logo

An American Family History

 

Joseph Denton

 
  Cumberland County, North Carolina  
Daniel Boone (1734-1820) was a frontiersman who became an American folk hero. The Boone family were members of the Gwynedd Monthly Meeting. He is best know from his exploration of Virginia and Kentucky.

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 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 1784 Joseph Denton bought 335 acres on Brush Creek in Washington County for 50 shillings per 100 acres. The land was next to James Denton and David Jobe.

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.

Johnson City, Tennessee is in Washington, Carter and Sullivan Counties. It was known as Brush Creek for the Creek than runs through it.

 

divider

 
 

 

 
 
 
 

From The Tennessee Valley Historical Review:

Also about the same time, Jonas Denton and others had reached the Virginia country. Samuel, Robert, James and John Denton begin to appear in the same general locality. The deeds in Frederick County clearly prove that the Dentons were there as early as 1755 and became prominent citizens.

 
 
 
 

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.

 
     
 

 

 
Colonial Maryland
Colonial New England
Colonial Virginia & West Virginia
Quakers & Mennonites
New Jersey Baptists
 
German Lutherans
Watauga Settlement
Pennsylvania Pioneers
Midwest Pioneers
Californians
Jewish Immigrants

©Roberta Tuller 2025
tuller.roberta@gmail.com
An American Family History is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program,
an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.