Christopher Denman - More Questions, and Some Progress

Very interesting, Christopher might be my 5th grandfather, but I haven't done much research on this side of my family. The most recent Denman possibly in my family tree is Helen Denman (possibly 2nd great grandmother) who married Joseph William Romedy and lived in Crowder, Mississippi.

Hello, cousin, so happy to hear from you. For most of my life I've been gradually gathering bits and pieces from old newspapers, books, and all the other usual genealogical sources (marriages, censuses, probates, land records, etc.) in an effort to untangle our Denman origins. I started out many years ago with just one old ship passenger's list in the genealogy room at the local library and whatever little information my father was able to share, after losing his own father quite young in life.

We're making steady progress thanks in large part to the convenience of internet and recent developments in availability and access to historic public records, but have a long way and a lot of catching-up yet to go. I'm currently reorganizing all of my data sources in order to make more efficient use of them, while sharing them here. I'd long been focused mainly on gathering facts, and only recently turned my attention toward attaching them to relevant individual ancestor profiles. And I keep finding more and more records in Georgia and the Carolinas to be added to the list of sources, so it keeps me occupied and is also exciting and very rewarding.

Not sure if you've seen this before. This is from Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Mississippi Vol I Pg 644.

"Thomas J. Denman, a planter and merchant of Tallahatchie county, was born in Carroll county in 1858. He was the son of Richard and Mary E. ( Sullivan ) Denman. His
father, who was a native of Georgia, came to Mississippi during the pioneer period. Settling in Monroe county, he removed after a time to Choctaw county, and from there to Carroll county; here he married and lived until 1866; during that year he came to Tallahatchie
county. Here be lived until January, 1889, when he removed to Sardis, Panola county ,
where he has since lived . He has been a life- long planter, beginning with no capital except
honesty and determination to succeed, until he has acquired a competency. He served four
years in the Confederate army, part of the time in a cavalry company during the Civil war,
but he was for a considerable time in the infantry, being captured at Fort Donelson and imprisoned at Indianapolis, Ind ., for six months and one day. After that he rejoined his command, serving in a cavalry organization until the close of the war. He surrendered with
General Forrest at Selma, Ala. Returning home, he resumed planting. He is a member of the Sardis lodge and Royal Arch chapter of the Masonic order. He was four times married,
the first time to the mother of our subject, who died August 12, 1876. Mr. Denman's paternal grandfather was John Denman, who was born and married to Martha Hooper in Franklin county, Ga., where he lived until the removal of the Indians west of the Mississippi, in which he assisted. He then settled in Monroe county, whence he removed to Yalobusha
county, where he lived for ten years, and thence removed to Choctaw county, where he died in 1863, at the age of eighty- five years. In early life he was a planter, and before then was
a keelboatman on the Tombigbee river. He was twice married. The grandmother of our subject was his first wife. She reared a large family of sons and daughters and died in Yalobusba county . His great - grandfather, John Denman, was a native of Ireland, who early came to America, where he passed the rest of his life."

Martha Denman (Hooper)
Richard Denman

https://books.google.com/books?id=G-pEAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA644&lpg...

Many thanks, Henry Schlottman , I'd never seen that! These sort of regional biographical sketches can often be quite helpful in genealogy.

I am aware of some Irish Denmans, and long suspected the many Denmans of early Georgia were of multiple origins. I think I can trace the large group in Franklin County back to a Moses Denman who received a land grant there in the late 18th century. But his immediate family and origins is still a bit of a mystery to me. I get the sense however, that he had a lot of descendants.

I've traced my own branch which is apparently unrelated, through Blake and James back to early Habersham County, GA, with Blake and James coming out of the Edgecombe and Pendleton Districts of South Carolina where there also lived (as I recall) a William Denman. I believe within reason, that James' uncle was the John Denman who died in Wilkes County, NC, within months after the battle of King's Mountain, attended by Col. Elijah Isaacs. Or better put, Col. Isaacs attended to the legal matters of his estate. These Denmans have multiple connections by marriage to at least three different New Jersey families all of the same vicinity in old Essex county (i.e. Westfield and Elizabeth Town), so I believe they are from the NJ Denman branch.

Anyway, the challenge is in keeping them sorted out after they kind of collided and merged (or not, as the case may be) in Georgia after the Revolution.

