Birth

[1718 Newport West Hundred (Hd) Charles Co MD (Chas Co): Peter Dent born (age 34 in Dec 1752 deposition [see below]); father John Dent, mother possibly Catherine ------ (see narrative article on John Dent {John¹})]

Marr

[c1737 Chas Co: Peter Dent married Margaret (Holt) (date based on birth of eldest known child; wife's first name given in family record of son Peter Dent Jr [see below]; Margaret Holt was widow of Joseph Ward, son of William Ward of St Mary's Co; Peter had close association with Ward family [see below]; Joseph Ward and Margaret possibly had dau [unknown name] who married Lemaster Cooksey, since Lemaster had a son named Joseph Ward Cooksey; Peter had close association with Lemaster Cooksey in Chas Co, Amherst Co VA and Bedford Co VA [see below])]

Movt

[c1737?: Peter Dent probably moved from his parental home in Newport W Hd to Newport E Hd (where his wife may have been living on the tract of her deceased husband)]

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[c1737? Chas Co: Peter Dent came into possession of tract "Tilney" of 100A, possibly by marrying widow of Joseph Ward (by 1745 Peter Dent was known to have possession (see below); for many years "Tilney" was property of John Vaudrey, who, in a 1722 deed and his 1723 will, left his land (including "Tilney" and adjoining tract "Wilton") to son-in-law William Ward, dau Ann Ward {wife of William}, and dau Elizabeth Ward widow {of Benjamin} «Chas Co Deed Book (ChD) L2:79; Prerog Ct of MD Will Bk (PCW) 18:173»)]

Son

20 Sep 1737 Chas Co: Peter Dent Jr, son of Peter and Margaret, born «Mrs James Knox Cockrell (c1950 of Washington DC) record» [Peter Sr's son Peter Jr also mentioned in 1763 deed below]

Dau?

[c1740? Chas Co?: Sybil Dent, dau of Peter, born «Record of Mrs E. Burton Williams of Danville VA» (according to same souce, Sybil later married William Camden in Port Tobacco MD; William Camden resided in Amherst Co VA)]

Son

[c1740-50 Chas Co: John Dent born (a John Dent of age appropriate for a son was closely associated with Peter Dent in Bedford Co VA; John Dent came into possession of 33A previously owned by Peter Dent in Bedford Co)]

Dau?

[c1740-50? Chas Co: Elizabeth Dent born? (Joseph Brown had wife Elizabeth and a son Jesse Dent Brown; see references to Joseph Brown and his association with Dents below)]

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Nov 1742 Chas Co: Peter Dent appointed constable of Newport East Hd «ChCP X2:452»

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Nov 1745 Chas Co: Peter Dent petitioned court for an examination of the bounds of his tract "Tilney"; a commission was appointed to carry out petition «Chas Co Ct Prcdgs Bk (ChCP) Z2:462» [have not found record of actual carrying out of land commission]

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Aug 1747 Chas Co: Peter Dent is removed from his office of constable [of Newport East Hd], and Matthew Compton appointed in his room; (next consecutive entry:) bench warrant ordered and issued for Proprietary vs Peter Dent [reason not specified but may have to do with unsatisfactory performance as constable] «ChCP Vol41:138,189»

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3 Sep 1747 Chas Co: Peter Dent sold to Thomas Pettit {husband of Susanna, dau of William Ward Sr} livestock, personalty, and a servant man named Dennis Macnamara; sale was meant to hold Thomas Pettit harmless as his security in a debt owed to Philip Key in the amount of £17.5.6 and 3900 lbs of tobacco; the sale was to be null and void if Peter Dent paid off debt «ChD Z2:244»

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25 Nov 1748 Chas Co: Samuel Chunn, Peter Dent and John ("T") Tuel were witnesses to will of Peter Cartwright [of Newport E Hd]. 22 Jul 1751 Chas Co: Peter Dent and John Tuel gave oath in court at probate of will. «PCW 28:161»

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25 May 1750: Peter Dent complained to Assembly of MD, claiming that in Jun 1749 he was brought before Chas Co court on charge of abusing Judge Robert Yates during an altercation over a local election, and fined 1000 lbs tobacco [original case in «ChCP Vol 42:340»; have not yet recorded it]; Peter denied charge and claimed he could produce witnesses proving Yates had insulted him first «Archives of MD (AofMD) 46:429»; one year later one of the magistrates rendering the decision in Chas Co court was called before Assembly to answer complaint, at which time he was given a charge to be more circumspect in his future judgments «AofMD 46:544,557»

Movt

[by 1750? (no later than 1753): Peter Dent moved from Newport E Hd to Newport W Hd]

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Jun 1751 Chas Co: Peter Dent brought up complaint in court against Thomas Barron [of Newport W Hd], claiming Barron had slandered him by impugning his character and by falsely accusing him of stealing tobacco from his tobacco barn; Peter asked for £50 damages. Aug 1752 Chas Co: following delays, case heard, with Barron unable to deny charges and being charged 20s and 1399 lbs tobacco in damages. «ChCP B3:145»

