Person:George Denison (1)

Origins

Capt. George Dennison was born in England in 1618. He came to this country with his father and two brothers about 1631, and settled in Roxbury, Massachusetts.

Life in New England

The Roxbury Years

In 1640 he married Bridget Thompson daughter of John Thompson, Gentleman, of Preston, Northamptonshire, England (whose widow, Alice, had come to America, and was living in Roxbury). They had two daughters before his wife died-- possibly from complications due to childbirth-- she died 3 months after her daughter Hannah's birth.

"Early Records of Boston," NEHGR, 5:334: Roxbury: births and burials from 1630-1645

• Sarah daughter of Geo Denison born 20 (1) 1641
• Hannah dau of Geo Denison born 20 (3) 1643
• Bridget wife of Geo Denison died (6) 1643

Shortly after his wife died in 1643, he returned to England and there enlisted in Cromwell’s Ironsides to fight the Royalist forces and was commissioned a captain of the cavalry. He was taken prisoner during the battle of Naesby, but escaped.

He returned to New England within a few years and with a new wife.

Winthrop's Journal record dated 30 May 1647: "Captain Welde of Roxbury being dead, the young men of the town agreed together to choose one George Denison, a young soldier come lately out of the wars in England, which the ancient and chief men of the town understanding, they came together at the time appointed, and chose one Mr. Prichard, a godly man and one of the chief in the town, passing by their lieutenant, fearing least the young Denison would have carried it from him, whereupon much discontent and murmuring arose in the town. The young men were over strongly bent to have their will, although their election was void in law, (George Denison not being then a freeman,) and the ancient men over-voted them above twenty, and the lieutenant was discontented because he was neglected, etc. The cause coming to the court, and all parties being heard, Mr. Prichard was allowed, and the young men were pacified, and the lieutenant."

1647-48 (from “Eliot’s Records of the Church of Roxbury,” NEHGR, 33:238): “This winter we had a gracious p’vidence of God befell two brothers Edward & Georg Dennison, who had been proude incendiarys of some troubls among us, & full of distempr, and disaffection. but the Lord left them to open and shamefull drunkennesse at Boston: espec. Edward. Wch did so greatly humble them both ye though George (being a membr) was excommunicated, yet in a short time was taken in againe. And Edward humbling himself so effectually yt he was also speedily received in to the Church, this is the tryumph of grace, to magnify grace by sinne.

10 May 1648: Freeman (with Edward Denison); see "List of Freemen," NEHGR 3:191, citing CR vol II, p 201

New London, CT

He did not long content himself with the quiet life in Roxbury. His daughter Ann, had been born to him in that place, May 20, 1649. In 1651, he left Roxbury with his wife and four children for the Pequot settlement upon the west bank of the Thames, now New London. Here he had a house lot given to him by the town which he occupied until 1654, when he sold out, went to Stonington, and settled on the land, a part of which has been in the possession of his descendants until the present generation; a tract of some five hundred acres in all, lying east of Pequotsop Brook. His homestead place was bounded on the west by John Stanton's farm, now mainly owned by Joseph S. Williams, on the south by the Mason highway, which with slight variations, is the road from Mystic Bridge to the Road church, eastward to Palmer hill, and then by Amos Richardson's land, easterly by said lots and lands of Capt. John Gallup. [S3]