I'm also aware of an early Pennsylvania branch, originating evidently with a "Charles Denman". Not to be confused with another colonial Pennsylvania branch of Denmans with both NJ and influential Washington DC connections. The latter was associated by marriage to the Hampton family, and some of their sons were named Moses or Moses Hampton Denman. Some were also early founders of a midwestern state (Iowa or Missouri? Not Ohio. But I'd have to look it up).

And to really complicate things further, I just very recently stumbled upon a hitherto unknown land grant for 320 acres in Cumberland County, NC, for a "James Denman", dated October of 1765. I found this completely on my own, by browsling through manuscripts, and I think it is a new discovery. But I have to locate the link to the source now, as I've misplaced it hopefully just temporarily. Anyway, I uploaded it here so that others can see it and possibly help shed some light on it for all concerned. Although uploaded to my James Denman (b. ca. 1765) I really don't know which family this one belongs to:

https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000179923771880

I found the link to the document referenced above:

https://www.nclandgrants.com/grant/?mars=12.14.51.544&qid=70344...

https://www.ncgenweb.us/cumberland/uppersideuplitriv.html

Another James Denman in 1748 Virginia:

https://archive.org/details/jstor-1914578/page/n3/mode/2up

Incidentally, it was Samuel Denman who married the Hampton lady in New Jersey, thereafter moving to Philadelphia, and I think it was one of their descendants or cousins or something who married into to a powerful colonial DC family. They're distant cousins.

Charles Denman who as I recall came from Pennsylvania, became clerk of court for Perquimans County in North Carolina. His brother or son was a Christopher Denman, and he had other relatives in that county (including I think some Suttons). I have no idea how he relates to me, if at all. Or where he came from originally.

But my ancestor is supposedly James of NJ the father of Blake; James being a soldier with a Georgia company during the Revolution (I proved this just recently, DAR doesn't even have this info as all they show is that he received a land grant based on his service). This is more or less confirmed by the DAR and SAR...

But this 1748 Virginia "James" is yet another new one for me. I just found it today.

The Georgia families confuse me, especially Franklin Co. I see my people from Habersham (Blake and his wife Neaty and his father, James and his wife, and Blake's son, William C. -- all found on censuses together; also at least one John Denman whose widow was Elizabeth, and whose daughter was Elizabeth and may have married Reuben Rawlings -- connected to this branch as well), but I also see a host of other Denmans of undetermined kinship.

Would love to know the origins of all of them, particularly the Franklin Co. family or families, whose patriarch seems to have been "Moses", although Moses may have had one or more married brothers as well.

Daniel and John of NJ had lots of cousins, so it could be some of them I suppose (although most already seem fairly well accounted for, mainly in northern and midwestern states).

Nice, yes, it definitely gets a bit hazy once you get to Georgia. Looking at this and familysearch I think the current parentage of John Denman (the one who married Martha Hooper) is probably wrong so not Christopher. There's definitely a lot of name variation at that time. It took a while to trace my own surname because of that. I'll try to take a look at Franklin county and maybe look at some immigration records. Might be able to trace John's parentage by looking at Irish immigration.

From A Standard History of Georgia and Georgians, Volume 6:

Doctor Fite married Sarah Denman , who was born in Franklin County, Georgia, the eldest daughter of Felix Gilbert and Nancy ( Hutcherson ) The Denmans were among the earliest settlers of Georgia , and Judge Fite's great - great- grandfather, John Denman, was an Englishman who came to America about 1760, and served as a soldier in the Revolution. After the war he removed to Franklin County , Georgia. The great- grandfather, Christopher Denman, was born about 1770, and came to Georgia with his father. Grandfather Felix G. Denman was born in 1798, in Franklin County, and was old enough to serve as a soldier in the War of 1812, and was present with General Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans in January , 1815. Felix Gilbert Denman afterwards located in Bartow, then Cass County, and was a large land and slave owner. He died in 1861.

https://books.google.com/books?id=YUcUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA2830&lp...

Thanks very much!

Sorry, didn't notice your last post. You may like to Geni-search under "Discussions" at the top of this page for "Denman", as I've started several already. Some of them might perchance have some useful information for you. I'm not going to list any here, so you can check into them and decide for yourself whatever you find of interest. There are several pages under the results, so it may get more interesting beyond the first page.

