Dear researchers, Henderson Co., KY has a long history of association with persons of colonial Granville Co., NC, beginning with Col. Richard Henderson and his company, called at one time Transylvania Company. E.L. Starling's history of Henderson Co. (available on the online database called HeritageQuest, available through many public libraries.) tells of the connection. Also a Filson Club publication, also on HeritageQuest, entitled Boonesborough tells of the connection with Henderson of Granville Co., NC. The agent for Col. Henderson was, in the beginning, one John Williams, Esq., Henderson's first cousin. They were both were of Granville Co., NC. John Williams, based on my research, was the uncle of Samuel Farrar Williams (b. 1759 Granville Co., NC-d. after 1835 Henderson Co., KY). S. F. Williams and many of his children (eight or nine in all, perhaps more) moved to Henderson Co., Ky, ca 1806, according to Williams's rejected Rev War pension claim, filed in Henderson Co., KY. I have collected notes on two of these families from Granville Co., NC over a couple of decades, and I would like your help in analyzing this material. Based on the dates of events in the life of one Samuel Denton, or possibly two Samuel Dentons, I am inclined to believe there are two Samuel Dentons, the younger one migrating to Henderson Co., KY at least by 1807. Both families, Denton and Williams, married women who had the surname Starks. It is probable Samuel Denton married a widow named Sarah Starks. Her probable daughter, Susannah Starks, who is buried in Henderson Co., KY, married John Williams, one of several sons of Samuel Farrar Williams. Enough of these entangled families. Here are my notes on Samuel Denton. Can you help me analyze these notes--or add or make corrections based on your own research? E.W.Wallace [female] descendant of Samuel Farrar Williams and probable first wife Hannah Sneed His second wife was the widow of David Stephens, Elizabeth Stephens SAMUEL DENTON. There were Denton family members in Henderson Co., KY ca 1807 on as well as earlier in colonial Granville Co., NC. We have not established that they were related, other than that they were neighbors, to the John Williams, Sr. family of colonial Granville Co., NC nor to those Williamses later found in Henderson Co., KY (beginning ca 1806). Samuel Denton of Henderson Co. KY of later date is probably a namesake of an earlier Samuel Denton of colonial Granville Co. Although the name Williams appears in these early land records of a Samuel Denton, we believe that because the name Craft appears, these were Williamses of the Tar River area (southern part) of Granville Co. NC rather than the Williamses of the Nutbush Creek area (near the Virginia border) of Granville Co., NC. More study is needed, however. Lord Granville to (Miscellaneous Land Office Papers- NC State Archives) These are some early land records in Granville Co., NC pertaining to a Samuel Denton [document no) 2633 SAMUEL DENTON warrant dated 26 March 1760 to Thomas Person to survey 600 acres in Granville County on Flat Creek, joining the Lines of Croft, Williams, Bishop, Nelson, an Aspin /s/ Dan Weldon returned, executed 26 April 1760 /s/ Daniel Weldon (document no) 2634 SAMUEL DENTON entry dated 26 March 1760 600 acres in Granville County on Flat Creek, joining the Lines of Croft, Williams, Bishop, Nelson, and Aspin /s/ Thos Lowe for Sam Denton Wit; Dan Weldon (document no) 2635 SAMUEL DENTON plat dated 26 April 1760 302 acres in Granville County on the S Side of Flat Creek, joining Williams's line, Nelson's line, Craft's line and the side of the sd Creek SCC: Robert Roberson, Rubin Moss Thos Person Survr (Margaret M. Hofmann, THE GRANVILLE DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA 1748-1763: ABSTRACTS OF MISCELLANEOUS LAND OFFICE RECORDS, VOLUME FOUR, p. 236-237) Later, however, in a deed dated 28 Sep 1772, Samuel Denton's lines near or on Nutbush Creek, the home of the extended John Williams, Sr. family, are cited in DB K-152-153, Vincent Bodine & Phebe his wife of