Charles Kent (1778-1855) and his extended FAN (family, friends, associate, neighbors) has been the Big Kent Family Mystery since I began researching the Kent line with my grandfather, George Arthur Kent (1900-1987). He was a descendant of one of Charles' grandsons, Walton P. Kent Kent (abt 1824-1890]. Walton's mother was Charles' oldest daughter, Nancy Ann. Kent (abt 1802-1871).

However, Walton's father is unknown. My grandfather was aware that Walton was illigetimate but no one knew the identify of his father. A recent Big YDNA test of Walton's great grandson (my father) Ernest Ezra Kent (1924-2019] pointed to the surname of Colquitt.

One of the purposes of this Free Space Profile is not only to document what I suspect about this NPE (non-paternal event) but also to document what I've researched about Charles' own ancestry and his other children -- each with their own set of mysteries.

One challenge in researching Kents in post revolutionary to Civil War era in the south is that first names are repeated in subsequent generations, often in multiple occurances in the same generation, i.e. a candidate for Charles' father, John Kent, had a son named John but also a nephew (or two) named John. Other repeating names are Charles, Sampson, Daniel, Nancy...the list is long.

As of March 1,2025 this page is documenting the evidence I've accumulated about the following Kents:

CHARLES KENT

• Charles Kent (born 1778 Virginia - died 1855 Pike County, GA)

- Who were his parents? - His wife (or wives)? - What happened to Charles nine children? In addition to Nancy Kent, there was

1. Mary/Polly Kent
2. Burton Kent
3. Susan Kent Griffin
4. Tabitha (Betha) Kent
5. Sofia M. Kent Bradberry
6. Amanda Kent Howard
7. Lucinda Kent Howard
8. Sarah Dominga Kent Tillery

JOHN KENT

• Is [Kent-10796|John Kent]] (son of Benoni Kent from Fairfax, VA (born appx 1850) the same John Kent of Oglethorpe County, GA who died abt 1815? Charles was one of his co-exeuctors as was Sampson Kent, one of Benoni's sons and Elias Alliston the son in law of [Kent-10796|John Kent]]J

OTHER EARLY KENTS IN GEORGIA

• How were the other Kents who drew Georgia's first land lottery related to Charles? Peter, Sampson, Daniel
• Which ones fought in the Revolution? War of 1812?

THE TWO DANIELS, the Baughs and LEONARD HARRIS

• The two Daniel Kents of Oglethorpe County (1820s). One of them migrated to Pike County right before Charles. Which one?
• Migrating Daniel married the daughter of xxx Baughn and Leonard Harris married her sister, xxx. Leonard was a close neighbor of Charles and remained involved in Charles (and his daughters) legal affairs throughout their lives. I want to know more about this migration.

HARVIN KENT

• Harvin shows up in Oglethorpe and Pike County, Ga. He is related to Daniel, perhaps his father?

Family Search Full Text has found obscure documents that I've never had access to before and may help provide evidence for answering some of these questions. Other sources I've had for years but needed more puzzle pieces provided by AI. I've arranged those sources chronologically below.

• BRITISH COLONY VIRGINIA, Fairfax County, Turo Parish

My grandfather said he thought Charles was from Halifax County, VA. But if Charles is the son of John and hte grandson of Benoni, he is probably from Fairfax County.

- 1770. Benoni Kent sold 1/2 bushel corn to George Washington at Mt. Vernon. “Cash Accounts, March 1770,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-08-02-0206. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Colonial Series, vol. 8, 24 June 1767 – 25 December 1771, ed. W. W. Abbot and Dorothy Twohig. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1993, pp. 306–307.] - 1774' Benoni's will probated Lists 10 children and the given name of his wife, Jean. [Kent-10796|John Kent]] is the executor; Ann Kent Carecoe is already married. The the other children are S'amuel, Daniel, Thomas, Sampson, Peter, Susanner, Mary, Sarah, Elizabeth. http://johnlkent.50megs.com/Benoni_Kent_Last_Will.html Also, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9PC-QVQP?view=fullText&keywords=Kent&groupId=M9F5-XXS

Another document from Truro Parish in Fairfax is a lease between William Fitzhugh Jr. and John Kent. John for 143 acres is securing farming rights for his three sons: Charles, John, and Lewis. The tract of land is known as Ravensworth. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravensworth_(plantation) The rent was to be delivered to a warehouse on Potomac River. Is this the same John Kent for whom Charles was the executor in 1815 in Ogelthorpe County, GA? Is this the Lewis Kent found in early Ogtehtorpe documents? The John referred to as John Jr in Ogelthorpe County tax digests. - "Fairfax County, Virginia, United States records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSYD-14BV-T?view=fullText : Mar 9, 2025), image 111 of 285.

