Reverend Richard Denton

About Reverend Richard Denton

Reverend Richard Denton was an established and respected minister in Yorkshire when he migrated to Wethersfield, Connecticut in late 1638 or early 1639 with his wife and five living children. The distinguished 17th century theologian Cotton Mather (1663-1728) described him as follows:

“Among these Clouds was our Pious and Learned Mr. Richard Denton, a Yorkshire Man, who having watered Halifax in England, with his fruitful Ministry, was by a Tempest then hurried into New-England, where first at Weathersfield, and then at Stamford, his Doctrine dropt as the Rain, his Speech distilled as the Dew, as the small Rain upon the tender Herb, and as the Show'rs upon the Grass.” Magnalia Christi Americana, Cotton Mather (1702), Book III, Chapter.9, p. 96.

Two Dutch ministers from New Amsterdam, Revs. Megapolensis and Drisius who knew Reverend Denton and clearly respected him, wrote on 25 October 1657:

“Mr. Richard Denton, who is sound in faith, of a friendly disposition, and beloved by all, cannot be induced by us to remain, although we have earnestly tried to do this in various ways.” Narrative of New Netherland 1609-1664, J.F. Jameson, Ed. (1909), p. 399.

Reverend Richard Denton was most likely born 19 April 1601 at Warley in Halifax Parish, West Yorkshire, England to a father named Henry Denton (bp.9 August 1573) and mother, Alice Shearshawe. Rev. Denton attended Heath Grammar School in Halifax and then studied at St. Catherine's College, Cambridge from 1621 until his graduation in 1624. He was ordained an Anglican Priest on 8 June 1624 at Peterborough Cathederal, Cambridgeshire. (See Fixed Dates section below for sources.)

Rev. Denton wrote a treatise called 'Soliloquia Sacra" perhaps while working and studying for his Masters degree after his graduation in 1624. (See the St. Anne's Church in Turton, Lancashire web site.) While 'Soliloquia Sacra" is now lost, the 17th century theologian,Cotton Mather (1663-1728), wrote of it: "That Judicious Persons, who have seen it, very much lament the Churches being so much deprived of it." Magnalia Christi Americana, Cotton Mather (1702), Book III, Chapter.9, p. 96.

Rev. Denton served as a minister in the Church of England in Turton (near Bolton), Lancashire from about 1626 until about 1631. He was then a minister in the Church of England at Coley and Hipperholme (near Halifax), West Yorkshire where he lived at Priestley Green from about 1631 until late 1638 when he and his family emigrated to America.

After sailing to America in late 1638 or early 1639, Rev. Denton lived and preached in Wethersfield, Connecticut until the summer of 1641 when he moved to Stamford, Connecticut, followed by 29 other Wethersfield families. Rev. Denton then moved in 1644 from Stamford to Hempstead on Long Island which was claimed by the Dutch. And, once again, Rev. Denton was followed to Hempstead by numerous Stamford families.

Dissatisfied with his income at Hempstead, Rev. Denton traveled to Virginia sometime before October 1657 to find a preaching position. But he returned to Hempstead by October 1657 and then he and his wife returned to England likely in 1658 to collect an inheritance. He is said to have gone to Essex where he died about 1662, but there is little evidence to corroborate this last part of his life in England.

Family

Rev. Denton and his wife had eight children between 1627 and c.1640, but two of them died young before the family sailed to America. The following is a list of Rev. Denton's children with their baptism and burial dates in Yorkshire, plus Richard, Jr. who was likely born in Wethersfield, Connecticut:

• 1627 July 23 - Tymothie baptised at Turton, Lancashire

• 1629 March 9 - Nathaniell baptised at Turton, Lancashire (Gregorian date)

• 1631 May 29 - Samuel baptised at Coley

• 1631 Jul 28 - Tymothie died at Coley

• 1632 July 10 - Daniel baptised at Coley

• 1634 Nov 30 - Phoebe baptised at Coley

• 1637 Jan 6 - Peter baptised at Coley/Hipperholme (Gregorian date)

• 1637 June 5 - Peter died at Coley

• 1638 June 21 - Mary baptised at Hipperholme (near Coley)

• c.1639-1641 - Richard Denton, Jr., likely born in Wethersfield, Connecticut

Copies of the original baptism and burial records for the first seven of Reverend Denton's children appear on the Geni Sources tab. The records for the last two children born in Yorkshire, Peter (bp.1637) and Mary (bp.1638), were not discovered until recently and were not considered by prior genealogists when chronicling Reverend Denton's life.