The first house was probably a log house, which only served a temporary purpose, and was removed in Captain Denison's life time to make room for his mansion house. This was located in the northwest corner of his tract, a few feet west of the present dwelling of the Misses Sarah and Phebe M. Denison. The spot was undoutedly selected, with the eye of a military leader, for the purpose of defense against Indians, who were then numerous, and disputed possession of the country with the English. There is no other spot so eligeble for the purpose of defense in the neighborhood. The house stood upon the southern slope of a narrow plot of ground about twent-five rods long, buttressed with steep ledges on every side. This acre of ground, more or less, elevated from twenty to thirty feet above the surrounding ravines, and stockaded, was impregnable against any force the Indians could muster. There was a stone fort inside of the stockade near the house, and the remains of the old wall are still pointed out. It was removed about a hundred years ago by those who had slight appreciation of the value of historical monuments. The location is a pleasant one, standing high above the adjacent fields and looking out southward over a broad tract of intervale, once probably cultivated by the aborigines, and now lying in meadow, the best part of the neighboring farms. In this direction you get glimpses of the Mystic River and the Sound, with Fisher's Island and Long Island in the distance. To the west lies Pequod Hill, once crowned with an Indian fort, and the scene of the terrible slaughter under Capt. John Mason. To the north lies Quocataug with the Mystic Valley on the left, stretching away toward Lantern Hill; a scene of rural beauty not easily matched in the country. The land has many ledges, with loose well rounded boulders upon the top, left in the ice period, geologists tell us, and ground into their present form by the moving glaciers. It is still hard land, even for Stonington, with rough pastures which the plow has never broken and probably never will. There are however, smooth fertile acres between. Emigrants had been here five years before Captain Denison, to spy out the land, and the best locations had already been appropriated.[S3]

Stonington, CT

The isolation of the early residents of Stonington made it difficult or impossible for them to attend the nearest church at New London. They had twice petitioned the General Court at Hartford for the right to establish their own church. Four times they were blankly refused. They were outraged when they were ordered to pay tithes for the support of the New London church and its pastor. The first spark of "taxation without representation" kindled brightly.

The Stonington settlers met at Thomas Miner's, near the center of their scattered settlement, and planned their strategy. George Denison offered a bold but clever plan. "Since it is exceedingly unlikely that our cause at Hartford shall come to a happy issue, let us address our petition to the General Court at Boston."

Massachusetts claimed all the territory east of the Thames "by right of conquest" in the Pequot War. It was a thin claim, since the Massachusetts militia company had arrived after John Mason and his ninety Connecticut men had destroyed the two Pequot forts, but the case was currently before the Commissioners of the United Colonies, and a petition from the inhabitants of this disputed region was sure to be welcomed at Boston. On 16 October 1657, Captain George Denison was sent to Boston with the petition of the settlers requesting that they be granted "the Liberties and privileges of a Township" in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It was signed by George Denison, Walter Palmer, John Gallup, William Thompson, and Thomas Stanton, "for the rest of the Inhabitants and with their consent."

George Denison was chosen to carry the petition not only because he was a disinguished veteran of Cromwell's "Ironsides"; but his brother, Daniel Denison, was husband of Patience Dudley, the daughter of the late Colonial Governor of Massachusetts, Thomas Dudley (1576-1653).

The Massachusetts magistrates received Denison warmly; however, following the dictates of intercolonial politics, they discreetly advised the petitioners to set up their own local government.

Massachusetts used the petition to make their case regarding claims to the disputed area, and on 21 October 1657, Massachusetts made formal claim at Hartford to land east of the Pequot (Thames) River. The area which is now Stonington became part of Massachusetts for a period of four years until 1662 when, under the Charter of King Charles II, the boundaries were fixed and Pawcatuck country, rechristened Stonington, was returned to Connecticut.

On 30 June 1658 the Stonington settlers drew up a sort of dry-land Mayflower Compact or Declaration of Independence, "The Association of the Poquatuck People." The pact was signed by George Denison, Thomas Shaw, Nathaniel Chesebrough, Elihu Palmer, Thomas Stanton, Elisha Chesebrough, Moses Palmer, Walter Palmer, Tho. Stanton, William Chesebrough, and Samuel Chesebrough.

The Commissioners of the United Colonies settled the Pawcatuck dispute by allotting all the Pequot territory east of the Mystic River, continuing from it's head through the middle of Lantern Hill Pond and then due north to Massachusetts, and all west of this boundary to Connecticut.

Massachusetts upon accepting the Pawcatuck territory, renamed the town "Southertown" and appointed George Denison, Robert Park, William Chesebrough, Thos. Stanton, Walter Palmer, and John Miner as a committee to conduct the prudential affairs of the town. Denison, Chesebrough, and Miner were authorized to try cases; Walter Palmer, constable; and Denison, clerk of the writs, empowered to solemnize marriages. The bounds of the town were extended northward 8 miles from the mouth of the Mystic.

