Col. Thomas Dent Sr., Gent. (1630–1676), Justice, Sheriff, and member of the Lower House of the Maryland General Assembly. Thomas was born about 1630 in the Parish of

Guisborough Guisborough ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the borough of Redcar and Cleveland, North Yorkshire, England. It lies north of the North York Moors National Park. Roseberry Topping, midway between the town and Great Ayton, is a landmark i ...

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

, making him slightly less than thirty years of age upon his arrival in America around 1658. He resided in

Saint Mary's County, Maryland St. Mary's County, established in 1637, is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 113,777. Its county seat is Leonardtown. The name is in honor of Mary, the mother of Jesus. St. Mary's County c ...

Political career

Thomas was a justice of

St. Mary's County St. Mary's County may refer to: * St. Mary's County, Maryland *St. Mary's County, Utah Territory There are 29 counties in the U.S. state of Utah. There were originally seven counties established under the provisional State of Deseret in 1849: ...

beginning in 1661, and became sheriff there in 1665, became coroner in 1669, and alderman in 1673. Thomas was a member of the Lower House,

from 1669 to 1675.

Marriage

Thomas wedded Rebecca Wilkinson (1633–1726) in 1659. Rebecca was the Virginia born daughter of the Rev. William Wilkinson (1612–1676) who emigrated from England and his first wife, Naomi Hughes (1616–1634). After Thomas died, Rebecca married in 1677 Col. John Addison (d. 1705), a bachelor who then returned to England and died there intestate. Col. Addison profited from this marriage, and this alienated the Dent children from their mother.

Property

Thomas received a patent of land lying in Charles County (present-day southeast Washington DC) called "Gisbrough" on May 5, 1663. Thomas accumulated over 1,000 acres (4 km²) of land, plus 3 plantations of unspecified area. His estate was valued at 596.8.0 pounds sterling, including 6 slaves, 8 servants, and books.

Death

Thomas died April 22, 1676, in St. Mary's Co., Maryland.

Other Family

Certainly related and using the same coat of arms, Thomas was the uncle or perhaps older brother of Capt. John Dent, Gent. (ca. 1645–1712), who married Mary Hatch. Captain John Dent article in The Maryland Dents
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Children

1. Col. William Dent Sr., Gent. (1660–1705), who married 1) Elizabeth Fowke (1668–1703), daughter of Col. Gerard Fowke Sr. (1625–1669) and Anne (Thoroughgood) Chandler (1630). 2) Sarah Brooke (1683–1724), daughter of Col. Thomas Brooke Jr., Hon. (1660–1730) and second wife, Barbara Dent (1676–1754). Sarah married secondly, Capt.

Philip Lee Sr. Philip Corbin Lee (1681–1744), although born to the prominent Lee family of Virginia became a planter in Maryland, as well as naval officer and served in both houses of the Maryland General Assembly. He is sometimes considered the forebear ...

, Hon., Esq. (1681–1744) of " Blenheim". 2. Margaret Dent (1662–1712), who married Edmund Howard, Gent. (1659–1712), a Justice and clerk of Charles Co., Maryland. 3. Thomas Dent Jr. (ca. 1663), no further information. 4. Peter Dent (ca. 1665–1711), who married 1) Elizabeth (Ballard) King Wilson, widow of John King and Thomas Wilson, and daughter of Charles Ballard (died 1682). 2) Jane Pittman Gray, daughter of Joseph Gray (died 1724). 5. George Dent (1666–ca. 1702), no further information. 6. Barbara Dent (1676–1754), who married Col. Thomas Brooke Jr., Hon. (1660–1730), son of Maj.

Thomas Brooke Sr. Major (United Kingdom), Major Thomas Brooke Sr., Esquire, Esq. (1632 – 1676) was a colonial lawyer, Planter (American South), planter and politician of Calvert County, Maryland, where he served in the appointed positions of Burgess (title) ...

, Esq. (1632–1676) and his second wife Eleanor Hatton (1642–1725).

Ancestry

Thomas was the son of Peter Dent II, Gent. (ca. 1600–1647) and Margaret Nicholson (1602–1647). Peter was born at Ormesby, North Riding of Yorkshire, England. He lived 6 miles away in Guisborough, North Riding of Yorkshire, England. The town and valley of Dent is about 70 miles west of Guisborough. Peter died in August 1647 at Guisborough. Margaret was born at Hutton, Yorkshire, England. Margaret was the daughter of Rev. John Nicholson (1576–1655). Peter II, was the son of Peter Dent I, Gent., of Ormesby (d.ca. 1642), a Parish in North Riding of Yorkshire, now part of Middlesbrough. Peter was the son of James Dent (1575), Gent. of Ormesby. James was the son of William Dent (1520). William was in turn the son of Robert Dent (1500) and Anne Fenwycke. Other info Thomas Dent's son William had a son, Peter, who had a son, Peter Jr. Peter Jr. had a son, George, who had a son Frederick, who married Ellen Bray Wrenshall. Their daughter, Julia, was the wife of

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...

, the 18th President of the United States. Captain John Dent came into Maryland about 1658 with Thomas Dent who claimed land rights in 1663 for his transportation, and in that year John Dent witnessed a conveyance of William Hatton to Thomas Dent. The year previous or 1662 he witnessed the last will and testament of William Hewes who bequeathed his entire estate to William Hatton of William and William Dent of Thomas. In 1695 he employed William Dent of Thomas his attorney to institute legal action against on Lemaister. In those years it is therefore evident that he was in close association with Thomas Dent and was a freeholder of age.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dent, Thomas People from colonial Maryland People from Guisborough 1630 births 1676 deaths Members of the Maryland General Assembly English emigrants