Elisha Thomas Denny

GEDCOM Note

Source:Hegder Binder C-441, 442, C-441, Wp - There is some incredible history regarding Elisha Thomas Denny that is given in the third book of Denny genealogy by Margaret Collins Denny Dixon and Elizabeth Chapman Denny Vann: When just past two years old, elisha' s parents moved by wagon train to Mercer Co., Kentucky, and he grew to manhood on the frontier. In the "year of his marriage," moved by a dislike of rearing his prospective family under a culture of slavery, Elisha went on horseback across Ohio to Indiana Territory, and selected a quarter section, (160a) of forest land for his future home. He camped his first night at Royse's Lick. A salt lick first used by forest animals, and then by Indians, lay on the bank of a fork of the Blue River, several miles southeast of the present town of Salem. Mr. Royse had made salt there since about 1803 and had a thriving trade with the Indians. The salt sold for $12/ bu. Royse's Lick was the land where Elisha camped in 1810. He returned to Kentucky via Jeffersonville to pay for the land he had selected and it was entered in the County Tract Book on the 28 of July 1813. After the birth of his first child he returned to his property in Indiana leaving Mary, who was nicknamed "Polly" behind in Woodford Co., Kentucky. He charred a small patch in the dense forest and with the help of some neighbors, built a cabin of unhewn logs with a chimney of stick and mortar. The roof of hewn clapboards was held down by weight poles. He returned to Kentucky for his family and they arrived at Fleenor's Fort On April 12 1812. At the fort there were seven couples

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@R-2146184144@ 1850 United States Federal Census Ancestry.com Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005.Original data - United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Seventh Census of the United States, 1850. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1850. M432, 1,8054::0

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Year: 1850; Census Place: Washington, Washington, Indiana; Roll: M432_179; Page: 344; Image: 513. http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1850usfedcenancestry&h=247644... http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1850usfedcenancestry&... Name: Elisha Denny Birth Date: abt 1785 Birth Place: Virginia Residence Date: 1850 Residence Place: Washington, Washington, Indiana 1,8054::2476446

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@R-2146184144@ U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,2204::0

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SAR Membership Number: 78440 1,2204::812519

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@R-2146184144@ Web: Indiana, Find A Grave Index, 1800-2011 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,70510::0

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1,70510::1553413

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@R-2146184144@ U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,60525::0

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1,60525::21655201

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@R-2146184144@ North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,61157::0

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Book Title: Genealogy of the Denny family in England and America : descendants of John Denny of Combs, Suffolk, England, in 1439 1,61157::3253186

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@R-2146184144@ 1850 United States Federal Census Ancestry.com Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005.Original data - United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Seventh Census of the United States, 1850. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1850. M432, 1,8054::0

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Year: 1850; Census Place: Washington, Washington, Indiana; Roll: M432_179; Page: 344; Image: 513. http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1850usfedcenancestry&h=247644... http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1850usfedcenancestry&... Name: Elisha Denny Birth Date: abt 1785 Birth Place: Virginia Residence Date: 1850 Residence Place: Washington, Washington, Indiana 1,8054::2476446

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@R-2146184144@ U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,2204::0

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SAR Membership Number: 78440 1,2204::812519

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@R-2146184144@ Web: Indiana, Find A Grave Index, 1800-2011 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,70510::0

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1,70510::1553413

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@R-2146184144@ U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,60525::0

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1,60525::21655201

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@R-2146184144@ North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,61157::0

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Book Title: Genealogy of the Denny family in England and America : descendants of John Denny of Combs, Suffolk, England, in 1439 1,61157::3253186

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@R-2146184144@ Web: Indiana, Find A Grave Index, 1800-2011 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,70510::0

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1,70510::1553413

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@R-2146184144@ U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,60525::0

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1,60525::21655201

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@R-2146184144@ Kentucky Marriages, 1802-1850 Dodd, Jordan Ancestry.com Operations Inc 1,2089::0

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1,2089::51497

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@R-2146184144@ U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,60525::0

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1,60525::21655201

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@R-2146184144@ North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,61157::0

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Book Title: Genealogy of the Denny family in England and America : descendants of John Denny of Combs, Suffolk, England, in 1439 1,61157::3253186

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@R-2146184144@ U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles Historical Data Systems, comp. Ancestry.com Operations Inc 1,1555::0