No record of Richard Denton, Junior's birth in England or in Wethersfield, Connecticut exists but his name does appear in the 1644/1647 records of Hempstead, Long Island along with his father and brothers. Because Richard Junior's name does not appear in any records, it seems most likely, given the birth dates of his siblings, that he was born around 1640 in Wethersfield where church records no longer exist. The History of Ancient Wethersfield, Connecticut, Vol. 1, Henry R. Stiles (1904), p.135. The Early History of Hempstead NY, Charles Moore (1878), p. 8. Also see Descendants of the Rev. Richard Denton, Walter Krumm, New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, 120 [1989]: 10-17, 94-97, 160-163; 121 [1990]: 221-225 and Geni Discussion “The Origins of Reverend Richard Denton,” 8/30/2018 at 3:18 PM.

Reverend Denton may have married Mary (Maria) Duerden in Halifax, Yorkshire on 21 January 1626 (using the Gregorian calendar). Mary Duerden was baptised in Heptonstall on 14 October 1604. Her father was Thomas Durden who was a Curate at Rochdale, Lancashire, about 15 miles from Halifax. The comments for his entry in the Church of England Database (CCEd) say: “Clasisified in 1592 amongst 'no graduates, but preachers, honest men'.” CCEd Person ID: 33930S. Mary's mother was Isabel Elshaye.

No Proof / Some Avoidable Errors

• Any birth date for Rev. Denton after 1601 is an error. Rev. Denton must have been born no later than 1601 because he was required to be at least 23 years old when he was ordained a priest in 1624. See “Sources of Personal History,” “Ordinations” in the Preface to Alumni Cantabrigienses, Vol 1, (1922), p. xii.
• Nineteen Richard Dentons were born in England between 1589 and 1606. Only two of them were baptised in Halifax between 1595 and 1601. Only one of them was the Reverend. See The Origins of Richard Denton, p. 26 on the Geni Sources tab.
• Rev. Denton was not born in 1586 because he would have been 35 when he started at Cambridge in 1621 and 41 when he had his first child in 1627. In addition, there is no record for a Richard Denton baptised in England in 1586. See The Origins of Richard Denton, p. 26 on the Geni Sources tab.
• Rev. Denton was not born in 1603 because he would not have been 23 (as required by law) when he was ordained an Anglican priest on June 8, 1624. See The Origins of Richard Denton, p. 4 on the Geni Sources tab.
• Rev. Denton was not from a wealthy family. He was a “sizar,” a student receiving financial aid, at Cambridge. See The Origins of Richard Denton, p. 2 on the Geni Sources tab.
• Rev. Denton would not have been married and having children while a “sizar” and religious studies student receiving financial aid at Cambridge.
• The Reverend was not the husband in every Richard Denton marriage in England. Eighteen other Richard Dentons were born in England between 1589 and 1606 and they also eventually got married once or twice. See the Geni Discussion “The Origins of Reverend Richard Denton,” 7/28/2017, Eliminating Richards.
• Rev. Denton was not the father of Sarah Thorne, {Fictional} (b.1623). He was still a poor, sizar student at Cambridge and did not marry until 1625 or 1626. See The Origins of Richard Denton, p. 5 on the Geni Sources tab.
• Rev. Denton was not the father of John Denton, I (b.c.1636) in Normanton which is 20 miles east of Coley where Rev. Denton lived and had 6 of his children from 1631 to 1638 as evidence by their baptism records shown on the Geni Sources tab..
• Rev. Denton could not have been in America before 1638 because he was still having children in England from 1627 through June 1638, the last being his daughter Mary in Yorkshire in June, 1638.
• There is no evidence Rev. Denton was ever in Watertown. The first evidence of him in America is an April 1640 deed for 15 acres in Wethersfield.
• Do not search for a tomb in Essex. That tomb is a fiction created in the 18th century from an epitaph for Rev. Denton. See the "Return to England and Death" section below.
• Rev. Denton remained a priest in the Anglican church until he left Yorkshire in 1638 or 1639. While he became a dissenter, there is no evidence he became a Presbyterian while remaining in England. Given his late arrival in America, calling him the first Presbyterian in America seems questionable.
• There are no records from St. Catherine's College at Cambridge prior to 1627. Anyone claiming to quote from those records is not. They may be quoting from John Venn's 1922 biographical compilations of Cambridge graduates which used various sources like the Dictionary of National Biography. See the Preface to Alumni Cantabrigienses, Vol 1, John Venn, (1922), pp. xviii-ix.

