Edward M. Dennis

Notes:

Possibly his middle name was Manchester, as that was his mother's maiden name. She had a brother named Edward.

Edward married Lucy M. King 19 Dec 1867, Tiverton, Newport Co., RI. Lucy (daughter of Abner C. King and Emeline Snell) was born Abt 1847. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

The 1850 Federal Census at Tiverton, RI, shows Holder Dennis, age 34, a sailor, living with Betsey Dennis 30 and son Edward M., age 4. The family is living right near Betsey's parents, Philip & Abby Manchester, and some of their children.

The 1860 Federal Census at Tiverton shows Holder Dennis, farm laborer age 44, living with Lydia A. Dennis 35 or 38, Edward M. 13, Abby S. 10, Daniel 5, and Nathaniel 1. These two are obviously the same individual. Holder's first wife, Betsey Manchester, died in 1857, after which he must have married Lydia.

In 1870 Holder is age 53 and Lydia A. is age 40, still living at Tiverton, RI Three children are in the household: Nathaniel 11, Frank 7, & James 5.

In 1880 Holder & Lydia A. Dennis, ages 62 & 50, are still at Tiverton. In the household are their son James H. age 14, and Holder's brother Bradford C. Dennis, age "about 55."

In 1900 Holder is age 84, living in Little Compton with son Frank and family.

Holder married Betsey Jane Manchester Abt 1845, RI. Betsey (daughter of Philip Manchester and Abigail "Abby" Hambly) was born Aug 1820, Tiverton, RI; died 22 Nov 1857, Tiverton, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

In the 1850 Federal Census, John & Roby Dennis are living at Tiverton, Newport Co., RI. His age is given as 70, and hers is 65. He is a laborer. This census was taken at Tiverton on 20 Sept 1850. Obviously she was older than that, since her first son was born in 1800. Probably both of their ages have been estimated; she is more like 70 and perhaps he is 70 or older.

Please note that John's parentage as shown on this family tree has not yet been proven. More research is needed to confirm the data.

He is very possibly the son named John Dennis who was born to Obediah & Ruth (Fish, d/o Ebenezer) Dennis on 18 Aug 1775 at Tiverton, RI. (Obadiah, who married second to Phebe, was a son of Tabitha, who was a daughter of Robert & Susannah [Briggs] Dennis.) However, there was another John Dennis born at Tiverton 16 Apr 1767 to Robert & Joanna. This needs more research.

I tend to think that John was the son of Obediah & Ruth (Fish) Dennis, of Tabitha Dennis, of Robert & Susannah (Briggs) Dennis, of Robert & Sarah (Howland) Dennis.

If he is the older John, then he is son of Robert & Joanna (Hilliard) Dennis, of John & Hannah (Wilbor) Dennis, of Robert & Susannah (Briggs) Dennis, of Robert & Sarah (Howland) Dennis. If he is this particular John Dennis, then his age should be 83 in the 1850 census. For this reason I lean toward his being the son of Obediah.

I obtained the names of some of John & Roby's children from "Genealogy of a Part of the Wodell Family" by Eli Wodell p 67 (Google Books).

John married Robena "Roby" SOULE 29 Dec 1799, Westport, MA. Robena (daughter of Nathaniel SOULE and Rebecca GIFFORD) was born Abt 1780, Westport, MA; died Aft 1 Jun 1860, Tiverton, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Her name is given as both Roby and Roba in marriage and death records of her children. The Mayflower Descendants book gives it as Rube or Rhoda. However, it is Roby (possibly short for Robena, as her granddaughter's name is given in one place). Her granddaughter is named Roby S. Dennis, clearly named after Roby Soule.

In the 1850 Federal Census, Roby Dennis is age 65, living at Tiverton with her husband, John Dennis, age 70 (these ages are most likely not precise). They are living next to John & Hannah (Manchester) Remington and family, on one side, and next to John & Mary Manchester and family on the other side.

The 1860 Tiverton Census shows a Rhoda (or Rhoba?) Dennis at age 80, living with (her son) Bradford Dennis 39, next to households of Joseph Rounds 31 and Holder Dennis 44. From this I have estimated her year of birth as c1780, although she may have been born a year or two later than that.

I had her estimated birth year as 1780, but Soule Kindred email dated 1 June 2020 stated it should be 1774. I don't know how they arrived at that. Based on the censuses, she was born 1780-1785; the ages given could be incorrect.

According to the death record of her son Bradford, Roby Sowle was born in Westport, MA.

