William Denney1,2

M, (before 1749 - before 14 February 1822)

Father*Samuel Denney2 (bt 1715 - 1720 - a 1800)
Mother*Sarah Suddarth2 (c 1714 - b 1800)
William Denney|b. b 1749\nd. b 14 Feb 1822|p2677.htm|Samuel Denney|b. bt 1715 - 1720\nd. a 1800|p2678.htm|Sarah Suddarth|b. c 1714\nd. b 1800|p2679.htm|||||||||||||

Charts Pedigree for Stanley Russell McKinney
Relationship 6th great-grandfather of James Jay McKinney.
Last Edited 29 Nov 2003
Reference MMMMFMFFMC
Researcher 0
Unrelated 0
Family Line To Export Y
Jim Ancestry Verified Y

Burial* On His Farm West Side Of Ararat River, Surry Co., NC3,2 
Note* Richard F. Denney:
He/She would be one of the children of Samuel Denny/Sarah Suddarth(Southard) of Surry County, NC. The known siblings of this person that had families and of which I have prepared GEDCOMS at various Web Sites are Azariah Denny/Sally Wise Felton, William Denny/Rebecca Hooper, JohnDenny/Elizabeth UNK, Charles Denny/Anna Larwood, James Denny/EstherSmall, Elizabeth Denny/Priddy Meeks, Keziah Denney/John Robinson. William married Rebecca in Albemarle County, VA and moved to & settled at Surry County, NC about 1773 on the Ararat River, near Ceder Hill Church. As of 1946, the land was still in possession of a member of his family. They supposedly had 10 children but only 8 are identified. He settled on an AX Entry before the Land Offices opened. William was the grantee under two grants of land from the State of North Carolina dated 1793 & 1797 on or near the Ararat River and adjoining his other lands. William & his wife remained in Surry County when the others were moving westward & they both died & were buried on the farm where they lived. One of his sons remained in Surry County. Near the entrance to the Azariah Denny Cemetery, Pilot Mountain, Surry County, NC, there is a stone inscribed ' In Memory Of William and Rebecca Hooper Denny, Parents Of Azariah Denny, believed to Be Resting In Unmarked Graves Here'
HISTORICAL DATAON WILLIAM William Denny Book C Page 225 Surry County, NC from the state of North Carolina, on the east side of the Ararat River 100 acres, November 3,1784. This is the same day that grants were made to his brothers Azariah and Charles. Surry County tax list for 1784, 1785, 1786, & 1789; Capt Lovel, 100 acres,1 white poll, 0 black poll. May term 1789, WM. Denny & Azeriah Denny on jury of 12 to lay out a road from Hallow Road near Lovills to the Iron Works (Note that Capt Lovel and Lovills are similar). February. 1790 Term, WM Denny and Isaac Southard appointed juryors (sic) for the next Surry County Court of Pleas & Quarter Session. (Note that a Southard appears here, Southard was Williams mothers maiden name). August, 1791 Surry County Court Minutes: County to pay claim to James Bayson for holding an interest(?) over Rebeccah Denny which we consider is a state charge. (This is probably Williams wife). William Denny is listed on the 1819 Surry County tax list in Capt Gregery's District with 175 acres of land assessed at $350. He was living next to a Mr. Hanis on the Ararat River and had on white poll.

