Chapter 25

Another Likely Denty Line

            On 4 May 1854 Edward Montgomery Denty married Mary Mildred Purcell in Alexandria, Virginia.  The law there required that prospective brides and grooms applying for a marriage license supply their ages, employment, places of residence, and parents' names.  Edward did this, giving his age as twenty-one, his employment as painter and glazier, his place of residence as Alexandria, and alas, his parents as _____ and Mary Denty, an apparently intentional omission.  Fortunately, his younger brother applied for a marriage license in Alexandria four years later.  Brother Joseph Denty claimed that he was a twenty-nine year old waterman, a resident of Alexandria, and the son of James and Mary Denty.  Their mother Mary Denty, who'd appeared in the 1850 Census residing with seven other unrelated females in the household of Sophia Harrison in Alexandria, was enumerated in the home of son Edward in 1860, listing her age as forty-eight and her occupation as seamstress.  She died "in the 44^th year[1] of her age" shortly thereafter, on 16 Sep 1860, and was buried in the Methodist Cemetery in Alexandria.

But what of the elusive James Denty, the man brother Joseph claimed to be his father?   The entry on Joseph's marriage record is not the only mention of a James Denty.  There are, in fact, many.   On 18 Jan 1808, a seven year old boy named James Denty was bound over by the Overseers of the Poor in Fairfax County to Michael Broader to learn farming, reading, writing, and arithmetic.  On 25 Mar 1829 a James Denty married Susan Pool in the first Methodist Episcopal Church in Baltimore, Maryland, the same church in which William's son John Denty wed Maria Barber three years earlier.  Susan Denty, age twenty to thirty, was then enumerated in Anne Arundel County, Maryland in 1830 close to John and Maria Barber Denty.  In her household were one female 0-5 and one 5-10.  As noted, a James Denty apparently fathered Edward and Joseph Denty in the early 1830s in Washington, DC.  On 28 Sep 1835 a James Denty married Rebecca Albin in Frederick County, Virginia, not far from Fairfax County.  He began to be listed on the tax rolls there in 1837 and was enumerated in the 1840 and 1850 Censuses there, in the latter year with daughters Sarah E. (born c. 1832), Martha A. (c. 1839), Merriam R. (c. 1847) and Susan C. (c. 1849) Denty.  In 1860, James was still present, but wife Rebecca was not.  The family that year consisted of fifty-nine year old James, an illiterate day laborer; and Sarah E. age twenty-seven, Martha twenty-two, "Mariam" thirteen, and James W. Denty, age eight.  While Rebecca could conceivably have given birth to James in 1852 at an estimated age of forty-seven - and perhaps died in the attempt - it's equally possible that young James was the son of Sarah or Martha.[2] 

Are we dealing with one James Denty, two – or more?  The evidence is inconclusive, but this researcher is inclined to believe in a single James.  After all, there was only one Denty family in the Potomac-Chesapeke region in the early eighteenth century, i.e. the family of Jonathan Denty.  We know of only two sons named James in that family: James Compton, Jonathan's son by his second wife Sibby; and James, the son of Jonathan's daughter Nancy.[3]   It would seem a likely scenario that Nancy gave birth to an illegitimate child in Virginia or Maryland about 1801,[4] a child who was bound over to Michael Broader on 18 Jan 1808.  His grandfather retrieved him, writing in his letter: "Nancy is living in Alexandria sence last November.  I have seen hir but once sence and that in town.  Hir son James is with me, a fine brisk boy".   James may well have gone to Anne Arundel County, Maryland to work for and/or live with his uncle William Denty, and while there married and fathered at least one child.  He then abandoned Susan, fathered Edward and Joseph Denty in Washington DC in 1832 and 1834, perhaps while also having a relationship with Rebecca Albin in nearby Frederick County, resulting in the illegitimate birth of eldest daughter Sarah in 1832 or 1833.  He finally married Miss Albin and settled in Frederick County permanently, no doubt exhausted from his exertions.   While this initially seems farfetched, it becomes less so if James was employed in a capacity that required travel to nearby areas, a job such as delivering timber or other goods.  Bigamy would then become much easier.[5] 

But an argument can also plausibly be made for more than one James.  Surely the seven year old bound to Michael Broader and Nancy's son are the same child; but the James who married Susan Pool could be a heretofore unknown son of Thomas Denty or William and Elizabeth Heniken Denty.  Other than William or Thomas, there are no other children of Jonathan who might have been the parent of a James Denty, unless a married John Denty fathered an illegitimate son before leaving for Georgia.  Poor Sarah, with her "fits", is certainly unlikely.

