Chapter 2

John Wybert Denty

On 7 Oct 1745 the Vestry of Truro Parish in Fairfax County, Virginia Colony, ordered 333 pounds of tobacco paid to John Wybird, Clerk of the Upper Church for four months employment.  That brief mention is the earliest yet discovered of John Wybert Denty, the founder of the largest Denty family in the United States.

Home to George Washington and George Mason, and named for Thomas, Sixth Lord Fairfax, Fairfax County had been formed from Prince William County in 1742.  With its eastern boundary on the Potomac River, its principle town of Alexandria would become a major colonial port.[1]  Like other counties in Virginia, the staple crop was tobacco.  So too, the official church was Anglican, and John Wybert Denty was employed as Clerk at that Upper or Falls Church from 1745 until 1753.  In October 1752 he was reportedly appointed Lay Reader there, a position that required the reading of prayers on alternate Sundays.  In 1753 he became the Clerk at Christ Church in Alexandria.[2]

At either church, his salary in pounds of tobacco[3] was listed in the Vestry Minutes each year, along with those occasions when he witnessed a deed on behalf of the Vestry.  When recorded as a "tithable"[4] on the Fairfax County List in 1749, he was described as the owner of one slave.  Slave Peter was no doubt employed in farming, as it's highly unlikely that John would have been able to support his family solely from his position as Clerk and Lay Reader. The largest salary he ever received was 1,200 pounds.  By comparison, the only minister in the parish, Reverend Green, was paid 16, 640 pounds and provided with a 500 acres "glebe", or farm, for his support.[5]

One can only hope that John did supplement his clerk's salary, for the latter soon began to decrease.  In 1750 it was reduced from 1,200 pounds to 1,000.  The following year he was paid only 581 pounds "for seven months attendence".  In 1756 the Vestry Minutes recorded: "To John Wybird Dainty Clerk at Alexandria 950 assigned to Daniel French . . . 1,000"[6], an entry that would indicate John was completely unable to fulfill his duties for whatever reason.  In direct proportion as his salary decreased, his debt increased.  Twice plaintiff John Pagan won suits for debt against him: in 1750 and 1752.  On 21 Aug 1752 William Gladden had to post "special bail" for him in a complaint filed by Garrard Alexander.  When John failed to appear in court to answer a suit brought by William Hicks on 21 Jun 1753, his penalty was slave Peter plus costs.  In 1754 he lost a suit brought by Thomas Turnbull.  These prior judgments against him, however, pale in comparison to 19 Nov 1757 when he was ordered to pay a whopping 2,782 pounds plus court costs in a suit.  Debt was a way of life in tobacco-dependent Colonial Virginia, and so consequently were suits for debt; but John's seem excessive and crippling.  Shortly thereafter, on 28 Nov 1757, when John Lumley was listed as the Clerk at both Falls Church and Christ Church, the Church Wardens authorized payment for John Wybird Dainty "to purchase clothes for him to be laid out".[7]  While the wording used, "to be laid out", would seem to indicate a funeral, none ensued.  According to descendant and researcher Wallace Denty Gitchel, this wording was never used in the minutes to indicate a death or funeral.  Instead, Dent believes the phrase referred clumsily to the tobacco itself being "laid out".  However, in 1758 John was granted an exemption from the public and county levy, such exemptions often being granted for the aged or infirm.  It seems quite plausible that he seemed near death, but lingered - frail, sickly, but alive.  On 31 Mar 1759, he offered furniture and livestock as collateral for a loan of 1,108 pounds of tobacco from his landlord Samuel Conner.[8]   The furniture and livestock consisted of two cows, two heifers, a white horse, two feather beds, a rug, two iron pots and pothooks, two tables, two chests, a griddle, six plates, two dishes, and a spinning wheel.  Although these few possessions seem at first glance pitifully meager, the ownership of any livestock, especially a horse, and such luxuries and feather beds and a rug indicate the family was not living at the eighteenth century equivalent of the poverty level - or at least had not been in the past.  The loan fell due on 10 Apr 1760, the date that the trust deed was proved in court by witness John Peter Sartor.  It may well be that Sartor swore to the transaction that day because John was unable to pay the debt.

In 1763, the accounts of the Richard Simpson estate contain the entry: "To paid Mr. Denty for assisting as clerk at the funeral . . . 0.3.0".[9]   Assuming that "Mr. Denty" was actually John Wybert and not his son, this is the last entry found thus far in the records of Fairfax County for John Wybert Denty.  Just when he died or where he was buried is unknown, and probably unknowable.

