My Genealogy Hound

Hon. Tilford Denton was born in Warren County, Tenn., on November 22, 1817, and is a son of Capt. John Denton, a native of South Carolina. The latter was reared in his native State, and, when a young man, went to Kentucky, where he married Jane French, a native of North Carolina. Soon after their marriage they removed to Tennessee, and located in Warren County, remaining there until the death of the father in 1832. Capt. John Denton served in the War of 1812, in Col. Coffey’s regiment, and participated in the battle of New Orleans with Gen. Jackson. There was a family of twelve children, of whom ten grew to mature years. Two sons and two daughters married and became heads of families. None of the others ever married. Our subject, who is the youngest son, and his sister, Mary, widow of Col. Daniel Thomason, of Washington County, Ark., are the only surviving members of the family. The latter is now eighty-four years of age. Hon. Tilford Denton grew to manhood in Washington County, coming to Carroll County when he was twenty years of age. He located at Carrollton, and has since been a resident of this vicinity. In 1873 he removed to his present residence in Boone County, just across the line, but his post-office has been at Carrollton for the last fifty years. He owns about 1,000 acres of real estate in Carroll County. In 1845 the Colonel was elected clerk of Carroll County, and served one term, declining re-election. In 1850 he was elected to represent his county in the State Legislature, and at the expiration of his term was re-elected to the same position. Afterward he served as county treasurer for one or two terms. In 1863 he enlisted in Col. Harrell’s battalion, and served in the Confederate army until the close of the war, on detached duty, as quartermaster of the battalion. His marriage with Mary Sneed, a daughter of Charles Sneed, was celebrated in November, 1848. To their union have been born thirteen children of whom Sebron S., John R., Charles S., Hugh L., Volney W. and Wilburn G. are living. The others died as follows: William F., August 1887, aged thirty-eight years; Jane, June 27, 1872, aged nineteen years; Elizabeth, 1877, aged twenty years; Kizzy, 1878, aged eighteen years; Robert E. Lee, March 1880, aged sixteen years; Tilford, 1863, aged six years, and an infant unnamed. When Mr. Denton settled in Carrollton in March, 1837, he engaged in the mercantile business, and continued until 1845. The currency at that time was mostly in peltry, and one season the Colonel shipped 6,600 pounds of deer-skins to New Orleans. In 1859 he engaged in merchandising, and continued until the war, as a member of the firm of Denton & Peele. Col. Denton is closely identified with the history of his section of country, no man being more highly respected or esteemed by its citizens.