Emigration to America

Rev. Denton's migration to New England was likely prompted by the appointment of Richard Marsh as the new Vicar of Halifax in April of 1638 and the re-imposition of pre-Reformation Church of England liturgical practices. See Century of Revolution, Halifax Minster. In fact, Rev. Oliver Heywood who succeeded Rev. Denton at Coley in about 1651 said:

Mr. Denton ... was a good minister of Jesus Christ, affluent in his worldly circumstances, and had several children. He continued here about seven years; times were sharp, the bishops being in their height. In his time came out the book for sports on the Sabbath days. He saw he could not do what was required, feared further persecution, and therefore took the opportunity of going into New England. He returned to Old England about 1659, and lived and died in Essex. In his time the chapel at Coley was enlarged.
Memoirs of the Rev. Oliver Heywood, B.A., Rev. Richard Slate (1827) , p. 20.

Rev. Denton's name does not appear on the passenger lists for the many ships sailing from England to America in the 1630's. Most of those passenger lists for the late 1630's are for journeys from London, Southampton and Bristol. And the number of those lists available becomes smaller and smaller from about 1636 forward. But there was another port closer to Coley at Hull, Yorkshire and only about 70 miles away from Coley. Another Yorkshire minister named Ezekiel Rogers from Rowley reportedly organized a fleet of eight to eleven ships from Hull to Massachusetts in 1638. But, again, the passenger lists for those ships are not yet available, presuming they still exist. See the Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's and English Ancestry of Richard Belden of Wethersfield, Connecticut, Paul Reed and John Sharp, in The American Genealogist (2001), p. 20.

When Rev. Denton and his family arrived in Wethersfield in 1638, the church was in the midst of a dispute among its members. That dispute ultimately led to a split, with many Wethersfield families (including Rev. Denton's) arranging in November of 1640 to purchase land from New Haven which they later named Stamford. Rev. Denton did receive a deed on April 10, 1640 for 15 acres of land in Wethersfield which was the first written evidence of him in America. The move to Stamford occurred in the summer of 1641. The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut, 1636-1776, (Hartford 1850-1890) Vol 1, p. 63. History of Stamford, Connecticut, E.B. Huntiongton (1868), p. 14.

But by 1644, Rev. Denton, his family and many of his parishioners were on the move again, this time to Hempstead on Long Island. In 1647 the original settlers of Hempstead created a written record of their original 1644 allotments of land which included a list with the names of those settlers. Rev. Denton was on that list along with his sons Nathaniel, Daniel and Samuel. His son Peter was not included because he had died in 1637, six months after his birth. But a new son, named Richard Denton, Junior was included. Early History of Hempstead, Long Island, Charles Moore (1878), pp. 6-8.

Richard Denton, Jr. does not appear on any of the original Bishop's Transcripts of baptisms in Halifax between 1624 and 1640, nor does he appear among the baptisms in Lancashire from 1611 to 1635. Although the earliest baptism recorded in Stamford was for Jonathan Bell in September 1640-41, there are no baptisms recorded for any Dentons in Stamford. History of Stamford, Connecticut, Huntington (1868), p. 155 et seq. Nevertheless, Richard, Jr. does appear on the list of Hempstead settlers in 1644. The only other location Richard Denton, Jr. might have been born would have been Wethersfield. Unfortunately, none of those Wethersfield records remain:

The total absence of any church records during the first sixty-two years of its existence leaves us in complete ignorance of Wethersfield's religious history during that period... The History of Ancient Wethersfield, Connecticut, Vol. 1, supra, p.135.