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1,1555::3462780

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@R-2146184144@ Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,60716::0

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1,60716::604494832

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@R-2146184144@ 1830 United States Federal Census Ancestry.com Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004.Original data - United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifth Census of the United States, 1830. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1830. M19, 201 1,8058::0

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1830; Census Place: Washington, Indiana; Series: M19; Roll: 31; Page: 320; Family History Library Film: 0007720 1,8058::1782352

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@R-2146184144@ 1840 United States Federal Census Ancestry.com Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004.Original data - United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixth Census of the United States, 1840. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1840. M704, 58 1,8057::0

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Year: 1840; Census Place: Washington, Washington, Indiana; Roll: 97; Page: 118; Image: 246; Family History Library Film: 0007731 1,8057::3143663

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@R-2146184144@ Kentucky, County Marriages, 1783-1965 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,61372::0

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1,61372::1599093

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@R-2146184144@ Mercer County, Kentucky Marriage Records, 1800-1830 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,5709::0

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1,5709::508

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@R-2146184144@ 1850 United States Federal Census Ancestry.com Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005.Original data - United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Seventh Census of the United States, 1850. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1850. M432, 1,8054::0

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Year: 1850; Census Place: Washington, Washington, Indiana; Roll: M432_179; Page: 344; Image: 513. http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1850usfedcenancestry&h=247644... http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1850usfedcenancestry&... Name: Elisha Denny Birth Date: abt 1785 Birth Place: Virginia Residence Date: 1850 Residence Place: Washington, Washington, Indiana 1,8054::2476446

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@R-2146184144@ 1820 United States Federal Census Ancestry.com Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004.Original data - United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fourth Census of the United States, 1820. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1820. M33, 14 1,7734::0

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Year: 1820; Census Place: , Washington, Indiana; Roll: M33_14; Page: 203; Image: 306. http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1820usfedcenancestry&h=136869... Residence date: 1820 Residence place: Washington, Indiana, United States 1,7734::1368691

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@R-2146184144@ U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,2204::0

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SAR Membership Number: 78440 1,2204::812519

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@R-2146184144@ Web: Indiana, Find A Grave Index, 1800-2011 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,70510::0

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1,70510::1553413

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@R-2146184144@ Kentucky Marriages, 1802-1850 Dodd, Jordan Ancestry.com Operations Inc 1,2089::0

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1,2089::51497

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@R-2146184144@ Ancestry Family Trees Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. This information comes from 1 or more individual Ancestry Family Tree files. This source citation points you to a current version of those files. Note: The owners of these tree files may have removed or changed information since this source citation was created.

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1 or more individual Ancestry Family Tree files were combined to create this source citation. Information extracted from various family tree data submitted to Ancestry.com and The Generations Network http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=5637090&pid=172

and Mary (-) Hedger, also from Virginia. Thomas was

born in 1747, and lived to be nearly one hundred years old. Polly was born June 22, 1786, probably in Va.

In the “year of his marriage,” moved by a dislike of rearing his prospective family under slavery conditions, Elisha went on horseback across the Ohio to Indiana Territory, and selected a quarter section, one hundred and sixty acres, of forest land for his future home. He camped his first night at Royse’s Lick, a most historic spot. A salt lick, first used by forest animals, and then by Indians, lay on the bank of a fork of Blue River, several miles north-east of the present town of Salem. Mr. Royse pitched a camp there about 1803, began to make salt and set up a thriving trade with the Indians. A trickle of settlers began to locate with¬ in reach of the Lick. Each one blazed a trail through the woods to come to the Lick for salt and to trade with Dr. Lamb, who had the first store in the community. The salt works changed hands during the succeeding years and became increasingly im¬ portant. Forty-eight kettles were in constant use, making three bushels of salt a day, which sold for twelve dollars a bushel. Often a man must wait his turn two or three days. The Lick

