NYGenWeb's Putnam County, New York

David Kent

     David Kent, who was for many years one of the most prominent citizens of Putnam county, was the son of Elihu Kent, who was born in 1749, and died September 17th, 1807. His wife, Abigail, survived her husband, and died May 21st, 1821, at the age of eight-two, and they, with most of the members of the family, rest in the cemetery by the Baptist church, in the town of Patterson. Elihu Kent left a family of six children: Peter S., Judge Daniel, David, Samuel, Esther (wife of Moses Robinson), and Sarah (wife of Edmund Haines).
     Peter S. Kent was born in 1776, and died May 24th, 1867. He married —Crosby, and after her decease he married Experience Stephens. His children were: Naomai, wife of Roswell Taylor; Sarah, wife of Hiram Knapp; Harvey, James, Peter and Louisa, wife of Edson Smith, who is now the owner of the homestead where Peter S. Kent lived in the western part of the town of Patterson.
     Judge Daniel Kent was born October 18th, 1782, and died June 1st, 1860. He was one of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas, and a very influential citizen. He married Margaret Rusique, and his children were: Philinda, wife of Horace Townsend; Laura, wife of Keeler Townsend; and Samuel, born in 1811, died October 9th, 1875. His son, Charles Kent, is now living in Patterson.
     Samuel Kent, son of Elihu, removed to Chenango county, N.Y. He left no children.
     David Kent was born in the town of Kent September 3d, 1792, on the farm now owned by Samuel Terry, and where his father then lived. He remained at home till he reached the age of sixteen, when he began teaching school, a vocation which he followed till he was nineteen. He then purchased a small farm in Kent and made it his home till the time of his death. He began life with very limited means, but by his great natural ability and capacity soon increased his property, and he eventually became one of the wealthy men of the county. His principal occupation was agriculture, but in addition he carried on several other branches of business.
     For several years he was justice of the peace, but he found, to use his own expression, that "business and politics did not agree," and he declined all opportunities for holding office, although many offers of official positions were made to him. Mr. Kent was one of the organizers, and the first president of the Putnam County Bank, and of the Bank of Kent, and was considered an authority upon all financial matters.
     At an early day he made extensive investments in real estate in Minnesota, which proved exceedingly profitable. He was also a large land owner in his native county, and his estate, which was very extensive, is still held by his family.
     Mr. Kent was a liberal supporter of the Baptist church at Ludingtonville, and contributed largely toward the erection of the church edifice. He was a man of social disposition, and furnished many needy persons with profitable employment, and was generally recognized as the type of the successful business man.
     Mr. Kent married Miss Emeline, daughter of James Baldwin, March 4th, 1847. Their children were: Abbie C. (wife of Daniel K. Townsend, who has one son, Irving S.), James E. (who married Mary A., daughter of Samuel Towner, and has one son, Towner Kent), David, Wellington, Jane E. (wife of Henry Tucker, who has two children, Lulu and Clinton K.), Sarah F. and Daniel.
     Of these children, two, Wellington and James E., are living on the homestead in Kent; the others, with their mother, are residing in Patterson.
     Mr. Kent, after a life of constant activity, died April 9th, 1870, at the age of 77.
     Moses C. Robinson, who married Esther, daughter of Elihu Kent, had children: Elihu, a Baptist clergyman, who settled in the west; Lewis, a lawyer in Fishkill; Nelson and Alanson, who were brokers in New York, and became millionaires; Sarah, wife of Norman Washburn; David, who was a great natural mathematician; and Daniel, who is a wealthy citizen of Rochester, N. Y.
     Edmund Haines, who married Sarah, daughter of Elihu Kent, left children: Coleman, who lived and died in Patterson; John, who is now living there; Egbert and Albert, both of whom are living in the western part of the State. All of these are well known as good and prosperous citizens.
     James Baldwin married Cornelia, daughter of Henry Ludington, and granddaughter of Col. Henry Ludington of Revolutionary fame. His children are: Maria, wife of Levi Russell; Jane, wife of William Caldwell; Francis T., now living in Patterson; and Emeline, wife of David Kent, as mentioned.

Source: pages 704 through 706.

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