Samuel Denton
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| Coley Church built ca. 1513 |
Baptized: 29 May 1631, Coley Chapel, Halifax, Yorkshire, England. Now known as St. John the Baptist Church
Died: March 20, 1712/13 Hempstead, Nassau Co., New York
Buried: Prospect Cemetery, Long Island City, Queens Co., New York
Married: 1656 Mary Rock Smith, Hempstead, New York
Immigration; 1635 with his parents to Wethersfield, Connecticut
Biography:
Samuel Denton was baptized in Coley Chapel, Halifax, Yorkshire on 29 May 1631 probably by his father. In contrast to his brothers in Jamaica [New York], Samuel lived out his long life in Hempstead, Long Island, and is the ancestor to most of the Dentons still living there. In 1673 when the Dutch regained control of Long Island for a few months, their listing of adult males showed Samuel as the only Denton in Hempstead. Specific details of his personal life are sparse, but he married Mary Smith, daughter of John "Rock" Smith of Hempstead say 1664.
Unlike his brother Nathaniel, Samuel seems not to have been civicly active, limiting his community duties to serving occasionally as "pindar" or impounder of stray animals and one term (1663-4) as "Townsman." His consuming passion, for which he had a talent, was the acquisition of real estate and other personal property. In 1662 he (and others) accepted a grant of land from the Hempstead Town Meeting "provided they fence it." There he established what came to be known as the Denton Homestead on the north side of town just west of an area still called Herricks. His father-in-law, John "Rock" Smith lived nearby. From this time until his death the town records attest to Samuel's ability as a dealer in land and farm animals. Some of the acquisitions enlarged the homestead, but even as the town was spreading to Long Island's north and south shores, so was Samuel's property. The 1683 Assessment of Hempstead estimated his holdings at ￡200 and a 1685 tabulation credits him owning 240 acres.
Testimony in 1685 states that Samuel, with his brothers, was financially involved in the Elizabethtown, New Jersey, land speculation.
A curious litigation in 1701 reveals that Samuel was a slaveowner. According to the stipulation of Ann Wharton, "Mando, a negro woman" petitioned "for the freedom of herself and Hagar, her child," which "Samuel Denton of Queens Co[unty] now refuses to carry out." In response Samuel petitioned the sheriff of Westchester County to apprehend "one Mando, an escaped Negro woman and her child," but the sheriff shortly reported that he could not find her. Three Negroes - a boy, a girl and a man "worth nothing" - are listed in Samuel's estate inventory.
On "agust ye 31 - 1698" a local census was taken, the first one the English are known to have made. He and his family are listed together [p.3, col. 3]:
- samuel Denton
- mary Denton
- abraham Denton
- Jonas Denton
- martha Denton
- Elizabeth Denton
- Robert Oburne
- Samuell Denton
- abegall Denton
- samuell Denton
- Jonathan Rowlin [stepson]
- abegall Rowlin [stepdaughter]
- Ruth Denton
- martha Denton
- mary Denton
Whether these 15 names represent one household or two or three is unclear. The second Samuel Denton would be Samuel's eldest son Samuel [Jr.], followed by the latter's second wife and children of both their previous marriages, Samuel [III] and the Rawlin/Rowlin stepchildren. Who "Roger Oburne" [Osborne?] was is unknown - possibly an orphan, relative, or white servant.
Eight or ten names above Samuel's appears this group of three Dentons following a "household" of ten "Pursells" [Pearsalls]:
- Jane Denton
- Dinah Denton
- benjamin Denton
As a young daughter of Samuel, Jane may have been living with the neighboring Pursells for an unknown reason; Dinah and Benjamin may have been her younger siblings. Others have suggested that they were illegitimate children. Whatever the explanation, their names disappear from the record.
Other Hempstead family members descended from Samuel in 1698 were [p. 3, col. 2]:
- Jeams [read James] Denton [his son]
- Jeanne [read Jane] Denton [his son's wife]
- Jeanne [read Jane] Denton [their daughter]
[p. 4, col. 4]:
- Phebe Denton [his daughter, living with her sister Hannah and Hannah's husband Thomas Tre[a]dwell]
The census shows a rapidly growing family.