Found another pre-Revolution reference to a James Denman, 1769 Hillsborough District, NC. A court record wherein he was sued by Robert Cunningham for payment of a debt.

https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p16062coll40/id/31084

I think "broke custody" means broken chain of custody. Looks like the lawsuit was settled in favor of the plaintiff for more than £6. (pps 21b and 27b).

https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p16062coll40/id/31084

This court docket coincides with the North Carolina Regulator Movement, with many names such as Col. Edmond Fanning and Herman Husband found on record. Col. Fanning in particular was involved in much legal contentiousness accusing multiple defendants mostly of slander, and some of owing debts. In turn, he was accused of slander, debt, and trespass.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulator_Movement

I found several parties of historical interest listed in this court docket.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Alamance

Edmund Fanning

Herman Husband

John Oldham Hightower

John Willcox, I

Capt. Robert Messer, “the Regulator”

James ""The Regulator"" Few

Just a few names, and I didn't look through even half of the book.

________________________

In summary, the 1743 Virginia James Denman, the 1763-5 Columbus Co. NC James Denman, and the 1769 Hillsborough District, NC James Denman -- may be the same person, idk. But, I can think of no connection with him to the New Jersey Denmans, other than a possible distant cousin. The NJ Denmans originated much earlier in Long Island, not in Virginia. But some of them seemed adventurous and fairly mobile, so maybe a small branch wandered over there quite early on. But they could have just as easily immigrated into the country separately

It was almost certainly a younger James who married Claranna Wellborn in Wilkes Co., NC in 1785 And presumably the John Denman who fought at King's Mountain and died the same year in Wilkes Co., is his uncle (or father? maybe...). Claranna's father William Welborn named both John and James Denman in land transfers (in either Wilkes or Franklin, or maybe Habersham county, I have to review my source again, before Blake was born in about 1802). So it's safe to assume that John and James are blood related somehow.

Right around the same time in the latter years of the 18th century, following the Revolution, in the same general vicinity (Franklin Co., I think) a Moses Denman received a grant for land, which his family later inherited. (Also as I recall, a Moses Denman was executor for John Denman who died 1780 in Wilkes Co., NC).

Then in about the first quarter of 19th century Franklin County, there were several Denman marriages including Hephzibeth who married Edward or Edmond Henly (whether or not Edward and Edmond were two entirely different individuals, I can't say at this point). There was a Catherine Denman and Richard Ross who obtained a license; and of course Morgan, and others who grew up and married in Franklin Co.

James and Claranna's younger son Blake meanwhile, received his first grant of land in Habersham County. And before long the newspapers began mentioning a few Denmans in connection with sheriff sales of estate property, government, military, etc.

Blake and his father James then received grants of land in Cherokee territory (ca.1838), where Blake married Neaty Elston of Pendleton or Pickens SC. And by about mid-century they and many of the Elstons had moved on to Alabama, where they remained and my gg-grandfather, William C. Denman was born.

So at that early date I find James, John, and Moses in the same general vicinity, Wilkes Co.. John (d.1780) seems to have been the oldest of the three, with grown children (possibly Elizabeth Rawlings and Moses, and his widow also Elizabeth). Was James another son of John, or a nephew? I don't know for certain. But both definitely were veterans of the Revolution. Another Denman, Chapleigh (pronounced Shaplee, with a variety of spellings), is also on the Georgia roster with James, although a different regiment or company.

No wonder I'm confused. Even if all of the evidence were laid out neatly on a big table -- I'm not sure it would be enough to present a really clear picture of this Georgia family.

Okay, I just found my notes from 2015 (!) for the children of James and Claranna (which vaguely mirrors what we have here on Geni):

1 MOSES (b. after 1785), 2 DELIZ, 3 HEPSIBETH (b. 1786-88; married Edward Henly in Franklin Co. GA), 4 ABSALOM (I now know married Clarissa Wilcox; she is buried in western Alabama or eastern Mississippi, or maybe Texas, which I can verify without too much trouble), 5 CHAPLEY (named after the Chapleigh Denman who was a Georgia veteran of the Revolution (was the elder Chapleigh James' brother or cousin?), 6 BLAKE (b. 1802, married Neaty Elston; my direct ancestors), 7 JOHNSON W. (aka J. W.), 8 JAMES R.

...Was Claranna's eldest son Moses, born after 1785 when she married, old enough to receive the Franklin Co. land grant (if I remember that date correctly, around 1790-5)? I need to review that document now.

