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A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al.
Volume 426, Page 265   View pdf image (33K)
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BIOGRAPHIES DEN

THER: John Addison (?-ca. 1705/6). MOTHER:
Rebecca Wilkinson (?-1726). BROTHERS: William
Dent (ca. 1660-1704); Thomas; and George (?-by
1702). HALF BROTHER: Thomas Addison (1679-
1727). SISTERS: Margaret; Barbara (1676-1754),
who married Thomas Brooke (ca. 1659-1730/31).
MARRIED first, ca. February 1703/4 Elizabeth,
widow of both John King and Thomas Wilson;
daughter of Charles Ballard. Her brother was
Charles Ballard (ca. 1670-ca. 1724/25). MARRIED
second, Jane Pittman, daughter of Joseph Gray (?-
1724). She subsequently married John Scott. CHIL-
DREN. DAUGHTER: Rebecca. PRIVATE CAREER.
EDUCATION: literate; had clerical skills. RELIGIOUS
AFFILIATION: Protestant. SOCIAL STATUS AND

ACTIVITIES: second generation burgess. OCCUPA-
TIONAL PROFILE: attorney, admitted to the Somer-
set County Court in 1689; placeman; storekeeper
in the early 1690s. PUBLIC CAREER. LEGISLATIVE
SERVICE: Lower House, Somerset County,
1701/2-1704 (elected to the 2nd session). OTHER
PROVINCIAL OFFICE: assistant clerk, Lower
House, 1692. LOCAL OFFICES, clerk of Indict-
ments, Somerset County, 1692; clerk, Somerset
County, 1696/97-1705; deputy commissary, Som-
erset County, 1700-1708. MILITARY SERVICE: offi-
cer, 1696. STANDS ON PUBLIC/PRIVATE ISSUES,
supported the revolution of Protestant Associators
in 1689. WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. LAND AT
FIRST ELECTION: probably ca. 700 acres (had in-
herited 1,086 acres equally with brother George in
1676; patented 200 acres in 1689). WEALTH AT
DEATH. DIED, between February 25 and March 7,

1710/11. PERSONAL PROPERTY: TEV, £644.5.8

sterling (including 4 slaves, 1 servant, and books).
LAND: probably ca. 700 acres.

DENT, THOMAS (ca. 1630-1676). BORN: ca.
1630 in Yorkshire, England; younger son. IMMI-
GRATED: by 1658 as a free adult from England.
RESIDED: in St. Mary's County. FAMILY BACK-
GROUND. FATHER: Peter Dent, of Gisborough,
Yorkshire, England. MARRIED Rebecca (?-1726),
daughter of Rev. William Wilkinson. She subse-
quently married by February 1676/77 John Addi-
son (?-ca. 1705/6). Her sister was Elizabeth, who
married William Hatton (?-1712). CHILDREN.
SONS: William Dent (ca. 1660-1704), who married
first, Elizabeth (?-1698/99), daughter of Gerard
Fowke (1625-1669), and second, Sarah, daughter
of Thomas Brooke (ca. 1659-1730/31); Thomas;
Peter Dent (ca. 1665-1710/11), who married first,
Elizabeth, widow of both John King and Thomas
Wilson, and daughter of Charles Ballard (?-1682),
and second, Jane Pittman, daughter of Joseph

Gray (?-1724); and George (?-by 1702). DAUGH-
TERS: Margaret, who married in 1681 Edmund
Howard (?-1713); Barbara (1676-1754), who mar-
ried Thomas Brooke (ca. 1659-1730/31). PRIVATE

CAREER. EDUCATION: literate. RELIGIOUS AFFILIA-
TION: Anglican. SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES:
Gent, on arrival; entered rights for transporting at
least seventy-five persons, 1658-1676. OCCUPA-
TIONAL PROFILE: merchant; planter. PUBLIC CA-
REER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Lower House, St.
Mary's County, 1669, 1674-1674/75 (elected to
the 3rd session; Laws 3; Accounts 3). LOCAL OF-
FICES: justice, St. Mary's County, by 1661-1664,
ca. 1665-1676 (quorum); sheriff, St. Mary's
County, 1664-1665; coroner, St. Mary's County,
1669; alderman, St. Mary's City, 1673. WEALTH

DURING LIFETIME. LAND AT FIRST ELECTION at

least 850 acres. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: between
March 28 and April 21, 1676. PERSONAL PROP-
ERTY: TEV, £596.8.0 sterling (including 6 slaves, 8
servants, and books). LAND: 1,083 acres, plus 3
plantations of unspecified acreage.

DENT, THOMAS (1685-1725). BORN: in 1685 in
Charles County; first son. NATIVE: third genera-
tion. RESIDED: in Charles County. FAMILY BACK-
GROUND. FATHER: William Dent (ca. 1660-1704),
son of Thomas Dent (ca. 1630-1676). MOTHER:
Elizabeth (?-1698/99), daughter of Gerard Fowke
(1625-1669). STEPMOTHER: Sarah, daughter of
Thomas Brooke (ca. 1659-1730/31). UNCLES: Peter
Dent(ca. 1665-1710/11); Gerard Fowke ( 1662/63-
1734/35); and Thomas Addison (1679-1727).
BROTHERS: William (1687-1695); Gerard (?-died
young); George Dent (1690-1754), who married
Anne, daughter of William Herbert (?- 1718); Pe-
ter (1694-1757); and Philip (?^died young). SIS-
TERS: Elizabeth (1688-1699); Anne (1692-?); and
Elizabeth (1699-?), who married Richard Tarvin.
OTHER KINSHIP: John Addison (1713-1764);
Thomas Brooke (1683-1744). MARRIED by 1705
Anne, daughter of John Bayne (ca. 1662-1701);
granddaughter of Walter Bayne (?-1670); niece of
both John Stone (ca. 1648-1697) and John Beale,
of Lawson (ca. 1674-1751). CHILDREN. SONS:
Thomas (?-1750), who married Elizabeth Cove, of
Stafford County, Virginia; and William (1706-
1757), who married Anne, daughter of John War-
ren, of Wicomico Hundred, Charles County, and
wife Judith Townley. PRIVATE CAREER. EDUCA-
TION: literate. RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Anglican.

OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: planter. PUBLIC CA-
REER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Lower House,

Charles County, 1715 (Accounts; Laws), 1716-
1718 (Laws 1; Aggrievances 1-3). LOCAL OFFICES:

265



 

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A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al.
Volume 426, Page 265   View pdf image (33K)
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