Probably in anticipation of dying, an aging Samuel in 1710 deeded several parcels of land to his second and third sons. This practice was most unusual; it avoided making a will, and it mitigated primogeniture, whereby he eldest son inherited all his father's real estate, practically disinheriting younger sons. He was dead by 15 March 1713/14 when an inventory of his personal belongings (movables) was taken by order of Col. John Jackson, Esq., one of Her Majesty's Justices of the Peace for Hempstead, and filed in the Prerogative Court in New York (City) which was the provincial capital. The considerable personal property was valued at ￡275-6s-6d and ranged from farm animals and slaves to linen, chinaware, clothes and tools. His wife Mary relinquished the task of administering the estate to their sons Samuel, Jr., and Jonas. In the absence of a will containing bequests, they sold the items and paid the heirs in cash. The accounting by the administrators dated 20 March 1713/14 lists most of his family:
- Mary Denton, his widow
- Peter Smith, son of Mary Ellison, deceased, a daughter [of Samuel]
- Joseph Robinson and Jane, his wife, a daughter
- Jonathan Seaman and Elizabeth, his wife, a daughter
- Abraham Denton, a son
- James Denton, a son
- Thomas Treadwell and Hannah, his wife, a daughter
- Robert Mitchell and Phebe, his wife, a daughter
- Ezekiel Smith and Martha, his wife, a daughter
- Jonas Denton, a son
[Krumm, Walter. Descendants of the Rev. Richard Denton]
Records:
1631 - May 29 - Coley Chapel, Halifax Parish, Yorkshire - Samuel Denton son of Richard Denton baptized.
1635-1638 - immigration to New England with his parents between age 4 and 7.
Between 1635 and 1638 the Dentons arrived in America although a record of their crossing is lacking; birth records of additional children [of Rev. Richard Denton], if any, have not survived. Later records in America do show that when the parents returned to England in 1638, three, possibly four, sons remained behind: Nathaniel, Samuel, Daniel and maybe Richard Jr., in that order.
1662 - Hempstead, Long Island, New York - Samuel and some friends received land grant "provided they fence it."
1663 - Hempstead, Long Island, New York - with Thomas Rushmoor obtained rights to Matthew Garrison's neck
1663 - Mattinacock - obtained rights to land from Jeremy Wood
1663-1664 - Hempstead, Long Island, New York - served one term as Townsman
"At times, local practice differed sharply from provincial directive. Under the terms of Hempstead's Dutch charter, for example, the town was to be governed by a schout [sheriff, bailiff or reeve] and schepens [alderman, town councillor] nominated in double number by the town but actually appointed by the Director General. But Hempstead refused to entrust their nominees with real power; instead it elected five townsmen and made the schout and schepens pledge to support them and confirm all their orders." [Wright, Langdon. In Search of Peace & Harmony: New York Communities in the Seventeenth Century, New York History, Vol. 61, No. 1 (Jan. 1980), pp. 5-21]
1665 - April 18 - bought land from his father-in-law John Rock Smith
1673 - Hempstead, Long Island, New York - the only Denon listed on the Dutch census
1683 - Hempstead, Long Island, New York - Samuel's property valued at ￡200.
1685 - Hempstead, Long Island, New York - Samuel owned 240 acres.
1685 - Elizabethtown, New Jersey - Samuel & his brothers involved in land speculation. There is no evidence that he moved to or ever lived in Elizabethtown.
1698 - August 31 - Hempstead, Long Island, New York - listed on census with six of his nine children
- samuel Denton [age 67]
- mary Denton [age 58]
- abraham Denton [age 23]
- Jonas Denton [age 21]
- martha Denton [age 17]
- Elizabeth Denton [age 14]
- Robert Oburne
- Samuell Denton [age 33]
- abegall Denton
- samuell Denton [age 11]
- Jonathan Rowlin [stepson]
- abegall Rowlin [stepdaughter]
- Ruth Denton
- martha Denton
- mary Denton
1701 - New York - Samuel involved in lawsuit regarding slave woman Mando and her child Hagar.
1710 - Dec. 16 - Hempstead, Long Island, New York - sold land to son James - "Denton of Hempstead, Yeoman, in consideration of paternal love and affection I have and do bear toward my well-beloved son James Denton, Yeoman."
1713/14 - March 20 - Inventory of ye Estate of Sam'll Denton & --- by Samuell Denton as his Administrator (Samuel Denton)
March the fiveteenth day 1713-14. This inventory was by us Obadiah Volintine and James Serion(?) by order of a warrant sent from Colonell Jackson Esquire one of her majesties justices of the pease. A true inventory of all and singular the goods chattels credits Samuel Denton of Hemsted deceased praised at his own house as folloeth.