And so is a no doubt varied and interesting, perhaps even dramatic, life reduced to a few dry, decaying records.  Where was he from in England?  How old was he when he came to the Colonies?  Was he tall, short, fat, thin?  Did he have a sense of humor?  Where and when did he meet his wife Selby Ramsey; and what was their marriage like?  In short, how would John summarize his life if given the opportunity?  The records, alas, tell little; but some few aspects of his life can be conjectured.  For example, his employment as Clerk would require literacy, while that of Lay Reader, a position later held by Francis Scott Key at the Upper Church, would hint at a certain presence.  And from the very nature of such employment one would naturally assume a religious mindset.   

Although any ideas and opinions formed can only be speculative, certain features of eighteenth century life may provide clues to his origins and character.

Firstly, there was an almost insatiable demand for labor in Colonial Virginia, one reason for the steady growth of slavery.  Excepting the Puritan Migration of 1630 to 1640, more than one-half of white settlers arriving in the Colonies before 1750 were indentured servants.[10]  In addition, many wealthy planters could not themselves read or write.  The result was the immigration of countless ill-paid "clerks" from the cities of the British Isles, particularly London; young men who would indenture themselves in return for fairly good working conditions and future potential.  Did John thus arrive as an indentured servant?  No definitive record of such an indenture has been unearthed - at least not yet. 

Secondly, the surname itself might be informative.  As explained, inconsistencies in spelling were typical of the eighteenth century, so the middle name is variously recorded as "Wybird", "Wyburd", "Wybard", "Wybert", "Wibart", "Wibert", or even "Wilber".   But perhaps significantly, in that first entry in the Vestry Minutes in 1745 he is simply "John Wybird".   On 31 Mar 1746 when he witnessed the will of Robert Boling, he is once again "J. Wybird".  Was "Denty" inexplicably omitted, or did John Wybert only gradually append that surname during the 1740s?    While there are no records earlier than 1745 of a John Denty or a John Wybert Denty, there are earlier references to a J. Wybert, or at least to names very similar.  In 1720 a "J. Wybrow" was shipped from London to Maryland as an indentured servant.  In 1739 "John Wyborn", with a party of six people, booked passage from Kent, England to Virginia on the Duke of Cumberland.[11] 

If John did only later adopt the surname Denty, what might his motivation have been?  Without doubt, one aim could have been to avoid detection under the name of Wybert.  Such was often the case, for instance, for runaway indentured servants.  But there is at least one other possibility.  It was fairly common in the eighteenth century for illegitimate sons to use their father's surname as a middle name, and frequently that order was reversed.  It's not hard to imagine an illegitimate son deciding to assume his father's surname when far removed from his birthplace in England.  There's no direct evidence in John's case; only that, after 1746, he was almost always identified by all three names, even though no father, son, or nephew named "John" was present to necessitate such clarification. 

Thirdly, many if not most of the immigrants into the Colonies were not farmers.  Yet with so much land available, those who possibly could attempt farming, did so, for the ownership of land had been the measure of both wealth and freedom in England for centuries.  In addition, clerical salaries were so low that supplemental income was usually needed, even for ordained ministers.  The result, to say the least, was often a poorly managed and maintained property.

And now for the resulting speculation . . . Might John Wybert Denty have been the illegitimate son of a man with enough means to provide for his education, but for little else?  Did he perhaps leave London for Maryland or Virginia as an indentured servant, using his education to negotiate a favorable position?  And did he resort to farming to bolster his income, and thereby run into difficulties because of lack of expertise, the small size of his holding, age and perhaps ill health?  Was the latter the reason he was unable to fulfill his duties at the church, and perhaps also unable to provide the physical labor needed on the farm? 

What we can say for sure is that John married a Scotswoman named Ramsay/Ramsey, whose first name may have been Selby.  We have two sources for the marriage.  Dakota Best Brown, in his book Data on Some Virginia Families, quotes Samuel Lunt Hannon, a descendant of John Wybert Denty: "Mr. Dentie of England married Miss Selby (Sibby) Ramsey of Scotland".[12]  Such a second-hand source might be dismissed were it not for a letter written in 1808 from John Wybert's son Jonathan to Jonathan's son John.  Jonathan wrote: "You desired in your former letter to know my mother's maden name.  Hir name was Ramsey".[13]

