from Some of the Descendants of Rev. Richard Denton by Edythe Johns Rucker Whitley
Samuel Denton (Son of Reverend Richard Denton)
Died 1713-1714
Married Mary Smith.
The Hempstead Town Records, Liber C, page 146 (See Vol. 2, p. 17), June 20, 1679, Samuel Denton and others take up land, 50 acres each on the same terms as the first proprietors.
Volume 1, page 130, of the Hempstead Town Records, mentions-
It is ordered at a general Towne meeting held at Hempstead the 30th November 1662 and granted by general vote to such particular persons whose names are hereunder subscribed that they shall have liberty to take in land upon the north side lying and situated in the bounds of Hempstead (on the west side of Herricks) to the quantity of Six or Seven Acres a peace more or less so that they secure it by sufficient fense Welse they beare ye damage themselves proper right for them and their successors to enjoy forever.
It is understood that the number of ye lots doth begin at the east side.
The names and number of lots include John Smith Rock, No. 9 and Samuel Denton, No. 11. On February 3, 1663 there is evidence that Samuel Denton was elected one of the townsmen. (Vol. 1, p. 1L9, Hempstead Town Records). September 13, 1665
Samuel Denton sold to Mr. Ogden one brown Stere cropt in ye of eare aged 2 years. (Hemp. Town Records, Vol. 1, p. 195)
The Hempstead Town Records, Vol. 1, p. 152, gives the following:
Know all men by these presents that I jeremy Wood of Hempstead have covenanted bargained and sould unto Thomas Rushmour and Samuel Denton of the same plantation (Joyntly) all my rights and priviledges upon
Mathew Garrisons Neck and at
Mattinacock
either layed out or as yet undivided and I do acknowledge that I have received of them full payment and satisfaction for the same to my owne content. In witness hereof I do hereunto subscribe my hand this 15 day of March 1663.
Signed by mark, Jeremy Wood,
witness: William (mark) Smith, Jonas Houldsworth.
Also I do find in the town records:
Aprill 16th Anno 1665
Whar as I John Smith :R: of hamsteede
have bargened and bouaitte of ambrose sutten the sellar and seller Loote
that wase hes and sum times Edmon wodes and all his writt and Tittall of Landes one the plaines I the a fors’d John Smith have sold on to my Suninlaw Samuell Denton the afore saide seller and seller Loote and the thurd partee of the Lande thatt I bouett of the a fore said ambros notte with standen I the a fore said John Smith Doo give and beecueffe to the a fore Samuell denton my partte of the home bevell pesabbly too in Joye him his aiers and svckcesers for Ever From me my aires and suckcesers for Ever as witness my hand the daye and datte a bove wretten.
[Signed] John Smith (his mark)
Testes: Richard Gildersleve, Tho: Hickes.
April 5, 1676 , Timothy Halsted swears he was at Samuel Dentons & John Oke was there, and then Samuel Denton delivered an ox to John Oke that he had sold him for rum and he heard John Oke say he was to give Samuel Denton 3 1/2 anchors of Rume for the ox and further saith not.
The Hempstead Town Records further show, that,
Samuel Denton of Hempstead North Ryding sell unto John Staring one home lot that was formerly Thomas Weeks and also one hoame bevell yt was formily Aron Furmans and half a Hoame bevell that was formerly Richard Bradnells.
Set my hand this 7th Sept. 1672.
Signed Samuel [his mark] Denton.
Witness- Thomas Rushmur, Richard Gildersleeve.
Again in the Hempstead records,
Know all men by these presents thatt I William Thickstone of Hempstead upon Long Island in ye North Ridding of New York Shire doe by these presents for me my heirs executors administrators or Assigns alinate bargane sell and sett over unto Samuel Denton of the aboves Denton his heirs executors Administrators or assigns one lott of Woodland lying and being within ye bounds and limits of Hempstead lying on ye Northside of the plaines att a place commonly called Hericks in the quantytie twenty two acres more or less as it was laid out at the first bounded on the south side by Thomas Rushmores land and John Smith Van, and on ye east and north by land of Samuel Denton on the wast by common land at which land affosd,
I ye aboves Thickstone do acknowledge to have sould as above sd unto ye above sd Denton his heirs or assigns with all and Singular the proffitts benefitts priviledges and apurtenances thereunto belonging to have and to hould forever hereby warranting the sale hereof against any person or persons that shall lay any Just Claim title or interest thereunto it being for a valuable consideration in hand by me already received to the true performance of the premises
I have set to my hand and affixed my seal this fifteenth day of January 1679 Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of us Tho Ruchmur, Edre Ffrench. Signed by mark, William Thickstone.
At a town meeting (generall) held at Hempstead ye 20th of June in the year 1679 it was voted and agreed that those persons above named shall have liberty to come in with them for fifty acres with them the land is to be laid out as in ye same form as the first proprietors did and. that the time of the fifty acre men shall begin in on ye 27th day of this instant month and so to take their lots as they are drawn to Mr. Thomas Rushmur to be entered in the town records.