- foure oxen & two stires come foure years old 19-00-00
- thirteen cows 32-10-00
- three heifers & a stire come 3 yeare old 07-00-00
- three come two yeare old six yeare olds 07-02-00
- five by right(?) sheep 18-17-00
- negro giarl and a negro boy for boath 90-00-00
- one negro man worth nothing 00-00-00
- three old horses & three young ones 14-00-00
- one old mare & two young ones horses 03-05-00
- six swine 03-12-00
- thirteen sheats three beds & a bolster 15-08-00
- one ruge two duch blanckets 03-00-00
- three flanell blanckets foure coveredLeds 03-17-00
- one bedsted cord & mat one negros bed cloaths 01-06-00
- one ruge & blancket one coverled & curtens 03-16-00
- one bed & bedsted as it is with all the furnuture 09-00-00
- table coath & table Linnen 02-10-00
- two bolsters one with a case & pillo 01-04-00
- five iron pots & two cittles 02-10-00
- foure bras cittles & two skillets 05-00-00
- two lue(?) plates & foure pewter pots 02-00-00
- fiveteen flatters four basens & more old pewter 09-03-00
- seventenn trayes & boles & a tin pan 01-02-00
- eight pails & pigons two tramels two smothing irons 01-03-00
- two frying pans tongs one-iron hook 00-10-00
- thirteen trenchers 00-02-06
- ten barils two great caskes one Heachel three sives 02-05-00
- one saddle & cloath 00-12-00
- five tubs a churn & celar 00-14-??
- one hosted six barils a small cask one tub - 00-02-??
- foure schests & a bos a table two benches 04-02-??
- foure coats a vest & a weascoat three pare of brishes 04-00-??
- one hat & two shirts 01-04-00
- thirteen pound of yarn four schars 01-08-00
- a pare of wool combs & schafen dish 01-10-00
- a bedsted & cord 00-07-00
- ten yards and three quarter of woolen clout 01-05-0
- The some of all the inventory is ￡275-06s-06d
--- March the seventeenth 1713/14 A parsons above named made o[a]th before me that this is a true inventory and prisall of the estate within mensioned.
- Jon. Jackson Judge
- Obidia his O mark Volintine
- James Seuving(?)
Debts Owing for ye said Testator Samuell Denton
- One Bond or --- from Gersham Moore of Newtown forsaid Testator for two Cows(?) one pound Sixteen shillings in money
- One Bull or horse from said Gersham Moore for eighty pounds of wool.
Samuel Denton (signature) Jonas Denton (signature) New York 20th March 1713/14
Samuel Denton and Jonas Denton Administrators of these Goods and Chateells of Samuell Denton Dec'd made Oath on ye holy Evangels of Almighty God that ye above written Inventory Contains a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the Goods and Chattells of the said Samuell Denton Dec'd. as farr as both found to --- or --- of their hands possessions or to ye hands or possession of any other porson or porsons In Trust for --- or either of them. Swearing before me Sworn to Authorized by his Excellency Robert Hunt(?) Esq. Capt. General Governor of New York J.---
1713/14 - March 20 - New York - Probate of Samuel Denton's estate:
Corp--- of Administration to Samuell Dentons --- Estate of Samuel Denton, Dec'dd.
New York, 20th March 1713
Samuell Denton and Jonas Denton sons of Samuell Denton late of Hempstead in Queens County Yeoman Dec'd. praying that Administration ye Estate of the said Samuell Denton Dec'd may be granted unto them upon the Renunciation(?) of Administration to ye land estate by Mary Denton ye Widdow and Right of the said Samuell Denton, Dec'd. by writing under her hand --- following bearing(?) date of ye 20th day of March Instant. The said Samuell Denton, Jonas Denton took ye Oaths of Administration on ordering by --- --- J.W. ---
Security for ye within Administration. Obadiah Valonfind(?) of Hempstead --- --- --- Swearing(?) of ye --- Yooman [Yeoman?]
The Acco't of Samuell Denton and Jonas Denton Administrators of the Goods and Chattels of Samuell Denton, late of Hempstead in Queens County, Dec'd.