He hadn't even been born yet, so he certainly wasn't the same Moses who was executor for the will of John Denman (d.1780) of Kings Mountain/ Wilkes Co. NC.

I have a Franklin Co. GA marriage certificate for Morgan Denman and Elizabeth Gray, dated August 26, 1813.

And a November 1836 Franklin Co. newspaper clipping which context clearly indicates that Absalom and Morgan knew one another enough to conduct important business and so were probably fairly closely related if not actual brothers. The clipping also reveals that both men had by that time moved on to Mississippi.

And here is Blake's youngest known sibling, James R.:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/17024636/james-r-denman

His wife Mary Ann Miller and daughter, Lucinda McDaniel are included among the five burials at their tiny family cemetery in Heflin, Cleburne Co., AL. This lines up well with census data and location.

https://www.nclandgrants.com/quick/

Early NC land grants for Elizabeth, Moses, James, and William Denman. James is the earliest, the one referenced above. And this may be the Moses I'd seen before. William's grant located on the opposite side of the Yadkin River and in a different county from Moses', is news to me.

Also unknown to me until now, is Elizabeth's grant in Rowan Co. which had been entered in 1778, completed in 1784. I assume all of them (except the much later one for a "Riley" Denman which seems somehow spurious, perhaps; and one for "Archibald MacMillan (Dunmon)" which seems oddly irrelevant) -- were members of the same family.

https://archive.org/details/biographicaland00fitegoog

Charles Denman of Perquimans District was a senator or burgess in the general assembly for the 1723 term and again in 1732. Evidently his son Christopher married Sarah or Susannah Sutton. Confirmed by more than just this one source.

Other than that and Charles acting as clerk of Perquimans court, Christopher is named along with the Sutton [stepdaughters?] of Abraham Warren. Anyhow, I'm sure I read something somewhere that convinced me of a marriage between Christopher whom I take to be Charles' son, and one of the Sutton ladies.

https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p249901coll22/id/33019...

http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/perquimans/wills/warren1981gwl.txt

https://www.carolana.com/Carolina/House_of_Burgesses/proprietors_22...

https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p16062coll9/id/457249/...

Here's the early (1804) Franklin Co., GA land record I referred to earlier, for Moses Denman. However, with all the Moses Denman on Geni, all seem too late for this document. He would have needed to be at least a young adult in 1804. So I'm not sure where to upload it, if at all.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YQH-X71?i=408&amp...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headright

"Beginning in 1783 a head of household living in Georgia could be granted 200 acres of land on his own head-right and fifty acres for each additional family member, including slaves, up to 1000 acres."

This was a 50 acre tract for Moses, as "part" of his family headright. So...it means he was probably a mature family man in 1804, imho. He could be the Moses mentioned in John Denman of Wilkes County's probate documents.

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

https://www.geni.com/discussions/238116

These are a couple of separate probate documents from Perquimans concerning Charles and Christopher Denman. In my attempt to transcribe the manuscript, bear in mind that at least one of the scribes' small case "E"s looks almost exactly like "O"s. Hence the rather frequent misspelling of Denman (transcribed from the original it occasionally morphs into "Donman", which is how it might look to the inexperienced / untrained eye in this case. But it is in fact Denman.

October (fourth?) 1754, Perquimans

The humble petitioner of Forster Toms of Perquimans Co., Planter, humbly praying that your worships' will be pleased to grant him an order to take ye estate of ye petitioner's daughter (for her use) out of ye hands of Charles [meor?] administrator to ye estate of Christopher Denman (deceased), and your petitioner as in duty bound shall ever pray [signed] Forster Toms

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89CD-164S?i=1&...

This looks like the in-laws, Charles Denman and Forster Toms, were struggling over control of Christopher Denman's widow's inheritance. She must have been Sarah Toms. And this Charles was perhaps 'junior' (Christopher's brother) as it seems "Wm. Charles Denman" died in 1737 or 39, lined up with his service in the General Assembly and possibly also with his county clerk duties -- unless the clerk was actually Charles, junior.

The widow of Wm. Charles Denman was "Rebecca", also the administrator of his estate.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99CD-1D1L?i=4&...

Foster Toms

It's unfortunate that his profile and family group are so incomplete. Not much to work with. Note that Perquimans County was originally considered part of Virginia, only later redistricted into NC.