Whatever his parentage, the James Denty who fathered Edward and Joseph Denty was undoubtedly a grandson of Jonathan Denty, and therefore, his possible line will be profiled here; although regrettably, the questions concerning James' paternity are also the case for some of his descendants.

Edward Montgomery Denty

Edward was born in Virginia on 7 May 1832.  He was not enumerated with his mother in 1850, and his whereabouts that year remain uncertain.  As mentioned, he married Mary Mildred Purcell from neighboring Prince William County, on 4 May 1854.  In the 1860 Census, he was still residing in Alexandria and still employed in the trade of house painter.  The household consisted of himself, wife Mary, mother Mary, and daughters Emma and Ida.  According to notes written by Helen Knight Cole, his granddaughter, Edward died on 15 Dec 1860, and was buried in the Methodist Cemetery in Alexandria.  The problem is that his young widow, who apparently never remarried, gave birth to a son, William L. Denty about 1864.   Was Edward's granddaughter wrong about his death date or was William L. not the son of Edward Denty?  William's birth year is supported by the age given in the 1920 Census.  Since Edward's death date is unconfirmed by any other source, however,[6] one is free to assume that William L. Denty was the biological son of Edward Montgomery Denty, realizing that future research, in the form of documentary or increasingly available DNA evidence, could prove that assumption wrong.  For now, we'll consider Edward and Mildred to be the parents of three children. 

Emma J. Denty, born on 7 Dec 1855, married Louis Joseph Knight, a "car driver" from Washington, DC, on 15 Oct 1872.  It was with this couple that mother Mildred Purcell Denty and younger brother William were living in Georgetown in 1880.  And in the 1920 Census, a now widowed Emma Denty Knight was enumerated with her adult children Alexander and Jane and once again her brother William in her rented home on 2913 P Street.  Emma died on 1 May 1942 and was buried in Rock Creek Cemetery in Washington, DC.  She and Louis had ten children:

1. Mary Elizabeth Knight, born on 28 Aug 1873, married John W. Draper on 24 Oct 1894.

2. Joseph Wilson[7] Knight, probably named for both his father and uncle, was born on 8 Mar 1875.

3. Alexander Campbell Knight (b. 14 Feb 1878) was described as a "tinner" in the 1920 Census when residing with his mother and sister on P Street.

4. Louis Edward Knight was born on 11 Mar 1879 and died only four days later on 15 Mar 1879.

5. Edward Warren Knight, born on 18 Mar 1880, had a daughter named Julia Elizabeth, who married Thomas Estep.

6. Born on 30 Jan 1882, Jane Louise Knight was working as a floor lady in a department store in 1920.

7. Frances Xavier Fendrick Knight  (b. 18 Mar 1884)

8. Lydia Ann Kelly Knight (b. 3 Aug 1886)

9. Louis Aloysius Knight  (b. 14 Aug 1890)

10. Helen Milded Knight, born on 12 Feb 1893, was the Helen Knight Cole who made notes with dates and names documenting this family. 

 Edward and Mildred's daughter Ida Virginia Denty, born about 1859, married Henry Alfred King on 5 Apr 1876.  Whether this couple had children hasn't been established.  Ida died on 12 Mar 1891.

William L. Denty was born about 1864.  According to the relevant District of Columbia Directories, he worked as a clerk, residing at 1507 33^rd NW in 1882, 2808 Dumbarton Avenue NW in 1883, and 2524 P Street NW in 1885.  On 10 May 1886 he married Jennie Sebastian Allen, who was either a widow or divorcee.   Still employed as a clerk, he was then listed at 5202 P Street NW in 1890 and 2510 P Street NW in 1891.[8]   During these years William and Jennie had two children, but by 1900 Jennie was living with the two children in Bethesda, Maryland, described as a widow running a boarding house.  There's only one problem: Jennie couldn't have been a widow because William hadn't died.  He was listed in the 1910 District of Columbia Directory as an Assistant Manager at 3033 O Street NW, the Knight family's address, and was also enumerated with sister Emma Knight in the 1920 Census at 2913 P Street.   It wasn't until 21 Jun 1927 that William was buried in Rock Creek Cemetery.  Once again, we're confronted with questions rather than answers, but it would seem highly likely that William and Jennie divorced.  In those days, it was more respectable, and thus more convenient, to be known as a widow rather than a divorcee, a fiction countless other divorced women also affected.  Not long after that 1900 Census, the "widowed" Jennie married Robert H. Bell, one of her boarders.  They moved to Fresno, California where Robert was employed as a carpenter in a packinghouse.  The now large family consisted of Robert and Jennie, daughter and son-in-law Mildred and James Adams and their son Jack Adams, Roy Denty, and Robert and Jennie's son Robert Bell. 