BELOW IS THE LAST WILL OF WILLIAM DENNEY Azariah Denny from Rebecah Denny and Others: This indenture made this 14th day of February in the year of our Lord 1822 between Azariah Denny and Rebecah Denny widow of William Denny deceased, of the state of North Carolina and County of Surry and Nathan Holt and Martha his wife, and LEVI BURCHAM AND NANCY HIS WIFE, ArchillesKey and Sally his wife, Lazarus Denny and Keziah Denny, heirs in thee state of said William Denny, deceased, of the one part and Azariah Denny, son of the said deceased and the county and state aforesaid of the other part. Witnessed that the said widow Rebecah Denny and the above named heirs as legatees jointly for and in consideration of the sum of $30 to them in hand paid by the said Azariah Denny before the sealing and delivering of these, the receipt whereof is by them duly acknowledged and for and in consideration of the same they have given, granted, bargained,sold and delivered and by these presents doth give, grant, bargain, sell and deliver alone and together unto the said Azariah Denny his heirs and assigns a certain tract or parcel of land and premises situate lying and being in the county of Surry on the Araratt River beginning at a whiteoak on the east side of said river and runs North 30 chains to a white oak thence West 34 chains to a black oak then South 20 chains to a post thence East 34 chains to the beginning white oak containing 100 acres to be the same more or less together with all the right title interest or claim of the said widow Rebecca Denny and the above named heirs or legatees doth for themselves, their heirs, executors covenant and agree to and with the said Azariah Denny his heirs and that they shall and may forever hereafter peaceably and quietly have hold occupy possess and enjoy the above mentioned land and premises free and clear from all encumbrances whatsoever and from the claim and claims of ourselves and heirs and every one of us with every part and write unto the said Azariah Denny his heirs and in witness whereof we have here unto set our hands and affixed our seals the day and year above witness in the presents of us. Witness: Enoch Stone James Stone, Jr. Joel L. Pfoff Signed: Rebecah Denny by her mark Levi Burcham by signature Azachariah Denny by signature Achillis Key by his mark
ADDITIONALDATA ON CHILDREN David B. Denny, Joel Denny in his letter on the descendants of SamuelDenny did not mention a David B. Denny being in this family, thus this addition is suspect! Keziah is buried at Surry County, NC (Denny Cemetery), never married, lived with her brother Azariah. Note that her tombstone shows her name asKEXIAH! Nancy migrated to Grayson County, VA with husband. Nancy is buried at Carroll County, VA (Crooked Creek Prim Baptist Church). Martha may have moved to Ohio, location unknown. Samuel died a young man.2 
Residence* Surry Co., NC, Settled on Ararat River2 
Birth*before 1749 Albemarle Co., VA4,2 
Marriage*before 1771 Albemarle Co., VA?, Per Sylvester Denneys Book, this marriage took place in Albermarle County, VA., Principal=Rebecca Hooper4,2,5 
Census1790 Surry Co., NC, William Denney
(Free White Males)
[of 16 years and up]2
[of under 16] 2
(Free White Females) 5, Principal=Rebecca Hooper6 
Census*1800 Surry Co., NC, William Denny
(Free White Males)
(of 10 and under 16) 1
(of 45 and up)1
(Free White Females)
(under 10)
(of 10 and under 16) 1
(of 16 and under 26) 1
(of 45 and up)1, Principal=Rebecca Hooper7 
Death*before 14 February 1822 Surry Co., NC?4,2 
Deed*14 February 1822 Surry Co., NC, A February 14, 1822 Surry County Deed states:
'Rebeccah Denny, widow of Wm. Denny, Azariah Denni from Rebeccah Denni and others. This indenture made this 14th day of Feb in the year of our Lord 1822 between Rebeccah Denny, widow of William Denny decd (deceased) of State of NC and County of Surry and Nathan Holt and Martha his wife, Lazarus Denny and Kiziah Denny heirs in the estate of said William Denny decd of the one part and Azariah Denney, son of the said decd & the County and State aforesaid of the other part witnesses that the said widow Rebeccah Denny and the above named heirs as Legeatees Jointly and ....'.

This shows that William and Rebeccah Denny most likely had surviving children Azariah Denney, Martha (Denny) Holt, Nancy (Denny) Burcham, Sally (Denny) Key, Lazarus Denney and Keziah Denney in 1822. This is a sampling of data collected (By William Denney, their 4th great-great grandson) on the trails of William Denny. There is more of this type data in the possession of William Denney., Principal=Rebecca Hooper, Witness=Lazarus Denny2 
Notebefore 1896 This letter makes the crucial links between William and Lazarus as well as identifying the maiden names of Rebecca Hooper and Susannah Burcham.
Denney, Joel (b. 19 SEP 1813, d. 4 MAY 1896)
Note: Joel lived and died on his Farm near Pilot Mountain, NC at the age of 82 years. In 1937, his son David J. Denny was living on this farm. He and Nancy are buried at the Joel Denny Cemetery, probably located on or near this farm.