In October 1658, George Denison sold to John Packer, the land he had purchased from Robert Park in 1653. Captain Denison raised his "grate manor house" at Pequotsepos on 8 May 1663.

"When Mr. Cheseborough, in 1664, asked the General Court of Connecticut for amnesty for the planters who had favored the claim of Massachusetts to this place, it was readily granted for all except Capt. Denison. Two years later it was extended to him, and ever afterward, he was regarded with favor by the General Court.

On behalf of his fellow townsmen, 13 October 1664, William Chesebrough presented a petition to the General Court at Hartford "for their favoure to pass by their offenses." ^{Citation needed}

The Court "doe hereby declare that what irregularities and abusive practices have proceeded from them whereby they have seemed to offer contempt to the authority her established, it shall be forgiven and buryed in perpetual oblivion and forgetfulness." Pardon was granted to all "Captyn Denison, he only excepted, who hath neglected or refused to submit himselfe peaceable to the order of the Council of this colony."... Captain George Denison remained defiant to the authority of Connecticut, and on 11 November he was hailed into the local courts for performing the marriage ceremony of William Measure and Alice Tinker under a commission granted to him in 1658 by Massachusetts... The May 1666 session of the General Court... a pardon was granted to George Denison...^{Citation needed}

In the fall of 1664/5 the peace of Stonington was disturbed by a pair of rowdy womanizers, John Carr from Rhode Island, and his pal John Ashcroft. John Carr was sued by Geo. Denison for "engaging the affections of his daughter Ann without leave" and for stealing a hat, belt, and silver spoon. The culprit retracted and was fined 34 pounds, 7s. 5d., a good round sum in those days. But on 10 December 1664, Carr and Ashcroft were arrested for engaging in a fight with John Gallup (who also had some pretty daughters); and the next year the pair were again arraigned for "endeavoring to entice women from their husbands."^{Citation needed}

From 1671 to 1694 he represented Stonington for fifteen sessions of the General Court. He was appointed magistrate, selectman, and held almost every office in town.[S3]

“Contribution to History of Stonington, Ct.” NEHGR 47:460 (Oct 1894): The Record or Register of the Inhabitants names Taken this 29th of December 1670 by the selectmen of Stoneington according to a towne order fformerly made the 15th of December 1670:

• Mr. Tho: stanton, senior, 21
• Captaine george Denison, 41
• Elisha Cheesbrough, 33
• Tho: stanton, Junior 38
• John Denison, 12

The names of those that hath 30 ackers on the left side of Poquatuck River and theyr lots:

• George Denison Junior, 8

Service in King Philip's War

See “Soldiers in King Philip’s War,” NEHGR 44:142

1675 Capt. George Denison was captain of the New London County Militia in King Philips war... ^{Citation needed}

Captain George Denison was commissioned Provost Marshall of the New London and Narragansett countries.^{Citation needed}

"While Captain Denison was prominent and active in Civil affairs, he was more distinguished in military matters. With the exception of Capt. John Mason he was the most conspicuous and daring soldier of New London county, a natural military leader, and, though holding the rank of captain, he often commanded expeditions against the Indians, and was always most successful when commander-in-chief. He participated in the Narragansett Swamp fight in 1675, and performed prodegies of valor. As early as February following that event, a series of forays were commanded by Capt. Denison and Capt. James Avery. These partisan bands were composed of volunteers, regular soldiers, Pequots , Mohegans and Niantics. It was the third of these roving excursions, begun in March and ended April 10th, 1676, in which the celebrated Narragansett chieftain, Canochet, was taken prisoner. He was brought to Stonington, and put to death at Anguilla, near where Gideon P. Chesebrough now resides. A council of war was held, during which his life was promised him if he would use his influence with the Indians to put a stop to the war, but he indignantly refused, saying that the Indians would not yield on any terms. He was told of his breach of faith in not keeping the treaties which he had made with the English, and of the men, women and children he had massacred, and how he had threatened to burn the English in their houses; to all of which he haughtily and briefly replied, 'that he was now in their hands and they could do with him as they pleased.' He was importuned and urged to let a councillor of his go and treat with his people, but he haughtily refused, whereupon the council of war voted for his immediate execution. When Canochet was told that he must die, he seemed not at all moved, but said, 'that he liked it well, and that he should die before his heart had grown soft, or he had said anything unworthy of himself.' He was shot by Oneco, son of Uncas, and by Cassasinnamon and Herman Garrett, two Pequot sachems. The Mohegans quartered him, and the Niantics built a fire and burnt his remains. His head was sent, as 'a token of love,' to the Council at Hartford.