GEORGIA

1802 to 1803 The first record as of March 2025 I have of Charles Kent in Georgia is his 2 draws in the state's first land lottery suggesting he had been in Georgia since 1802 and 1803. (Legislation required a year's residency upon registering in home counties.

1805 to 1806 Charles was listed on the default list in Wilkes County in [Henderson-9760|Captain Magers Henderson]] District in 1805. In 1806, he paid a poll tax but paid no taxes on land.

• Wilkes County, Georgia, Superior Court. Tax Digests. Entry for Charles Kent, 1805, Defaulters in [No. 8th] Capt. Magers [or Magus] Henderson’s District; imaged, "Georgia, Tax Digests, 1787-1900," FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:68LR-V9S9 : accessed 5 March 2025) >image 361 of 541.

- Wilkes County, Georgia, Superior Court. Tax Digests. Entry for Charles Kent, 1806, unlined, No. 8th Capt. Magers [stet] Henderson’s District; imaged, "Georgia, Tax Digests, 1787-1900," FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKV-532P-6 : accessed 5 March 2025) >image 436 of 541.

1806 to 1807 Between 1806 and 1807, Charles moved from Wilkes to Oglethorpe Co. GA (an adjacent county created from Wilkes.) In 1807, he paid tax on 60 acres of land but there is no direct entry for the watercourse. The entry above states that person was on IC, abbreviation for Indian Creek. - Oglethorpe County, Georgia, Superior Court, Tax Digests, 1806-1811. Entry for Charles Kent, 1807, line 64, page 2nd, Capt. Pleasant Compton’s [Militia} District; imaged, "Georgia, Tax Digests, 1787–1900," FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:68K8-ZNYK : accessed 3 March 2025) > image 104 of 578.

- Oglethorpe County, Georgia, Superior Court, Tax Digests, 1806-1811. Entry for John Kent, 1807, line 28, page 2nd, Capt. Pleasant Compton’s [Militia} District; imaged, "Georgia, Tax Digests, 1787–1900," FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:68K8-ZNYK : accessed 3 March 2025) > image 104 of 578. RESEARCH QUESTION: What relationship was this John Kent to Charles Kent? - 1808. Estimate of date Peter Kent moved to Georgia from his pension application. However, this name is found in earlier records. Other Kent researchers have pointed out that documents were burned and pension dates are inaccurate. - Oglethorpe County, Georgia, Superior Court, Tax Digests, 1806-1811. Entry for Charles Kent, 1809, line 14, page 26th, Capt. Pleasant Compton’s [Militia} District; imaged, "Georgia, Tax Digests, 1787–1900," FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:68KV-YMFG  : accessed 3 March 2025) > image 207 of 578.

• "Oglethorpe, Georgia, United States records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLZ-KLW9?view=fullText : Mar 8, 2025), image 302 of 363. Entries for John Kent, Jr. and John Kent, Sr. AI Summary: John Kent, who was indebted to Thomas Burdell, an agent for Ferdinand Phining, on May 8, 1809. The debt was claimed to be $54.42 and required John Kent to appear in court on the third Monday in June. By May 24, 1809, multiple parties, including John Kent Jr. and John Kent Senr, became bound in a sum of $180.84 for appearance in court, while a separate petition from Samuel Goolsby claims Kent owes him $41.75 for goods provided on March 4, 1809. What relationships are these John Kents to Charles Kent?

- 1827. "Oglethorpe, Georgia, United States records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3M5-2Q3W-V?view=fullText : Mar 8, 2025), image 160 of 421; . Chester N. Case petitioned against Harvin West Daniel Kent and Charles Kent for a total of $63.63 owed from promissory notes dated March 31, 1826, with damages of $100 sought.