THE FURTHEST WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TRACE BACK SO FAR IS TO JOHN DENNEY WHO WAS A MEMBER OF THE MILITIIA OF NEW KENT COUNTY OF VIRGINIA IN 1702.Although much is left to learn about the specific life of John Denney, several things can be inferred from this early appearance in the Virginia record. The first thing is that he is at least 21 years of age in 1702, the minimum age to be in the militia. He is not a child, and is probably born at least as early as 1681. He is also probably of English Origin. Many legends persist in various lines of the Denney family that the Denneys were Scotch Irish in origin, but John Denney's early appearance in Virginia precludes this.
The flood of Scotch Irish immigrants into the Colonies did not begin until 1715, and it started into the port of Philadelphia and then overflowed into the Virginia back country in the next several years. According to David Hackett Fischer in his books Albion Seed (which trace the English origins of American colonists) and Bound Away: Virginia and the Westward Movement (which deals particularly with immigration to and from Virginia), most of the immigrants to Virginia in the 17th Century came from the South or West of England. 75 percent of these persons came as indentured servants, as they were too poor to pay for their own passage, and unlike in New England about 2/3 of these individuals were unskilled laborers. The average term of indenture ran seven years (although a few were for as short as four years and a few as long as 14).
There was much incentive for Virginians to pay for indentured servants to come to the New World. With so much available free land and an extremely high fatality rate, particularly among new immigrants who had yet to be "seasoned," those individuals who had large holdings must find laborers, and indentured servants were cheaper than slaves. If you paid the fee, you received seven years of work from the indentured servants who survived, plus a headright for 50 acres of land, the real wealth of the colony. The headrights were granted for each individual transported to the colony and were given to the person who paid the fee, which could include the passenger if he paid his own way. The headright system was originally started in 1619 and lasted until 1715, although few new headrights were granted after 1700. The individual who received the headright selected vacant land and applied for a patent at the land office. The next step was to have the surveyor make a plat of the land which was itself filed at the land office. If no one cross claimed on the land for six months the land belonged to the patentee. But the headright system was beset with trouble soon after its inception. Fraudelent claims were filed, with names of fake immigrants attached. Political favorites were given extra headrights as perks of office. Add to this that after a headright was issued, it could be traded like money, they often were, sometimes for many many years after the fact. Take for instance the immigrant Christopher Denney. My research indicates that he first appears in the headright patents in 1636 when Nathaniel Floyd was granted 850 acres of land in Isle of Wight County for the importation of 17 persons including Christ. Denn. (Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers). He was still appearing on the headright lists as late as 1671 when Lawrence Smith received a headright for importing Xtopher Denny again (Cavs and Pioneers). Click here to see a list of Denney Headrights in Virginia.
The great flood of immigration to Virginia came between the years of 1645 and 1680. So it is likely that our John Denney from 1702 was probably either an immigrant that arrived before 1680 or born in Virginia. Either he or his father was born in Southern or Western England, sailed as an indentured servant from Bristol or another western British Port, landed at one of the Virginia or Maryland ports, and after his term of service as a servant settled in New Kent County and appears in the 1702 roster of George Keeling's militia.
I believe that John Denney had at least two and maybe three sons:
John Denney
died after 1708
I
I
____________________________________I
I I------------------------------------
I I :
John Denney Benjamin Denney :
d. 1755 d. after 1756 :
:
Samuel Denney
also known as Old Sam of Amherst
Generation 1
1. John1 Denney was born before 1681 and died after 1708 in New Kent or Hanover County, Virginia. He had at least three children:
Children of John Denney are:
2. i. John2 Denney, b. Bet. 1695 -1700; d. 1755, Bedford County, Virginia.
3. ii. Benjamin2 Denney, b. Bet. 1700-1715; d. after 1756 Albemarle or Fluvanna County, VA.
4. iii. Samuel2 Denney, b. Bet. 1700-1715; d.after 1772, probably in Surry County, NC.
Generation 2
2. John2 Denney (John1) was born Bet. 1695-1700, and died in 1755 in Bedford County, Virginia. He married Sarah _____. She died after 1755. The farm on which they lived is on the Staunton River in what is now Pittsylvania and Campbell Counties Virginia. By the time of his death, John had sold the land in that was situated in future Pittsylvania County and was living in what is now Campbell County.