The surname of Ramsay/Ramsey had spread throughout the British Isles by the eighteenth century, especially into Northern Ireland; but Hannon claimed that Selby had been born in Scotland.  Taking that writer at his word, Selby’s likeliest place of birth would have been the Ramsey homeland of Lothian, just south of the Firth of Forth in the area adjacent to Edinburgh, or perhaps in the city itself.  Most Lowland Scots were Presbyterian.  Was Selby?  If so, her marriage to as staunch and involved an Anglican as John Wybert Denty would seem unusual, though obviously not impossible.  Much effort has been spent in searching for the Ramseys.  There was a prominent family named Ramsey residing in Alexandria.  It's difficult for this researcher to believe, however, that they were Selby's family because of their very wealth and prominence.  While one could perhaps speculate that their privileged daughter might fall in love with and marry a poor clerk; it's almost inconceivable that her grandson John Denty, growing up in Fairfax County, would not be aware that the well-known Ramseys were in fact his cousins.  This researcher is much more inclined to believe that the marriage took place in Maryland, that the Ramseys never lived in Fairfax County, and that Selby died relatively young, perhaps before the move to Virginia.  It then becomes easy to imagine that her grandson would have known little of either her or her family.   Whenever or wherever the marriage occurred, it resulted in at least four children: Rebecca, Jonathan, and two unnamed daughters.  We will examine the daughters here.

The husband of Rebecca Denty is known to have been Edward Potter.  This couple was already married with a son, Reuben Harslydine Potter, when husband Edward signed an indenture for his rental of 150 acres of Ravensworth, bordering Black Lick Run, on 25 Jun 1773.[14]  Either Edward or Rebecca appeared on the Fairfax County Tax List from 1782, when there were already nine whites in the household, through at least 1803.  The names Rebecca, Edward, and Potter were obviously not uncommon, so the identity of these heads of households must remain in doubt pending further research.  And indeed, a Rebecca Potter enumerated in Fairfax County on the 1810 Census was age 26-45, whereas our Rebecca would have been at least fifty-three years old.

According to Samuel Lunt Hannon, the children of Edward and Rebecca Denty Potter were:

Sarah Potter married Mr. Cook of Virginia.

Reuben Harslydine Potter married Fanny Chadwell on 12 Feb 1802.  He is likely the Reuben Potter who was enumerated in the 1810 Census in Fairfax County with one male under 10, one 26-45, one female 16-26, one 26-45, and one slave; and in the 1820 Census with one male under 10, one 16-26, one over 45, one female 10-16, one 26-45, and one slave.

Rebecca Potter, born about 1777, married Edward Dailey and had five children: Ann (born 29 Sep 1800, married Walter Warren Hannon on 19 Dec 1816, died 21 Nov 1863), Richard B. (married Elizabeth Bean), Eleanor (married David I. Eaton), William E. (married first Eliza F. Greer, married second Miss Speak) and Naomi V. Dailey (married John F. Southerland "of Maryland", died 11 Jun 1845).   Rebecca died on 20 Feb 1840, age sixty-three.[15]

        Charles Potter

        Ann Potter married Mr. Keatly of Kentucky.

        Elizabeth Potter married Mr. Brandon of Kentucky.

Hannon wrote that the Potter family moved to Kentucky and that both Mr. Keatly and Mr. Brandon were "of Kentucky".  Yet a Reuben Potter, age 26-45, was enumerated in the 1810 Census in Fairfax, as was a Phillip Keatley, and this author has been unable to find any Keatley or Brandon marriages in Kentucky prior to 1850.

The two unnamed daughters of John Wybert Denty married men named "Bremel" and "Sutherland", both "of Maryland".[16]  Like Keatly and Brandon "of Kentucky", however, "of Maryland" remains unconfirmed.  On the other hand, there was a William Brummitt residing in Fairfax County as early as 1760, and an Isaac Brammell married Ann Heniken there on 1 Dec 1793.[17] 

Research Notes: John Wybert Denty

Dakota Best Brown paraphrases old manuscript written by Samuel Lunt Hannon: "Mr. Dentie of England m. Miss Selby (Sibby) Ramsey of Scotland".  [Brown, Data on Some Virginia Families, p. 49][18]

In 1720 "J. Wybrow" shipped from London to MD as indentured servant (#1535) by agent John Sykes or Dykes.  [Wareing, Emigrants to America 1718-1733, p. 109]

19 Oct 1739: "John Wyborn" with party of six boarded "Duke of Cumberland" under Capt. Wm Harding for passage from Kent to VA.  [Denty Gitchel/Orig: Kaminow, Original Lists of Emigrants in Bondage, p. 175]

