CHARLES COUNTY GENTRY A Genealogical History of Six Emigrants - Thomas Dent, John Dent, Richard Edelen, John Han­ son, George Newman, Humphrey Warren. All Scions of Armorial Families of Old England who set­ tled in Charles County, Maryland, and their descendants showing mi­ grations to the South and West by HARRY \iVRIGHT NEWMAN p,ublished by the Author Washington I940 CoLOXEL J,urns X OBLE EDELIN, U.S.M.C. 1790-1869 Four times Commandant of -:\:farine Barracks, \Vashington CHARLES COUNTY GENTRY Harry Wright Newman has compiled and published Anne Arundel Ge·ntry The Smoots of Maryland and Virginia The Stones of Poynton Manor The Lucketts of Portobacco Maryland Revolutionary Records . 1V FOREWORD HOBBY is always. an indulgence. But it is hoped that the interest A which I have found in the genealogy of the early Maryland families, especially those of my own ancestry, and their ultimate publica­ tion have not proved too great an indulgence upon the public. Each successive publication has brought its disappointments, but also a few invisible compensations. Much has been learned since the publication of my first adventure in 1933, yet a genealogist is never infallible or invulnerable, and while it has been the desire to make these chronicles c1:s perfect as possible, yet there are always the limitations of the human mind. HARRY WRIGHT NEWMAN, 1701 H Street Northwest, W ashingto·n, D. C. V TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Dent Family -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I Thomas Dent and His Descendants______________________________________________ 7 John Dent and His Descendants__________________________________________________ 57 Dent-Burrell Descendants ________ ----- ---------------------- _____ -------------------- I og Dent-Pace Descendants -------------------------------------------------------------- __ l l 4 Miscellaneous Dent Data __ -------------------------------------------------------------- 1 I 7 Edelen Family ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 123 Richard Edelen and His Descendants__________________________________________ 131 Edward Edelen and His Descendants ______ ------------------------------------ 172 Christopher Edelen and His Descendants____________________________________ 188 Miscellaneous Edelen Data _____ ------------------------------------------------------- 214 Hanson Family __ ___ ___ __ ___ ___ ____ __ ___ ___ __ ___ __ ___ ___ __ ___ _ _ _ ___ ___ __ __ ___ __ __ __ ______ __ __ __ __ __ __ 2 I 9 Newman Family ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 265 Warren Family -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 275 DENT FAMILY ERHAPS no family of Southern Maryland is better known than Pthe Dent which in the fonnative days of the Province produced some of the most prominent and outstanding colonial subjects of Lord Baltimore and the Crown. Like many old families of St. Mary's and Charles Counties, the descendants are residents of Southern Maryland today and are for the most part carrying on the tradition and culture of the earlier generations. Many, however, have migrated-some to the more southern States while others early in the nineteenth century felt the impulse of the westward movement and as a consequence their progeny are now scattered over a number of the near and far western States. Frederick Dent, of Missouri, the father of Mrs. U. S. Grant, was the son of a Maryland landed proprietor who laid out the town of Cumberland on the upper Potomac. The early members were conspicuous for their public services, many holding high rank in the military forces of the Province. Several have been Members of Congress, but it has perhaps been in civil and judicial roles that they have excelled most. During the colonial days the magis­ terial offices of Southern Maryland were continuously held by members of this family. These chronicles deal with Thon1as Dent and John Dent, presumably kinsmen, but many bearing that name emigrated early to Maryland as well as other British Colonies in America. It can be said, however, that the descendants of Thomas and John eclipsed all branches and with few exceptions they were the only ones who left behind tradition and a recorded history of their activities in war and peace. In Overwharton Parish of Stafford County, Virginia, one finds an Arthur Dent marrying Elizabeth Manuel on December I 1, I 742, and a list of their children's births. Contemporary with Arthur was Anne Dent who married William Black on October 17, 1745. To date these Dents have not been proved as descendants of Thomas or John Dent of Maryland. In 1658 William Poll received 50 acres of land for the transporta­ tion of Edward Dent,1 and in the same year Thomas Bradley assigned his land rights to Daniel Jenifer by virtue of bringing-in Charles Dent. 2 In 1674 John Fawson, merchant, of Anne Arundel County, proved his rights to land for "bringing into the Province to inhabit" Rachel Dent and William Dent.3 In 1676 Edward Dawson, of