Debit - To Sundrys and Inventory appraisors at ￡275:6s, 6d
To Contra - Credit
- By cash paid for Warrant to Inventory --- of estate 0.6.0
- By cash paid Clerks for writing of Inventory 0.6.0 [need to get their money back, this guy couldn't write]
- By cash paid appraisors 0.6.0
- By cash paid for Letters of Administration for --- & Inventory of ye --- Estate, Grounds(?) of ye appraisors coming to New York & G--- testify 5.10(?).0
- By cash paid Mary Denton ye widdow --- of said Dec'd for her 3d part of said Estate 91.15.6
- 1714 March [undecipherable date] By cash paid Peter Smith Son of Mary Ellison --- who was one of Daughters of said late Intestator for her share of said Intestator's Estate 14.0.0
- March 3(?) By cash paid Joseph Robinson & Jane his wife another of ye Daugthers of sd --- Intestator for her share of said Intestator's Estate 14.0.9
- As b[rought] forward 135-15-3
- 209-29-0 [brought forward]
- By of Accountant Jonas Denton another of ye Sons of said Samuell Denton for his share of said Intestator's Estate 14.0.9
- [Math] 275-6-6 - 229-?-9 = ￡51-6-9
To all to whom these presents shall now or may in anywise Concerned Greeting. Know ye that I Mary Denton ye Widdow and Relict of Samuell Denton late of Hempstead in Queens County Dec'd for --- of good Comfort(?) and Consideration --- hereunto Moving Do by these presents --- to take upon --- ye burthen of said Administration of the Estate of my said late husband Samuell Denton Dec'd. And of same and --- right and --- thereto to all Intents and purposes of Law doo hereby relinquish and Renounce and doo desire that Administration of the Esate of my said late husband Samuell Denton Dec'd. may be Granted to Samuell Denton and Jonas Denton Sons of my said late husband Samuell Denton. Witness my hand and seal this Twentieth day of March Anno Dom. 1713 in ye Thirteenth Year of her Majesty's reign. [Queen Ann reigned from 1707 to 1714, and there's the calendar glitch to consider.]
Mary her M mark Denton
Sealed and Delivered in presents of Jacob Smith, John Smagge(?)
1713/14 - March 26 - New York - Estate settled between the heirs:
Brought over ￡125-15-3(?)
- March 26 - By Cash paid Jonathan Seaman & Elizabeth his wife another of Daughter of said Intestator for her share of said Intestator's estate 14.0.9
- March 27 - By Cash paid Abraham Denton another of ye Sons of said Intestator for his share of said Intestator's estate 14.0.9
- By Cash paid James Denton another of Testator sons his part of said Intestator's estate to be paid by said Accountant(?) 14.0.9
- By Thomas Treadwell & Hannah his wife another of ye daughters of said Intestator for their share of said Intestator's estate to be paid by said Accountant 14.0.9
- By Robert Mitchell & Phebe his wife another of ye daughters of said Intestator for her share of said Intestator's Estate to be paid by said Accountant 14.0.9
- By Ezekiel Smith & Martha his wife another of said Intestator's Daughters for her share of said Intestator's Estate to be paid by sd. accountant 14.0.0
- [total] ?09.19.0
Children:
Samuel Jr. b. by 1665, d. between 1717/18 and 1719 md. 1) (--?--) Smith & 2) Abigail (Barlow) Rowland ca. 1692.
- Samuel b. 1687
- Ruth b. 1693, d. after 1698
- John b. ca. 1695/96 died before 1698
- Martha (twin) b. 1697/98, d. after 1762 md. Jonah Halstead 1719
- Hannah Halstead b. 1721/2, d. 1804 md. ca. 1741 John Coe
- Caleb Halstead b. 1724, d. 1774 md. Abigail Coe
- Jonah Halstead b. 1726, d. 1798 md. Phebe Smith
- Abigail Halstead b. 1728, d. after 1759 md. ca. 1748 Nicholas Vandervoort
- John Halstead b. 1730, d. 1774 md. 1) Marie Pareleman, 2) Maria Smith
- Martha Halstead b. 1732, d. after 1759
- Benjamin Halstead b. ca. 1734
- Sarah Halstead b. ca. 1736, d. after 1759 md. ca. 1760 Stephen Gurneo (?)