Notes:

1799 DENNIS, John of Tiverton, RI, and Roba Sowle, 29 Dec 1799, Marriage Westport (NEHGS website, Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850 database)

Notes:

In the 1850 Federal Census, Philip, 58, & Abby, 48, are living at Tiverton, RI. In the household are Edward 25, Cynthia 18, Almeda 16, & Holder W. 10, as well as Andrew Dennis 27, Almira Dennis 22, and Andrew F. Dennis -- 2 months. I am making an assumption that Almira is a daughter of Philip & Abby, and that Edward is their son. The Manchesters are living close by Holder & Betsey Dennis, daughter and son-in-law.

Philip married Abigail "Abby" Hambly Abt 1819, RI. Abigail was born Abt 1801; died 15 Oct 1854; was buried , Old Lake Cemetery, Tiverton, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Abby is identified as Abby Hambly in the vital records for son Holder W. D. Manchester.

Genealogist John Redfern has suggested that she was Abigail Lake, based on the names of children Betsey & Cynthia, given names in the Lake family.

There is a possibility that Philip Manchester married first to Abigail Lake, then second to Abby Hambly. No further evidence has yet been found to support this, however. (This family needs more research.)

Notes:

In the Federal Census of 1790, Obediah Dennis is listed as a head of household in Tiverton, RI; 1 free white male >16, 2 free white males <16, 5 free white females; no other free persons in household; no slaves. He is listed next to Robert Dennis, probably his son.

The will of Obadiah (or Obediah) Dennis, of Tiverton, yeoman, is dated 29 Oct 1793, proved 10 Jan 1794. It mentions his wife Phebe; sons Thomas, Robert, Joseph, & John; and dtrs Susannah (w/o David Lake), Mary Hathaway, Hannah (w/o John Lamunyon), Sarah, Deborah, Phebe, & Ruth Dennis, last three under age 18.

Baptist minister Rev. Peleg Burrough's journal tells how he preached at the home of Obediah Dennis: "After which I travelled on foot to the house of Obadiah Dennis and preached with much freedom, 2 brethren gave a word of exhortation and after meeting was concluded (as we thought) Sister S.S. seemed constrained by the power of the spirit of God to fall on her knees and pray . . . "

Obediah married Ruth FISH Abt 1756. Ruth (daughter of Ebenezer FISH and Hannah GIFFORD) was born Abt 1735, Dartmouth, MA; died Between 1775 and 1782. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Ruth is mentioned as a daughter, and wife of Obediah Dennis, in the will of her father, Ebenezer Fish, dated 27 Nov 1773.

Notes:

"Nathaniel Sowl was a sailor engaged in whaling, and at the time of the Revolution his vessel narrowly escaped capture by a British man-of-war. He abandoned the sea, and with his family removed to Providence [in Saratoga County, New York] in 1787, coming from Dartmouth, Massachusetts. For several years he lived on rented lands; but finally, in 1806, he bought a small farm a mile north of Barkersville, and lived there till his death, which occurred January 7, 1837. David Sowl, of Hagedorn's Mills, and Rebecca Allen, of Amsterdam, are the only ones of his family of eight children that are now living. David Sowl has four children living in town, one daughter in Kansas, and another in Washington. One of his sons, Joseph B. Sowl, in partnership with Mosher Chase, runs the saw-mill at Hagedorn's Mills, and deals quite extensively in lumber." (HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK by NATHANIEL BARTLETT SYLVESTER 1878 HISTORY OF THE VILLAGES AND TOWNS OF SARATOGA COUNTY)

Nathaniel died at age 84 in Saratoga County, NY.

See "Genealogy of a Part of the Wodell Family" by Eli Wodell (Google Books) p 67 where the author mentions visiting Nathaniel there.

Nathaniel married Rebecca GIFFORD 19 Aug 1773, Tiverton, RI. Rebecca (daughter of Recompense GIFFORD and Susannah TABOR) was born Abt 1753, Tiverton, RI; died Bef 1793. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Perry is listed at Tiverton in the 1820 census.

Perry married Anna Bennett Abt 1793. Anna (daughter of Philip Bennett and Mary Lake) was born Abt 1776, RI; died Aft 1 Jun 1850. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Anna is mentioned in her father's will as his daughter Anna, wife of Perry Manchester.

In the Federal Census of 1850, Anna Manchester is age 74, living in New Bedford. Son Nathaniel and his wife Ruth are with her.