Found Abraham Warren

And here is Christopher Denman's probate file. Also, with this I am able to solve the puzzling name in the manuscript I transcribed above: it is yet another Charles, Charles MOORE.

Christopher Denman's file is dated April 18, 1755. Charles Moore and Sarah Tomis (or Toms) were "legal representatives" per order of the court. Charles Moore inherited a list of moveable property many pages long, as did Sarah. On one page the text appears to indicate the handling of both the estate of Christopher and that of John Moore, together.

In any case, it was Charles MOORE (not Denman) from whom administration of his estate was sought by Christopher Denman's widow, represented by her father in court.

Also in my transcript, "October [fourth?]" should read "October Court". The earlier date of 1754 is probably much closer to the actual date of death for Christopher.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89CD-16T9?i=3&...

Haven't found the Will yet, but here's the original manuscript for a bond of administration in the amount of £20,000 made by Moses Denman, presumably either the son or very close relative of John Denman, veteran of King's Mountain (d.1780 in Wilkes Co., NC).

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-LGCF-XFC?i=25&...

Other family members or heirs named in the probate papers referenced above were Elizabeth Thresher whom I guess is his wife or sister, if that is her maiden name; and Elizabeth Denman who may be his daughter, possibly married to (or perhaps mother the deceased's grandson) Rubin Rowland, to whom she passed her dower from the estate.

Looking at the ancestry of Richard Denman, I agree his parents were likely John Denman and wife Martha "Patsy" Hooper, because they did marry and have children including as far as I know, this Richard.

But if Harriet Harris is correct, Richard was the son of John (accounted for, if his father's birth year was really as Mrs. Harris stated, "1781" -- the death year indeed a subject of conflicting data on his profile), son of John (d.1780 Wilkes County, I'm thinking), son of yet a third individual of the same name: John Denman, who in my opinion is most likely John Denman, IV

John Denman V has long been a mystery, one I'd be thrilled to solve finally.

I heard a rumor years ago that John of King's Mountain was some recent English immigrant, but that seems farfetched considering he fought as a Patriot and I've seen nothing to prove that assertion. There were other Denmans in NC before this John, but their names were Charles, Christopher, and an older/earlier James. Charles evidently was a loyalist, as a burgess/senator member of the Perquimans general assembly, so his son Christopher likely was as well. My recent investigations of them tend to rule them out in my mind. Both died in Perquimans District near the Virginia border.

And Samuel the son of Matthis Denman of NJ (m. Phoebe Baldwin), who resided in Philadelphia, doesn't fit either. Samuel Denman, Sr.

I also heard a rumor of a Franklin County, GA will for a younger Christopher Denman (d.1827), supposedly in "book BB, page 100". But have yet to find that, or any other Christopher wills.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93Y-HW2H?owc=9SYT...

On second thought, I think another generation might be necessary to link them, because of all the siblings who may have been born after he died. Not sure they're really related but the odds are in favor of some form of kinship between them. Land records can be very helpful for piecing together early family history.

Incidentally, I have misplaced my land records showing the connection between James Denman (m. Claranna Welborn) and a "John Denman" who I suspect was his uncle and possibly also this one who died in Wilkes County in 1780 ("of King's Mountain" very likely).

I had a couple of similar (i.e. corroborating) land transfers involving the family, and now I need to find them again.

Here is proof of military service in the War of 1812 for an elder Moses Denman, likely the son of John Denman who died leaving widow Elizabeth in Wilkes Co., NC:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-95Z6-8B3?i=2274&am...

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-G5Z6-D7F?i=2273&am...

Moses and John Denman were both closely associated with the powerful military leaders, Benjamin Cleveland and Elijah Isaacs. They shared land boundaries in various places at various times (along with my ancestor, Blake Denman).

Family historians and some genealogists have conflated this Moses with a northern cousin who resided in Indiana and/or Ohio. But they can't be in two places at the same time. And I think there may be much to be gleaned from studying these War of 1812 service records, as they show several Denmans ranging over several different states. Probably all related to some degree or another.

A newspaper clipping from 1815 Georgia with Lt. Moses Denman in direct association with Lt. Benjamin Cleveland:

https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn90052189/1815-0...

On Fold3 it seems to indicate that Lt. Moses Denman had applied for a Bounty grant and was rejected. As I recall (mentioned earlier in this thread), Moses received headrights land in Georgia instead. Probably the same individual.

https://www.fold3.com/memorial/641225398/moses-denman-lieutenant

Felix G. Denman in Georgia for the War of 1812:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-95Z6-DFK?i=2263&am...