"In June following, Captain Denison, commanded a company raised in New London County, for Major Talcott's expedition against the Indians of Massachusetts. They went as far north as Northampton, and returned after having scoured the country far up the Connecticut River, but met with a very few of the Indians. This time they went first to the northwest of Providence, then south to Point Judith, then home through Westerly and Stonington to New London. After a short respite, they started again, July 18, 1676, and made their way this time into Plymouth Colony. They went to Taunton, from whence they returned homeward, but hearing that a large number of Indians were working their way westward, making depredations as they went, they prusued and overtook them, and had a sharp and final struggle with them beyond the Housatonic, after which they returned, and the men were disbanded.

"There were ten of these expeditions, including the volunteer forays, under Denison and Avery. They inflicted speedy vengence upon the Indians, and broke their power forever. The remnants of the Indian tribes were gathered together, and located wherever the English desired. In all these military expeditions Captain Denison bore a conspicuous part, and won for himself undying fame."

Legacy

See Text of last will and testament of George Denison

He died in Hartford, Connecticut, while there on public business, October 23, 1694, and was buried in the church yard of the First Church (Center). His granite monument is in the Elm Grove cemetery (Stonington) with that of his wife, Ann, who died September 26, 1712, aged ninety-seven years.

The mansion house which he erected could not have been a very imposing or substantial structure, for it was removed by his grandson George, son of William, about the year 1724.[S3]

Numerous tracts of land were given to him by the authorities, for his military services principally, so that at the time of his death he owned several thousand acres of land in Stonington, in Norwich and Windham, and in the State of Rhode Island. This laid the foundation of comfortable homes for his children and their descendants for several generations, and retained nearly all of them within easy reach of the ancestral homestead for a hundred years after his death. His sons and his daughters, with the exception of Margaret, who went to Swanzey, Massachusetts, all remained in Stonington, or in adjoining towns. Of his eleven grandsons, four remained in Stonington, two in Westerly, Rhode Island, one in North Stonington, one in Montville, one in New London, and two in Saybrook. Nearly all were quite large landholders and men of influence in their respective towns.[S3]

Myth and Legend

A number of "facts" concerning this early Denison family have been passed down and published, but are still lacking sufficient documentation. (Although many of them may be documentable.) They include:

1. That George's father William as well as all his sons had been "liberally educated". (The only ones we know for sure had been educated were George's brothers John (who remained in England as a clergyman) and Daniel-- both of whom attended Cambridge in England.
2. That the Denison family voyaged across the Atlantic in the LION, along with the man who would become Rev. John Eliot, as well as with Gov Winthrop's wife and son. The first part of this theory is based on the fact that the name of William Denison stands third in the reocords of Eliot’s church in Roxbury.
3. That John Eliot tutored the Denison children in Indian ways and language.
4. That this tutelage resulted in George having a life-long friendliness with Indians.
5. That George was appointed by the Commissioners of the United Colonies, along with their interpreter-general, Thomas Stanton, to set aside 8,000 acres as a home for the Indians, the first Indian Reservation in North America.
6. That his influence with the Indians led to the tribes of Southeast CT becoming active allies of the English.
7. That the Mohegan chief Oneco, gave Capt. George Denison a great feast and 2,000 acres of tribal land.
8. That upon the death of his first wife in 1643, George Denison left from the burial and went directly to the next ship to London. That he enlishted with Cromwell's Ironsides to fight the Royalist fores on behalf of the Parliamentary army and was commissioned a captain of the cavalry.
9. That he taken prisoner during the battle of Naesby, but escaped.
10. That after being wounded in the Battle of York or the battle of Naesby, he stayed with Mr. John Brodil of Cork, Ireland, and was nursed by Brodil's daughter Anne, who George subsequently married.
11. That Ann Borrodel Denison was nicknamed “Lady Ann” and she carried that nickname the rest of her life.
12. That his uncle, Edward Denison, had been appointed Deputy Governor in Cork, Ireland by the Parliament. [This resonates with the "autobiography" of his brother Daniel.]
13. That George Dennison had imbibed in Cromwell's army, ideas and a spirit which did not commend him to the Roxbury brethren, whose minister had been the strict Thomas Welde.
14. That upon arrival to New London, CT, he was elected captain of the Train Band.
15. That he was made census taker, tax assessor, was on the building committee of the church, partner in a business project to drain some marshlands, inspector of the port, and deputy to the General Court at Hartford.
16. That in 1654 he was given a land grant of 200 acres of land, for services in the community. This became known as Stonington, CT.
17. That he supported the claims of Massachusetts in respect to the territory lying between the Mystic and Pawcatuck Rivers, and was a leader in the opposition to the claims of Connecticut. Even after the charter of King Charles had fixed the boundary of Connecticut at the Pawcatuck River, he refused for a time to submit to the jurisdiction of this colony, so that he was under an interdict for a time, which was, however, eventually removed through the intercession of William Chesebrough.
18. That he was a freeman of Connecticut and represented Stonington in the General Court for 15 sessions (1671 - 1694).
19. That his house in Stonington was surrounded by a stockade fort, and he also had a stone fort within the stockade as a protection against the Indians.
20. That he participated in the famous and destructive Narragansett Swamp fight in December, 1675.
21. That in February, 1676, a series of forays was commenced against the Narragansetts, who had identified themselves with Philip. These bands were conducted by Denison and James Avery, and were composed of volunteers, regular soldiers, Pequots, Mohicans and Niantics. The third of these excursions began in March and ended April 10, 1676, resulting in the capture of the last sachem of the Narragansetts, Canonchet, by Denison and his men a little above Pawtucket. [In 1676 with 66 volunteers & 100 Christian Indians, slew 76 of the enemy without losing a man, took prisoner Canonchet, son of Miantonomoh, the Narragansett Chief...]
22. That the following June, Captain Denison commanded a company against the Indians in Massachusetts and moved as far north as Northampton. After a short rest, he marched to the northwest of Providence, which only three months before had been burned. He then went south to Point Judith and along the coast to Stonington. In these marches he made a brief halt on Kingston Hill, to which his soldiers gave the name "Little Rest." He afterwards marched into Plymouth colony and then pushed west to the Housatonic. He and Avery conducted no less than ten expeditions and broke forever the Indians' power in that region.
23. That numerous tracts of land were given to him for his military services, so that at his death he owned several thousand acres in Stonington, Norwich, Windham and the western part of Rhode Island. From 1661 to 1694, he represented Stonington for fifteen sessions of the general court.

1.   Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England: Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came Before May, 1692, on the Basis of Farmer's Register. (Boston: Little, Brown, and Co, 1860-1862)
   2:36.

   GEORGE, Roxbury, br. of the preced. b. in Eng. a. 1620, or perhaps earlier, m. May 1640, Bridget Thomson, had Sarah, bapt. 20 Mar. 1642; and Hannah, b. 20, bapt. 21 May 1643. In Aug. foll. his w. d. and he went to Eng. serv. in the Parliament's army, there found sec. w. Ann, d. of John Borrodell, or Borrowdale, wh. gave her a house in Cork, Ireland; but he came back to R. had John, b. 14 June 1646; Ann, 20 May 1649; was freem. 1648, and some two or three yrs. after went to Pequot, as New London was call. there had George, 1652; William, 1655; Borrodell, 1657; Margaret, 1660; and Mary, 1670, who. d. 1671; all bapt. 1670; was a capt. 1653, and much disting. in Philip's war as a skilful and enterpris. commander. He d. 23 Oct. 1694, at Hartford; in his will of 20 Nov. 1693 names John, George, William, beside ds. Sarah, w. of Thomas Stanton, Hannah, w. of Joseph Saxton, Ann, w. of Gershom Palmer, Margaret Brown, and Borrodell, w. of Samuel Stanton. His wid. d. 26 Sept. 1712, aged 97 by the gr.stone.