He lived in the Deron Community of Surry County. His home place is a part of the Azariah Denny land grant made in the 1780s.

Three of his sons fought in the Civil War for the confederate side, Joel himself was opposed to slavery and never owned a slave.

Per the book "HERITAGE OF SURRY COUNTY NC VOL 1, 1983", Joel had traced his ancestry back to one Samuel Denny 1635-1710 who came to America from the Avon River section of England, settling first in Tidewater, VA. (Joel made no mention of this Samuel (1635-1710) in his letter to A. M. Denny). This Samuel's son David 1665-1733 married Rebecca Bell and they had a son John 1690-1765. John and his wife Sarah had a boy whom they named Samuel born 1715 after his great grandfather. The rest of the Denny heritage is outlined below in Joel's letter to A. M. Denny.

This Joel Denny is the one that wrote the letter (Prior to his death in 1896) on Denny history to Achilles M. Denny and deserves our gratitude for leaving us some links to the past. Data in this letter has held up to a great deal of scrutiny by later genealogists with very little to dispute.

THE DENNY FAMILY
HISTORY OF THE DENNY FAMILY AS GIVEN BY JOEL DENNY IN A LETTER TO A.M. DENNY (ACHILLIS) MANY YEARS AGO

Some time before the Revolutionary War one Samuel Denny came from across the waters and married a woman by the name of Southard, settled in Amherst, Virginia and raised 17 children. Their names as I recollect them were William, Azariah, John, Charles, Henry, Lazarus, Benjamin, James, and Shered. As to the daughters, I recollect few of their names at present, Keziah and Nancy only.

Keziah married John Robertson and settled in Grayson County, VA. That explains how the Denny family are connected with the Robertson and Jennings families.

One of the girls (I do not remember her name) married Britton Meeks, for short they called him "PRETTY" Meeks, although he was quite a homely man.

Some of the sons were killed in the Revolutionary War. Some time before the war, the old man Samuel Denny and several of his sons came to Surry County, NC and settled on the Hill Farm on the Arrarat River near the mouth of Pilot Creek. He remained there until he lost his wife, whose remains now lie under a rock pile on the south side of Pilot Creek, near the mouth, at the foot of the hill. After the death of his wife, the old man went west with some of his sons and died there, but I am not informed as to where. The book Heritage of Surry County NC Vol 1 1983 gives a different account of this story, it states that Joel said Samuel went to Gallia County Ohio with some of his sons!

Now back to his sons, James Denny settled in Patrick County, VA near the Bull Mountain and raised several children. One of his sons was named Azariah and one of his daughters married Richard Pilson.

Charles Denny (one of the first family) settled on what is now known as the A. M. Denny farm on the Arrarat River but sold out later and went to Kentucky.

John Denny (one of the first family) settled on the farm where Daniel Stoltz lived and died on Bull Run Creek. He had two sons, Samuel and William. Samuel married a woman by the name of Wooten who was killed by a careless act with a gun. He then married a sister of the same woman and settled on the farm where Stanford now lives. He sold out later and went to Gallia County, Ohio. William Denny, his brother married Sally Hill, sister to Richard Hill, and settled where Martin Hiatt lived and died. He had two sons, John and Obadiah. He also sold out and went to Gallia County, Ohio.

Azariah Denny (one of the first family) married Sally Wise Felton (Fulton?) and settled on the Martin Flinchum farm on Pilot Creek. He raised 12 children, 6 boys and 6 girls. Their names were James, Louis, Joshua, Harrel, Henry, William, and Jordan. The girls were Asenith, Polly, Sally, Nancy, Elizabeth and Rachel. Joshua married Jane Watkins and Asenith married Elisha Gentry and the two families went to South Carolina. James married Rebecca Vanderpool, Harrel married Elizabeth Hill, a half sister to Noah Hill, William married Ann Fulk and Jordan married for his first wife Martha Burchum and for his second, Polly Gibson. James, Harrel, Henry and William with their families went west and settled near Gallipolis in Gallia County, Ohio. Jordan lived with his father on Pilot Creek until his father's death and several years afterwards, then sold out and went to Johnson, County, MO and settled near Kingsville and died there. He had three sons, Harvey, John and William. Harvey married Rebecca Fulk, a sister to Bryson Fulk and they had two children, Martha and Elizabeth. William Denny is now living in Missouri.