There's a War of 1812 record for a James Denman in Mississippi, but that cannot be my direct ancestor who served in the Revolution and was probably retired by the time 1812 came along (besides having a large family to support). So, a younger generation.

Daniel Denman in the NY militia for the same war. Probably not my direct ancestor, although I have good evidence that my Daniel did retire on Long Island. My Daniel was already deceased by 1812, however.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-95Z6-D98?i=2260&am...

In 1812, my Blake Denman (3rd g-grandfather) would have been too young to join up. (It can be helpful when your ancestor's name is fairly unique among the others. Helps end some of the confusion.)

Anyway, this Moses who served in the War of 1812, whom I believe to be one mentioned in John Denman of Wilkes County's 1780 probate file -- has no Geni profile that I'm aware of. His mother's name is likely Elizabeth (Thresher/Thrasher?), unless born of John's first wife (Patience Yeomans of NJ) who died so young it may have been due to complications of childbirth.

My theory is that after Patience died, John may have taken the family heirloom musket and headed off to North Carolina, where he eventually became involved in the Battle of King's Mountain. There he died, leaving son Moses, daughter Elizabeth, and widow Elizabeth, who inherited his property in Wilkes County. And possibly related to William Denman and James Denman, who are also named in regional records, both census and land.

An Alford family genealogist found deeds wherein Elizabeth Denman transferred ownership of lands bordering the Yadkin river adjacent to those of Moses Denman and Col. Isaacs in Wilkes County. I find Elizabeth, Moses, an older James, and a William Denman are all associated with early land grants bordering the Yadkin river (both sides of the river). Then there is John Denman of King's Mountain, in the same location.

http://www.alfordassociation.org/NOTES/0034_cicrs.pdf

(Hope these links are working, I'm not having much luck with them lately.)

It is a bit of a stretch to associate Rev. Moses Denman of Georgia with the Moses Denman who served with the Georgia militia (possibly under two different commanders) in the War of 1812. (But Rev. Moses is too young to have been involved in that war.) And then further leaping to the conclusion that the elder Moses (whose Geni profile doesn't exist, that I'm aware of) came from Wilkes Co., NC. And perhaps an even bigger leap to suggest that his father(?) John is actually John V of NJ.

But it is possible, and I have yet to see any alternative explanation. John V didn't simply disappear into the night with Grandpa's musket; he wound up somewhere. And my James (father of Blake, m. to Claranna Welborn) came from somewhere. Was it from Daniel of NJ?, or John of NJ instead? James could have been born either in NJ or on Long Island (as Daniel and his wife Deborah Scudder moved freely back and forth between the two locations).

But then, who is that older James in Hillsborough Co., NC court records, and with land granted in Cumberland Co., NC? Too old to be the father of Blake. Did he ever marry and have kids? Idk.

All speculation aside, my conclusion that Blake's father (James who married Claranna Welborn) was born of Daniel and Deborah of NJ/Long Island, based on solid evidence. What has happened to my proof, who knows. But I'll recover it, like everything else.

Nevertheless I've always been intrigued with Daniel's brother, John, who seemed to become lost or forgotten after the death of his first wife; a mystery I hope can be solved in my lifetime. Harriet Harris's book was quite nice, but we need more in-depth research and strictly organized data on this family.

Additionally, I'm interested in learning more about these Denmans from Wilkes Co., John who almost certainly died at King's Mountain, Moses, and the two Elizabeths. And the other Denmans who lived nearby in NC, SC, and GA. Marriage and other original official records are crucial to putting the pieces together, but applying chronology and geography to the facts is quite challenging for me. It requires every brain cell I've got left (haha).

But GOOD NEWS for now: I have found my land records connecting my James Denman with a John Denman in Wilkes County, GA.

https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000180264987013

And this may be the Moses profile I thought was 'missing'?

Moses Denman

Here given (but disputed by me, whether correctly or not, idk) as 'brother' to my James:

James Denman

My 4th g-grandfather James also has a 'brother', John (their exact kinship equally disputed by me, as I have long suspect these siblings: Moses, John, Benjamin Cleveland, Isaac, Elizabeth, and Thomas -- are his cousins (children of the long-lost JOHN of KINGS MOUNTAIN, according to my theory).

