James Dennis - Mary Charles Family Group

What We Know About This Family

An Overview of Their Lives

Two James Dennises resided in Massachusetts at the time of our direct ancestor's lifetime. The one in Boston married Mary Coney. The second one married Mary Charles in Marblehead. Mary's children were specified by name in the will of her cousin, William Charles of Marblehead, who left a tract of land to "Mary, wife of James Dennis, and her children, James, Mary, Amos, and Agnes." This will gives proof of relationship to James Dennis, Mary Charles, and their children. Two later sources when describing the disposition of the lot identified William Charles as the children's grandfather, but I believe this to be an incorrect assumption. Charles' will offers the only source I can find of the birth of these four children to these parents. James Dennis was the co-administrator of the will. Daughter Mary has no further records in Marblehead, but the inherited lot was owned By James, Jr., Amos Dennis, and Agnes Trefry in 1700. The three of them all had moderate to relatively large families.

Son James was recorded as both a shipbuilder and a blacksmith. He married Sarah Pitman, whose father Mark was killed at the Battle of Bloody Brook a few years before their marriage. They are our direct ancestors and have their own family group page. Amos Dennis was recorded as a shipbuilder and a fisherman, and Agnes's husband was a shoreman. James, Sr. died at the age of 94.

What Else We Need to Learn

The goal of this project is to trace every line of ancestry to the arrival of its first immigrant to America. The basic information of each couple is considered complete when we know the dates of birth, marriage, and death for both spouses. their parents' names (or whether they were the immigrant), and the child or children in our ancestry line.

The research on this family is basically complete. The records from this period are scant. It's possible more may be found at a later date.