Children of John Denney and Sarah ______ are:
5. i. John3 Denney, Jr., b. Bet. 1720-1727.
6. ii. Zachariah3 Denney, b. 1731, Hanover County, VA d. 1805-1810, Granville County, NC.
7. iii. Anna3 Denney.
iv. Elizabeth Denney, m. [John?] Turner.
v. Sarah Denney, m. _______ Hunter.
3. Benjamin2 Denney (John1) was born Bet. 1700-1715, and died after 1756 in Albemarle or Fluvanna County, Viriginia. His progeny is not known for certain but it is undoubtedly the father of John Denney listed below and may have had the daughter listed below and may also have been the father of the Sarah Denney who married William Turner attributed to the children of Zachariah Denney below.
Children of Benjamin Denney are:
i. John2 Denney, d. Aft. 1785
8. ii. daughter2 Denney, m. _______ Wills (she would have been the mother of Ben. D. Wills).
iii. Judith Denney, m. John Henson (just some circumstantial evidence, Judith may not
even be a Denney).
and possibly
(iv.) Sarah Denney, m. William Turner (probably a daughter of Zachariah Denney so she
is listed in his children below).
4. Samuel2 Denney (John1) was born between 1700 and 1715 (probably near 1710), and died after 1772. There is some question as to where he died, a great-grandson (Joel Denney) said he went west with some family members before he died. He probably died in Surry County, NC. He married Sarah Southard, daughterof William Southard. In the 1800's, Joel Denney recorded that Samuel Denney had 17 children, but was only able to recall the names of 11, (John, Benjamin, William, James, Charles, Azariah, Henry, Shered, Lazarus, a daughter [Elizabeth] who married Priddy Meeks, and Keziah). Of these children, all have been found in the historical record except Shared who was stated by Joel Denney to have died in the Revolution. There is strong historical and DNA evidence to also include a son Samuel, Jr. who lived in Amherst County but did not move to Surry County, North Carolina with the rest of the Samuel clan. There is also about a fifty fifty chance that Mary "Mollie" Denney who married Thomas Pinson (and is listed as a daughter of Zachariah Denney below) was a daughter of Samuel. Scattered references to a Hezekiah Denney in the North Carolina Records are probably actually references to Azariah Denney and do not represent another son. It is very likely that the remaining unnamed children (if they existed) were other daughters who never moved to North Carolina and therefore their names were not remembered by family historian Joel Denney (the same reason he did not remember Samuel, Jr.) I will include the children and some of the grandchildren of Samuel Denney because in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Arkansas they settled so close to the descendants of Zachariah Denney who make up the bulk of the focus of this website. For more information on the descendants of Samuel Denney go to the links page of this website and check out the excellent site hosted by Richard Denney.
Children of Samuel Denney and Sarah Suddarth are:
9. i. John3 Denney, b. Bef. 1740, Virginia; d. after Nov 13, 1778, in the Revolution?
ii. Benjamin3 Denney, b. Bef. 1740, Virginia; d. aftrer November 10, 1779.
10. iii. William3 Denney, b. Bef. 1745, Virginia; d. Bef. Feb. 14, 1822, Surry County, NC.
11. iv. Samuel3 Denney, Jr. b. Bef. 1745, Virginia; d. 1807 Wayne County, KY.
12. v. James3 Denney, b. Bef. 1750, Virginia; d. Nov 1822, Wayne County, KY.
13. vi. Charles3 Denney, b. Bef. 1757, Virginia; d. Bef. November 1834, Wayne County, KY.
14. vii. Azariah3 Denney, b. Bef. 1755, Virginia; d. Aft. 1820, Surry County, NC.
15. viii. Henry3 Denney, b. Bef. 1755, Virginia; d. Surry County, NC.
16. ix. Lazarus3 Denney, b. Bef. 1756, Virginia; d. Bet. 1795-96, Grayson County, VA.