In 1656, Nathaniel (b.1628/9) and Daniel (b.1632) Denton are both shown on a certificate for the purchase of Jamaica on Long Island. But Samuel (b.1631) and Richard, Jr. remained in Hempstead after their parents returned to England in 1658. Then, in 1685 Samuel is shown as owning 240 acres while Richard, Jr. is shown as owning only 50 acres. Richard, Junior's smaller land holdings suggest he may have been the younger brother. History of Long Island, Thompson, Vol 2, 3rd ed., (1918), pp. 494, 584. Given this evidence, it seems most likely that Richard Denton, Jr. was born in Wethersfield circa 1640.

Return to England' and Death

Reverend Denton likely returned to England with his wife about 1658 or 1659. Two men who knew Rev. Denton in New Amsterdam (Reverends Johannes Megapolensis and Samuel Drisius) wrote in October 1657 that Rev. Denton intended to return to England with his “sickly wife” to collect an inheritance of 400 pounds from a “friend.” In addition, Reverend Heywood who succeeded Rev. Denton at Coley in about 1651 wrote that Rev. Denton "returned to Old England about 1659, and lived and died in Essex." Ecclesiastical Records, State of New York, Vol I, 1901, p. 407. Memoirs of the Rev. Oliver Heywood, B.A., Rev. Richard Slate (1827) , p. 20.

The 1657 Megapolensis and Drisius letter and Rev. Heywood's Memoirs are the only substantially contemporaneous sources concerning the timing of Rev. Denton's return to England. None of the very few available ship lists for returns to England during the late 1650's show any Dentons as passengers.

Rev. Heywood also stated that Rev. Denton went to Essex where he lived and died. But Rev. Heywood did not state the timing of Rev. Denton's death. Later histories and genealogies appear to simply repeat what Megapolensis, Drisius and Heywood wrote contemporaneously. Dates of death given by those later histories and genealogies appear only to be best guesses based on the meager evidence available.

The legend of a non-existent tomb in Essex arose from an epitaph for Rev. Denton. That epitaph first appeared in 1858 in The History of Connecticut: From the First Settlement of the Colony, Gideon Hollister, Vol. 1, (1858, 2nd ed.), p. 506. Hollister's lead-in to the epitaph said: "His epitaph is in Latin, of which the following is a free translation..."

That epitaph cited by Hollister in 1858 was then converted into a non-existent Essex tomb by J.A. Davis in his 1896 article The Beginning of the American Presbyterian Church, The Presbyterian and Reformed Review, Vol. 7, (1896) p. 66, 69. Davis's lead-in to the epitaph said: "On his tomb, in Essex, is a Latin inscription, of which the following is a free translation..."

Both of the above sources then went on to recite the same poem. Of course, the phrases "in Latin" (or "Latin inscription") ... "of which the following is a free translation" are verbatim the same in each lead-in statement.

The tomb legend created by Davis in 1896 was then repeated by Charles Werner in his 1918 revised third edition of Benjamin Thompson's The History of Long Island, (1918, 3rd Ed.), Vol II, pp. 496-498. The epitaph/purported inscription was not recited in Thompson's 1843 1st edition of "The History of Long Island," Vol II, p. 19.

Reverends Megapolensis and Drisius's October 1657 letter described Rev. Denton as anxious to return to England. Therefore, it seems likely that he and his wife made that return by the spring of 1658. Epidemics of malaria and influenza were prevalent in England from 1657 to 1659, so much so that one author said "the country was 'one vast hospital'." In fact, malaria and/or influenza epidemics may have contributed to the death of Oliver Cromwell in September of 1658. Given the seeming total absence of any documentation of Rev. Denton's existence in England after his return, he and/or his wife may have been victims of an epidemic in 1658 or 1659. Of course, without further evidence, we may never know. A History of Epidemics in Britain, Charles Creighton, Vol. II (1894), p.304. A Brief History of Epidemic and Pestilential Diseases, Noah Webster, (1799), pp. 191, 193. Historical thoughts on influenza viral ecosystems, Morens and Taubenberger (2010), PMC, National Institutes of Health.