Bute Co. to Samuel Morse [qv] of Granville Co. (Timothy W. Rackley, GRANVILLE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA DEEDS 1772-1778 [Kernersville, NC: Published by author, 2001], p. 36) The Denton surname is known in Granville Co., NC since colonial days--at least as early as 1760, as noted above. This marriage appears in Granville Co. NC: Nov 18, 1772 - 6443 [no of bond] Wiggins, Selah - Denton, Benjamin; bondsman: Williams, Miles (Elizabeth Hicks Hummel, HICKS HISTORY OF GRANVILLE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, VOL. I, MARRIAGE BONDS [Oxford, NC: Published by author, 1965], p. 202) (Note: The relationship, if any, of Miles Williams to the Williams family of Nutbush Creek area of Granville Co., NC is unknown. He seems not to be one of the sons of John Williams, Sr. who migrated to Granville Co., NC in the 1750s from Goochland Co., Virginia. Miles Williams may have been Justice of the Peace. John Williams, Sr. of Granville Co. was the paternal grandfather of Samuel Farrar Williams (b. 1759). Some Background Information We suspect, but cannot prove at this time, that the Denton family of Granville Co., NC had origins in Hanover Co., VA. There is a 1758 deed in Granville Co. which gives the origins of one Denton male: DB C-487 Mar 9, 1758 Peter Day to William Huson, alias Denton, of Hanover Co., VA for 15 pds. 300 acres on Thomas Newby's line in Granville Co., NC and on Thomas Howel's line. Wts: Sherwood Harris, Jonathan White. (Zae Hargett Gwynn, ABSTRACTS OF GRANVILLE COUNTY DEEDS, 1746-1765, p. 103) Events in Granville Co., NC Involving a Samuel Denton In Granville Co., NC a Samuel Denton was associated with the Williamses of Nutbush Creek area and with the Mitchells. His identity has not been firmly established. A younger Samuel Denton was married to Elizabeth Mitchell. Bond dated May 3, 1798. Signed by Samuel his x mark Denton & Howel Morse. Wit: Step. Sneed. Almost a year earlier, bond dated Feby 24, 1797, John Denton to Sarah Starks. Signed by John Denton and Howel Morse. Wit: Sterling Yancey. (Note that these records were executed almost 40 years later than the land grants cited above.) (Sterling Yancey was married to one of the sisters of Samuel Farrar Williams of Granville Co. NC and later of Henderson Co., KY. The Sterling Yanceys, however, seemed to have remained in North Carolina.) (Thomas McAdory Owen, HISTORY AND GENEALOGIES OF OLD GRANVILLE COUNTY, NC 1746-1800, p 84) We suspect Sarah Starks, the bride named above, was linked to Susannah Starks, who married in Henderson Co., KY John Williams, son of Samuel Farrar Williams, formerly of Granville Co. NC. The marriage of Susannah Starks and John Williams took place in Henderson Co. November 1807, indicating both families had arrived in Henderson Co. previous to the marriage date. From Granville Co. Deeds-- An Older Samuel Denton?: We suspect these documents pertain to an older Samuel Denton rather than to the person of the same name who married in 1798 or so. Samuel Denton and Vincent Bodine were witnesses on 12 Aug 1761 to Granville Co. DB E-38, 1761, William Ferry and wife Margaret to George Bishop. DB E-291-292, 12 May 1762 In a deed Nathan Sims to John Williams, Jr. for 40 shls., 2 tracts of land in Granville NC on both sides of Flatt Creek containing in all 150 acres at Davis Mitchel's and Benj. Milner's lines at Williams' plantation to John Williams' line to a hill called the Mountain, containing 100 acres, and the other tract of 50 acres adjoins Williams' line, Bodine's, Saml. Denton's line. Wit: none. (The fact that this property sold for little money would tend to indicate there was some relationship between Sims and Williams, which relationship is unknown at present. On the same date, Sims and wife Agness had sold other property on Flatt Creek, acreage not specified, to Elisha Brooke of Lunenburg Co., VA for 100 pds. This is quite a difference in price.) Denton Connection with Williams Family in Henderson Co., KY Susannah Starks, later Mrs. John Williams of Henderson Co., KY, was