John Denman

I still think my theory could be correct. And finding this land record lays to rest the idea that the John Denman mentioned therein was the elder one, because John of King's Mountain died in 1780 (the deeds are dated 1790 and 1791).

Felix Gilbert Denman, Sr.

Claimed to be the one who fought in the war of 1812, had brothers, Rev. Moses (too young for the war of 1812) and John. Are these duplicates?:

Felix Gilbert Denman

Felix Gilbert Denman, Jr.

(I know of one Felix Gilbert Denman Senior/Junior set, but they are later; the oldest one may be the son of Moses or Christopher).

John Denman

John Denman

Elizabeth Denman

Elizabeth Knox

Moses Denman

Reverend Moses Hampton Denman, I

I wonder, because the three that are attached to my James (without sources for proof, btw) are undeveloped. No dates, no locations, no spouses, no children.

And I did find a CHRISTOPHER DENMAN in Wilkes Co. GA (if the transcript is correct): In 1791, Christopher Denman was involved with the legalities of settling the estate of Philip Rasbury (Raspberry, Rosborough, a name very prominent in the area at the time). Found in the same book referenced immediately above, from family search website:

https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/129707-earl...

Which means there was a Christopher Denman flourishing as an adult, as of 1791, in Wilkes Co., GA. I feel much better knowing that. But he could not have been the same Pvt. Christopher Denman of NJ (brother of my 5th g-grandfather, Daniel), who never once set foot in NC or GA. So where did this Christopher, b. ca. before 1770. come from? Idk, does he have a birth record? Is he from the older James found in Cumberland, NC? Or from the John who died in Wilkes Co., NC married to Elizabeth (Thresher?), father of an older Moses?

The Christopher under discussion here is shown as the son of "Daniel" and "Elizabeth", without sources.

LASTLY (and equally exciting, for me): JAMES MATTHEWS who was mentioned in the Welborns' Wilkes Co., GA, land records, in very close association with both James and John Denman, may be this individual:

James Matthews

Husband of Sarah Matthews (her mother's maiden name was GILBERT).

Father of Catherine Elizabeth Fite (wife of Peter Terrell Fite ).

Can you help us make some sense of this, Henry Schlottman ?

It's a lot all at once, but I hope it somehow helps make progress on this family genealogy. I'm currently working on some early newspaper clippings of the region which should shed a little more light on the subject.

I don't expect to solve the entire puzzle, nor expect anything to be carved in stone here; but every well-founded correction and/or discovery is a move in the right direction. Properly attaching available sources to profiles and backing up all the data, is vital to forming a more complete picture of the family history.

Correction (I linked the wrong Fold3 page): It appears that Moses Denman (under Benjamin Cleveland) of the GA militia did get his bounty grant. Because I think "Rejected: False" means he got the grant.

https://www.fold3.com/record/641225392/moses-denman-private-bounty-...

Here's a bio from NCpedia, with a list of sources, for Charles Denman of Perquimans (no Geni profile for this family, and I don't know at this point if they have any living descendands):

Denman, Charles
by William S. Powell, 1986
d. 24 Apr. 1739
Charles Denman, merchant, assemblyman, and local official, was living in Perquimans Precinct by April 1716 when he purchased 100 acres of land there. In addition to his mercantile business, he often bought land that he soon afterward sold.

A grand jury list of 26 Oct. 1725 refers to him as Captain Charles Denman. As clerk of court of Albemarle and Perquimans counties at various times between 1728 and 1734, he was witness to wills, executor of estates, and involved in cases at law, primarily to collect money.

For a number of years he was also treasurer of Perquimans Precinct. Between 1723 and 1735 (except for the session of 1727), he served in the Assembly where he was active on the committee that prepared replies to addresses of the governor.

Several times he was chosen by the Assembly to deliver messages to the Council; in 1731 he delivered one maintaining that the Carolina Charter of 1663 denied the right of legislative bodies other than the colonial Assembly to levy taxes, and asking that officers' fees be regulated by the Assembly.

At one session he was chairman of the Resolutions Committee and made its report.

Denman served on the grand jury several times and once wrote the report for the foreman who apparently could not write.

In April 1731, as a member of the provincial grand jury, he signed an address to the king expressing gratitude that North Carolina had become a royal province.

