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Notes for Charles Dennis

1670-1700 Charles Dennis was listed in Shrewsbury Twp, Monmouth County, New Jersey by 1700, but not on the original 1670 list of patentees. [1]

1677 At the time he dated his will in 1698, Charles Dennis of Shrewsbury named sons John and Joseph who were of age (at least 21, so born before 1677) and named son Phillip, who was under age (born after 1677).

1678-9 A Whale fishing Company consisting of Joseph Huet [who took the Oath of Allegiance in 1668 at Navesink [2]], Thomas Ingram, Richard Davis, Isaac Bennet, Randall Huet, Thomas Huet, Henry Leonard, Samuel Leonard [perhaps the Samuel Leonard elected from Shrewsbury in 1693, with Samuel Dennis, to the state General Assembly], John Whitlock, John Crafford, Thomas Applegate and Charles Dennis, all of Middletown and Shrewsbury, was chartered on Feb. 14. [3] [4] [5] [6] Most of these names appear in the list of early settlers of the Monmouth patent. [7]

WHALE FISHERY

A license to engage in whale fishery was granted February 14, 1678, to Joseph Huet, Thomas Ingram, Richard Davis, Isaac Benit, Randal Huet, Thomas Huet, Henry Leonard, Thomas Leonard, John Whitlock, John Crafford (Cranford), Thomas Applegate and Charles Dennis, "twelve persons or more," they having made proposals to undertake the fishing trade. They were licensed to take whales or like great fish between Barnegat and the eastern part of the Province, and to pay for the privilege one-twentieth of the oil.

1684 The Shrewsbury court in Monmouth County reported on June 24, "Charles Dennis being sent for & brought to court was questioned concerning his living in sin with her, that is now his wife, severall months before they were married to which he alledged that there was no authority in the place that would marry them sooner, upon which the Court thought fit to comitt him into the Constables hands a prisoner till next court, or further, order." [8]

1685 Charles Hennis [sic, perhaps this Charles Dennis] paid quit rent on 80 acres in Shrewsbury Twp, Monmouth County. [9]

1691 Charles Dennis served on a petit jury in September, in Shrewsbury, Monmouth County, New Jersey. [10]

1692 Charles Dennis served on the grand jury in June, in Middletown, Monmouth County, New Jersey. [11]

1693 Samuel Leonard, who formed a whaling company with Charles Dennis in 1678, patented land in Colts Neck, Monmouth County adjacent to land of his father and his brother Henry Leonard, perhaps another investor in the whaling venture. [12] In 1695, a quitclaim by Captain Samuel Leonard of Shrewsbury to his brother Nathaniel and to brother Thomas was made for land given them by their father Henry Leonard. [13] [14]

1693 Hugh Dickman sold land to Samuel Jackson, both of Shrewsbury, Monmouth County, New Jersey, by deed dated September 14. [15]

c 1696 Charles Dennis was on the quit rent role for Shrewsbury Twp, Monmouth County, New Jersey. [16]

1697 Francis Jackson of Shrewsbury died intestate leaving widow Elizabeth [named in 1698 will of Charles Dennis]. [17]

1698 Letters of administration on the estate of Elizabeth Jackson [named in 1698 will of Charles Dennis, below] of Shrewsberry, widow, dec'd intestate, were granted to Samuel Leonard [perhaps Charles Dennis' colleague in the 1678 whaling venture] of the same place [18]. Elizabeth Jackson was plausibly the widowed sister, Elizabeth (widow of Francis Jackson), of Charles Dennis's second wife, Mary Dickman.