Lot No. 1 Samuel Denton”. (Hempstead Town Records, Liber C, p. 12+6) .
At a town meeting held the 13th of March 1660, was granted by the Major vote that Samuel Denton shall have liberty to tak up Eyght and Twenty acres of land which is the remainder of his Fifty Acres.
There appears a record where five and twenty acres of land of Samuel Denton
being part of his fifty lot it lys and is situated on the est side of a place commonly called Herricks near the edge of the plains it is bounded by hyways and marked trees on the west and north and on the South it is bounded by John Curtis’s land and on the east it is bounded by marked trees running in length North and south 62 Rods and in breadth east and west 63 13 Rods laid out
and
recorded the 31 of May 1686,
by me, Nathaniel Pearsall, Clerk.
In the English Manuscripts, page 118, Governor Dongan, Nov. 17, 1685,
Deposition of Timothy Hoisted and Samuel Denton of Hempstead, and Josiah Lettin of Oyster Bay, relative to the purchase-money paid the Indians, for Affter Kul (Achter Kol), N. J. by Daniel Denton, John Baylies and Luke Watson.
William Thorne of Madman’s Neck in ye bounds of Hempstead
to Samuel Denton Senr, of Hempstead,
a certain parcel of meadow ground fresh and salt lying and being situated at ye south meadow on a neck called ye Mill River Neck within ye pattent of Hempstead in quantity of acres as was given me by my deceased father in Law Henry Lininton,
It is bounded
- on the north by a stack standing upon ye bank of a ditch by a spring and
- east by ye meddo of John Hubs deceased and
- west by ye meddo of Richard Osborne and
- south by Hog Island Creek
all which meddo ground above bounded in quantity of acres as shall appear within ye above bounds with all rights titles,
September 10, 1698.
Witnesses: Joseph Pettit, John Lininton, John Smith and
signed by William Thome, Catarine Thorne, both of whom make their mark.
Among the Lieutenant-Governor Nanfan’s papers, June 26, 1701.
Petition: Mando a negro woman, for the freedom of herself and Hagar, her child, according to stipulation of Ann Wharton, daughter of Thomas Rudyard, which "Samuel Denton of Queens County now refuses to carry out." (Page 147, Vol. XLIV, English Manuscripts).
In Governor Cornbury’s papers, Jany 8, 1702.
Petition: "Samuel Denton of Queens County, that the sheriff of Westchester may apprehend and deliver to the sheriff of Queens County one Mando, an escaped negro woman and her child." (Page 51, Vol. XLV, English Manuscripts).
January 14, 1703, another petition,
Samuel Denton of Hempstead, for the arrest of his negro slave, who has been run off and concealed in Westchester County. (Page 18, Vol. XLVII, English Manuscripts).
On January 14, 1703, an order-the sheriff of Westchester County to deliver the above negro woman named Mando, to the sheriff of Queen' County; Sheriff return- "Cannot find the negro woman." (Page 19, Vol. XLVII, English Manuscripts).
A deed of gift from Samuel Denton reads thusly:
I, Samuel Denton, of Hempstead, Yeoman, in consideration of that perential love and affection I have and do bear toward my well beloved son James Denton of Hempstead, yeoman, two allotments of land lying and being situated on the north side of the great plains within the township of Hempstead westward of a place called Herrick the
one of them being a ten acre lot of land formily granted to Joseph Jinnings as appears by the Records of Hempstead and purchased by me
the other lot being formily laid out unto me containing twenty and two acres more or less Joyning to the side line on the west side of land of Samuel Smith’s land near unto the other lot above said the 22 acre lot 14 being bounded on the
east by Samuel Smith’s land and on the
north by a high way & on the
west by a high way and on the
south by the common land the ten acre lot being bounded on the west by the land of my said son James Denton and on the east by the highway and on the north and south by the common land.-
16 Day-December 1710.
Witnesses, Tho. Hicks, Francis Nichols, William Willis.