As an assemblyman he was also active in efforts to regulate the payment of quit-rents and in inspecting and settling accounts. He apparently was a member of the Church of England, for in 1731 he was a vestryman in Perquimans parish.

Denman's first wife was named SARAH; they were the parents of ANN (b. 5 Feb. 1713), who married a MOORE; CHRISTOPHER (b. 30 Sept. 1717); and SARAH (b. 2 Oct. 1719).

On 24 Mar. 1737 he [Charles] married REBECCA JONES (widow, successively, of Joseph SUTTON and Francis TOMS [aka Tomis]), but they apparently had no children.

His recent death was announced in the Assembly on 2 Mar. 1740. His widow was asked to pay his unsettled accounts as treasurer in February 1740.

https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/denman-charles

http://ncgenweb.us/perquimans/tag/denman/

John Lacey (Lurey) 2d husband of Abigail Balie, in his Will Perq Precinct, Dec 1, 1682, names wife Abigail, & dau. Sarah. This may be the same Sarah, for whom Foster Toms put in a claim, for her Estate, in 1754. It is thought she m. Christopher Denman, but no absolute proof is forthcoming.

[I read the abstract, and thought the same thing, that she was his wife; because he is mentioned in the will as if a member of the family.]

And here is Charles' in-laws, although the daughter he married is missing. I guess I can work on it sometime today.

Joseph Sutton, Sr

Found the inventory made by Moses Denman on the estate of John Denman of Wilkes Co., NC.

States on paper in original manuscript that he did die at King's Mountain. I think I know where his original service record is, too (seems I've seen it before).

Now I need to find out: is this "John V" from New Jersey? Brother of Daniel, Joseph, and Pvt. Christopher (RS)? And of two sisters (Jane and Mary, as I recall). Was Moses born to Patience Yeomans, who died so young (very likely in childbirth)? Maybe. Or from a subsequent marriage (Elizabeth, his Wilkes Co., NC widow).

John Thrasher mentioned in Wilkes Co., NC court records as overseer of the road between Buffalow Creek and Waryer gap.

I think probably this man, a veteran of the war of independence. He also happens to be my 4th g-grandmother's sister-in-law's husband. Claranna and James were married in Wilkes Co., NC. So a strong likelihood that the families knew one another. "Elizabeth Thrasher" is named as an heir (feme covert) in John Denman's probate records.

John Thrasher

Claranna Denman (Welborn) is John Thrasher's sister-in-law's husband's sister!
John Thrasher
→ Susan Thrasher
his wife → Mary "Molly" Wellborn
her sister → Isaac Starnes Wellborn
her husband → Claranna Denman (Welborn)
his sister

Receipt for 7.5 Spanish milled dollars (on credit, bearing 6% interest until paid) to Elizabeth Denman of Rowan County, NC, issued February 25, 1780 and paid November 19th of the same year. For supplying 15 bushels of oats.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9W8-XQHK?i=644&am...

(Try to overlook transcription errors, some can't be corrected by the public. This is why original manuscripts are so important and valuable.)

James and Rebecca Welborn, Hugh Montgomery, and some Gilberts mentioned in Wilkes Co., NC, will books 3 and 4: 1811-1848; v. 03.

https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/463653-will...=

In the taxables for 1782 Wilkes Co., NC (Capt. Moses Guest's district):

Moses Denman, Elizabeth Thrasher, Elijah Isaacks, Sr. (Isaacs), Elisha Isaacks (Isaacs), Rubin Rowland, William Wilburn (Welborn), Elias Wilburn (Welborn), and James Hooper.

In other districts of Wilkes Co., NC (same year): Benjamin Cleveland and William Lenoir were by far the wealthiest of the bunch, with Lenoir owning roughly twice as much land as Cleveland.

Also found a Humphris somewhere in this list.

https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p16062coll33/id/1241

My 3rd g-grandfather, Blake was born around 1802, following the 1790s marriage of James Denman and Claranna Welborn in Wilkes Co., NC.

I have evidence sourced separately for both Blake and Moses living in the Tugaloo River region which in those days apparently straddled the state line between GA and SC. Moses was there and involved in the earliest Baptist church in the 1790s. Blake of course was there later, as he became an adult around 1820+.

Many early settlers seemed to migrate a lot, always following the promise of cheap land. In 1810 Franklin Co., GA I find Moses Denman suing someone for debt; also same year Hephzebeth Denman married Edmund Henley, Esq. (a justice of the peace).