1698 The will of Charles Dennis of Shrewsberry was dated April 14. Wife Mary, sons Philipp, John, Joseph were named. Real and personal estate. The wife executrix, with George Curlis and Nathaniel Slocum, guardians of "the fatherless and motherless children" of Francis and Elizabeth Jackson. Witnesses Thomas Huitt, George Curlis, Remembrance Lippincott. Proved February 9, 1698-9. 1699 May 18. Letters testimonial with preceding will annexed, issued to the widow Mary Dennis. [19] [20] [21] [Photocopy, Charles Dennis will, 1698, page 1.] [Photocopy, Charles Dennis will, 1698, page 2.] Transcription:

The last will and testament of Charles Dennis of Shrewsbury in this county of Monmouth & province of South New Jersey in America. Being at this time, Though mercy, Of a sound mind and memory for the better falling ? disposing of the outward? Estates which it hath pleased God to posses me with I do make And order this to Be my last will and testament I? do dispose Of my outward Estates as follow thus:

First I do order & appoint that all my debts which shall Be legally due from me at my decease be payed as soon as may be with Commission?

2nd I do give and bequeath unto my son Phillip Dennis all my land when he comes of age to him his heirs and assigns for ever. Sndly(Onley) his mother is to have the use of the house and orchard and cleared? ground so long as she remain a widow.

3rdly I do give & bequeath unto my two sons John Dennis & Joseph Dennis my two guns & my eldest son John Dennis to take his choyce of the guns.

4thly I do give and bequeath all my goods and chattels unto my loving wife Mary Dennis After my decease to be at her disposing for my deare children which she shall think it most deserving of them.

? That my loving wife Mary Dennis shall be Executrice to see this my last will performed and also I desire authorize and Appoint my Loving friends George Curlis & Nathaniell Slocum With my loving wife Mary Dennis to take care of and see the fatherless and motherless children ? of which I have taken charge of namely Frances and Elizabeth Jackson's? children In Witness hereunto I the above Charles Dennis have hereuto put my hand and seal this fourteenth day of the second month one thousand six hundred and ninety eight Signed Sealed in the presence of George Corlis, Remembrance Lippincott, Charles Dennis. The ninth day of January 1698 There appeared personally before my Rememberance Lippincott [brother-in-law of Samuel Dennis] and George Curlis and made affidavit that Signed Seall Deliver and Declare & within ? As the last will and testament John Horner.

1699 The will of Charles Dennis was affirmed by the witnesses on 6th January, 1698/99.

1699 Letters testimonial with preceding will attached were issued to the widow Mary Dennis. Dated May 18. [22]

Research Notes:

We suspect that this Charles Dennis (1650-1698) is related to Robert Dennis (1630 or 1647-1691) of Portsmouth, Newport County, Rhode Island, who had family links to settlers in Monmouth County, New Jersey. We also suspect that Charles Dennis was related to Samuel Dennis (1650-1723), also of Shrewsbury, Monmouth County, New Jersey. We have notes for the families of Robert Dennis [23] of Portsmouth and Samuel Dennis [24] of Monmouth County, New Jersey.

The wife of Charles Dennis is shown here, speculatively, as Mary Dickman, based on the fact that widow Mary Dennis took responsibility for the orphaned children of Elizabeth Dickman Jackson and Francis Jackson after their deaths. Elizabeth Dickman had a sister named Mary. We speculate that Mary Dickman married Charles Dennis. If so, this might be a second marriage for Charles Dennis, circa 1684 [http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/236349/person/-2104850653, The possible link to Mary Dickman].

The births of two children of Hugh and Grace Dirkman were recorded in Town records of Middletown. "Elizabeth Dirkman was born at Lin on the 14th … Mary Dirkman was born at Rode Island on ye 14th 6th mo … [25]

The death of Grace Dirkman were recorded in Town records of Middletown. "_ Dirkman the wife of Hugh Dirkman _ in Shrewsbury the 23d of 7th mo. 1678. Hugh Dirkman Deceased in Shrews the husband of Grace Dirkman &c 1690 [26]

1715 Joseph Denes, Jonathan Dennies Jr, Samuel Dennis, Charles Dennis, (relationships unknown), and other inhabitants of New Jersey, signed a letter refusing to pay fees to constable Francis Pagit because he was a Roman Catholic. [27]

1682 Power of attorney. Edward Dennis (relationship, if any, unknown) of London, citizen and merchant tailor, and wife Jane to Wm. Biddle of Burlington, as land agent. Dated May 17. [28]

We do not know of the relationship, if any, of these Dennis families to the Dennis families of Massachusetts or of Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey.