- Isaac Halstead b. ca. 1738, d. after 1760
- Mary (twin) b. 1697/98 md. Benjamin Smith
- John (2nd) b. 1699/1700, d. before 1717/1718
- Deborah b. 1701 md. Joseph Carman ca. 1721
- Samuel Carman b. 17122
- Joseph Carman b. 1724
- unnamed daughter (twin) b. 21 April 1704, buried 24 April 1704
- unnamed daughter (twin) b. 21 April 1704, buried 24 April 1704
- Joseph b. 1705 md. 1728/29 Elizabeth Smith
- Keziah b. 1707 probably died before 1717/18
- Jemima b. 1709, d. 1734
- Deborah (father unknown)
- Ann b. 1712, d. after 1734 md. John Fayrweather
Mary b. by 1668, d. ca. 1683 md. 1) Peter Smith ca. 1685, 2) Thomas(?) Ellison ca. 1691
- Peter Smith
James b. ca. 1670, d. ca. 1723/24 md. Jane Titus
- James b. ca. 1692, d. ca. 1712
Hannah b. ca. 1673, d. 1748 md. 1) Capt. Thomas Treadwell ca. 1695
- John Treadwell b. 1696, d. 1740
- Thomas Treadwell
- John Treadwell
- Samuel Treadwell
- Mary Treadwell
- Elizabeth Treadwell b. 1698, d. 1751 md. (--?--) Halstead
- Charity Treadwell b. 1700, d. 1730 md. Benjamin Smith "Rock" ca. 1718
- Benjamin Smith b. ca. 1719, d. b/t 1792-1798 md. Elizabeth Seaman
- Benjamin Smith md. Catherine (--?--)
- Jonathan Smith
- Silas Smith
- Benjamin Smith
- Elizabeth Smith
- Abigail Smith
- Mary Smith
- Zebulon Smith
- Sarah Smith
- Abigail Smith
- Mary Smith
- Samuel Smith
- Phebe Smith md. Thomas Treadwell 1739 (first cousins)
- Charity Treadwell md. John Jackson 1756
- John Treadwell
- Benjamin Treadwell
- Mary Smith, bapt. 1730 md. Richard Titus c. 1746
- Augstin / Austin Titus b. 1747
- Phebe Titus b. 1749
- James Titus b. ? d. 1752
- Benjamin Titus, d. before 1766
- Peter Titus d. before 1766
- John Smith bapt. 1730 md. Margaret (--?--)
- Benjamin Smith
- Jacob Smith md. Rachel Seaman 1793
- Hanna Smith
- Anna Smith
- Amos Smith
- Phebe Smith
- Amy Smith
- Phebe Smith
- Adam bapt. 1730 d. young.
- Benjamin Treadwell b. 1702, d. 1782
- Samuel Treadwell b. 1704, d. 1747
- Thomas Star Treadwell b. 1706, d. 1772
- Hannah Treadwell b. 1709, d. 1760 md. (--?--) Sands
- Timothy Treadwell b. 1713, d. 1749
Jonas b. 1677, d. 1717 md. 1) Hannah (--?--) & 2) Jane Seaman
- John b. 1710, d. ca. 1766 md. Sarah (--?--)
- Thomas
- Samuel
- Unnamed son
- Unnamed daughter
- Mary b. ca. 1714, d. 1778 md. Thomas Little
- Benjamin b. ca. 1714
- Robert b. ca. 1716, d. 1778 md. Jane Moon
- Thomas b. 1746, d. 1807 md. Jane Claypool
- David b. 1778, d. 1860 md. Elizabeth Gwin
- William b. 1815 md. Matilda Jones
- John Wesley b. 1839 md. Elvira Hunt daughter of Reuben & Sarah (Denton) Hunt
- Jonathan b. ca. 1717
- James b. ca. 1719
- Hannah b. 1721, living 1770
- Samuel b. ca. 1722
Jane b. 1678 md. Joseph Robinson
Phebe b. ca. 1679, d. ca. 1728 md. 1) Robert Thorne 1699 [this may really be Richard Thorne b. ca. 1676, d. 1706] & 2) Robert Mitchell ca. 1706 - 15 children
- Richard Thorne md. Altia Van Wyck
- Richard
- Hannah Thorne
- Mary Thorne
- Phebe Thorne
Martha b. ca. 1681 md. Ezekiel Smith
Elizabeth b. ca. 1684 md. Jonathan Seaman ca. 1709 - 11 children
Revised 12/26/2022
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