17. x. Elizabeth3 Denney, b. Bef. 1756, Virginia; d. Aft. 1820, KY
18. xi. Keziah3 Denney, b. abt. 1760, Virginia; d. November 23, 1850, Grayson County, VA.
xii. Shered3 Denney, May have died in the Revolution.
and possibly
(xiii) Mary "Molly" Denney, b. 1750's, Virginia; d. 1810-1820 Pike County, KY.
(She is more likely a daughter of Zachariah Denney and
is listed below with his children).
and less likely
(xiv) Hezekiah Denney, (if he is then he is probably the twin of Azariah and they were
born in 1750. I think that he is actually the same man as
Azariah)
Descendants of John2 Denney d. 1755
5. John3 Denney, Jr. (John2, John1) was born Bet. 1720 - 1727 in Hanover County, Virginia, and died after 1767. He seems to have disappeared after this. A John Denney who was
elected constable in Pittsylviania County, Virginia in 1785 is almost certainly a younger man, as he would have been at least 58, and constable was almost always a younger man's position. That John Denney is probably his son. It is possible that he was the father of several of the children listed as kids of brother Zachariah Denney, most notably Elijah and his younger brother Zachariah. He might also be the father of Sarah Denney who married William Turner.
6. Zachariah3 Denney (John2, John1) was b. about 1732 in Hanover County, Virginia, and died Bet. 1805-1810 in the Beaverdam District of Granville County, North Carolina. He married Mary _____ before November 1754. Although I have not found her name in any primary source after 1755, Mary is probably the the lady over 45 in his household in the household of Zachariah in the 1800 Census of Granville County, North Carolina. Although
some genealogists claim that she moved to Kentucky with possible son Elijah and died at the age of 100 in 1838, they are most definitely mistaken, as there is absolutely no evidence in any Kentucky record that she ever lived there. Zachariah and Mary have been alternately listed as the children of several children, some of whom possibly belong to other relatives, but all are listed below. To see a discussion of which children are more likely to belong to Zachariah and the evidence for each see click here.
Children of Zachariah Denney and Mary ______ are:
19. i. Son4 Denney, b. Bet. 1750 - 1752, Lunenburg Co., VA; d. Bef. 1780 Granville Co., NC.
20. ii. Benjamin4 Denney, b. Bet. 1752-1760, Lunenburg Co., VA; d. 1797, Person Co. NC.
21. iii. Elijah4 Denney, b. Bet. Sept 10, 1758-1762, Bedford Co., VA; d. 1863 KY.
22. iv. Sarah4 Denney, b. Bet. 1750-1765, Virginia; d. Georgia.
23. v. Mary4 "Mollie" Denney, b. Bet. 1750-1760, Virginia; d. Bet. 1810-1820, Pike Co., KY.
24. vi. Zachariah4 Denney, b. Abt. 1770, Orange Co., NC; d. Abt. 1840, Clay Co., IN.
Generation 4
19. Son4 Denney (Zachariah3, John2, John1) was born Bet. 1750 -1752 in Lunenburg County, Virginia (based on his being at least 18 at the birth of his eldest son Claiborne in 1770, and his father being born no earlier than 1730-and probably more likely 1732), and died before 1780 in Orange, Caswell, or Granville County, North Carolina. He married Henrietta _______ before 1770. It is possible that this nameless son is actually the same man as son number ii Benjamin, and that Benjamin was married first to Henrietta ______ and second to Barbara ______, but the presence of a woman of the age that Henrietta should be in the Zachariah Denney household in the 1800 census of Granville County makes this unlikely. For more on this subject click here.
Children of Son4 Denney (possibly Benjamin) and Henrietta _______:
25. i. Claiborne5 Denney, b. 1770, Granville County, NC; d. Aft. 1830, Madison Co., TN.
26. ii. John5 Denney, b. Bet. 1772-1773, Granville Co., NC; d. 1847, Smith County, TN.
27. iii. Benjamin5 Denney, b. Abt 1774, Granville Co, NC; d. June 16, 1844, Smith Co., TN.
28. iv. Fannie5 Denney, b. Late 1770's, Granville Co., NC; d. Aft. 1830.