We do not know of the relationship, if any, of these Dennis families to John and Samuel Dennis, of Cork, Ireland, who were among the proprieters of West New Jersey. [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37]

The next entries relate to a Charles Dennes line of Salem County and Cape May County.

1687 Abiah Edwards was witness to a deed with American Indians. "The following (synopsis of an) Indian deed, and believed to be the only one that has been handed down, was found among the papers of Jacob Spicer, and is now in the possession of Charles Ludlam, Esq.. of Dennisville. "It was given January 1st, 1687, by Panktoe to John Dennis, for a tract of land near Cape Island, viz.: 'Beginning from the creek and so running up into the woodland, along by Carman's line to a white oak tree, at the head of the swamp, and running with marked trees to a white oak by a pond joining to Jonathan Pine's bounds. All the lands and marsh lying and between the bounds above mentioned and Cape Island. The witnesses were Abiah Edwards and John Carman. Panktoe's mark bore a striking resemblance to a Chinese character." [38] [39] [40]

1687 "John Dennis and several New England and Long Island whalers had already purchased ... land from the native sachem Panktoe. Dennis was either the Irish Quaker shareholder of the West jersey proprietership who settled in Timber Creek in Gloucester County or one of the East Jersey Dennises who had speculated in Delaware Valley land since the 1670s. Charles Dennis, a member of the latter family, later married a daughter of the Ludlam family, the first known settlers on ... Dennis Creek. [Jeffrey M Dorwart, Cape May County, New Jersey, The Making of an American Resort Community, (1992), 14]

1719 Aug. 9. The will of Jonathan Dennes [relationship unknown], of Cohansey, Salem County, yeoman, named wife Rachel and sons Phillep, Charles and Samuel. Real and personal estate. Executors – the wife and son Phillep. Witnesses – Richard Brick, Rachel Craven, Peter Fitchrandolph. Proved May 31, 1720. Lib. 2, p. 160. On April 28, 1720, the inventory of the personal estate, £186.7; incl. 150 bushels of wheat £18.15; made by Thomas Craven and Enoch Moore. [41] The names of the sons are intriguingly similar to the sons of this Charles, but Fitz Randolph was commonly associated with the Woodbridge line and not with the Shrewsbury Dennis line in any other documents that I have seen. One rootsweb tree names Rachel Dennis, daughter of Jonathan Dennis and Rachel Moore born 30 October 1683, as the wife of Thomas Craven. [http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:a42658&id=I142]

1726 The will of John Dennis, Denis, of Cohansey, Salem County, was dated Dec. 10. Wife Hannah, sole executrixx. Children – Henry (under age), Hannah, Rachel and Sarah. Real and personal estate. Witnesses – Thomas Waithman, Peter Fitchrandolph, Charles Dennes. Proved October 4, 1727. Inventory, dated 1726-7 Jan. 9, of the personal estate, £164.18.3; made by Ebenezer Smith and Enoch More. Lib. 2, p. 464, and Gloucester Wills. [42]

1747 January 9, Charles Dennes, of Cape May County, gentleman, dated his will. Wife, Priscilla. Sons-in-law, John Cresse (minor) and Joseph Ludlam. Son, Charles Dennis, to have plantation at Cohansey, Salem County, at the upper end of the place called Beacken's Neck, joining land of Nehemiah Craven and land of Jonathan Strathem. Executors – brother, Philip Dennis, and Charles Davis. Witnesses – Henry Young, John Mackey and Elizabeth Mackey. Proved 16 May, 1749. Letters granted to Philip Dennis in Cumberland Co. Lib. 6, p. 223. Inventory, dated 1749, May 15, £136.13.9; made by Henry Young, Joseph Ludlam. [43]

1664-1702 Map of East Jersey showing Woodbridge, now in Middlesex County near Staten Island, where several Dennis families lived; and Shrewsbury, now in Monmouth County south of Middleton near the New Jersey coast, where Charles and Samuel Dennis lived [Map] [44].