The two children of William and Jennie Sebastian Allen Denty were Leroy Payne Denty, born on 9 Jul 1889, and Lelia Mildred Denty, born on 16 May 1892.

1. When enumerated in the 1920 Census, Leroy Payne Denty, or "Roy", was working as a house carpenter, but was listed as a driver for the People's Ice Corporation in the Fresno Directory for 1921.  In 1925 he'd returned to carpentry.  By 1927 he had moved moved to Oakland, California, where he was employed as a carpenter and resided with sister Alice at 1437 39^th Avenue.  What happened to Roy after that year is vague and unsubstantiated.  According to his descendants, he died in jail about 1939, his body then donated to the Medical School at University of California, Berkeley.  But no death certificate has ever been found.  Indeed, no post-1927 record of any kind on Leroy Payne Denty has been discovered to date.

2. Ostensibly, Lelia Mildred Denty married James Adams before October 1916 when their son Jack was born in California.  In 1920 James worked as a clerk in a "planing mill".  Leroy's son, Edward Lee Denty, believed that Alice also gave birth to a daughter named Barbara.

Joseph W. Denty

Joseph, the younger of the two presumed sons of James Denty, was born about 1834 or 1835.  Joseph was employed as a "waterman" when he married Sarah Chitty on 5 Dec 1858 in Alexandria, Virginia.  Although he gave his age as twenty-nine when applying for the marriage license; in reality, Joseph was only twenty-three or twenty-four.  Perhaps he'd claimed that age to Sarah during their courtship, since she was twenty-nine, having been born in Jersey City, New Jersey in March 1833.  In 1860, he described himself as a "sailor" and claimed personal property valued at only $50, but rose through the ranks until, by 1870, he was the captain of a steamer plying a route from Alexandria to Boston and declared real and personal property worth $2,000 and $500.  He also had a second business - or opened one upon retirement[9] - being listed as "J.W. Denty & Co (Joseph Denty & Julius Dreyfus) junk, 219 10^th NW" in the 1879 District of Columbia Directory.  The very next year, Lewis Frank had replaced Julius Dreyfus as partner, and Joseph was also listed as the owner of a restaurant on Pennsylvania Avenue NW.  In the 1881 Directory, his entry had become "Denty, Joseph W, cigars, 1904 PA Av NW, h 1908 PA Av NW"[10]; in 1882,  "Denty Joseph W, restaurant, 1908 PA Av NW".    To confuse matters further; in 1883, he appeared as "Denty, Joseph W, restaurant, 936 PA Av NW"; and in 1884, Denty, Joseph W, saloon, 936 PA Av NW", the latter listed under "Eating Saloons".  His activities may not have been as erratic in reality as they seem on the surface.  It makes sense to suppose that he went into the junk business, then opened an "eating saloon", from which he also sold cigars, first at one location on Pennsylvania Avenue, then a new one in 1883.  It's also logical to conclude from the directory entries that the family lived above, behind or very close to their restaurant. 

On 15 July 1884, the Alexandria Gazette carried an obituary notice for Joseph W. Denty.  He was buried in the Presbyterian Cemetery in Alexandria.

Joseph and Sarah had only one child, a son named Joseph J. Denty, born about 1857 or 1858.  He'd been residing at 618 Massachusetts Avenue in 1879, but moved back into his parents' home in 1880 while working as a clerk.  After his father's death, he remained with his mother in a residence at 804 7^th Street SW.  In 1891, he was employed as a watchman.   Joseph died by 1900, for in the census that year Sarah claimed that she was the mother of only one child, and that one no longer living.   That year she was residing with her also widowed sister-in-law Annie Denty Lyles at 1718 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.  Sarah's date of death is undetermined.

