An American Family History

Joseph Denton

Joseph Denton was born on February 14, 1729 in New York. He was the son of Abraham Denton and Mary Odell.

He married Ann Hogg about 1750 in North Carolina. Ann was the daughter of Gideon Hogg.

Ann and Joseph's children included:
Martha Denton (1751, married Robert Moore), and
Jeremiah Denton (1770, married Sarah Carr daughter of John Carr).

Joseph Denton was a member of a militia company commanded by Captain John Tipton in 1775. A Jonas and Thomas Denton were also on the roll. The roll indicated that he deserted.

The Denton family were early settlers on the Cumberland River. On May 13, 1780, Joseph signed the Cumberland Compact which established a provisional government for the colony. The Compact provided for the election of twelve representatives from the eight stations, provided for a sheriff, a clerk, a militia, and for a justice system.

In 1787 Joseph Denton bought 550 acres in Washington County for 50 shillings per 100 acres. The land was next to Tipton, William Watson, Robert Young, and David Jobe.

from Some of the Descendants of Rev. Richard Denton by Edythe Johns Rucker Whitley

Joseph Denton (Son of Abraham [1700], son of Abraham [1675], son of Samuel [1631], son of Rev. Richard Denton)
Born Probably in New York, about 1725....

....Joseph Denton married Ann Hogg, daughter of Gideon Hogg, of North Carolina. Joseph Denton was a brother of Abraham Denton who migrated to Tennessee...

Joseph Denton was a private in Captain John Tipton’s Company, in Virginia. John Tipton was a brother-in-law. The records show that Joseph Denton "deserted" ...

Joseph Denton evidently went to North Carolina shortly after the time he deserted from the service, for he is not mentioned in Shenandoah County, again. Joseph Denton signed the agreement or Compact of Government entered into by the settlers on the Cumberland River 13 May 1780, his name does not appear on the tax on land list and the polls taken in 1787....

it would appear that Joseph Denton while in Davidson County, did not own land, and that he certainly did not remain long after the settlement began to flourish. . .

....Joseph Denton left the Cumberland about 1781 and certainly not later than 1782. He no doubt moved up the Cumberland River into the wilderness, and then or soon thereafter he removed up into the ’’Upper Cumberland” country, over the line into Kentucky.

One Joseph Denton received a grant in Adair County, Kentucky. The land being on Alligator Fork of Wolf River; 200 acres, recorded Book 8 page 383, dated Nov. 20, 1806. (Jillson’s Ky, land Grants, page 299. Grants South of Green River.) (Also, Adair Co. Ky. records. Book C. page 489) . There is nothing in the above last mentioned which shows that it was Joseph Denton of our story, who obtained the grant.

In Adair County, Kentucky Deeds C page 489 , Joseph Denton sold to Meredith Archer in 1815, 54 acres on Alligator Fork Creek. The confusing part is that the fifty-four acres did not represent the entire tract of land granted in 1806, and I have been unable to find in Adair, and adjoining counties a deed or disposition of the balance of the 200 acres of land.

 

Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Supreme Court of Tennessee, Volumes 1-2
by Tennessee. Supreme Court, William Wilcox Cooke

The heirs of Roger Topp, assignee of Joseph Denton, enters 640 acres of land lying on the south side of Cumberland River, on the third big creek above Stone's River, about two miles from the mouth of said creek, including an improvement, and marked on a tree near said spring W O beginning one quarter of a mile north-east of said spring, running south and west.