Rev. Denton's Birth Date and Place

Two years have historically been given for the birth of Reverend Richard Denton – 1586 and 1603. But both of those dates are based on circumstantial evidence and both are questionable. The 1603 date would make Rev. Denton only 21 in 1624 and too young to be legally ordained a priest. The 1586 date is not supported by any baptism records in Yorkshire. And, it seems implausible that Rev. Denton would have started his studies at Cambridge at the age of 35 as a sizar.

There were, however, four Richard Dentons born in Yorkshire between 1595 and 1601. The one most likely to have been Rev. Denton was the son of Henry Denton baptised in Warley, Halifax on 19 April 1601. This Richard would have been 23 years old when he was ordained in June 1624. The other three baptisms can be disqualified from being the Reverend by being distant from Halifax coupled with other records in those locations showing subsequent marriages and children. See the Geni Discussion “The Origins of Reverend Richard Denton,” 7/28/2017, Eliminating Richards and see The Origins of Richard Denton, pp. 7, 26 et seq., on the Geni Sources tab.

Adjusting Julian to Gregorian Dates

A number of important dates in Rev. Denton's life occurred from January through March which raises the importance of understanding the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Under the Julian calendar applicable during Rev. Denton's life January 1 through March 24 belonged to the prior year because the new year began on March 25th rather than January 1st. So, when we see an original record from Rev. Denton's life that says, for example, March 9, 1628, that date under the Gregorian calendar which we now use is actually March 9, 1629.

The dates in this document have been converted to our Gregorian calendar and have been so noted. Sometimes the need to recognize the Julian versus Gregorian distinction is conventionally flagged by showing the year as “1628/9.” See “Colonial Records and Topics.”

Fixed Anchor Dates

Past historians and genealogists have made a number of errors when relating the history of Rev. Richard Denton. Therefore, the best place to start is with dates and events that can be verified through credible sources such as contemporaneous records made while Rev. Denton was alive and when those events happened. Once those anchor points are established, it becomes a bit easier to eliminate false assumptions about his history and give credence to other elements which are true or likely true.

Reverend Denton and his wife had eight children as listed below. Seven were born in England before sailing to America. The baptisms of Tymothie and Nathaniel in Turton, Lancashire can be verified at the Lancashire Online Parish Clerks web site. Copies of the original baptism records for Samuel, Daniel, Phoebe, Peter and Mary appear on the Geni Sources tab and are quoted below. Most of these baptism records note Rev. Denton's occupation as “Minister” as well as the location of his ecclesiastical posting. The births of Rev. Denton's children Peter (1637) and Mary (1638) have not been previously reported by any other source but clearly demonstrate that Rev. Denton did not leave Yorkshire before 21 June 1638. See the Geni Discussion “The Origins of Reverend Richard Denton,” 8/25/2018 at 3:56 PM and 8/26/2018 at 4:21 PM

• 1627 23 July - “Tymothie Denton - Son of Mr. Denton Abode: Turton Occupation: preacher”

• 1629 March 9 - “Nathaniell Denton - Son of Mr. Denton Abode: Turton “ (Gregorian date)

• 1631 May 29 - “Samuel [son of] Richard Denton Minister of Coley”

• 1632 July 10 - “Daniel [son of] Richard Denton Curate of Coley”

• 1634 Nov 30 - “Phoebe [daughter of] Richard Denton Minister Coley”

• 1637 Jan 6 - “Peter [son of] Richard Denton Coley Hiph” (Gregorian date)

• 1638 June 21 - “Mary [daughter of] Rich Denton Hipp Minister”

• c.1640 - Richard Denton, Jr., likely born in Wethersfield, Connecticut

Hipperholme (abbreviated as “Hiph” and “Hipp”) was another chapel within a mile or so of Coley and Priestley Green where Rev. Denton and his family lived.

Unfortunately, Tymothie and Peter died early as reflected in the following burial records. (Copies of their original records also appear on the Geni Sources tab.)