1678 Charles Dennis, perhaps not this Charles, was listed as a first settler in Piscataway-Woodbridge, New Jersey. [45]


Footnotes:

[1] Franklin Ellis, History of Monmouth County, New Jersey (1885), 82, lists Charles and Samuel Dennis as settlers of Monmouth prior to 1700, [InternetArchive], [HathiTrust].

[2] William A. Whitehead, Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. Archives Vol. 1. (Administration 1631-1687) (1880), 51, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks].

[3] William Nelson, Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. Archives Vol. 21. (Patents and Deeds, 1664-1703) (1899), 42, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].

[4] Edwin Salter, A History of Monmouth and Ocean Counties (1890), 181, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks].

[5] William Nelson, History of the New Jersey Coast in Three Centuries, Vol. 2 (1902), 161, [InternetArchive], [HathiTrust].

[6] William Nelson, History of the New Jersey Coast in Three Centuries, Vol. 2 (1902), 193, [InternetArchive], [HathiTrust].

[7] Edwin Salter, A History of Monmouth and Ocean Counties (1890), 27, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks].

[8] Richard S. Hutchinson, Monmouth County New Jersey, Deeds Books A, B, C and D (2000), 33.

[9] John E. Stillwell, Historical and Genealogical Miscellany, Vol. 2 (1906), 404, [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].

[10] Edwin Salter and George C Beekman, Old Times in Old Monmouth (1887, Reprinted 1999 by Heritage Books, ISBN 0-7884-1228-0), 253.

[11] Edwin Salter and George C Beekman, Old Times in Old Monmouth (1887, Reprinted 1999 by Heritage Books, ISBN 0-7884-1228-0), 255.

[12] William Nelson, Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. Archives Vol. 21. (Patents and Deeds, 1664-1703) (1899), 211, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].

[13] William Nelson, Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. Archives Vol. 21. (Patents and Deeds, 1664-1703) (1899), 236, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].

[14] William Nelson, Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. Archives Vol. 21. (Patents and Deeds, 1664-1703) (1899), 239, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].

[15] Monmouth County, New Jersey Deed, C-34, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].

[16] Orra Eugene Monnette, First Settlers of ye Plantations of Piscataway and Woodbridge, Olde East New Jersey, Part One (Los Angeles: Leroy Carman Press, 1930), 57, 60, [GoogleBooks], [GoogleBooks].

[17] William Nelson, Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. Archives Vol. 21. (Patents and Deeds, 1664-1703) (1899), 266, of 266-67, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].

[18] William Nelson, Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. Archives Vol. 21. (Patents and Deeds, 1664-1703) (1899), 283, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].

[19] William Nelson, Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. Archives Vol. 23. (Wills and Administrations 1, 1670-1730) (1901), 134, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].

[20] William Nelson, Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. Archives Vol. 21. (Patents and Deeds, 1664-1703) (1899), 295, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].

[21] USGenWeb Archives, [USGenWeb].

[22] William Nelson, Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. Archives Vol. 21. (Patents and Deeds, 1664-1703) (1899), 295, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].

[23] Janet and Robert Wolfe, Genealogy Page for Robert Dennis (1630 or 1647-1691) of Portsmouth, Newport County, Rhode Island, [JRWolfeGenealogy].

[24] Janet and Robert Wolfe, Genealogy Page for Samuel Dennis of Monmouth County, New Jersey, [JRWolfeGenealogy].

[25] John E. Stillwell, The old Middletown town book, 1667 to 1700; The records of Quaker marriages at Shrewsbury, 1667 to 1731; The burying grounds of old Monmouth. (1906), 67, [HathiTrust].