20. Benjamin4 Denney (Zachariah3, John2, John1) was born between 1752 and 1760 in Bedford County, Virginia, and died in late 1797 in Person County, North Carolina. He may have been married twice, first to a Henrietta _______ before 1770 (meaning he would have been born about 1752) and then after 1782 to Barbara ______. If he was married twice then he would be father of the four children mentioned immediately above. For more information on this and on the possibility that his wife Barbara ______ was a Stagner from Rowan County click here. Benjamin was definitely married to Barbara ______ by 1784 and they had at least the six children listed below. Barbara was born about 1760 and after the death of Benjamin she married Colonel John Day on September 8,1802, in Person County, North Carolina. She died in 1832 in Person County and was preceded in death by her second husband John Day in 1825.
Children of Benjamin4 Denney and Barbara ______ are:
29. i. Sarah5 Denney, b. November 17, 1784, Granville Co. NC; d. Bet. 1850-1860, KY.
30. ii. Lucy5 Denney, b. Bet. 1780-1790, North Carolina; d. Person County, North Carolina.
31. iii. Mary5 Denney, b. Bet. 1785-1790, Person Co., NC; d. Bef. Sept 1830, NC.
32. iv. Nancy5 Denney, b. 1794, Person County, NC; d. after 1836, NC.
33. v. Elizabeth5 Denney, b. 1790-1800, Person County, NC; d. after 1840, NC.
34. vi. Thomas5 Denney, b. 1795, Person County, NC; d. 1860, Person County, NC.
21. Elijah4 Denney (Zachariah3, John2, John1) has long been supposed to be the son of Zachariah Denney based on a Goodspeed Biography of his Elijah's grandson Dr. Zachariah C. Denney in the 1880s. Elijah was born on September 10, in the year 1758 or 1762. Elijah's age seems to have accelerated as he got older-his tombstone claims the birth date of 1758, while he claimed to have been born in 1762 in a Revolutionary War Pension application. In 1856 a newpaper article claimed that he was 119 years old. Elijah died on April 26, 1863, in Rockcastle County, Kentucky. Collins History of Kentucky claims that at the time of his death, Elijah was the last surviving veteran of the Revolution in Kentucky. This seems likely. Elijah is closely tied to the Owen family of Virginia, then Wilkes County, North Carolina, and then Kentucky. His first wife, Mary Owen, was the daughter of William Owen, Sr. They married about 1785 in Wilkes County, North Carolina. She was dead by at least by 1788 when he married Susan Simpson. She was born on January 21, 1765 in Virginia and died on April 6, 1816, in Rockcastle County, Kentucky. It is unclear whether Elijah and Mary had any children, but it seems likely very possible that the eldest son Simeon is the son Mary. Son Levi who was born in 1789 is probably a son of Elijah and Susan, as he named his own eldest son Simpson Denney (which he seems unlikely to have done in honor of his step-mom). The likelihood of Elijah's place in this family could be established through DNA testing, but the one candidate from his numerous progeny to be tested thus far did not establish the line. This negative result does not prove Elijah to be of a different family, but additional testing would be helpful. For more information on the ancestry of Elijah Denney click here.
Children of Elijah4 Denney and Mary Owen are:
35. i. Simeon5 Denney, b. December 8, 1787, Wilkes Co., NC; d. October 24, 1890, KY.
Children of Elijah4 Denney and Susan Simpson are:
36. ii. Levi5 Denney, b. 1789, Wilkes Co., NC; d. March 14, 1854, Rockcastle Co., KY.
iii. Lavira5 Denney, b. 1791, Wilkes Co., NC; d. 1892; m. Adams Crawford.
iv. Cency5 Denney, b. 1792, Wilkes Co., NC; d. 1814, Rockcastle Co., KY.
v. Lavicia5 Denney, b. 1794, Wilkes Co., NC; d. 1866, Rockcastle Co., KY.
vi. Minerva5 Denney, b. 1801, Wilkes Co., NC.
vii. Winifred5 Denney, b. 1803, KY; d. 1858, KY; m. Martin Owens.
viii. Malinda5 Denney, b. 1808, KY; d. 1892; m. Hiram E. Sowder.
34. ix. Elijah5 Denney, Jr., b. 1810, Rockcastle Co., KY; d. Pulaski County, KY.