Anna C. Denty

And so one comes to Anna, presumably the last child of James Denty.  But was she actually a Denty at all?  According to census records, Anna was born in August 1853, long after James was seemingly no longer with the family.  To strengthen these suspicions, the birth records list an "Ann Dainty" born on 16 Mar 1853 to a woman named Mary.  Written in place of the father's name on the birth certificate, was "illegitimate".  In the absence of evidence to the contrary, one must reasonably conclude that the father's identity is unknown, and that "Annie" was actually a half-sister of Edward and Joseph.   However, Annie certainly carried the surname; and the possibility, albeit meager, that she was James' (or possibly son Joseph's) biological daughter still exists, so her life will be examined briefly.  She first married George L. Lyles, by whom she had one daughter Mame and two sons, Ashley W. (b. Oct 1879) and Ernest R. (b. Nov 1886).  In 1880 the family was residing on King Street in Alexandria with George employed as a painter and Anna as a "drapemaker".  George died by 1900, and at some point after that Annie married  Weeks.  Although the date of her death is hasn't been determined, her burial place has, i.e. the Presbyterian Cemetery in Alexandria.  According to Margie Cowen and Bill Ulle, Annie was born 1 Aug 1853 in Alexandria, VA and died 18 Apr 1944 in Washington D.C.  She married Dwight Mack Meeks on 31 Jul 1920 in Washington D.C.

 Before leaving the subject, another possible illegitimate Denty needs to be introduced; or more accurately, reintroduced.  In the 1850 Census, John and Rebecca Denty Williamson had a man named William Dainty living with them.  Age forty-four and born in Virginia, he was illiterate, had personal property worth only $50, and did not list an occupation.  This same individual was probably one of the two males aged 20-30 in the Williamson household in 1830.  There is no reference to him before or after the 1850 Census, and there was certainly no other unaccounted for young male under ten years of age in Jonathan's household in 1810.  He remains a mystery.

If you can shed any light on the above Dentys, please contact me at nancy@nancysdeadrelatives.com.

Research Notes: References to "James Denty":

18 Jan 1808: "James Dainty", age seven, bound over to Michael Broader by the Overseer of the Poor in Fairfax Co, VA "to learn farming, reading, writing, and arithematic".  [Josette Baker/Orig: Pg 224]

8 May 1808, Jonathan Denty: "Nancy is in Alexandria sence last November.  I have seen her but once sence and that in town.  Hir son James is with me a fine brisk boy".  [Copy provided by Rebecca Denty Abernathy]

Marriage to Susan Pool: 25 Mar 1829. Ceremony performed by Rev. Shane, First Methodist Episcopal Church, Baltimore, MD.  [Baltimore County Marriage Records #743]

Marriage to Rebecca Albin: 28 Sep 1835.  Bondsman: Andrew Albin.  [Vogt, Frederick County Marriages 1738-1850, p. 87]

Not found in Tax Lists for Frederick Co, VA in 1834-1836.

1837 Tax List, Frederick Co, VA: "James Dainty" = 1 white male over 16.

1838 Tax List, Frederick Co, VA: "James Dainty" = 1 white male over 16.

1839 Tax List, Frederick Co, VA: "James Denty" = 1 white male over 16, two horses or mules; tax $ .14.

1840 CENSUS, Frederick Co, VA: "James Dinty" = 1 male 30-40; 2 females 5-10, 1 10-15, 30-40.  [Pg 80]

1841 Tax List, Frederick Co, VA: "James Denty" = 1 white male over 16, 2 horses or mules; tax $ .25.

1842 Tax List, Frederick Co, VA: "James Denty" = 1 white male over 16, 1 horse or mule, 2 ½ [illegible]; tax $2.00.

1843 Tax List, Frederick Co, VA: "James Denty" = 1 white male over 16, 2 horses or mules, 1 stud; tax $ .53.

1845 Tax List, Frederick Co, VA: "James Denty": 1 white male over 16, 2 horses or mules, 1 "other" clock; tax

 $ .32 ½. 

