Thomas* Dent, Esq (immigrant)

Other Events and Attributes:

• Emigration: 1658, Guisborough, Yorkshire, England
• Immigration: 1658, Charles Co, Maryland

Notes:

Occupation: Sheriff/Judge
1661, Magistrate of St. Marys County Court
Justice of Peace and Quorum
1669, Delegate for St. Marys Co. Lower House
1664, Served as Surveyor General of MD colony
1671, St Marys Councilman
1667, High Sheriff of St Marys Co., MD

The Dent Family
Perhaps no family of Southern Maryland is better known than the Dent Family, which in the formative years of the Province produced some of the most prominent and outstanding colonial subjects of Lord Baltimore and the Crown. They were conss for thier public services, and high military offices.
Thomas Dent, Gentleman (1630-1676)
Thomas Dent was born about 1630 in the Parish of Guisbough, Yorkshire, England, making him less than 30 years old when he arrived in America. Not long afterwards he married Rebecca Wilkinson, the Virginia born daughter of Rev. William Wiln, and his wife Naomi. He arrived in Maryland in 1658. In 1659 he was Justice of St. Mary's Court, St. Mary's Co, Maryland. And on March 26, 1663, Thomas Dent, Gent. entered his rights for transporting John Dent, John Winnie, Constant Stephensen, George Athley, John Venable and himself to be layed out for him by September 30, 1663. In 1664 he was High Sheriff St. Mary's County, Maryland. He was also delegate for St. Mary's County, Maryland.
On May 26, 1673 he applied at the land office in St. Mary's City for additional 600 acres for transporting Jerman Shyn, John Moderman, John Akers, John James, William Rutter, Charles Wheeler, Edward Crouch, Mary Evans, Sarah Caes, Ann Flethn, Elizabeth Danset, and John Dent into the Province to inhabit.
Thomas Dent's English background seems to have been from a market town on River Dee in West Riding of Yorkshire, called Dent, and the family derived its name from this town. About 1318 Willielmus filius de Dent deeded land in the village otheny for use of Knights Templars, which revereted back to the Dent family - and according to Historical and Archaeological Journal of Yorkshire in 1889 was still held by descendants. A list of freeman records of Yorkshire in 1365 records is name of Willielmus de Dente, parchemener.
The fact that Judge Thomas Dent came from Gisborough in Yorkshire is authenticated by his land patents given the name of "Guisborough", it being characteristic of the Maryland gentry to name their plantations after ancestral estate in old Ed. "Gisbourough" is a town and parish situated in North Riding - about six miles northwest of Ormsby, the more ancient estates of the forebearers of Thomas Dent. His parentage has been proven by Peter Dent, naturalist and professor of Cambridge University, and is in the Hereld's College, London under Cambridgeshire pedigrees, in 1684.
Thomas Dent established residence in St. Mary's County where most of his children were born and spent their childhood. He was the first alderman of St. Mary's City and a acre of land was patented to honor him called "The Lawyer's Lodginge was also engaged in mercantile pursuits as well as cultivation of the soil. Thomas Dent lived in Aldermansbury Street (now extinct) and his next door neighbor was Governor Thomas Notley.
On September 4, 1663, Thomas Dent was issued a warrant for 850 acres patented under the name of "Gisborough" lying on the east side of the Anacostia River, a branch of the river called Eastern Branch in Charles County standing by a little blled Gisborough Bay.
In March 20, 1671 a warrant from the Secretary office ordered a tract of land called "Brothers Joint Interest" layed out in Charles Co. in woods above Piscataway, for William Hatton and Thomas Dent.
Thomas Dent was appointed High Sheriff of St. Mary's and Deputy Surveyor in 1664 and in August 19, 1668 - as a Gentleman of Quorum, he was appointed Commissioner of Peace and represented the County of St. Mary's at the General Assembly in 1674-1675 and perhaps other years. He was engaged with some conflicts with the Indians- and was comissioned to secure 28 barrels of corn and 4,000 weight of meat for the Colonial forces in the Indian campaign against the Susquehanna Indians.
Source: One page hand out from the 1995 Tarvin Reunion.

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Held Rank of Colonel in Colonial Militia
Emigrated to Maryland in 1656/1658
Younger son of Peter Dent.
Received several large land grants from Lord Baltimore in parts of what is now Virginia and Maryland, including the land opposite the city of Washington, across the eastern branch of the Potomac [known as Gisboro Point after Thomas' home tosborogh, England on the river Tees]. Thomas built his house, "Westbury" manor, near the current town of Dentsville, Maryland, and old Fort Tobacco.

Justice of St. Mary's County, Maryland 1659
High Sheriff of St. Mary's County, 1664

Will probated 21 April 1676
1. Son William received Westbury
2. Sons Peter and George received the Gisboro Point grant.
3. Son Thomas, daughter Margaret and wife Rebecca - other land grants.

One of the witnesses was his brother-in-law William Hatton [brother of Thomas Hatton, Lord Baltimore's secretary of the colony]

REF:
"Ancesctors of Phyllis Anna Krieg," FTW Online
"Ancestors of Dee Ann Carey," FTW Online
Vol. 2, #1497

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Charles County Maryland Land Records, Liber Z, Page 116
Deed and declaration of trust entered by Edmund Howard, Clerk of this County:
20 Nov 1676; Indenture from Rebekah Dent of St. Mary's County, widow and ex. of will of Thomas Dent of St. Mary's County, merchant; by his will Thomas gave his children parts of his estate; Rebekah then being with child at death of Thomas had a dau. named Barbarah; the will settled land lately purchase in Charles Co. in tenure of Richard Watson to Rebekah who conveys to William Hatton for 15 years the tract [Wattfieldl on the north side of the Potomac River; bounded by land granted Francis Posey; containing 200 acres; and after to Barbarah Dent, youngest d/o of Rebecah and Thomas Dent; /s/ Rebekah Dent (mark); wit. Robert Ridgely, Jno. Wynn; recorded by Edmund Howard, Clerk of the county
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Thomas* married Rebecca* Wilkinson in 1651 in Saint Mary Co, Maryland. Rebecca* (daughter of Rev. William* Wilkinson, (Immigrant to MD) and Naomi* Shercliffe Hughes) was born in 1633 in Yorkshire, England; died in Aug 1726 in Prince George Co, Maryland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. William Dent was born in 1660 in Westbury Manor, Hull's Neck, St.Mary's Co, Maryland; died before 13 Feb 1705 in Charles Co, Maryland.
2. Margaret* Dent was born in 1662 in St.Mary's City, St.Mary's Co, Maryland; died between Aug 1705 and 1709 in Charles Co, Maryland.
3. Thomas Dent was born in 1662 in Saint Mary Co, Maryland; died before 1709.
4. Peter Dent was born in 1664 in Westbury Manor, Hull's Neck, St.Mary's Co, Maryland; died before 7 Mar 1710.
5. George Dent was born in 1666 in Saint Mary Co, Maryland; died on 5 Apr 1746 in Saint Mary Co, Maryland.
6. Barbara Dent was born in 1676 in Saint Mary Co, Maryland; died on 26 Jun 1754 in Calvert Co, Maryland.

Peter* married Margaret* Nicholson in 1625 in Yorkshire, England. Margaret* (daughter of William* Nicholson) was born in 1602 in Hutton, Yorkshire, England; died after 1641. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Address given as Yorkshire, England, 1580