Individual Details

There are two William R. Dennises in Jackson Co - one appears to be the uncle of the other. To add to the confusion, both had wives named Sarah and Mary, but the nephew's wife Sarah died after the birth of their only child and he remarried to a Mary. This man's second wife was Sarah Chaffin - he had an earlier wife whose given name was Polly [Mary] and the first three children are said to have been her children.

I suspect the "R" initial was for Richard, but have no proof.


Land Entry Book in Jackson Co Land Office
William R. Dennis entered 50 acres on the ridge between the waters of Morrisons and Flynns Crk. Begin on James Trips E corner. 21 Feb 1840.

Old Entry Takers Book p. 156
#2715 Wm R. Dennis. 50 acres copy issd.
State of Tennessee, Jackson County
William R. Dennis enters fifty acres of land in said county on the ridge between the waters of Morrisons and Flynns Creek beginning on James Trips East corner runing thence south thence East thence North to the beginnning so as to include and exclude all appropriated lands. Feby 21th 1840 William R. Dennis Loct.
The actual grant suggests he sold this tract:
"North Carolina and Tennessee, Early Land Records, 1753-1931" Ancestry.com
State of Tennessee Grant #10183. Entry No. 2715 on 21 Feb 1840. Granted to Daniel Pleasants, assignee of William R. Dennis. 50 acres, surveyed 30 Aug 1841. In Jackson Co on a Ridge between Flynns Creek and Morrison's Creek; tract of land once owned by James Trap, with his line; crossing the road from Gainesboro to Sparta; line of a tract of land now owned by Pleasants, including part of the improvements whereon Dennis lives. Signed 25 Aug 1849.

Old Entry Takers Book, p.203
#2861 William Dennis. 200 acres
State of Tennessee Jackson County
William R. Dennis enters two hundred acres of land in said county and on the waters of Roaring River in a hollow calley Tolleys beginning on a stake on Chafins line runing west and thence south to & until it strikes William Dennis line and so on to the beginning so as to include 200 acres of land more or less.
August 23, 1847. William R. Dennis Locator.

There were two William Dennises in Jackson Co TN in 1830. This census was alphabetized so there's no way to tell if they lived near each other, and neither given a middle initial.
William Denis: 1m 5-10, 1m 10-15, 3m 15-20, 1m 50-60. 1f 50-60.
William Denis: 1m 20-30. 1f 20-30 [this could be William R. since no children have been born by 1830 - apparently just married.]

1840 Jackson Co TN, District 11
Wm. R. Dennis: 2m -5, 2m 5-10, 1m 20-30 [Wm R.] 1f -5, 1f 20-30 [Sally]
Lived next to William, Henry & Bartlet Fox, and Benj. F. Chaffin.

1850, Greene Co MO, p.333b, Household 1525
William R. Dennis, age 37, b. TN There are ditto marks for Tennessee as the birthplace of the rest of the family, even the youngest. Perhaps they had only arrived in Missouri in the past couple of years.
Sally, age 36. Calvin 19, Charles 17, Canzetta 16, Nancy 14, Benjamin F. 13, James W. 11, Martha J. 9, Parvel A. 7 [f], Polly L. 5, and John M. age 3.
Bob Dillard research on FamilySearch lists two more children -Elizabeth born in 1850 and Barbara born in 1852. I have not found the family in 1860 to prove the existence of these daughters.

From THE PAST AND THE PRESENT OF GREENE COUNTY MO by Jonathan Fairbank, p.1760
William R. Dennis died Jan 1853 in Greene Co MO. He was married to Sally Fox Chaffin. Benjamin Franklin Dennis, born 22 Jul 1839, and moved with his family to Greene Co MO at the age of 11 years. He was President of the Bank of Rogersville, He married Margaret Ann Smith on 1 Apr 1864 and they had four children.

Birth	1813	Tennessee
Marriage	Abt 1830	Polly Simmons
Marriage	Abt 1836	Sarah Chaffin
Death	1853	Greene County, Missouri

Spouse	Sarah Chaffin (1814 - )
Child	Nancy Dennis (1836 - )
Child	Benjamin F. Dennis (1839 - 1916)
Child	James W. Dennis (1839 - )
Child	Martha F. Dennis (1841 - )
Child	Parvel A. Dennis (1843 - )
Child	Polly L. Dennis (1845 - )
Child	John M. Dennis (1847 - )

Spouse	Polly Simmons ( - )
Child	Calvin Dennis (1831 - )
Child	Charles Dennis (1833 - )
Child	Canzetta Dennis (1833 - 1906)

Father	Andrew Dennis (1785 - 1850)
Mother	Alice [Dennis} (1780 - )
Sibling	MILES DENNIS (1805 - 1858)
Sibling	Joshua Dennis (1805 - )
Sibling	Thomas E. Dennis (1815 - )
Sibling	Hewitt J. Dennis (1818 - )
Sibling	Andrew R. Dennis (1820 - 1900)