• 1631 Jul 28 - “Tymothie [son of] Richard Denton Minister Coley”

• 1637 June 5 - “Peter [son of] Richard Denton Hiph”

As you can see, the above baptism records clearly establish that Rev. Denton was in Turton, Lancashire by July 1627 and then in Coley near Halifax, Yorkshire by 1631 where he remained until at least June 1638.

In addition, subtracting nine months from his first child's (Tymotie's) birth date indicates that Rev. Denton was married by about October, 1626. Walter Krumm, in his "Descendants of the Rev. Richard Denton," supra, said:

As a subsidized university student he was almost certainly unmarried when he was graduated from Catharine's Hall, Cambridge in 1623/4 [1624 Gregorian]... This suggests that he married c.1625 (no record has been found) and that his son was born a year or so later.

Rev. Denton's posting to Turton in 1626 would coincide with the burial of Turton's prior priest, Gilbert Astley, on 27 January 1626 (Gregorian date) which was also noted by Walter Krumm. Another fixed date in Rev. Denton's life was his graduation from Cambridge in January, 1624 (Gregorian date). In addition, we know he began his studies at Cambridge in 1621 as a sizar. “Sizar” means “[a]n undergraduate at Cambridge... receiving financial help from the college and formerly having certain menial duties.” Oxford Dictionaries. See Walter Krumm, supra and Alumni Cantabrigienses,” Part I, Vol II, John Venn (1922), p. 34. Also see “Origins of Reverend Richard Denton” on the Geni Sources tab.

The Church of England required men to be at least 23 years old to be ordained as priests in the church. Rev. Denton was ordained as a priest at Peterborough Cathederal on 8 June 1624. Therefore, Rev. Denton must have been born before 8 June 1601. See “Sources of Personal History,” “Ordinations” in the Preface to Alumni Cantabrigienses, Vol 1, (1922), p. xii.

From the foregoing, we now have the following fixed dates from Rev. Denton's life:

• 1601 June 8 - born before this date to be 23 when ordained a priest in 1624

• 1621 - began studies at St Catharine's College, Cambridge as a sizar

• 1623 March 9 - Ordained deacon at Peterborough Cathederal and noted as "literate," i.e. not yet graduated (Gregorian date)

• 1624 January - BA degree from Cambridge (Gregorian date)

• 1624 April 19 - Turned 23 and then one year after being ordained deacon (requirements for priesthood)

• 1624 June 8 - Ordained a priest at Peterborough Cathederal

• 1626 Jan 27 - posted to Turton after this date (death of prior priest, Gilbert Astley)

• 1626 October - Rev. Denton married by this date (9 months before Tymothie's birth)

• 1627 23 July - Tymothie baptised at Turton, Lancashire

• 1629 March 9 - Nathaniell Denton baptised at Turton, Lancashire (Gregorian date)

• 1631 May 29 - Samuel baptised at Coley

• 1631 Jul 28 - Tymothie died at Coley

• 1632 July 10 - Daniel baptised at Coley

• 1634 Nov 30 - Phoebe baptised at Coley

• 1637 Jan 6 - Peter baptised at Coley/Hipperholme (Gregorian date)

• 1637 June 5 - Peter died at Coley

• 1638 June 21 - Mary baptised at Hipperholme (near Coley)

• 1640 April 10 - Rev. Denton received a deed for 15 acres of land in Wethersfield

• 1644 - Rev. Denton and his sons received Hempstead land allotments

• 1647 - Hempstead allotment list recorded and was the first document to mention Richard, Junior

• 1657 October 25 - Rev. Denton still in America as evidenced by Rev. Megapolensis and Drissius letter

• 1658 or 1659 - Rev. Denton and his wife returned to England (Rev. Megapolensis and Drissius letter)

• 1662 Aug 24 - Rev. Denton likely died before this date which was the deadline to comply with the Act of Conformity (or Uniformity).

Reverend Oliver Heywood (1630-1702) succeeded Reverend Denton at the Coley church in about 1651. In his memoirs Rev. Heywood stated that Rev. Richard Denton was the Curate at St. John the Baptist Church, Coley, Yorkshire and lived at Priestley Green for about 7 years, at which time he emigrated to New England. Rev. Heywood's substantially contemporaneous recollection would place Rev. Denton and his family at Coley from 1631 to about 1638.