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30 Dec 1752 Chas Co: "Peter Dent Senior", aged about 34, made deposition concerning boundaries of tract called "Norwood", owned by Gilliam Wood; according to deposition, in 1745 Peter walked from his house with William Scott Sr (now decd) to a tree which Scott said was a bound tree of "Norwood"; the same year Peter Cartwright Sr (now decd) informed Peter that aforementioned tree was a bound tree of "Norwood" and "Tilney" [Peter's tract], and that the bound tree of "Hadley" was not far from that tree; Cartwright also told him John Vaudry (now decd) had proved tree in question to be the bound tree of "Norwood" «ChCP B3:342»

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1753 Chas Co: debt books list Peter Dent as possessor of "Tilney" of 100A [1753 was first year of debt books and the only year Peter Dent was listed as possessor of this tract; he had probably actually vacated the land by 1750]

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13 Jun 1753 Chas Co: John Dent {elder brother} and Mary his wife sold to Peter Dent for 5000 lbs tobacco "unto ... Peter Dent his heirs of his body lawfully begotten for ever and if the said Peter Dent should die without such heirs to return to the next heir at law ..." 150A of "Dent's Inheritance" [wording suggests that Peter was heir to the land he received]. 30 Jun 1753 Chas Co: John Dent and Mary his wife acknowledged deed in court. «ChD A1:128»

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1754-63 Chas Co: debt books list Peter Dent as possessor of 150A of "Dent's Inheritance"

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22 Oct 1755 Trinity Par Chas Co: vestrymen and church wardens met at newly built parish church, at which time a large number of Protestant Freeholders of the parish met according to notice and declared their desire to have pews distributed through lottery scheme proposed by parish vestry; those present included church warden Hatch Dent, and freeholders Thos Dent, Michael Dent, Peter Dent, Benjamin Dent and John Dent Sen^r «Trinity Par Vestry Prcdgs (TPVP)»

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31 May 1756 Trinity Par: ¹/₃ of pew no. 20 assigned to Tho^s Dent, who paid £0.13.4; ²/₃ of pew no. 20 assigned to Hatch Dent and Peter Dent, who paid £1.6.8 «TPVP»

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2nd Tues Nov 1761 Chas Co: Peter Dent of Chas Co, Planter, appeared in court and acknowledged debt to Robert Christie Esq of 716 lbs of tobacco [possibly Peter Dent {Peter³,William²,Thomas¹} rather than this Peter] «ChCP K3:437»

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1 May 1762 Chas Co: Joseph Dyson of Chas Co, planter, leased to Thomas Dyson of Chas Co, planter, part of "Swan Hill" containing 100A; witnesses were Peter Dent and Samuel Turner Jr «ChD L3:129»

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2nd Tues June 1762 Chas Co: Thomas Barron and Samuel Cooksey Barron vs Peter Dent heard in court; suit initiated Mar Court 1761, with plaintiffs lodging complaint against Peter Dent of Chas Co, planter, claiming Peter had given them an obligatory note dated 4 Apr 1758 in amount of £40, and that amount was not yet paid; Peter submitted signed and witnessed statement referring to dispute over two tracts of land "Dogwood Spring" [the Barrons' tract] and "Dent's Inheritance", and claimed aforesaid case was pending arbitration by Capt George Dent {George³,William²,Thomas¹} and Mr John Winter; after delays requested by George Johnson attorney to Peter Dent during Mar (1761), Jun, Aug, Nov, and Mar (1762) courts, case heard in Aug [did not note verdict] «ChCP K3:591»

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21 Jan 1763 Chas Co: Peter Dent Sr of Chas Co sold to son Peter Dent Jr of Chas Co for 6000 lbs of tobacco 80A of "Dent's Inheritance" «ChD L3:252» [Peter Dent last appeared in Charles Co Debt Books in 1763 for 150A of "Dent's Inheritance"; since debt books starting in 1764 listed Peter Dent Jr in possession of full 150A, Peter Sr perhaps conveyed the remaining 70A to Peter Jr by then]

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2nd Tues Aug 1763 Chas Co: John Wheatley vs Peter Dent heard by 12-man jury, concerning 29 Oct 1757 debt of £10.4.0 for which John had requested payment 1 Jun 1760 and "often before and since"; suit initiated Aug Court 1762, seeking £20 damages; after delays requested by Thompson Mason, attorney for Peter, during Aug (1762), Nov, Mar, and Jun (1763) courts, court heard case in Aug and jury found for the plaintiff, awarding damages of £5.13.3 «ChCP M3:293»

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2nd Tues Aug 1763 Chas Co: judgment issued on Allen Davis vs Peter Dent of Chas Co, planter, concerning amount owed to plaintiff of 1439 lbs of tobacco; suit initiated during Mar 1763 court, and following delays requested by Thomson Mason, attorney for Peter Dent, during Mar and Jun courts, Peter appeared in Aug Court and acknowledged debt, which the judge then ordered him to pay as well as £1.15.0 court costs «ChCP M3:317»