The old man Azariah Denny's girls mentioned were married as follows: Elizabeth to Wm. Bray, Polly to Jesse Hill, Sally to James Stone, Nancy to William Stone, and Rachel to John Fletcher. The most of them went to Ohio, Fletcher and wife went to Tennessee.

Shered died leaving no family.

William Denny, one of the first family named, married Rebecca Hooper in Albemarle County, Virginia and moved to Surry County, NC and settled on the Arrarat River near Cedar Hill Church about 1773. He settled on an ax entry before the land offices were opened in the state and the land has been in the possession of the Denny Family ever since. He raised 7 children, Samuel, Lazarus, Azariah, Nancy, Martha, Keziah, and Sally. Samuel died a young man; Lazarus married Suzannah Burchum and raised several children, William, Azariah, Sally, Rebecca and Michol. They all went to Preble County, Ohio about 1825. He lost his wife and married Mary Ballard and they had 3 children, one boy David B. Denny. Azariah, son of the old man William Denny married Miss Elizabeth Stone and they raised Joel, Edmond, Martin, William, Nancy, Martha, Sally, Polly, and Elizabeth. All the girls remained single and Polly still resides at the old home. All of the rest of the family are dead. Joel married Nancy Jones, daughter of old Elder John Jones, and raised John, Gabriel, Bird, and David. Azariah was killed in the late war. Joel's girls were Elizabeth, who married Johathan Flinchum, Rosanna who married Marion Vaughn. Edmond Denny married Franklin Farris and raised Ann Denny, Coleman Denny, Mary who married A. S. Key, Ellen who married L. J. Key, and Nancy who married John W. Jones. Martin married Parmelia Key and raised Achillis Denny, Lewis Denny and Sally who married Aaron Fulk and Nancy who married J. F. Whittaker. Wm. Denny lived and died on the old homestead unmarried.

Old man Wm. Denny's girls married as follows: Nancy married Levy Burchum and settled in Grayson County, Virginia, Martha married Nathan Holt and moved to Ohio. Keziah lived with her brother, Azariah Denny. Sally married Achillis Key and they raised 8 children, Lewis, Wm., Augustin, and the girls, Emily, Nahalt, Parmelia, Lucinda, and Matilda.

The families of the later generations are as well known by all, likely, as the writer and hence I will not go into further particulars unless some questions are asked concerning some branch of the family.

2 

Family

Rebecca Hooper
Marriage*before 1771 Albemarle Co., VA?, Per Sylvester Denneys Book, this marriage took place in Albermarle County, VA., Principal=Rebecca Hooper4,2,5 
Children

Citations

  1. [S191] Unknown author, S3-1 Joel Denny Letter on Samuel Denny Descendants (n.p.: n.pub., unknown publish date).
  2. [S270] Richard F. Denney, online http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Lake/7853/denney, unknown author (unknown location), downloaded 11/23/2003.
  3. [S201] Unknown author, S202 Report from Pansy (Denny) Broughton, Descendant of Joel Denny (n.p.: n.pub., unknown publish date).
  4. [S269] Unknown author, William Denney Vancouver, WA Sep 1996 (n.p.: n.pub., unknown publish date).
  5. [S38] Letter from unknown author (unknown author address) to unknown recipient; unknown repository (unknown repository address), Joel Denney Letter written prior to death 1896. Methions genealogy of Great-Grandfather Samuel Denney and Grandfather William.
  6. [S274] Unknown household, unknown record type, unknown repository address, unknown repository, North Carolina, Surry Co., Page 516.
  7. [S273] Unknown household, unknown record type, unknown repository address, unknown repository, North Carolina, Surry Co., Page 616.