married 1807 in Henderson Co., KY. John Williams was one of the sons of Samuel Farrar Williams, formerly of Granville Co., NC. In his rejected Revolutionary War pension claim, Samuel F. Williams indicated he came to Henderson Co., KY ca 1806. Susannah Starks's probable mother was Sarah Starks who married John Denton, 24 Feb 1797, in Granville Co., witness: Sterling Yancey [qv] (Thomas McAdory Owen, HISTORY AND GENEALOGIES OF OLD GRANVILLE COUNTY, NC 1746-1800, p. 84) We do not know the relationship of John Denton to Samuel Denton, the subject of this brief biography. We do not know whether John Denton migrated to Henderson Co., but we assume the mother of Susannah Starks was present in Henderson Co. Further study is needed. A Younger Samuel Denton? Samuel Denton, spouse of Elizabeth Mitchell, marriage taking place 3 May 1798, Granville Co. is probably a younger Samuel Denton than the one who appears in early Granville Co. records. One of the two (?) Samuel Dentons of Granville Co. seemingly was a neighbor of some of the Williams families of Nutbush Creek area. Granville Co. DB K-192 Samuel Denton and wife Elizabeth deed to William Williams, 26 Jan 1774. 135 acres, lying on Great Nutbush Creek, John Craft's lines,. Wit: John Hunt, Samuel Mors [Morse], Merryman Barns. Elisabeth relinquished her dower. Reuben Searcy CC. (Rackley, p. 45) (Comment: The grantee in the above deed - William Williams--is believed to be the father of Samuel Farrar Williams. He died testate ca 25 December 1775 at Boonesborough, now Madison Co., KY.. In his will, written as he lay dying, he named two sons: John [aka Jacky, who died young and unmarried] and Samuel Farrar Williams. The will is labeled "unrecorded" and a replica can be ordered through the North Carolina State Archives.) A Samuel Denton, most probably formerly of Granville Co., NC, was living in Henderson Co., KY in 1813 as indicated by Henderson Co. DB C-98. recorded 5 Oct 1813. Samuel Denton was the grantor and apparently these two were grantees: William Gibson, Jr. and George McCormick Gibson. Denton was selling 186 acres of Lot 23, which had been deeded to Denton by Samuel Hopkins, date unknown. Lot 23, Henderson Co. Grant, Henderson Co., was land which David Stephens and his sister Catherine (later Mrs. George Sprinkle) had purchased in 1799 or so--as co-tenants. Later, Samuel Farrar Williams had purchased from the George Sprinkles their share of Lot 23 (100 acres) ca 1806. Later Williams, now a widower, married the widow Elizabeth Stephens ca 1813 and thus came into control of the David Stephens' share of Lot 23. Williams sold his part of Lot 23 to one of his sons--Alfred Williams. (Abstract of DB C-98 taken from Family History Library film 572,573) A Still Younger Samuel Denton A younger Samuel Denton, apparently, is the one who married in Granville Co. at a later date, or perhaps he was now a widower: Samuel Denton & Elizabeth Mitchell, 3 May 1798; Howel Morse, bm; Step. Sneed, wit. Later, in Henderson Co., KY, either Samuel Denton or his namesake sold land, part of Lot 23, which at times had been in the hands of members of the Samuel F. Williams family. DB C-98, 5 Oct 1813 - Samuel Denton, grantor to William Gibson, Jr. and George McCormick Gibson, part of Lot No. 23 deeded to Denton by Samuel Hopkins 186 A. Samuel F. Williams, formerly of Granville Co.,NC whose son John Williams was to marry Susannah Starks in Henderson Co., owned a part of Lot 23, Henderson Co., which he had purchased from George Sprinkle and his wife, the former Catherine Stephens, sister of David Stephens (d. ca 1813). Later Williams, who was the father of at least eight known children, and who possibly fathered nine and perhaps ten children, married the younger widowed Elizabeth Stephens and became guardian of her children, eight young ones. The guardianship of the Stephens children is noted in the court order book of Henderson Co. when Samuel F. Williams failed to post a guardian account, not once but several times. Submitted by E.W.Wallace Corrections and additions welcomed. EWW