The following information is most of what I have on John & Patience Dent. I have a bit more land info at another location which I will add later. But I wanted to share this in hopes that one of you may have a connection to them. Honey Lanham Dodge John (1770- 1848) and Patience (1772-1853) Dent of Lexington District, South Carolina John Dent was born 21 July 1770 in Maryland or South Carolina. He may have been the son of William Dent who was listed in the 1790 census of Fairfield County, Camden District, South Carolina. John Dent may also have been the brother of Hezekiah Dent of Richland District. John married Patience Unknown who was born 12 May 1772 in Fairfield County, South Carolina. They had three proven children. William Dent born 25 Dec 1792 in Sumter, Sumter District, South Carolina was probably their son. He married Catherine Zeigler in South Carolina. William died in 1833 in Vicksburg, Warren County, Mississippi. Daughter, Nancy Dent was born 30 July 1800 in Fairfield District, South Carolina. She married Jacob Kaminer on 13 April 1820 in Lexington District, South Carolina. Nancy died 9 July 1867 in South Carolina. Son, Thomas Dent was born about 1802. He died 25 December 1825. His standing headstone reads, "Sacred To the memory of THOMAS DENT Who died Dec. 25th 1825, Aged 23 Years." There is no evidence that he ever married. Daughter, Temperance Caroline Dent was born about 1814 in South Carolina. Her first husband was Chappell Hartley, and her second, was L. Hilliard Caughman. According to the following census records, John and Patience had several other children. In 1810, John Dent was listed on the Lexington District census, page 155, 31110-11010-03. In 1820, he was listed on page 41(1), line 14, John Dent, 111101-110100, 8 in agriculture, 1010-1300. In 1830, he was listed on page 361, line 18, John Dent, 0000000100000-0001000100000-211200-100200-000000-000000=12 total. In 1840, he was listed on page 108(29), line 17, John Dent, 0000000001000-0000000010000-000000-0100000-131100-211100=14 total, 7 in agriculture. He was also listed in an 1843 census. A land plat for 307 acres on Big Hollow Creek and the Saluda River in Lexington District was surveyed for John Dent by David King. The plat was registered 5 March 1813 in volume 43, page 320. Other names mentioned in the document were probably his neighbors: Simon Addy, Isaac Landsdale, Robert Allen, Stephen Williams, John Crout, Christian Swikard, and Polly Hill. John Dent was in turn mentioned in the land plats of his neighbors in Lexington District. On 19 March 1813, John Rice Senior registered his land plat for 472 acres on Hollow Creek and the Saluda River. Other names mentioned were West Allen, Joseph Williams, Stephen Williams, Isaac Landsdale, Henry Weaver,and John Rice Jr. On 10 April 1819, John Quattlebum’s survey of his land plat for 245.5 acres on the branches of Lightwood Knot Creek and the North Edisto River mentioned William Burgess and Adam Black as well as John Dent. On 6 April 1847, Jacob Hallman registered his land plat for 942 acres on the Camp Branch of the North Edisto River. Names included were Crout, Fox, John Quattlebum, Peter Rowe, John Dent, Alewine, James Long, Aaron Taylor, and J. P. Bond. On 27 November 1815, John Dent was mentioned in a court case regarding Martin Witt who was asking for compensation for his slave Ned who was executed for burglary. Others named in the petition were Isaac Lansdale, John W. Lee, John Benton, Drury Fort, William Hendrix , and John Quattlebom. The locations were Lexington and Edgefield Districts. John Dent’s name appeared on an undated petition for an appropriation to improve the navigation for the Edisto River from Deans Swamp to McTires Creek. The petition was about Barnwell and Orangeburgh Districts, and the other signers were James Brothers, Michael Hartley, John Howard, Samuel Wingard, William C. Mitchell, Micajah Martin, Andrew P. Jones, Israel Gaunt, William Merritt, Tilman Watson, William Norris, Samuel Shuker, William Quattlebum, Matthew Jones, Thomas H. Simmons, John P. Cullum, and Nathan Norris. John Dent signed another petition about 1846 asking for a district referendum on whether to grant or prohibit licenses to sell liquor to be consumed at the place where sold in Lexington District. Others who signed were Harvey Boles, Michael Barr, Henry H. Spann, Henry A. Smith, Jacob Shealy, J. W. Fulmer, James Fulmer, Amos Shealy, M. L. Banks, Adam Rish Sr., Abraham King, Adam Smith, Wade E. Booknight, John J. Smith, Joseph Shumperd, George Smith, Elexander Smith, Samule Smith, and William D. Smith. The words, "SACRED to the memory of JOHN DENT who was born 21st July 1770, and departed this life January 13th 1848 aged 77 years 5 months and 23 days." are on a standing headstone with a footstone marked "J. D." He is buried next to his wife Patience and son Thomas. No other graves are visible. The burying ground was probably on his property and is now located between Leesville (leaving from East Street) and Summit on Perry Taylor Road between Cotton Branch Road and Shealy Pond in the trees beside the road. Patience Dent appeared in the 1850 Lexington District census, page 399(817), line 7, 872-872, Patients Dent, female, age 74, born So. Ca. living with her daughter Caroline Caughman and her family. The death notice for Patience Dent in the Southern Baptist Newspaper of South Carolina, issue 4 May 1853, page 38, reads in part, "Death of Patience Dent, who departed this life on the 16th inst., born in Fairfield District, in May, 1772, and in early life married to Mr. John Dent of Lexington District...till his death which occurred only a few years ago. Since the death of her husband, she has atode in the family of her son in law, Mr. Coughman...left several children and grandchildren." Her tombstone reads, "IN MEMORY of PATIENCE DENT Born May 15th 1782 and died April 16th 1853" on a standing headstone with a broken footstone. The birth year on the stone is probably wrong. Her obituary cited her birth year as 1772, and she was recorded as aged 74 in the 1850 census.