John Denman, V - 1780 Death in Wilkes County, NC

John Denman, eldest son of John IV Denman, one of the original settlers of Westfield, NJ, has always been a bit of an enigma. From receiving just two shillings from his father's estate in ca. 1776, to his alleged marriage to Patience Yeomans who died young and sans progeny in 1754, throughout the chaotic period of Revolutionary War, and rumored second marriage.

His grave location unknown. However, there is the marriage of his nephew, James Denman (proven son of Daniel of Westfield), to Claranna Welborn of Wilkes County, NC. And land records in the area of her father, William Welborn, naming "John Denman" and "James Denman".

Daniel fathered three children that are proven: James, Samuel, and Sarah Pettit. I believe most of not all of the others on his and Deborah Scudder's family group are misplaced, but have yet to figure out where they actually belong. So the record that I discovered today, for the death and estate of John Denman of Wilkes County (died 1780), is imo more likely for Daniel's brother, John. I'm not convinced Daniel had a son by that name.

It had been rumored that Daniel may have gone to north Georgia during the Revolution, with his son, James, who received a Revolutionary war land grant there, and who married Claranna who was the sister of Brig. Gen. James Wellborn. But extensive investigation proved that Daniel returned to Newtown Long Island with wife Deborah Scudder, and died there during the latter years of the War. Deborah survived him and co-inherited her father's Long Island homestead. Their daughter, Sarah, married a Pettit and also resided in LI (was co-heir with her mother, I believe, for her uncle Samuel Scudder III's estate, as he died sans progeny). The other proven son, Samuel Scudder Denman, if I recall, remained in New Jersey (in other words, didn't go to LI or GA either one).

The rumor which was printed in the Denman history by Ms. Harris (1913) stated that they thought it was the brothers, Daniel and John, who had gone to Georgia during or shortly after the time of the Revolution. But my research strongly suggests that it was rather Daniel's brother John (who is listed among those New Jersey troops who fought at the Battle of King's Mountain) and Daniel's SON, James, who actually were the pair of Denman men who eventually made their way to north Georgia. Of course, we have to be mindful of all the changes in borders both between and within the states of North and South Carolina, Georgia, and to some extent, Tennessee and Alabama. Nevertheless, it's all the same general southern region of the US.

After settling down there, James married and had proven progeny. But there are way more Georgia Denmans than can be accounted for just by James and Claranna alone, who did not marry until 1785.

YET, I find a 1780 probate record in Wilkes County, NC (same place where James and Claranna Welborn were married) for one JOHN DENMAN. The administrator of his estate was MOSES Denman. Was Moses his son? Yes, I believe so, because this John had no brothers or uncles by that name.

Now to make it more interesting (and confusing, for me), there were two women, Elizabeth Thrasher and Elizabeth Denman, both of whom legally passed on their rights of dower to the same property (89 acres of land). Elizabeth Thrasher passed her rights on to "John Denman", who I would have to assume was the son of the deceased elder John. And Elizabeth Denman passed her dower on to Rubin Rowland. Have no idea how the latter was related to this family. The record is very brief, just 4 pages total. However there may be more, as I have only begun searching through these files.

So anyway, I'm inclined to identify this John Denman (d. 1780) with Daniel's brother, John Denman V. I have long suspected that he was the other male Denman who settled in northern Georgia following the war of Independence. As far as I know, there is no other option. Also, I think that all of the misplaced/unproven children that have been deposited into the Daniel Denman / Deborah Scudder family group -- actually belong with Daniel's brother, John. And I vaguely remember someone mentioning that this John's second wife was "Elizabeth", however I have yet to see proof of that claim.

It seems perfectly reasonable to me that John V would have these children by a second wife: Benjamin Cleveland Denman

I have sufficient evidence that the Denman and Cleveland families of north Georgia, were indeed well acquainted, if not blood related. There is some connection through or with the Jarrett family, if I'm not mistaken.

https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000175331657825

Also the other north GA Denmans, none of which are well sourced but of which it is reasonable to assume that they existed (I believe all of them, along with the above-mentioned Benjamin Cleveland Denman, belong to this John Denman V, brother of Daniel, who died in 1780 in Wilkes County, NC), Isaac Denman
Thomas Denman
John Denman
Elizabeth Denman
Moses Denman

The Battle of Kings Mountain occurred on Oct 7, 1780. If this is the same James Denman V, he would have been 57 years old at the time.

I've seen his name in the official archives, and he is also included on this list:

https://bkmnp.com/patriots-l-alphabetic/

And here is the court document that I think should be attached to his profile. Any thoughts?

"North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89CF-P6XF?cc=1911121&a... : 20 November 2015), Wilkes County > D > Denman, John (1780) > image 1 of 4; State Archives, Raleigh.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89CF-P6XF?wc=Q649-...