1850 CENSUS, Frederick Co, VA  (16th Dist): Laborer "James Denty" 50, born MD; Rebecca 45; Sarah E. age 18; Martha 11; Meriam R. age 3; and infant Susan C.  (James was described as illiterate.)  [Pg 362]

30 Aug 1860 CENSUS, Frederick Co, VA (Winchester P.O.): Day laborer "James Denty" age 59, born VA, with real and personal property worth $100 and $100 respectively; Sarah E. age 27, born VA; Martha A. age 22; Mariam R. 13; James W. 8 months.    [Pg 503]

Research Notes: Edward Montgomery and Mary Mildred Purcell Denty

Birth and Death of Edward: 7 May 1832 – 15 Dec 1860.  [Notes taken from Helen Knight Cole: Copy provided by Sue Estep]

Birth of Mildred: She claimed an age of 21 in her marriage documents in 1854, but listed her age as 25 in the 1860 Census, 35 in the 1870 Census, and 41 on the 1880 Census!  The most likely year would be 1835.  [Alexandria Vital Records]

Mildred's parents were Valentine Vernon Purcell (born 1794) and Patience Osburn.  [Notes taken from Helen Knight Cole: Copy provided by Sue Estep]

Marriage: 4 May 1854.  Groom: "Painter and glazier, 21, Alexandria, [Name of father is left blank] & Mary".  Bride: "Mildred, 21, residing Alexandria but born in Prince William".  Ceremony performed 8 May 1854 by J.N. Danforth.    [Alexandra Vital Records]

2 Jul 1860 CENSUS, Alexandria, VA: House painter age 28, born VA, with personal property worth $30; Mary age 25; Emma age 5; Ida age 1; Mary age 48; Anna age 7; all born in VA.  [Pg 92]

5 Aug 1870 CENSUS, Alexandria, VA  (Ward 4):  Age 35, keeping house; Emma age 13, at school; Willie age 6, at school; and illiterate Harriet Stevens age 40, a cook  (Was the cook employed by the family or simply living with the family?)   [Pg 138]

The 1879 District of Columbia City Directory has the following listing: "Denty, Mildred, wid Edward, W nr Rock Creek, Gtn".  (There had been no listings for her in the earlier Directories of 1866-1868, 1875-1878.)

11 Jun 1880 CENSUS, Georgetown, Washington, DC: Mother-in-law Mildred Denty, a widow age 41, VA VA VA, residing in the household of Lewis Knight, age 29, car driver, DC DC DC; Emma 24, VA VA VA; Mary E. age 6; Joseph 5; Alexander 3; Edward 3/12, born Mar; William Denty age 17, VA VA VA; boarder John Rippon 21, car driver.  The address was West P Street. [Pg 74: Transcription provided by Sue Estep]

The 1882 DC City Directory: "Denty, Mildred, sewing, 1242 N J Av NW".  (There had been no listings in the 1880 or 1881 Directories.) 

The 1883 DC Directory: "Denty, Mildred, wid Edward, 2808 Dumbarton Av NW".  (Son William also listed this address.) 

The 1884 DC Directory: "Denty, Mildred, seamstress, 1242 J Av NW". 

There was no entry in Boyd's 1885 District of Columbia Directory for Mildred Denty.

Death of Mildred: 11 Aug 1890; although Knight Family Bible has date of 17 Aug 1890, "aged 52".  [Notes taken from Helen Knight Cole.  Copies provided by Sue Estep]

Burial of both Edward and Mildred: Methodist Cemetery, Alexandria, VA  [Notes taken from Helen Knight Cole: Copy provided by Sue Estep]

Joseph and Sarah Chitty Denty

The 1860 Census would indicate a birth year of 1835 for Joseph; the 1870 Census, 1834.

Sarah's birthdate of Mar 1833 based upon 1900 Census; supported by 1860 Census.  In the 1870 Census, Sarah gave her age as 40.  On their marriage license dated 2 Dec 1858, she gave her age as 29. 