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28 Sep 1764 Chas Co: Peter Dent acknowledged undated bill of sale: Peter Dent Sr of Chas Co sold to Michael Dent for 1439 lbs of tobacco and £1.15.0 currency, the cost of a suit of Allen Davis, the following personal property: 3 feather beds & furniture, 2 pewter dishes & 2 Basons Ditto, half a dozen plates, 3 iron pots & hooks, 1 table & half a dozen chairs, 3 heads of cattle, all his crop of corn and tobacco then growing, 1 looking glass, and "other Trifles Now Remaining & being in Charles County"; recorded at request of Michael Dent «ChD L3:541»

Movt

[c1764: Peter Dent Sr probably moved from Chas Co to unknown location, probably in VA (have found no further references to Peter Dent Sr in Chas Co after Sep 1764, though Debt Books continue to list "Peter Dent Jr" at least through 1771; since he disposed of his land and much of his personal property in 1763-64, he probably left soon after Sep 1764)]

Movt

[c1769?: Peter Dent moved from unknown location to Amherst Co VA (Amhst Co)]

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7 Mar 1769 Amhst Co: Ambrose Porter appointed surveyor of road from Thomas Parks into main road by Gabriel Penn's; Matthew Tucker, Drury Tucker, Noell Johnston, Joseph Mays, John Kenady, John Roark, James Burrus, Peter Dent, James Bush, and their tithables named as his gang [these names place Peter Dent in Huff's Creek area, near William Camden] «Amhst Co Ct Order Bk 1766-69, p473»

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14 Dec 1771 Chas Co: Robert Horner of Chas Co signed a statement giving a list of debts due to Horner in Chas Co (as part of debt proceedings against Horner); list of debts included (in consecutive entries) "Lemaster Cooksey Virginia" and Peter Dent Sr «ChD S3:227» [Peter Dent's appearance on this list does not mean he resided in Chas Co at this date, as debt could have been from a much earlier date]

Movt

[by 1777: Peter Dent probably moved from Amhst Co to Bedford Co VA (Bdfd Co)]

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28 Jul 1777 Bdfd Co: Peter Dent was made exempt from paying taxes «Bdfd Co Ct Order Bk 6:129»

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1782 Bdfd Co: Peter Dent on tax list with 2 horses and 11 cattle

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1783 Bdfd Co: Peter Dent on tax list with 3 horses and 9 cattle (not taxable)

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1784 Bdfd Co: Peter Dent on tax list with 2 horses and 8 cattle (not taxable)

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1785 Bdfd Co: Peter Dent on tax list with 2 horses and 7 cattle (not taxable)

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[1786 Bdfd Co: Peter Dent not on tax list]

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23 Apr 1787 Bdfd Co: Peter Dent on tax list with 2 horses and 7 cattle (not taxable)

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[1788 Bdfd Co: Peter Dent not on tax list(?)]

Marr

5 May 1789 Bdfd Co: Peter Dent obtained bond for marriage to Milley Dollard, who gave consent for herself [probable widow; Amelia Dollard household head in 1782 tax list; Milley Dollard household head in 1787 tax list]; Peter's surety was Lamaster Cooksey {step-son-in-law?} «Bdfd Co Marr Bonds»

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1789 Bdfd Co: Peter Dent on tax list with 2 horses (not taxable)

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25 May 1791 Bdfd Co: Peter Dent on tax list with 2 horses (not taxable)

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14 Apr 1792 Bdfd Co: Peter Dent on tax list with 2 horses (not taxable)

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24 Sep 1792 Bdfd Co: John Dollard of Bdfd Co sold to Peter Dent of same 33¹/₃A on Beaverdam Creek adjoining line of James Whiller [Wheeler] «Bdfd Co Deed Bk (BdD) 9:256»

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26 Apr 1794 Bdfd Co: Peter Dent on tax list with 1 tithable and 2 horses

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10 Apr 1795 Bdfd Co: Peter Dent on tax list with no tithables and 3 horses

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Jul 1795 Bdfd Co: William Trigg, sheriff, sold to Peter Dent 12A on waters of Beaver Dam, adjoining McCormack's and Dent's land, being part of 100A the property of Milly Dollard and the 12A previously being sold to one of the county commissioners for taxes «BdD ...»

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22 Mar 1796 Bdfd Co: Peter Dent on tax list with no tithables and 3 horses

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5 Apr 1797 Bdfd Co: Peter Dent on tax list with no tithables and 2 horses

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[c1797? Bdfd Co: Peter Dent ordered to pay Mr. Stithe $6.00 a quarter for the support and maintenance of Mildred Dent; Peter was residing with John Dent (source Bdfd Co Ct order records?)]

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17 May 1798 Bdfd Co: Peter Dent on tax list with no tithables and 3 horses

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25 Mar 1799 Bdfd Co: Peter Dent on tax list [last appearance] with no tithables and 2 horses

Death

[c1799-1800? Bdfd Co: Peter Dent died (based on disappearance from Bdfd Co tax lists; in 1803 John Dent obtained 33A which previously belonged to Peter Dent [possible source land commission records]; land records do not have record of conveyance; Peter possibly had died and left the land to John; possibly land Peter Dent had purchased from John Dollard)]