22. Sarah4 Denney (Zachariah3, John2, John1) is quite a mystery in our line, as various internet genealogists show her and her husband's birthdates and deathdates and locations varying almost thirty years. Some show her born as early as the 1740's or as late as the 1760's. Some say she was born and died in Albemarle County, Virginia, while some show her living in Halifax County, Virginia, and moving on to Tennessee, South Carolina, and Georgia before her death. If she was from Albemarle County, then she was the daughter of Zachariah's uncle Benjamin Denney (and she had a grandson named Benjamin Denney). She also had a son named Zachariah. Most researchers from the Denney-L discussion group seem to think that she was the daughter of Zachariah Denney and Zachariah did indeed live near a William Turner in Halifax County, Virginia in the 1760's and 1770's and witnessed a deed involving this William Turner and his father Nathan Turner in 1771. It seems likely she belongs to Zachariah.
Children of Sarah4 Denney and Willam Turner are:
35. i. Nathan5 Turner, b. Feb 21, 1780; d. 1840, Kingston, Roane County, Tennessee.
36. ii. Zachariah5 Turner.
iii. Anna5 Turner, b. 1786, Laurens County, SC; d. Missouri, m. John Casey.
37. iv. Daniel5 Turner, b. 1789, Laurens County, SC; d. Aug 7, 1854, Courtois Co, MO.
38. v. Sarah5 Turner, b. 1794.
vi. Susan5 Turner, m. James Casey.
vii. Rissie5 Turner, m. Denny Harris.
viii. Elizabeth5 Turner, m. Alvin Casey.
ix. Polly5 Turner, m. Reuben Kelley.
23. Mary4 "Mollie" Denney (Zachariah3, John2, John1) was born Bet. 1750 - 1760, in Virginia and died Bet. 1810-1820 in Pike County, Kentucky. She married Thomas Pinson Bet. 1770-1775 in Granville County, North Carolina. He was born Bet. 1740-1750 in Halifax County, Virginia, and died in 1815 in Pike County, Kentucky. There is some debate over whether Mollie belongs to the family of Zachariah Denney or that of Samuel Denney of Amherst/Surry. Thomas Pinson lived at different times of his life near the families of both men. He was the son of Aaron Pinson and Delilah Stovall. The Aaron Pinson farm was just a mile or so from that of Zachariah Denney. In fact, the creek that both Aaron Pinson and Zachariah Denney lived on was named Aaron's Creek in honor of Aaron Pinson. So Thomas grew up near the farm of Zachariah. Aaron Pinson's youngest son, also named Zachariah, married Margaret Winfree. Margaret's sister Sally Winfree married John Denney, one of the eldest grandchildren of Zachariah Denney. Most descendants of Thomas Pinson list his eldest child as born in 1775 near Raleigh, North Carolina. Granville County, North Carolina is the county next to Wake County, the county in which Raleigh is located. Later, Thomas Pinson lives in Grayson County, Virginia, in close proximity to at least two sons of Samuel Denney. If we can find out what year Thomas and Mollie were married, it would tell us to which family she belongs
Children of Mary4 "Mollie" Denney and Thomas Pinson are:
i. Aaron5 Pinson, b. 1775, Granville Co., NC; d. Edgar Co., IL; m. Sarah Lycans.
ii. Henry5 Pinson, b. 1777, Granville Co., NC; d. Pike County, KY; m. Anne Preston.
iii. Nancy5 "Anne" Pinson, b. 1779, Granville Co., NC; d. Pike Co, KY; m. Silas Ratliffe.
iv. John5 Pinson, b. 1781; d. Dec 19, 1856, Wayne Co., WV; m. Polly Honaker.
v. Allen5 Pinson, b. Nov 24, 1785, Grayson Co., VA; d. Nov 15, 1858, Pike Co., KY.
vi. William5 Pinson, b. 1787, Grayson Co., VA; m. (1) C. Adkins, (2) Anne Lowe.
vii. Thomas5 Pinson, b. 1792, Grayson Co., VA; d. Edgar Co, IL; m. Rachel Leslie.
viii. Jarrett5 Pinson, b. 1794, Grayson Co., Va; d. May 24, 1874, KY; m. Polly Walters.
ix. Elizabeth5 Pinson, b. 1795, Grayson Co., VA; m. Russell Clevenger.
