History of Josiah Dennis - 1756 to 1840, Elmore, Alabama http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/elmore/history/dennis.txt ==================================================================== USGENWEB PROJECT NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Project Archives to store this file permanently for free access. This file was contributed by: Ron Jones RJones6666@aol.com December 11, 2001 ==================================================================== History of Josiah Dennis - 1756 to 1840 In the book on the Dennis Families, Mrs. James Barnes of Hattiesburg, Ms provided an article titled "The Family of Pollard Madison Dennis". She states that family tradition holds that Josiah Dennis came to America with his three sons, Josiah, George, and Daniel and settled in Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay. This must be partly in error, however, for the 1880 census of Monroe Co, Ala states that the father of Pollard Madison Dennis (Daniel) was born in Maryland; and the pension application of Daniel's brother, Josiah (at age 83) for his service in the Revolutionary War, states that he was born in Maryland (Worcester Co, June 3, 1756). Whether their father came directly from France or was merely of French background and whether he or an earlier ancestor was the founder of the family in America, are points of question. Of the three sons mentioned, however, Josiah and Daniel came to Georgia, and George is thought to have remained in Maryland. In his pension application (RS Pension R2877, dated Sept 5, 1839), Josiah states that he was living in Worcester Co, Maryland when he entered the Revolutionary War and remained there for several years after the war. He was a volunteer (a private soldier), stationed at Princess Ann to guard it from British Forces and particularly to protect a wind mill that was expected to be attacked by the enemy. Earnest L. Wittiche a minister of the Gospel residing in the town of Madison and in the County of Morgan provided a sworn statement for Josiah's pension application. It stated that he was well acquainted with Josiah Dennis; believe him to be Eighty Three years of age that he is respected and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion. In his pension application, he gives his marriage date as Jan 21, 1778 but does not name his wife. A Worcester County deed, dated April 26, 1785, shows the wife of one Josiah Dennis to be Nilly Parker. It involves the transaction of land from Stephen and Betty Dikes, Josiah and Nilly Dennis, John and Sarah Dennis, and Leonard and Elizabeth Gordy, all daughters of George Parker, Junr (deceased) and their husbands to Peter Gordy. After the war, he resided in Henry County, Virginia for about four years and then moved to Hancock County, Georgia. At the time of his pension application, he had lived nearly forty-eight years in Georgia and most of that time was in Morgan County. The 1806 Lottery records a Josiah Dennis of Hancock Co who drew land in Baldwin (part later becoming Morgan Co.). The 1820 census shows Josiah in Morgan County - Shaw's District. At the time of the 1820 census, there were less than 150 families living in Shaw's District. Others living in Morgan County included: Patrick & Margaret Shaw; William P Harper family; Samuel P. Dennis; and Jesse Dennis. William P Harper was married to Mary S. Dennis (1806 - Hancock Co Ga). Mary Dennis was born in Henry Co, Va in 1788. In 1811 there is a record of William Harper selling 91 acres of land to Samuel P Dennis, also of Morgan Co. and Jesse Dennis was a witness to this transaction. This corresponds to the time that Samuel P Dennis married Jane Shaw (Oct 1810). In April 1820, Jesse Dennis died and Samuel P Dennis applied for a letter of administration. Both Samuel P Dennis and Josiah Dennis made purchases at the estate sale. From the deed records, we know that Samuel P Dennis owned several lots in Morgan County. Josiah Dennis would have been 64 years old by the time of the 1820 census. And according to the 1850 Ala census, we know that Samuel P Dennis was born in Georgia, 1790. According to Josiah's pension application, we know that he moved to Georgia about 1790 and before that he lived in Henry Co, Va. The ages, place of birth, and place of residence are all consistent with Josiah being the father of Samuel P Dennis and Mary S. Dennis. Jesse Dennis was most likely the brother of Samuel and Mary Dennis. Samuel P. and Jesse, both served in the War of 1812. In the late 1820's, the land in western Georgia was being made available to settlers. By 1829, Samuel P Dennis had moved to Troup County, Ga. The Troup County Archives has a record of a lawsuit between Samuel P Dennis and Josiah Melton. The lawsuit involved a non-payment of a tax debt. During the trial, Melton called the "presence of mind" of Josiah Dennis into question, based on his "advancing age". Josiah Dennis of Morgan County did testify during the trial. Samuel P Dennis is listed in the 1830 Troup Co, Census with 11 family members. The ages are consistent with later records of his family. In 1830, Samuel purchased 202 ½ acres of land in Troup Co, from John Darby and in 1834, he was named as commissioner of Township 23, Range 28. Samuel's son, Irwin Dennis, married Ally Harrison in Troup Co, 1830. Family tradition has it that Irwin purchased an Indian wife for three ponies. This has not been verified, though the Dennis women had strong Indian features. The Creek Treaty was signed in 1832 and additional land was opened further west. In 1839, Samuel purchased 160 ac in Township 30 (Creek Treaty) and in 1840, Irwin also purchased 160ac in Township 30. Both are listed in the 1840 Chambers Co, Ga Census - page 179. In 1843, Andrew J. Dennis married Martha Collier (dau of Thomas) in Chambers County, Ala. A couple of years later, Samuel purchased 40 acres in Elmore Co, Ala. Andrew also purchased land at about the same time. All three, Samuel, Irwin, and Andrew, had moved to Coosa County, Ala by the time of the 1850 census. Irwin and Andrew show up as adjacent entries in the census. Samuel P Dennis of Coosa Co, Ala died 1856. The probate records (Book 6, pg 310) show next of kin, Andrew J Dennis, posting bond for the estate. And in the estate record, the minor children of Irwin Dennis are listed as heirs. Irwin must have died between 1850 and 1856 - there is no record of his death or probate. There is also no mention of Samuel's wife in his estate record. Andrew is listed in the 1860 census, but he is not in the 1870 census.