[26] John E. Stillwell, The old Middletown town book, 1667 to 1700; The records of Quaker marriages at Shrewsbury, 1667 to 1731; The burying grounds of old Monmouth. (1906), 67, [HathiTrust].

[27] William A. Whitehead, Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. Archives Vol. 4. (Administration 1709-1720) (1882), 214, of 214-15, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].

[28] William Nelson, Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. Archives Vol. 21. (Patents and Deeds, 1664-1703) (1899), 446, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].

[29] List of West Jersey proprieters, [URL].

[30] Council of Proprietors, Western Division of New Jersey, Sharp's Survey Book, New Jersey Surveys, (Rutgers University), 1689 Survey by Tho Sharp to John Dennis, adjacent to Jonathan Ladd, [FHLCatalog], [FamilySearchImage].

[31] Council of Proprietors, Western Division of New Jersey, Sharp's Survey Book, New Jersey Surveys, (Rutgers University), 1690 Survey by Tho Sharp to John and Sam'l Dennis, adjacent to Isaac Sharp and Abraham Alberson, [FHLCatalog], [FamilySearchImage].

[32] Council of Proprietors, Western Division of New Jersey, Sharp's Survey Book, New Jersey Surveys, (Rutgers University), 1689 Survey by Tho Sharp to John, adjacent to John Brown, [FHLCatalog], [FamilySearchImage].

[33] Council of Proprietors, Western Division of New Jersey, Sharp's Survey Book, New Jersey Surveys, (Rutgers University), 1712/14 Survey by Tho Sharp to John Dennis, adjacent to John Ladd, Will Potter, Benj ffields, Rich Fenimore, John Hadden, John Cook, [FHLCatalog], [FamilySearchImage].

[34] Council of Proprietors, Western Division of New Jersey, Sharp's Survey Book, New Jersey Surveys, (Rutgers University), 1716 Survey by Richard Bull to John Dennis, adjacent to Thomas Sharp, Mahlon Stacy, John Budd. Passawick River, [FHLCatalog], [FamilySearchImage].

[35] Council of Proprietors, Western Division of New Jersey, Sharp's Survey Book, New Jersey Surveys, (Rutgers University), Deed John Dennis of the Kingdom of Ireland merchant appointed Thomas Sharp as attorney, [FHLCatalog], [FamilySearchImage].

[36] Council of Proprietors, Western Division of New Jersey, Sharp's Survey Book, New Jersey Surveys, (Rutgers University), 1722 Deed John Dennis of the Kingdom of Ireland has brother Samuel, [FHLCatalog], [FamilySearchImage].

[37] Council of Proprietors, Western Division of New Jersey, Sharp's Survey Book, New Jersey Surveys, (Rutgers University), 17x3 Deed John Dennis of the Kingdom of Ireland, [FHLCatalog], [FamilySearchImage].

[38] Lewis Townsend Stevens, The history of Cape May County, New Jersey (1897), 12, [GoogleBooks].

[39] Frank H Stewart, Indians of southern New Jersey (Kennikat Press, 1972), 79, [GoogleBooks].

[40] Harold Fisher Wilson, The Jersey Shore: a social and economic history of the counties of Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, and Ocean, Vol. 1-3 (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co, 1953),69.

[41] William Nelson, Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. Archives Vol. 23. (Wills and Administrations 1, 1670-1730) (1901), 134, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].

[42] William Nelson, Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. Archives Vol. 23. (Wills and Administrations 1, 1670-1730) (1901), 134, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].

[43] A. Van Doren Honeyman, Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. Archives Vol. 30. (Wills and Administrations 2, 1730-1750) (1918), 140, [GoogleBooks], [HathiTrust].

[44] West Jersey History Project, Historic Maps of West Jersey and New Jersey, [West_Jersey_Maps].

[45] Orra Eugene Monnette, First Settlers of ye Plantations of Piscataway and Woodbridge, Olde East New Jersey, Part One (Los Angeles: Leroy Carman Press, 1930), 91, [GoogleBooks], [GoogleBooks].