TWELFTH GENERATION

2304. Rev Richard DENTON II was born in 1586 in Halifax, Yorkshire, England. May have been born in 1603. He was christened on 19 Apr 1603 in Halifax, Yorkshire, England. He died in 1662/63 in Hempstead Essex England. His tombstone bears the following inscription in Latin: "Here lies the dust of Richard Denton. O'er his low peaceful grave bends the perennial cypress, fit emblem of his unfading fame. On earth his bright example, religious light, shown forth o'er multitudes. In heaven his pure rob'd spirit shines like an effulgent star." A graduate of Cambridge in 1623, and acknowledged by many as the founder
of Presbyterianism in America, Rev. Richard Denton came to New England
in 1635. Before coming he was a preacher in Halifax England.

From England, the Cambridge University listing for Richard Denton
says: "Sizar of St. Catherine's Easter, 1621, b. 1603 in Yorks, B.A. 1622-3,
priest 8 June 1623. Deacon at Peterborough 9 March 1622-3. Curate of
Coley Chapel, Halifax, for some years." ("Sizar" is defined as an
undergraduate student.)

From an unnamed history of the Denton family: The general opinion
among members of the Denton family is that all of the Dentons in the United
States are descendants of Rev. Richard Denton. Our research seems to
substantiate this, for we have found only two instances where other
Dentons lived in America and neither of these left heirs named Denton.

From New England Genealogical Reg. 11/241: Rev. Richard Denton came
to American from the Parish of Owram, North England on the ship "James."
He lived in Wetheresfield and Stamford, Connecticut. The J.S. Denton
papers show baptismal records of Nathaniel and Timothy sons of Rev. Richard
Denton "in Parish Church of Bolton, England."

Rev. Richard worked first with the famous preacher, Cotton Mather.
Rev. Mather speaks of Rev. Denton in his early memoirs: "Rev. Denton was a
highly religious man with strong Presbyterian beliefs. He was a small
man with only one eye, but in the pulpit he could sway a congregation like
he was nine feet tall."

In his book, "The History of the Clergy in the Middle Colonies" author
Weiss makes reference to the religious conflict of early Connecticut
which resulted in Rev. Richard Denton moving on to Hempstead, Long Island,
NY in 1644. He settled there in the midst of a large Dutch colony.
However, there were also many English settlers living in the area without
benefit of religious guidance. With these scattered members for a beginning,
Rev. Denton established the first Presbyterian Church in America. This
church was so successful that soon the Dutch neighbors were attending
services there. History shows some controversy developed when Rev. Denton
began to baptize some of the younger children of the Dutch who did not agree
with all the Presbyterian beliefs.

The history of Hempstead, Long Island makes many references to the
Dentons and their marriages and big families. The men were active in the
local militias fighting the Indians and they developed excellent military
experience that prepared them for officer commissions when they moved
on to the Virginia frontier.

From "Narratives of New Netherland, 1609-1664" a letter to the Classis
of Amsterdam from Johannes Megapolensis and Samuel Drisius dated August
5, 1657: "At Hempstead, about seven leagues from here, there live some
Independents. There are also many of our own church, and some
Presbyterians. They have a Presbyterian preacher, Richard Denton, a
pious, godly and learned man, who is in agreement with our church in
everything. The Independents of the place listen attentively to his
sermons; but when he began to baptize the children of parents who are
not members of the church, they rushed out of the church." From another
letter dated Oct. 22, 1659 the same writers continue: "Mr. Richard
Denton, who is sound in faith, of a friendly disposition, and beloved
by all, cannot be induced by us to remain, although we have earnestly
tried to do this in various ways. He first went to Virginia to seek a
situation, complaining of lack of salary, and that he was getting in debt, but he
has returned thence. He is now fully resolved to go to old England,
because of his wife who is sickly will not go without him, and there is need
of their going there on account of a legacy of four hundred pounds
sterling lately left by a deceased friend, and which they cannot obtain except
by their personal presence." He was married to Helen WENDLBANK (WINDLBANK in 1621 in Marden Parish, Wiltshire, England.

2305. Helen WENDLBANK (WINDLBANK was born in 1600 in , Yorkshire England. Children were:

1152 i. Samuel DENTON.

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