THIRD GENERATION

45

remained the business center of the community from 1805 to 1814, when Salem was chosen as the County Seat. It was the natural spot for an overnight camp in 1810. Elisha returned to Kentucky by way of Jeffersonville, across the Ohio from Louisville, to pay for his land, but it was not recorded as “entered” on the County Tract Book until July 28, 1813, as SW 1/4, Sec. 34, Twp. 3N, Range 4 E. His first child was born in Aug. 1811, and in that fall he left his wife and child in Woodford Co., Ky., then a huge tract embracing parts of ten present counties. He returned to his land, charred a small patch in the dense forest and, with the help of his neighbors, built a cabin of unhewn logs. The chimney was stick and mortar. The roof was of hewn clapboards held on by weight poles. Then he proudly went for his family. They arrived back in Indiana on the evening of April 12, 1812, and sought refuge in “Fleenor’s Fort.” The neighboring Indians had been stirred up by the War of that year. John Fleenor and his neighbors had built a block house and cabins, enclosed by a pali¬ sade of heavy slabs, sixteen feet high and set deep in the ground. Fleenor at first said there was no more room but relented when he saw the baby. At least seven couples and more than thirty children lived in this Fort through the winter of 1813. On Feb. 2, Elisha’s second son was born, the first child born in the Fort. The men worked their patches by day and all slept in security in the Fort at night.

The succeeding years brought Elisha’s father and all his brothers and sisters across the Ohio to Washington Co. Peace and prosperity blessed them. Elisha became a Commissioner of the Territory, unremunerated, an original “dollar a year” servant of the Government. In 1816, the first school house in the neighbor¬ hood was built on his land, a primitive log building, with puncheon seats and huge fireplace, which consumed whole tree trunks in¬ serted through an opening in the side of the chimney. In 1820, a substantial frame school house was built, to serve the needs of the fast growing community and a third, and larger, one was built about 1838. Elisha’s farm, through his and his sons’ labors, supplied them with ‘“bounteous comfort.” His whole family, Baptist in Kentucky, became adherents of the Church of Christ.

46

DENNY GENEALOGY, THIRD BOOK

Gradually the children married. Their happiness was marred by the accidental death of Mrs. Denny, Oct. 3, 1845, who was thrown from her horse, while on her way to visit relatives in Shelby Co., Ky. Her body was brought home and buried in Carter’s Grave Yard, several miles north of Salem. But the restless spirit which brought their ancestors to America was not yet spent. Only the eldest son stayed permanently in the county. The others who survived, left for places farther north in Indiana, or Illinois, Iowa and even the Pacific Coast. Elisha died Oct. 21, 1855, of a malady, which a post mortem showed to be a huge tumor on his liver. He was buried beside his wife. His son Robert, who had taken charge of the farm in 1845, aged seventeen, was appointed execu¬ tor. The will provided for the sale of the property, the proceeds to be divided among his children or their heirs, with extra amounts for the unmarried daughter, Mary, and for four grandsons, “for schooling.” From this sale each child received one hundred and thirty-one dollars and forty-seven cents on Oct. 23, 1856. His Bible passed into the hands of his daughter, Rachel, then to her son and grandson.

Children, all save eldest born in Washington, Co., Ind.:

D88

D89

D90

D91

D92

i Morris Thomas Denny; b. Aug. 11, 1811.

ii James Denny; b. Feb. 2, 1813.

iii William H. Denny; b. Apr. 8, 1914.

iv Thomas Hedger Denny; b. Nov. 5, 1815.

v Samuel T. Denny; b. Sept. 30, 1817.

vi Joseph Denny; b. 1819, d. 1842.

vii Elizabeth Jones Denny; b. June 23, 1820; m. Wil¬ liam Anderson, Feb. 11, 1844; d. at birth of son, July 9, 1848; ch.: i, James, b. and d. 1848; “heirs” mentioned in will of father in 1855.

viii Harvey Denny; b. 1822; m. Martha Short, 1842; d. 1857.

ix Mary Denny; b. Nov. 17, 1823; m. Jonas Johnson, Sept. 5, 1858, two years after death of her father, who bequeathed her fifty dollars more than he left the others; migrated to Danville, Iowa, accom¬ panied by her sister Rachel and her nephew (Nos. D93 and 282) ; d. Dec. 8, 1904; ch.: i, Emily.

D93 x Rachel Denny; b. Aug. 13, 1825.

D94 xi Robert Denny; b. Jan. 30, 1828.

THIRD GENERATION

4 7

xii Sarah Denny; b. and d. 1830.

xiii Melinda Sale Denny; b. June 9, 1831; m. Sept. 13, 1850, William S. Thornburgh; participated in distribution of estate.