Not listed as one of the voters on the Poll List of 1744 in Fairfax Co.  [Netherton et al, Fairfax County: A History]

Listed under Truro Parish "Clerks and Lay Readers at the Churches . . . John Wybird Dainty, Upper or Falls 1745-1753; Christ Church, Alexandria 1754-1757".  [Slaughter, The History of Truro Parish in Virginia, p. 123]

7 Oct 1745: Truro Vestry ordered 333 lbs paid to "John Wybird", Clerk of the Upper Church for 4 months.  [Pohick Church, Minutes of the Vestry, p. 47]

19 Mar 1746: "John Wyburd Dainty" witnessed deed for 2 acres (5 shillings) from John Trammel to Vestry of Upper Church.  Other wits: James Robertson, John Dalton, John North.  [Sparaccio, Deed Abstracts of Fairfax County, Virginia 1742-1750, p. 80/Orig: Book B, p. 248]

20 Mar 1746: "John Wyburd Dainty" witnessed deed for 2 acres (50 shillings) to Church Vestry.  Other wits: James Robertson, John North.   [Sparaccio, p. 80/Orig: Book B, p. 249]

31 Mar 1746: "J. Wybird" witnessed the will of Robert Boling in Fairfax Co.  [King, Abstracts of Wills and Inventories, Fairfax County, Virginia, p. 7]

14 Oct 1746: "To John Wybird Dainty, Clerk at the Upper Church . . . 1200".  Same amount also paid to him on 12 Oct 1747, 10 Oct 1748, and 9 Oct 1749.  [Pohick, p. 48, 51, 53, 55]

19 Feb 1749: According to Steadman, Truro Vestry ordered 1,000 lbs to be paid to "John Wilber Danty" for services as Clerk of Upper Church.  This date not reflected in Vestry Minutes, the latter recording payment on 9 Oct 1749.  [Steadman, Falls Church by Fence and Fireside, p. 15-16]

In 1749 "John Daintie" listed as tithable in Fairfax Co.  He was reportedly the owner of 1 slave on this list.  [Fairfax Newsletter, v. 4, n. 2, Nov 1988/Orig: "Green's List", Library of Congress; Dent Gitchel, who claims original entry lists 2 whites and 1 black.]

19 Aug 1749: "John Wybird Dainty" witnessed the will of John Gladden.  Other wits: Simon French, Elizabeth Daniel.  [King, p. 11]

31 Mar 1750: "John Wybard Dainty" was defendant in suit brought by John Pagan.  Court found for Pagan.  John ordered to pay 623 lbs, plus court costs.  (John was only one defendant of many being sued by Pagan that day.) [Court Order Book, p. 71]

8 Oct 1750: "To John Wybird Dainty, Clerk of the Upper Church . . . 1,000".  Was reduction in salary due to the division of upper portion of Truro Parish into Cameron Parish on 10 Jun 1749?  [Pohick, p. 59]

14 Oct 1751: "To John Wybird Dainty, Clerk at the Upper Church for seven months attendance . . . 581".  [Pohick, p. 61]

21 Aug 1752: "John Wybard Dainty" co-defendant, along with Edward Seed, in action for debt brought by Garrard Alexander.  Granted leave until next court after "Special Bail" put up for him by William Gladden.  Case came to trial on 22 Jan 1754.  [Court Order Book, p. 236: Copy provided by Dent Gitchel]

2 Oct 1752: "To John Wybird Dainty, Clerk of the Upper Church . . . 1,000".  Steadman claims salary of "John Wilbur Danty" as Clerk of Falls Church was raised by 200 lbs on that date since Clerk of the Upper Church would now "read prayers every intervening Sunday".  The Vestry Minutes say nothing about this, but do show a salary raise of 100 lbs in 1753.  [Steadman, p. 15-16; Pohick, p. 66]

22 Dec 1752: "John Wybard Dainty" defendant in another suit for debt brought by John Pagan.  Dainty ordered to pay 215 lbs, £2.14.7, plus costs.  [Court Order Book, p. 287-288]

21 Mar 1753: Sale of unnamed parcel of land from "John Wybard Dainty" to James Swan proved by John Turley and Hugh West.    [Court Order Book, p. 308: Copy proved by Dent Gitchel; Sparaccio, Index of Missing Deed Books, Fairfax County, Virginia, p. 1/Orig deed, p. 466, is missing]

21 Jun 1753: "John Wybird Dainty" defendant in suit by William Hicks.  Dainty failed to appear, was assessed penalty of one slave named Peter, plus costs.  (John had apparently purchased Peter on credit but was unable to pay, resulting in Peter being, not to mince words, repossessed.)  [Court Order Book, p. 42]