In addition, Rev. Heywood said, "... at last [Rev. Denton] returned into Old England about the year 1659; lived awhile in Essex, and there died." Rev. Heywood also listed in his diaries the names of 500 priests who failed to comply with the Act of Conformity by the deadline of 24 August 1662. Rev. Denton's name was not on that list despite Rev. Heywood's knowledge of his return to England. This suggests that Rev. Denton had already died by August 1662.

See The Rev Oliver Heywood, His Autobiography, Diaries, Anecdote and Event Books, Vol IV, Horsfall Turner (ed.) (1885), pp. 11-12.

Marriage

The fixed dates above indicate that Rev. Denton was married between January 1624 when he graduated from Cambridge and October 1626 which was nine months before his first child, Tymothie, was born at Turton. But the listing for Reverend Denton on the St. Anne's Church in Turton, Lancashire web site indicates he had a Masters degree which suggests that he spent more time at Cambridge after his graduation in 1624.

Four marriage records for different Richard Dentons in England do exist for this period. One of those marriages, however, seems more likely than the others. It indicates that “Richus” (Latin for Richard) Denton married Maria {Latin for Mary) Duerden in Halifax, Yorkshire on January 21, 1626 (using the Gregorian calendar). See that marriage record on the Geni Sources tab. A Maria/Mary Duerden/Durden was baptised in Halifax on 14 Oct 1604 to a father named Thomas who was likely a Curate in Rochdale, Lancashire, not far from Halifax. Clergy of the Church of England Database (CCEd). Members of the extended Denton and Durden families had various connections including a prior marriage. See page 6 of The Origins of Richard Denton on the Geni Sources tab.

Complete Timeline

The following is a complete timeline of events relevant to Reverend Richard Denton's life.

• 1572 - an Agnes Denton married a Robert Durden in Halifax

• 1601 April 19 - Richard Denton baptised at Warley, Halifax
• 1602 January 10 (Gregorian) - Richard Duerden baptised to a father named Richard in Sowerby which is only a mile or two from Warley where Rev. Denton was born
• 1604 Aug 14- Maria Durden baptised in Heptonstall (near Halifax) to father Thomas Duerden. A Thomas Duerden was a Curate in Rochdale in 1592, about 15 miles from Heptonstall.
• c.1606-c.1620 - Probably at Heath Grammar School with Henry Priestley and Richard Duerden (bp. 1602) of Sowerby
• 1621 - Became sizar at St Catharine's College, Cambridge
• 1623 March 9 (Gregorian) - Ordained deacon at Peterborough Cathederal
• 1624 January (Gregorian) - BA degree from Cambridge
• 1624 April 19 - Turned 23 and then one year after being ordained deacon
• 1624 June 8 - Ordained a priest at Peterborough (erroneously reported as 1623)
• 1624 June through 1625 - Teaching at Cambridge for his Master's degree
• 1624-26 - a Richard Dearden (Durden) was a Governor of Heath Grammar School, previously attended by Rev. Denton
• 1626 January 21 (Gregorian) - Married Maria Duerden in Halifax
• 1626 - Curate at Turton Chapel, living in Bolton, Lancashire. Chapel says 1627; church records say 7 Mar 1629 (Gregorian). Gilbert Astley, prior Turton priest, buried 27 January 1626.
• 1627 July 23 - Tymothie baptised at St. Peter in Bolton. Baptism record confirms Rev. Denton was a preacher at Turton, Lancashire in 1627.
• 1629 Mar 9 (Gregorian) - Nathaniel baptised at St Peter in Bolton, Lancashire
• 1631 - Became Curate at Coley (near Halifax). Stayed at Priestley Green owned by Henry Priestley or the Sunderland family. Edward Sunderland was a local Curate in 1605.
• 1631 May 29 - Samuel baptised at Coley. Evidence Rev. Denton was at Coley/Halifax in 1631
• 1631 Jul 28 - Tymothie buried at Coley
• 1632 Jul 10 - Daniel baptised at Coley
• 1634 Sep 29 - Phoebe baptised at Coley. Krumm found no later evidence of her existence.
• 1637 Jan 6 - Peter baptised at Coley [Gregorian].
• 1637 June 5 - Peter buried at Hipperholme/Coley.
• 1638 Apr 12 - Richard Marsh appointed Vicar of Halifax to restore pre-Reformation liturgical practices. Likely substantial contributing cause for migrating to New England.
• 1638 June 21 - Mary, baptised at Hipperholme/Coley
• 1638 - John of London and fleet of 8 to 11 ships sailed from Hull, Yorkshire to New England. No evidence when or on what ship Rev. Denton sailed
• 1638 - Denton family emigrated to Wethersfield, CT.
• 1640 Apr 10 - deed to 15 acres in Weathersfield is first written evidence of Rev. Denton in America
• c.1640 - Richard, Jr., born probably at Wethersfield
• 1641 - Denton family moved to Stamford, CT
• 1644 - Denton family moved to Hempstead, Long Island
• 1647 - Original settlers of Hempstead created a written record of their original 1644 allotments of land. The list included Rev. Denton and his sons Nathaniel, Daniel and Samuel and Richard, Jr. This list was the first written evidence of Richard, Junior's existence.
• 1656 - Nathaniel (b.1628/9) and Daniel (b.1632) purchased Jamaica, Long Island with others
• 1658 or 1659 - Rev. Richard Denton and Maria returned to England to collect an inheritance
• 1658 September 3 - Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth, died
• 1660 May 29 - Charles II restored to the throne
• 1662 Aug 24 - Deadline to comply with Act of Uniformity and use new Book of Common Prayer. 2,500 priests ejected from church in "Great Ejection." Rev. Denton not listed as among those ejected.
• 1685 - Samuel (b.1631) owned 240 acres and Richard, Jr. (b.c.1640) owned 50 acres in Hempstead.

