purchase 50 acres of land from Captain John Dent for 25 pounds. This land “near a fountain of healing waters” is the site of the Charlotte Hall Military Academy. John Dent had six children by Mary Hatch. His will dated September 25,1711 was admitted to probate in St. Mary’s County on May 5, 1712 as follows:
To son John and heirs 200 acres “Cumberson”; 60 acres “Barnaby”; 300 acres “Reading”; 100 acres “Evans Addition”; house and lot at Newporttowne; 215 acres “Providence”; 200 acres “Pearly Progress”; 250 acres “Harrison’s Adventure” and all land given testator by will of John Harrison excepting 50 acres “Haphazard” (total 1325).
To son George and heirs 50 acres ’Haphazard” and 324 acres “Greenstone Point”
To daughter Mary and heirs “Ashman’s Freehold”
To daughter Lydia and heirs 100 acres “St. Anne’s”
To daughter Anna and heirs “St. Stevens” and 200 acres “Coldman” and 100 acre“Evan’s Reserve”
To daughter Abigail (by his English wife) and heirs 136 acres “Loves Adventure”
To daughter Christina and heirs 331 acres “Coldwells”; 25 acres bought out of “Trentforke”; 200 acres of
“Horserange”. Should said daughter die without issue that land is to revert to the heirs of the testator.
In the event son Peter by his English wife coming in to the Province to settle he is to have a portion of lands devised to son John, also part of “Horserange” and half of “Freestone Point” To wife -personality and joint executrix with son John.
An inventory of John’s personal estate was taken on May 5, 1712 with George Dent and Samuel Turner signing as nearest of kin. His widow and son John rendered an account to the Court on April 5, 1713 when all children were declared of age. Mary Hatch Dent died intestate during 1726 at an advanced age. The inventory of her personal estate was taken June 2, 1726 with George Dent and Samuel Turner signing as kinsmen.”

Died:
Cool Springs, Chaptico Hundred

John married Mary Hatch about 1664 in Charles Co., MD?. Mary (daughter of John Hatch and Alice Dent (?)) was born in 1647 in St. Mary's Co., MD; died on 2 Jun 1726 in Charles Co., MD. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

[Will of] Mary Dent 11.356 CH £21.9.1 Jun 2 1726 Jun 22 1726

Appraisers: John Burch, John Estep.
Next of kin: George Dent, Sammuel Turner.
Administrators John Dent
===
Mary Dent 8.174 A CH £21.9.1 £10.13.11 Mar 6 1726
Received from: Thomas Cooksey.
Administrator: John Dent.
===
Dent, John, St. Mary's County, 25th Sept., 1711; 5th May, 1712.
To son John and hrs., 200 A., "Cumberson," 60 A., "Barnaby" 300 A., "Reading,"' 100 A.., "Evan's Addition.," house and lott at Newportowne, and 215 A.," Providence,'' 200 A, "Pearly Progress.," 250 A., "'Harrison's. Adventure,"' and all land given testator by will of John Harrison., excepting 50 A., "Haphazard."
to son George and hrs,., 50 A., "Haphazard," 324 A., "Freestone Point."
to dau. Mary and hrs "Ashman's Freehold."
to dau. Lydia and hrs 100 A., "St. Anne."
to dau. Anna and hrs., "St. Stephen" and 200 A, "Coldman," and 100 A., "Evan's Reserve."
to dau. Abigail and hrs., 136 A., "Love's Adventure.''
to dau. Christian and hrs., 381 A., "Coldwell's," 25 A. bought out of Trentforke, 200 A., " Horserange. "
Should sd. dau. die without issue., land to revert to hrs. of testator,
In event of son Peter coming into the promise to settle he is to have portion, of lands, devised to son John, also part of "'Horserange" afsd. and 1/2 "Freestone Point" afsd.
To wife personalty, and joint ex. with son John afsd.
Test: Samuel Williamson, James Keech, Henry Davis. 13.442.
===
John Dent 33B.14 I SM £269.10.7 May 5 1712
Appraisers: Samuell Williamson, James Keech.
Creditors: John Britte.
Next of kin: George Dent, Sarah Turner [sic: Samuel Turner].
===
Capt. John Dent 34.111 A.SM £273.0.7 #2332 Apr 15 1713
Received from: Samuell Swann.
Payments to: Col. William Aisguith, Thomas Dent, William Danill, Mr. Kenelm Chisldine, Joseph Edwards.
Mentions: no children of age.
Executors: Mrs. Mary Dent, Mr. John Dent
===
Charles County Land Records, liber H. page 3, 01 Jun 1678;
Indenture from John Dent, Gent, and Mary his wife, of St. Mary's Co.
To Richard Ashman; for 7,000 lbs tobacco; a parcel of land called "Promise"; bounded by Edward Swann and William Marshall; laid out for 100 acres; /s/ John Dent; wit Richard Edelen, George Graves (mark)

Notes:

Died:
Jan-Feb 1717 or 18

Joseph married Mary in 1676 in Charles Co., MD. Mary was born about 1650; died before 1717-1718 in Charles Co., MD. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

“Widow Blackfan” - No children with Blackfan.

Notes:

Married:
between 1676-1677

Notes:

Died:
1726/27

Richard + Anne Jones. Anne was born about 1667 in Charles Co., MD; died about 1697 in Charles Co., MD. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]