Calvert County, as­ signed his rights to 50 acres of land to Captain Philemon Lloyd for transporting another William Dent.4 Then there was also Abigail Dent who by 1677 had been transported by John Harris, mariner.5 2 Charles C aunty Gentry The subsequent history of these Dent transportees except one William Dent or Dant fades into obscurity and thus fails to record whether they died without issue or removed to other parts. William Dant of St. Mary's County in 1659 patented "Hopewell". It was either he or his son who 1narried Mary Shirtcliffe, daughter of John and Anne (Spinke) Shirtcliffe, of St. Mary's, and who has been claimed erroneously to be the wife and then widow of Captain John Dent of Chaptico. The tract "Hopewell" was later held by John Dant as his dwelling-plantation who in I 763 willed it to his son John Baptist Dant ( sometimes spelled Dent) . Other heirs vvere his daughter Anne Spalding, son-in-law Edward Spalding, daughter Mary Anne Dant, daughter Mary Mills, wife Eleanor Dant, and sons Charles and Joseph who received equalled portions of "West Filled", and son Francis.6 Prior to this date there is a will of Willian1 Dantt proved in 1715 at St. Mary's, naming cousins John Dant and William Mills who received "Popular N eek" and "Annstroder" ; brother Peter Mills ; and cousin Eleanor N evet. 7 From circun1stances it is concluded that this family was of the Roman Catholic faith, while Thomas and John Dent were staunch sup­ porters of the Church of England. The spelling of Dant later became Dent and at times has added to some confusion in the history of the two families. Several lines after the Revolution which have difficulty in con­ necting with those of Thomas and John are perchance of this Dant family. On March 26, 1663, "Thomas Dent, Gent., enters his rights viz. John Dent, John Winne, Constant Stephenson, George Athley, John Venable, and Thomas Dent, himself ..." for land due hitn, therefore the Surveyor General issued a warrant "to lay out for Thomas Dent 300 acres return 30 September next". 8 On May 26, 1673, he appeared at the Land Office in St. Mary's City and proved rights to additional land. "Came Thomas Dent of St. Mari'e's County, Gent., and proved his rights to 600 acres, it being due to him for transporting Jerman Shyn, John Moderman, John Akers, John James, William Rutter, Charles Wheeler, Edward Crouch, Mary Evans, Sarah Case, Ann Ffetherston, Elizabeth Danset, and John Dent into the Province to inhabit". 9 It is noted that he twice proved headrights for a John Dent. It seems reasonable to believe that both were for the one and the same man. Settlers returning to England for a,temporary period were not infrequent. Anyhow one was certainly the Captain John Dent who later appeared as an important personage in St. Mary's County. Dent Family 3 It is claimed that Thomas Dent and John Dent were brothers, yet no facts in the archives of Maryland have been unearthed to indicate blood relationship. The two lived separate lives in the Province and \Vere not connected in business nor were there any early matrimonial alliances between the two families-marrying of cousins frequently occurred in Maryland. Much has been written regarding the English background, most of which seems to bear some credence. There is a market town on the banks of the River Dee in West Riding of Yorkshire called Dent, and it is generally believed that the family derived its name fron1 this town. About 1318 Willielmus filius Roberti de Dent deeded land in the village of Wertherny for the use of the Knight Templars. It later reverted to the Dent family and according to the Historical and Archaeological Journal of Yorkshire ( 1889) was still held by descendants. A list of freemen of Yorkshire in 1365 records the name of Willielmus de Dente, parchemener. 10 The fact that Judge Thomas Dent came from Gisborough in York­ shire is authenticated. One of his land patents was given the name of "Gisborough", it being characteristic of the Maryland gentry to name their plantations after the ancestral estates in Old England. Gisborough is a town and parish situated in North Riding about six miles northwest of Ormsby, the more. ancient estates of the forbears of Thomas Dent. The proving of the English parentage of American settlers is most difficult, and through the unscrupulousness of early as well as some modern genealogists, many flagrant errors have been made. It can be stated, however, that the parents of Thomas Dent have been proved with absolute certainty. The following was recorded in 1684 by Peter Dent, naturalist and professor of Cambridge University, and is in the Herald's College, London, under Cambridgeshire pedigrees : 4 Charles County Gentry James Dent - ---­ Of Ormes- by, York, living 1580. I Peter Dent - ---- Of Ormes- by, died C 1642. I Peter Dent - Margaret Nicholson. Dau. of John Of Gisboro, Nicholson, Min­ died c 1674. ister of Hutton, Cranswick, York. I I I I Peter Dent - Elizabeth Pleys. Thomas Dent William, of Gisboro Dau.