Sources

• See the bibliography at the end of The Origins of Richard Denton on the Geni Sources tab.
  
• See various sources on the Geni Sources tab
  
• See the Geni Discussion titled “The Origins of Reverend Richard Denton”
  
• Alumni Cantabrigienses, Part I, Vol II, John Venn (1922)
  
• Alumni Cantabrigienses, Vol 1, John Venn (1922)
  
• Century of Revolution, Halifax Minster
  
• Clergy of the Church of England Database 1540-1835 (CCEd)
  
• Colonial Records and Topics
  
• Descendants of the Rev. Richard Denton, Walter Krumm, New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, 120 [1989]: 10-17, 94-97, 160-163; 121 [1990]: 221-225
  
• Ecclesiastical Records, State of New York, Vol I, 1901
  
• The Early History of Hempstead NY, Charles Moore (1878), p. 8
  
• The English Ancestry of Richard Belden of Wethersfield, Connecticut, Paul Reed and John Sharp, in The American Genealogist (2001), p. 20.
  
• Heath Grammar School: A Popular History of the Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth, at Heath, Thomas Cox (1879)
  
• The History of Ancient Wethersfield, Connecticut, Vol. 1, Henry R. Stiles (1904)
  
• The History of Long Island from the Discovery to the Present Time, Benjamin F. Thomson (1843)
  
• History of Stamford, Connecticut, E.B. Huntiongton (1868)
  
• Lancashire Online Parish Clerks web site
  
• Magnalia Christi Americana, Cotton Mather (1702), Book III, Chapter.9, p. 96
  
• Memoirs of the Rev. Oliver Heywood, B.A., Rev. Richard Slate (1827)
  
• Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's
  
• Narrative of New Netherland 1609-1664, J.F. Jameson, Ed. (1909), p. 399.
  
• Oxford Dictionaries
  
• The Rev Oliver Heywood, His Autobiography, Diaries, Anecdote and Event Books, Vol IV, Horsfall Turner (ed.) (1885),
  
• The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut, 1636-1776, (Hartford 1850-1890) Vol 1, p. 63
  
• St. Anne's Church in Turton, Lancashire web site
  

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