Richard Denton IV (abt. 1687 - abt. 1752)

Born about 1687 in Hempstead, Queens, New York

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 1752 at about age 65 in Huntington, Suffolk, New York

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Biography

Richard Denton was born about 1687 in Hempstead, Queens, New York, the eldest son of Richard Denton and Mary (Thurston) Denton.^[1] He appears with them in the 1698 census of Hempstead,^[2] living in the Foster's Meadow area near the town line dividing Hempstead and Jamaica. He married Temperance Steevens on August 20, 1709.^[3][4] They are recorded as living in Hempstead in 1711, Jamaica in 1722, and later moved to Huntington, Suffolk, New York, likely by 1736. Richard was a weaver by trade. His death record has not been found, but he likely died between May 7 1751 and May 1 1753, when his son "Richard Denton Jr." begins to be referred to in records as plain "Richard Denton."^[5]

Children of Richard and Temperance (Steevens) Denton:^[6]

1. Richard Denton Jr. - born about 1714; married Tabitha Rogers in Huntington 1736. Later moved to Dutchess County.
2. John Denton - born about 1716; married Elizabeth Kelsey in Huntington 1738/9.
3. Temperance Denton - born about 1718; married Thomas Brush in Huntington 1736/7.
4. Benjamin Denton - born about 1721; married Rebecca Ketcham in Huntington 1747.

Untangling Temperance Steevens and Temperance Titus

The identity of Richard Denton's wife Temperance has often been confused. There's a common belief that she was Temperance Titus, but Walter Krumm^[7] and Claude Barlow^[8] both show conclusively that Richard Denton married Temperance Steevens.

• In the probate records of Temperance Steevens's father Samuel, the date of her marriage is recorded but not the name of her husband.^[9]
• A later document in 1722^[10] has "Richard Denton of Jamaica, weaver" granting his wife Temperance Denton power of attorney to return to Killingworth, CT to sell her interest in five acres of land held by his "mother in law (stepmother, in current terminology) Malletiah Steevens, widow of Killingworth" to Samuel Willcocks.

• There are three known members of the Long Island Titus family named Temperance in this time period, but none of them could plausibly have been married to Richard Denton.
  • Temperance Titus, daughter of Edmund and Martha (Washburn) Titus - born in March 1681,^[11] died November 15, 1704.^[12] She married Nickolas Haight of Flushing.^[13] This is the Temperance Titus most commonly stated in error to have been Richard Denton's wife.
  • Temperance Titus, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Powell) Titus - born January 6 1695/6; died February 15 1704.^[14]
  • Temperance Titus, daughter of Silas and Sarah (Haight) Titus - born October 14, 1707.^[15] She would have been about 7 years old when the eldest son of Richard and Temperance Denton was born.

Sources

Footnotes:

1. ↑ Krumm, Vol. 122, p. 37.
2. ↑ Long Island Source Records, p. 314.
3. ↑ Krumm, Vol. 122, p. 37.
4. ↑ Barlow, p. 117.
5. ↑ Krumm, Vol. 122, p. 38.
6. ↑ Krumm, Vol. 122, p. 38.
7. ↑ Krumm, Vol. 122, p. 38.
8. ↑ Barlow, p. 117.
9. ↑ New London Probate #5151, quoted by both Barlow and Krumm
10. ↑ Killingworth, CT Land Records 3:116, quoted by both Barlow and Krumm
11. ↑ Long Island Sources, p. 550.
12. ↑ Genealogies of Long Island Families, Vol. 2, p. 347.
13. ↑ Genealogies of Long Island Families, Vol. 2, p. 349.
14. ↑ Genealogies of Long Island Families, Vol. 2, p. 349.
15. ↑ Genealogies of Long Island Families, Vol. 2, p. 349.

Works Cited:

• Barlow, Claude Willis. John Steevens of Guilford, Connecticut. Rochester, NY: Stephens, 1976.
• Genealogies of Long Island Families: From the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1987.
• Krumm, Walter C. "Descendants of the Rev. Richard Denton." New York Genealogical and Biographical Record. Vol. 120-122 (1989-1991).
• Long Island Source Records: From the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1987.

• http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/h/a/r/Andrew-G-Harris/BOOK-0001/0008-0008.html