24. Zachariah4 Denney (Zachariah3, John2, John1) was born Abt. 1770. It is quite evident from the primary records of Wilkes and Ashe County, North Carolina that this younger Zachariah Denney is closely associated with Elijah Denney. As they are between 8 and 13 years different in age, then they can not be father and son-they are much more likely brothers. This would mean that if we can prove one is the son of the elder Zachariah, then both are. For more on this subject click here. Zachariah is living in the household of Elijah Denney in 1790, and has married Sophia ______ between 1788 and 1795. He migrated to Kentucky in 1802, apparently along with brother Elijah. During the 1810's he moved to Orange County, Indiana. He died in 1840 in Middlebury, Clay County, Indiana.
Children of Zachariah4 Denney and Sophia ______ are:
39. i. Polly5 Denney, b. Bef. 1795; m. David White.
ii. Mordecai5 Denney, b. North Carolina; m. Mary _____.
40. iii. Sophia Charlotte5 Denney, b. April 17, 1800, Ashe County, NC; m. James Defore
41. iv. Mahulda5 Denney, b. 1802, KY?; m. Jacob Vontrees.
Smith County, Tennessee
Three Denney brothers from Granville County, North Carolina moved to Smith County, Tennessee, between 1806 and 1811. The eldest, Claiborne, and the youngest, Benjamin, both moved in 1806, while the other brother, John moved about 1811.
Claiborne3 Denney (Son4, Zachariah3, John2, John1) was born in 1770, probably in Granville County, North Carolina and died after 1830 in either Madison County, Tennessee, or Madison County, Arkansas. The name of his wife is unknown, although Claiborne does seem closely connected to the Hooker Family both before and after the move from North Carolina to Tennessee. She may be connected to that family. Her birth was sometime between 1770 and 1775, and she was still alive in 1830. Claiborne is the first of the three brothers to appear in North Carolina Records (the 1786 Nash District, Person County, NC tax list), but is still somewhat of a mystery. He does not appear in the 1800 Census of North Carolina, although the tax records indicate he was still in Person County. Census records indicate that Claiborne had at least four sons, and he probably had at least one more. Since he does not appear in any extant tax records prior to 1820, it is also possible that he had daughters who's names we have not yet discovered.
Children of Claiborne5 Denney are:
i. William6 Denney, b. 1793, Person Co., NC; d. 1852 Hiwassee, Smith Co., TN. m. Charlote Ward
ii. Jonathan6 Denney, b. 1794-1796, Person County, NC; d. 1828, TN, m. Mary Rison
iii. Standford D6 Denney, b. May 22, 1799, NC; d. Dec 5, 1858, Madison Co., Ark. m. Martha Robinson
iv. Pryor6 Denney, b. Bet. 1800-1810.
and probably also
v. Christopher6 Denney, b. 1790-1798, Person County, North Carolina.
i. William6 Denney (Claiborne5, Son4, Zachariah3, John2, John1) b. 1793, in the Nash District of Person County, North Carolina and died in late 1851 or early 1852. He married Charlotte T. "Kittie" Ward (daughter of John and Roxie Lanie Kornegie Ward) around 1818 in the Hiwassee area of Smith County, Tennessee. William served three tours of service with Andrew Jackson during the Creek Indian War and the War of 1812. He was horribly wounded by a cannon ball during the Night Battle of New Orleans. The extent of his wounds were such that he probably saved his legs only because he was originally given up for dead. (Read his pension papers) After the war, he used his pension and his apparent business savy to turn his farm on the Cumberland River near Hiwassee into one of the most prosperous plantations in Smith County.
