Jacob Dennis, Sr. ( - ca 1817)

Jacob Dennis, Sr. was among the first settlers of Hancock County, Georgia. He appears on the 1796 tax list for Eilands District in Hancock County, Georgia.

On 30 Oct 1816, Jacob Dennis, Sr. made a Will in Jones County, Georgia naming his children Rachel Armstrong, John Dennis, William Dennis, and Peter Dennis (304). The Will does not mention a wife of Jacob Dennis, Sr. (Source: Will Book A, Jones County, Georgia, USA; Will Book B, Jones County, Georgia, Page 50)

Sources

Smith, George Gillman, Hancock County, Georgia History. In: The Story of Georgia and the Georgia People 1732 to 1860, Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, Maryland, 1900.

304. Will of Jacob Dennis, Sr., Jones County, Georgia. 30 Oct 1816. (Image on file)

Will of Jacob Dennis, Sr. (304)
Jones County, Georgia

I Jacob Dennis Senr of the State and County aforesaid being in good sound and disposing mind and memory and being desirous to settle my worldly affairs whilst I have strength and capacity so to do, making and ordaining and publish this my last and testament hereby revoking and making void all former wills by me at any time hereafter made. And first and principally I commit my soul unto the hands of my creator who gave it and my body to the earth to be entered in a decent Christian like manner at the discretion of my executors here in after named and as to Such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to entrust me, I dispose of the Same as followeth.

Item 1st I will and desire that all of just debts funeral and other expenses of my last illness be paid as soon after my decease as conveniently can be.

Item 2d I will and bequeath unto my son John Dennis five negroes viz Aron, Sam L, Dave, Bill, and John.

Item 3d I will and bequeath unto my Son William Dennis five negroes vis. Lewis B., Dane, Alexander, Wilson & George.

Item 4 I will and bequeath unto my Son Peter Dennis five negroes (viz) Tom, Jim, Stephen, Isham, and Milley.

5th I will and bequeath unto my daughter Rachel Armstrong Eight hundred dollars to be paid out of the first money raised from my land or Stock.

Item 6 I will that Phillis Peter and Delph my plantation and all of my land Stock of all kind with my household furniture plantation utensils be sold to the highest bidder at twelve months credit taking small notes with approved security and when collected and Eight hundred dollars paid to Rachel Armstrong then the balance to be equally divided between John Dennis, William Dennis, and Peter Dennis.

Item 7 and lastly I nominate John Dennis, William Dennis, Peter Dennis, and James Jones Esq. Executors of my last will and Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal this 30th October 1816.

Signed Sealed and Acknowledged in the presents of us each in the presence of the testator.

Jacob Garrand Jacob Dennis {Seal}
Wm Boswell
Absalom Wooldridge J.P.

Jones County, Georgia
January term 1817

Appeared in open court Jacob Garrard William Boswell & Absalom Wooldridge who being duly sworn saith that they saw Jacob Dennis execute the annexed will and that he was in Sound mind and memory at the time of its execution.

Sworn to in open court this 6th Janry 1817.

A Carter, Clk.

Absalom Wooldridge
Jacob Garrard
William Boswell
                                                                                                    

Transcribed by William R. Emanuel, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA from an image of the original as recorded. 30 May 2017.

Jacob Dennis may have moved from Maryland to Greene County, Georgia during the period 1770-1773. He may have eventually settled in Baldwin County, Georgia in 1804-1805, within the area later made part of Putnam County in 1807. His will was probated in Jones county, Georgia in the year 1817.

Jacob Dennis was granted land as a headright in Washington County, Georgia in 1784. Also receiving headright grants were Abraham Dennis, 1785; Isaac Dennis, 1788; John Dennis, 1785.

A Jacob Dennis appears on 1796 tax lists for Eilands District of Hancock County, Georgia. (Source: Jeffery, Alice. Georgia Tax Index, 1789-1799 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 1998. Ancestry.com; Georgia Tax Index, 1789-1799)

14 Feb 1797
Deed. Issac Dennis and Jacob Dennis of Hancock County, GA to Francis Lewis, Senior, John Lewis, Junior, & Hamlin West of same place for five hundred dollars for a tract of land containing 113 acres in Hancock County, GA on both sides of the dry fork of Buffaloe Creek. Adjoining Widow Welchers corner. Signed by: Isaac Dennis, Jacob Dennis, Sarah Dennis and Sarah Dennis.
Witnesses: Hines Holt and Bowling Hall.
Registered 28 June 1798.
SOURCE: 'Land Deed Genealogy of Hancock County, Georgia'. Abstracted and Compiled by: Helen and Tim Marsh. Southern Historical Press, Inc. Greenville, South Carolina. 1997. Page 141(Pages 68 - 70 of Hancock County Georgia Deed Books 1794-1802).

A document on the Hancock County, Georgia USGenWeb archive lists Dennis family marriages in Hancock County during the period 1805-1860:

Dennis Marriages in Hancock Co., Ga. , 1805-1860, from various sources.

Dennis, Daniel Mary Slade Nov 29, 1818
Isaac, Jr. Sally Whittington Mar 6, 1806
Jesse Elizabeth Amerson Nov 4, 1852
John Margaret (Marguerite) Dennis Dec 9, 1814
William Sally Thompson Aug 1, 1814
William Martha Burgamy Nov 1858

Dennis, Betheny Thomas Dudley Feb 16, 1837
Elizabeth Abel Barnes Nov 26, 1817
Leah William Roach Aug 7, 1816
Malinda Dudley Simmons Sept 15, 1825
Margaret John Dennis Dec 9, 1814
Martha Joseph Logue Sept 3, 1850
Mary F. Thomas Elsberry Dickens July 15, 1858
Matilda Mitchell Worsham Aug 12, 1824
Nancy Nathaniel Glytoe Feb 26, 1809
Polly Britain Perry Nov 25, 1806
Sarah George Ernest Jan 22, 1807

(Source: Mary Ann Willoughby. http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/hancock/vitals/marriages/dennismr.txt. Accessed 28 May 2012)