Signed by mark, Samuel Denton
Samuel Denton, Senior, died about 1713-1714
March the fifteenth day 1713-1714
This inventory was taken by us obadiah Volintine [Valentine] and James Serion by order of a warrant sent from Colonell Jackson, Esquire, one of her majesties Justist of the pease. A true inventory of all and singular the goods chattels credits Samuel Denbun of Hemsted, deceased, praised at his own house as followeth
four Oxen & two Stires come four years old
thirteen cows
three heffers & a Stire Come 3 years old
three come two years old, Six year olds
fivety eight sheep
Negro giarl and a negro boy for boath
one negro man worth nothing
three old horses and three young ones
one old mare and two young ones horses
Six Swine
thirteen Sheats three beds and a bolster
one ruge two duch blanckets
three flannell blankeys
four cover Leds
one Bed Sted Cord & Mat one negro bed C Loaths
one ruge & blancket one coverled & Curtens
one bed & bed sted as it is with all the furniture
table Cloath & table Linnen
two bolsters one with a case & pillo
five iron pots & two Cittles
four bras cittles & two Skillets
twelve plates & four peuter pots
fiveteen platters four basens & Old peuter
Seventeen trays & boles & a tin pan
Eight pails & pigons two tramels two smothing irons
two fryings pans tongs one iron hook
thirteen trenches
ten barils two great Caskes one Heachet three sives
one saddle & Cloath
five tubs a Schurn & c. clar
one hogsted Six barils a small cask one tub
foure Scheets & a box a table two benches
foure Coats a Vest & a weas Coat three pare of brishes
one hat and two shirts thirteen pounds of yarn foure schars
a pair of wool combs & Schafen dish
a bed sted & card
ten yards and three quarters of woolen cloat
The same of all the inventory is
Hemsted, March the seventeenth 1713/14
Parsons above named made oath before me that this is a true inventory and prisall of the estate within mentioned.
Jno. Jackson, Judge.
Obedia [mark] Volintine,
James Searing.
Debts owing to said Testator Samuel Denton
one Bond or writing from Gersham Moore of Newtoun Loye said Testator for two Cows one pound sixteen shillings in money one Bill orhosve from said Gorsham Moore for Eight pounds of wool
Samuel Denton, Jonah Denton.
The Hempstead records also show:
To all to whom these presents shall come or may in anywise Concern
Greeting,
Know ye that I, Mary Denton ye widdow and Relict of Samuel Denton, late of Hempstead in Queens County
Doroit for diverse good causes and Considerations mo--.-here- unto Moveing Doe by these presents refuse to take upon me ye burthon office Administration of the Estate of my said late husband Samuel Denton, Deed, and ye same and Collm right and title there to to all Intents and purposes of Law doo hereby relinquish and Renounce and do desire that Administration of the Estate of my said late husband Samuel Denton, Deceased, may be granted to Samuel Denton and Jonas Denton sons of my said late husband, Samuel Denton.
Witness my hand and Seal Twentieth Day of March Anno Dom. 1713 in ye Thireseenth year of her Majasties reigne.
Sealed and Delivered in ye presents of Jacob Smith, John Spragg,
Signed by mark Mary Denton.
New York 20th March 1713-1714
Samuel Denton and Jonas Denton administrators of the Goods and Chattels of Samuel Denton, Deceased, made oath on ye holy rvan gohitc of Almighty God that ye above Inventory contain a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the Goods and Chattels of the said Samuel Denton, Doneit, as sure as much tome so their or either of their hands or possession or Loyehands or possesion of any of her person or persons. In pruff for them or either of them,
Sworne before me hereunto authorized by his Excellency Robert Hunter, Esq. Capt. Generalle Governor of New York.
The account of Samuel Denton and Jonas Denton, administrators of the Goods and chattels of Samuel Denton late of Hempstead in Queens County, Deceased. Dr. To Sundry as Inventory Appraised at 275-6-6 Cr.
By cash paid Mary Denton ye widow G Relict of ye said Deceased her 3° part of said estate. 91-15-6
By cash paid Peter Smith son of Mary Ellison, Deceased who was one of the daughters of ye said Intestate for her share of ye said Intestates estate 14-0-9
By Cash paid Joseph Robinson & Jane his wife one other of ye Daughters of ye said Intestate for their share of ye said Intestates estate as by 14-0-9 Cr.
By Cash paid Jonathan Seaman & Elizabeth his wife one other of ye daughters of ye said Intestate for their share of ye said Intestate Estate as by 14-0-9
By cash paid Abraham Denton one of ye sons of ye said Intestate for his share of ye Intestate Estate 14-0-9
By cash paid James Denton one of ye sons of ye said Intestate for his share of ye Intestate Estate 14-0-9
To be paid by said accountants (as follows)
By Cash paid Thomas Treadwell & Hannah his wife one other of ye Daughters of ye said Intestate for their share of said Intestates Estate to be paid by said accountants 14-0-9.
By cash paid Robert Mitchell and Phebe his wife one other of ye Daughters of ye said Intestate for their share of ye said Intestate Estate to be paid by ye said accountants 14-0-9
By cash paid Ezekiel Smith & Martha his wife one other of ye said Intestates daughters of their share of said Intestates Estate to be paid by ye said accountant 14-0-9
By ye accountant Jonas Denton one other of ye sons of ye said Samuel Denton for his share of ye said Intestate Estate, 14-0-9.
Total 223-0-9.
From the above we are able to obtain a very good picture of Samuel Denton and his family. We are not certain as to the order of birth of the children of Samuel and Mary (Smith) Denton, however, from the best deductions possible the family consisted of
1. Jonas Denton
2. Samuel Denton
3. Mary Ellison Denton
4. Jane Denton
5 Elizabeth Denton
6 . Abraham Denton
7. James Denton
8. Hannah Denton
9. Phebe Denton
10. Martha Denton