1. Mary Ann7 Denney b. June 19, 1819 d. April 10, 1882 m. Stephen Stone
2. Harriet B.7 Denney b. 1820 d. after 1880 m. Johnson Underwood
3. William C.7 Denney b. July 14, 1823 d. November 17, 1893 m. Drucilla G. Bradley
4. Carroll W.7 Denney b. Mar 28, 1835 d. July 14, 1895 m. Narcissia Josephine Wilson
5. Charlotte Francis 7. Denney b. 1893 d. after 1890 m. Burton Underwood
ii. Christopher6 Denney (Claiborne5, Son4, Zachariah3, John2, John1) may not really exist. The only proof I have found of him is the fact that a Christopher Denney recovered a stray horse in 1816 in Payne's Bend (which is where Claiborne lived) of Smith County. It could be that the ranger or the editor of the paper accidentally recorded the name Christopher Denney even though they meant to record Claiborne Denney.
iii. Jonathan6 Denney (Claiborne5, Son4, Zachariah3, John2, John1) was likely born between 1794 and 1796 and died about 1828 in West Tennessee. He married Mary Rison, daughter of Ellery Rison in Smith County, Tennessee, sometime between 1820 and 1826. He served at least two terms of duty in the War of 1812, ending the war at Mobile, during the British attack on that post after the Battle of New Orleans. He moved to West Tennessee during the 1820's and had at least one daughter. After his death his widow remarried a Mr. Luckey, whos first name is unknown. In her later years, she applied for a widow's pension based on Jonathan's service in the War, but was declined because she could not prove his service.
1. Mary J.7 Denney b. 1820-1828 d. 1844-1847 m. Miles P. Chandler
iii. Standford D.6 Denney (Claiborne5, Son4, Zachariah3, John2, John1) was born May 22, 1799, in Person County, North Carolina, and married Martha Robinson (b. November 14, 1799, Tennessee - probably daughter of David Robinson) on December 1, 1823, in probably in Smith County, Tennessee. Standford Denney moved to Madison County, Tennessee during the 1820s and then moved on to Madison County Arkansas about 1835. Martha died on March 1, 1855, and was followed by Standford on December 31, 1858. They appear to have had three children
1. Mary Jane7 Denney b. September 24, 1826 d. April 6, 1902 m. Calvin M. Sharp
2. Leroy Cage7 Denney b. July 19, 1831 d. January 12, 1915 m. Martha M. Hash
3. William Pleasant7 Denney b. August 21, 1833 d. March 1, 1851
John5 Denney, Sr. (Son4, Zachariah3, John2, John1) was born Bet. 1772-1773 probably in Granville County, North Carolina, and died Bet. May 13 - June 15, 1847, in Smith County, Tennessee. He married Sarah "Sally" Winfree about 1792 or 1793 in Granville County, North Carolina. She was the daughter of James Winfree and Elizabeth Jones. Sarah was born Bet. 1770-1775 in Virgilina, Halifax County, Virginia, and died Bet. 1841-May 15, 1847 in Smith County, Tennessee. It would seem that John Denney did not migrate to Smith County, Tennessee until 1811.
Children of John5 Denney, Sr. and Sarah "Sally" Winfree are:
i. Zachariah6 Denney, b. January 19, 1794, NC; d. April 1848, Smith Co., TN. m. Catherine Stallings
ii. Wiley6 Denney, b. 1794, NC; d. 1869 Denney Branch, Smith Co., TN. m. Clara Enoch
iii. Ambrose6 Denney, b. 1795-1802, NC; d. 1823-1847.
iv. Charles W.6 Denney, b. December 27, 1801, NC; d. 1862, Smith Co., TN. m. Martha Everett
v. Daughter6 Denney, b. 1800-1805, NC; d. Bet. 1823-1847. m. (Brooks?) Wilkerson
vi. Elizabeth6 Denney, b. 1808, NC; d. Aft. 1878, Ewing, Franklin Co., IL. m. James Madison Winfree
vii. Benjamin6 Denney, b. May 26, 1810, NC; d. Sept. 5, 1844, Smith Co., TN. m. Evaline Rollings
viii. Gabriel Jones6 Denney, b. 1811, Granville County, NC; d. Aft. 1873. m. Caroline White
i. Zachariah6 Denney (John5, Son4, Zachariah3, John2, John1) was born on January 19, 1794, in the Nash District of Person County, North Carolina. He married Catherine Stallings, likely the daughter of Mills and Charity Stallings, about 1818. At the time both families lived between New Middleton and Bluff Creek in Smith County. Later Zachariah bought a farm and lived somewhere between Sykes in current day Smith County, Tennessee and Temperance Hall in what is now Dekalb County. The farm that he lived on was probably cut off into Dekalb County during the middle of the 1850's. Zachariah was apparently already ill when his father wrote his own will in 1847 (John's will specifically mentions that if Zachariah did not survive him then his share should go to his children). Although no specific date has been uncovered, the records point to a death date of around April of 1848. Catherine was born on March 2, 1798, in Smith County, Tennessee (her family was one of the first settlers on the Hogan Grant, in fact they were probably part of the Hogan Party) and died about 1867 near Buffalo Valley, in Putnam County, Tennessee. She does not appear to have remarried after the death of her husband.