22 Oct 1753: "To John Wybird Dainty, Clerk of the Upper Church . . . 1,100".  [Pohick, p. 68]

22 Jan 1754: "John Wybert Dainty" co-defendant with Edward Seed in suit originally brought by Garrard Alexander on 21 Aug 1752.  Through attorney William Ellzoy, Dainty claimed to have already paid 1,229 lbs plus 15 shillings in interest per written promissory.  Case continued until October.  Outcome couldn’t be located.  [Court Order Book, p. 24: Copy provided by Dent Gitchel]

20 Feb 1754: "To John Wybird Dainty, Clerk at Alexandria . . . 1,000".  Was paid same amount as Clerk at Alexandria on 27 Nov 1755.  [Pohick, p. 70, 73]

20 Feb 1754: John Wybert Dainty sued for debt by Thomas Turnbull.  Ordered to pay £2.9.9.3 plus costs.  (As so often was the case, John was one of many being sued by Turnbull that session.)  [Court Order Book, p. 43]

29 Nov 1756: "To John Wybird Dainty Clerk at Alexandria 950 assigned to Daniel French . . . 1000".  (Mr. Lumley now Clerk at Upper Church.)  [Pohick, p. 74]

22 Mar 1757: "John Wibart Dainty" was defendant in suit for "trespass on the case", i.e. debt, brought by Robert and Edward Maxwell.  Dainty's attorney Hugh West denied the trespass.  Trial postponed until next court.  Jury found for plaintiff on 19 Nov 1757 and ordered Dainty to pay 2,782 lbs, plus costs!  [Court Minutes, p. 90, 184: Copies provided by Dent Gitchel]

20 Jul 1757: "John Wybert Dainty" plaintiff in action against Mathew Sparrow.  Dainty awarded £0.4.7.1/2, plus court costs.  [Court Minutes, p. 145]

28 Nov 1757: "To John Wybird Dainty to purchase clothes for him to be laid out P. Church Wardens . . . 500".  (John Lumley now Clerk at both Falls Church and Alexandria.)  [Pohick, p. 76]

22 Jun 1758: "John Wibert Dainty" granted exemption from payment of public and county levy in Fairfax Co.  [Court Record, p. 261]

31 Mar 1759: "John Wybert Denty" offered furniture and livestock as collateral for loan of 1,108 lbs from landlord Samuel Conner due 10 Apr 1760.  Items listed were 2 cows, 2 heifers, 1 white horse, 2 feather beds, 1 rug, 2 iron pots and pothooks, 2 tables, 2 chests, 1 griddle, 6 plates and 2 dishes, and 1 spinning wheel.  Wits: John Peter Sartor, John Sartor.  [Deed Book D, p. 655: Copy provided by Dent Gitchel]

18 Sep 1759: "John Wybert Dainty" co-defendant in suit for debt ("trespass on the case") brought by Ann Neal, Admnx of the Christopher Neal estate.  Co-defendants were Locker Long and John Carr, neither of whom was present for trial.  Dainty apparently also absent as attachment issued against his "estate".  Case continued twice more.  On 18 Jun 1761 suit against "John Wybert Denty" finally dropped ("abates") due to plaintiff's marriage.  (Is reference to "estate" another implication that John Wybert Denty had already died?)  [Court Minutes, p. 412, 427, 604: Copies provided by Denty Gitchel]

On 1760 Fairfax map, "J. Denty" is shown as tenant of Samuel Conner on land bordering Rolling Road adjoining Ed and James Doyle, James Grimsley, and the Fitzhugh grant.  Shown between Pohick Run and Accotinck Creek, but not actually bordering either.  Listed as owner of 2 slaves, but number of slaves obtained by doubling the number listed in the 1749 tithable list.  On 21 Jun 1753 John ordered to pay penalty of "one Negro man slave named Peter", so doubtful if had any slaves in 1760.  [Mitchell and Sweig, Fairfax County, Virginia in 1760: An Interpretive Map]

10 Apr 1760: On date loan from Samuel Conner was due, trust deed proved in court by John Peter Sartor.  Was this because loan not paid?  [Court Minutes, p. 434: Copy provided by Dent Gitchel]

In 1763 the accounts for the Richard Simpson estate contained: "To paid Mr. Denty for assisting as a clerk at the funeral . . . 0.3.0"  [Will Book C, p. 33: Copy provided by Denty Gitchel]