Robert Denton

Family

Robert Denton married Jane Moon on 13 Feb 1738 in Burlington Co., NJ. “License of Marriage on the thirteenth Day of February A.D. 1738 was granted by his Excellency Lewis Morris Esq. Gov. unto Robert Denton of Evesham in the County of Burlington, Yeoman, of one party and Jane Moon of the same Township, Spinster of other party. Arch Home, Secry"

Jane Moon was born in 1714 and died in 1787 in Hampshire Co., VA. They had the following children: Margaret, Jacob, John, Sarah, Thomas, Elizabeth, Mary."3

Origins

From https://www.syngeneia.org/g8/p8773.htm

Krumm states that it "now appears extremely doubtful" that Robert Denton was the son of Jonas Denton the grandson of Rev. Richard Denton (1603-1662) of Wethersfield, Stamford and Hempstead and minister of the first Presbyterian Church in America.

Biography

From https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Denton-135

From Richard Russell at genforum:

Soon after marrying Jane Moon, 1738, Eversham/Evesham, Burlington Co NJ Provence, and along with many other Burlington Co and specific Eversham area residents, businessmen, churchmen, and land speculators, Robert Denton decided to join the exodus, and travel to Virginia.

Robert Denton is indicated as being born in Eversham area, or very close by, and either to be a son or nephew of Thomas Denton Sr, who had been long in the area, as records bear out. Thomas was some type of tradesman or businessman, as per same records....

Some of their neighbors who would be in on the exodus from Eversham/Burlington also, were Thomas Branson Sr and Jr, Benjamin Borden, Lawrence Stephens, Thomas Asby Sr and Jr, Thomas Sharp, Betheney and Abraham Haines, the Painters, Thomas Hankins, and about a dozen more families, with several more to follow within a year or two. Most of these were well known families in Burlington NJ area, and were sure well known in Virginia. They all settled together, previously to 1742, along the road that ran from John Hites Mill at old Bartonville (on Opequon Creek) to mouth of Crooked Run (near Front Royal). This was in the southeast corner area of present Frederick Co, near border meet with Warren and Shenandoah Cos. Here, other neighbors were, the Bounds, Weathers, Rentfrees, Bakers, Bransons, Duckworths, Thorntons, Gilsons, Smiths, Haines, Jones, Sharps, Hawkins, Viceroys, Alexanders, Vances, etc.

John and Robert Painter, long associated with the Crooked Run Meeting House, were set up by 1742.
Robert Denton, incorrectly connected to the New York Dentons, by incorrect guesses on some people's part, was never indicated in any way, or record, as such. In New Jersey, as here in Virginia, he never associated with any of them, or they with him. There are over a hundred New Jersey and Virginia records to prove there was no association, connection, between these two lines. In the 63 years of his life, he had only one contact with any other Denton, aside from his own family, and that was an accidental one with a descendent of the Rev Richard Denton New York line in Virginia. Robert Denton, while carrying out his duties as a Pilot(Guide/Scout) for a Surveyor, would have had to have met James Denton who was acting as a Chain Carrier for his friend, the Land Grantee, for laying out said claim in area known to the Pilot (Robert Denton).

Robert Denton died in 1778 in Hampshire County VA, present Hardy Co WV area.

Robert's daughter Margaret (Denton) Robinson and her husband Joel inherited his plantation in Hampshire Co VA [WV], and his sons moved to TN and KY.

Robert owned land by 1751 in present-day Hardy Co WV on both the Lost River and Cacapon River west of Strasburg, VA. Following the last Indian uprising in 1766, Robert was involved in the purchase of more land in the Great North Mountain Range in what is now West Virginia. Robert stayed in this area though his brother James and others found Tennessee alluring, as well as Kentucky. He amassed some 1,600 acres of land in the area. He must have become ill in the late 1760s for he began to sell off the Lost River parcels, mostly to his family. In 1768 he sold 323 acres to his daughter Margaret and her husband, Joel Robinson. At his Lost River Plantation he began to see the great migration into the countryside begin. Surveyors were in Kentucky laying out the best lands for those who participated in the long conflict with the French and the Indians. The English crown still forbade movement across the Alleghanies, but their Virginia governor, John Murray, Lord of Dunmore, instituted an expansionist attitude after he took office in 1771. The land-needy pioneers were impatient with the rights ascribed to the Indian tribes.

The Virginal Admiralty Records have a listing for a Robert Denton in 1746. It may have been this Robert Denton.

Citing this Record

• "New Jersey, County Marriages, 1682-1956," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VKM6-KK7 : 18 October 2017), Robert Denton and Jane Moon, 13 Feb 1738; citing Monmouth, New Jersey, United States, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton; FHL microfilm 802,943.