1. James Mills7 Denney, b. March 14, 1819, TN; d. 1880-1900, TN. m. #1 Martha A. Scudders
m. #2 Martha Robinson
2. Jonathan7 Denney, b. Feb. 28, 1822, TN; d. after 1900, TN. m. Agnes Winfree
3. William Ira7 Denney, b. Jan 21, 1824; d. July 8, 1903. m. #1 Teresa Scudders
m. #2 Elizabeth Coffee
4. Timothy7 Denney, b. December 22, 1825; d. Nov 5, 1898 m. Hettie Paul
5. John Smith7 Denney, b. Nov 1, 1828; d. Nov 19, 1912 m. Nancy Henrietta Carlen
6. Elizabeth Ann7 Denney, b. Aug 4, 1832; d. Nov 12, 1918
7. Lucy Whitley7 Denney, b. Nov 28, 1935; d. May 30, 1908, TX. m. Bailey G. Woodson
8. Catherine7 Denney, b. November 1, 1837; m. #1 John L. Huddleston
#2 Azro Ballard
Benjamin5 Denney, Sr. (Son4, Zachariah3, John2, John1) was born Bet. 1774-1777 probably in Granville County, North Carolina, and died on June 16, 1844 at his farm of Pigeon Roost near Brush Creek, Smith County, Tennessee. He married Kerrenhappuch "Carrie" Taylor on December 19, 1798, in Granville County, North Carolina. She was the daughter of George Taylor and Jerusha _____ and was born about 1777 in Granville County, North Carolina and died in 1858 near Brush Creek, Smith County, Tennessee. It would seem that Benjamin Denney's marriage to Carrie started the move of the Denney's from the area of the Person County - Granville County border to the Beaverdam District of southern Granville County about 1800. Benjamin and his wife, along with his brother Claiborne, her sister Agnes, her brother-in-law Silas Paschal, and her in-laws James Burchett and the Buchanan's all moved to Smith County, Tennessee about 1806.
Children of Benjamin5 Denney, Sr., and Kerrenhappuch "Carrie" Taylor are:
i. Samuel6 Denney, b. Bet. 1799, Granville Co., NC; d. 1844, Miller County, MO.
ii. George6 Denney, b. Oct. 1800, Granville Co., NC; d. 1865, Lauderdale County, Alabama.
iii. Juda6 Denney, b. Bet. 1800-1810; d. Aft. 1855.
iv. Agnes "Nancy"6 Denney, b. 1807, Bluff Creek, Smith County, TN; d. 1851, Smith Co., TN.
v. John6 Denney, b. 1810, Bluff Creek, Smith County, TN; d. Bef. 1884, Oregon Co., MO.
vi. Fanny6 Denney, b. Bet. 1810-1820, Bluff Creek, Smith County, TN; d. May 9, 1847.
vii. Mary6 Denney, b. June 12, 1813, Smith Co., TN; d. Nov 8, 1844, Smith Co., TN.
viii. Sarah6 Denney, b. 1814, Bluff Creek, Smith County, TN; d. Aft. 1880, Carroll Co., TN.
ix. William6 Denney, b. Oct. 1821, Smith Co., TN; d. July 26, 1902, Smith Co., TN.
x. Jerusha6 Denney, b. Sept. 1826, Smith Co., TN; d. Apr. 23, 1863, Smith Co., TN.
xi. Elizabeth6 Denney, b. Bet. 1826-1827, Bluff Creek, Smith Co., TN; d. Oregon Co., MO. or
b. 1812, Bluff Creek, Smith County, TN; d. after 1880, Smith Co., TN.