2.   Cutter, William Richard. New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of the Commonwealths and the Founding of a Nation. (New York, New York, United States: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913-14)
   1:860.

   (NOTE: There is no page 860 in volume 1; 860 is in volume 2, and on that page there is no reference to George Denison!)

3.   Baldwin, John Denison, and William Clift. A Record of the Descendants of Capt. George Denison, of Stonington, Conn: With Notices of His Father and Brothers, and Some Account of Other Denisons Who Settled in America in the Colony Times. (Worcester, Mass.: Tyler & Seagrave, 1881)
   pp. 2, 6-9, Appendix, p 297-299, 307-310, 1881.
4.   Dennison, Ami Louis, and Grace Millet Rogers. The Dennison family of North Yarmouth and Freeport, Maine: descended from George Dennison, 1699-1747, of Annisquam, Massachusetts, Abner Dennison and descendants, David Dennison and descendants, with an account of the early Denisons and other data. (Exeter, NH: A L Dennison (The Newsletter Press), 1906)
   114.
5.   Denison, E. Glenn (Everton Glenn); Josephine Middleton Peck; and Donald Lines Jacobus. Denison Genealogy: Ancestors and Descendants of Captain George Denison. (Stonington, Connecticut: Published for the Denison Society [by] Pequot Press, 1963)
   p. xxi, 1-3S5.
6.   Caulkins, Frances Manwaring. History of New London, Connecticut: from the First Survey of the Coast of 1612, to 1860. (New London, Connecticut: H.D. Utley, 1895).
7.   Wildey, Anna Chesebrough. Genealogy of the descendants of William Chesebrough of Boston, Rehoboth, Mass. (New York: T.A. Wright, 1903)
   p. 48, 518-520.
8.   H.F. Waters. Extracts from Parish Registers, Stratford, England.
9.   Allyn, James H. Swamp Yankee from Mystic. (Mystic, Connecticut: Roy N. Bohlander, c1980)
   32-35.
10.   Wheeler, Richard Anson. History of the Town of Stonington, County of New London, Connecticut, from its first settlement in 1649 to 1900 (1966): With a Genealogical Register of Stonington Families. (Mystic, Connecticut: Lawrence Verry, 1966)
    334-335.

    On line at Google Books [[1]]

11.   Compiled By William L Decoursey. It's About Time. (1735 - 19th Terrace Nw New Brighton, Minnesota 55112).

    Citing, among others, Denison Newsletter (July 1985), No. 77, p. 4; Denison, Elverton Glenn, et.al. Denison Genealogy (1963), p. 1, passim; Benton, Charles E., Ezrra Reed and Esther Edgerton, Their Life and Ancestry (1912), pp.45-50; Weis, Frederick Lewis, The Magna Charta Sureties, 1215 (3rd edition 1979) p.109-110 (Line #164); James Kendall Hosmer, ed., Winthrop's Journal "History of New England (1908), Vol. II, p. 323-324

12.   Hill, Everett Gleason. A modern history of New Haven and eastern New Haven County. (New York, New York, United States: S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1918)
    240, 1918.

    Available on line at Google Books [[2]]

13.   Denison, Daniel, and Daniel Denison Slade. Autobiography of Major-General Daniel Denison. NEHGR. (New England Historical Genealogical Society, April 1892).

    Addendum by contributor indicates that he (the contributor) visited Bishops-Stortgate and reviewed the parish registers where he found the 10 December 1620 baptism of George, son of William and Margaret Denison.

14. ↑ Capt George Denison, in Find A Grave.