Marriage: 5 Dec 1858.  Groom: "Waterman, 29, Alexandria, parents were James and Mary".  Bride: "Sarah E. Chitty, 29, Jersey City, NJ, parents were William & Mary".  License obtained 2 Dec 1858.  [Vital Records]

According to notes taken from the research of Helen Knight Cole, Joseph was a Captain in Merchant Marine, "Alexandria, VA to Boston".   [Copy provided by Sue Estep]

23 Jul 1860 CENSUS, Alexandria, VA: Sailor age 25, born in VA, with personal property worth $50; Sarah age 27, born NJ; Joseph age 3.  [Pg 233]

16 Jun 1870 CENSUS, Alexandria, VA  (Ward 1): Captain of a steamer, age 36, with real estate and personal property worth $2,000 and $500 respectively; Sarah E. age 40; Joseph J. age 13; Anna age 16.  [Pg 17]

1879 District of Columbia City Directory: "Denty, Joseph W, (J.W. Denty & Co), Alexandria".  Also appeared: "Denty, J.W. & Co (Joseph Denty & Julius Dreyfus), junk, 219 10th NW".  (There had been no entries for Joseph in the 1866-1868 and 1875-1878 Directories.) 

1880 Directory: "Denty, Joseph W, (J.W. Denty & Co), restaurant, 1918 PA Av NW" and "Denty, J.W. & Co, (J.W. Denty & Lewis Frank), junk, 219 10th NW".  (Former address was undoubtedly a typo, being actually 1908 PA Av NW.) 

1881 DC City Directory: " Denty, Joseph W., cigars, 1904 PA Av NW, h 1908 PA Av NW" in the 1881 Directory and "Denty, S.E., 1908 PA Av NW".  

1882 D.C. City Directory: "Denty, Joseph W, restaurant, 1908 PA Av NW".  

1883 DC City Directory: "Denty, Joseph W, restaurant, 936 PA Av NW". 

Joseph described his business as "Denty Joseph W, saloon, 936PA Av NW" under "Eating Saloons" in the 1884 Directory. 

The obituary notice of Joseph W. Denty appeared in the Alexandria Gazette on 15 Jul 1884; then in the year-end issue of 31 Dec 1884.  [Alexandria Library, Obituary Notices from the Alexandria Gazette 1784-1915, p. 851/Orig: Pg 3]

Burial of Joseph: Presbyterian Cemetery, Alexandria, VA.  [Notes taken from Helen Knight Cole: Copy provided by Sue Estep]

1890 and 1891 DC City Directories: "Sarah E. Denty, widow Joseph" was listed at 804 7th Street SW.  In 1891, son Joseph was also listed at that address.

16 Jun 1900 CENSUS, Washington, DC: Age 67, born Mar 1833, VA, mother of one child not living, residing as sister-in-law in household of Annie C. Lyles, along with Ashley W. and Ernest R. Lyles; boarder Louie B. Charron.  The family's address was 1718 PA Av NW.  [ED 32, Sheet 15]

 George and Anna Denty Lyles:

According to birth records, on the 16th day of an unnamed month in 1853 "Ann Dainty" was born in Alexandria County, VA.  Under the column for father: "Illegitimate"  [VA Births 1853-1859, p. 2]

If Mary and James were still married in 1850, where was James in the 1850 Census?  Mary was enumerated in household of Sophia Harrison in Alexandria, apparently a boarding house.  And where was the couple in the 1840 Census?  Were they living with another family that year, resulting in James Denty not being indexed

Marriage 1: 9 Aug 1877.  [DC Marriage Records 1877-1885, p. 122: Copy provided by Sue Estep]

11 Jun 1880 CENSUS, Alexandria, VA:  Painter 22, VA VA VA, residing on King Street; drapemaker Anna C. 25, VA VA VA; Mama 2; Ashley W. age 4/12.  [Pg 364]

16 Jun 1900 CENSUS, Washington, DC: Age 46, born Aug 1853, VA VA VA, mother of 3 children, all living; Ashley W. age 20; Ernest R. age 13; sister-in-law Sarah E. Denty age 67; boarder Louie B. Charron.  The family is residing at 1718 PA Av NW.  [ED 32, Sheet 15]

In the 1910 DC City Directory: "Lyles, Annie C charwoman 1828 G NW".

0In the 1930 DC City Directory: "Lyles, Annie Mrs. dom r 823 3d SW".   (There was another Annie Lyles listed both years: "Lyles, Annie (wid Wm) h 534 4th NE".  The two shouldn't be confused.)

Spouse 2: Notes taken from Helen Knight Cole: Copy provided by Sue Estep

Buried in Presbyterian Cemetery.  [Notes taken from Helen Knight Cole: Copy provided by Sue Estep]

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