Thomas Dent, Sr.

Col. Thomas Dent Sr., Gent. (1630–1676), Justice, Sheriff, and member of the Lower House of the Maryland General Assembly. Thomas was born about 1630 in the Parish of Guisborough, Yorkshire, England, making him slightly less than thirty years of age upon his arrival in America around 1658. He resided in Saint Mary's County, Maryland. Political career Thomas was a justice of St. Mary's County beginning in 1661, and became sheriff there in 1665, became coroner in 1669, and alderman in 1673. Thomas was a member of the Lower House, St. Mary's County from 1669 to 1675. Marriage Thomas wedded Rebecca Wilkinson (1633–1726) in 1659. Rebecca was the Virginia born daughter of the Rev. William Wilkinson (1612–1676) who emigrated from England and his first wife, Naomi Hughes (1616–1634). After Thomas died, Rebecca married in 1677 Col. John Addison (d. 1705), a bachelor who then returned to England and died there intestate. Col. Addison profited from this marriage, and this alienated the Dent children from their mother.