First Generation

1. Andrew DENNIS was born in 1785 in North Carolina. He died between 1850 and 1860 at the age of 65 in Jackson County, Tennessee.

Disclaimer: This is a working file. The sons of Andrew as shown here are not proved except by proximity [most have records showing they lived on Morrisons/ Flynns Creek] and naming patterns. Some may very well be nephews, not sons. I welcome comments from anyone with better information.

These early censuses may or may not be the same as Andrew of Jackson Co but they are of approximate age:
North Carolina Land Grant Files #1430
Montgomery County.
Andrew Dennis, 50 acres, Grant #1904, Issued 20 Aug 1803. Entry #5317, entered 10 April 1800
Book 110, p.409
Beg at a pine, Thompson Clements Corner

1810 Montgomery Co NC, Hattom
Andrew Dennis Jr: 1m 26-45. 1f -10, 1f 26-45
Andrew Dennis: 1m 10-16, 1m 16-26, 1m +45. 1f 16-26, 1f +45

1820 Overton Co TN
Andrew Dennis: 2m -10 [Joshua & Miles?], 1m 26-45. 2f -10, 1f 10-16, 1f 26-45

Tennessee Land Grants, Vol. I, Sistler.
To Andrew Dennis of Jackson Co
1828, 50 acres, Mountain Dist Bk B, p.274 Grant #842
1831, 50 acres, Mountain Dist Bk D, p.187 Grant #2241

"North Carolina and Tennessee, Early Land Records, 1753-1931" Ancestry.com
Mountain District Land Grants
State of Tennessee No. 842. Entered 22 May 1827, Entry no. 1165. Granted to Andrew Dennis, 50 acres by survey dated 20 Jul 1827. In Jackson Co on waters of Blackburn's Fork of Roaring River. Begin north boundary line of Blounts 640 acre survey near Dennis Spring; East boundary line of John Somers fifty acres; including house and improvement were said Dennis now lives. Signed at Nashville 12 Sep 1828. Sam Houston, Governor; Daniel Graham, Secretary
State of Tennessee No. 2241. Entry dated 2 Dec 1828, No. 1440. Granted to Andrew Dennis, 50 acres by survey dated 4 Nov 1829. In Jackson County between Morrison's Creek and Flynn's Creek, said Dennis's improvement; with line of Dennis's original 50 acres tract; including an improvement formerly Samuel Henson's. Signed 28 Dec 1831. Wm Carroll, Governor; Sam. G. Smith, Secretary.

An Andrew Dennis of appropriate family cannot be found in 1830. This census was "alphabetized" so neighbors are unknown. In Jackson Co were the following Dennis families:
William Denis: 1m 5-10, 1m 10-15, 3m 15-20, 1m 50-60 1f 50-60
William Denis 1m 20-30, 1f 20-30
A William Dennis did also receive Tennessee Land Grants in the Mountain District - #2021 for 90 acres in 1825 and #3218 for 50 acres in 1834. Was he perhaps a brother?
The 90 acres was entered 19 May 1824 and surveyed 21 Apr 1825 - on waters of Blackburn's Fork of Roaring River; John Dorell's south boundary line of his 300 acre survey; line of Dorell's 50 acre tract, including Dennis's improvement. Granted 13 Aug 1825.
The 50 acre tract was entered 20 Jan 1832 and surveyed 17 Oct 1832. On waters of Morison's Creek, south boundary of said Dennis's 225 acres; top of a ridge; including his dwelling and part of his improvements. Granted 12 Mar 1834.

Andrew is found as the oldest Dennis living in Jackson Co TN in 1840.
Andrew Dennis in District 9:
1m 5-10; 1m 15-20; 1m 50-60 [Andrew who will be 65 in 1850]
1f 5-10; 1f 30-40; 1f 50-60 [Alas "Alice" who will be 70 in 1850]
My note: Given the age of Alice, the children under age 10 are not hers. I'm guessing the young man 15-20 probably is a son - possibly Hewitt Dennis - see later. The female 30-40 probably a daughter or dau-in-law living at home with three young children.

Other Dennis families in District 9 on the same page with Andrew:
Miles Dennis 1m -5, 3m 5-10, 1m 20-30 [Miles]. 2f -5, 1f 20-30 [Sarah]
Thos. G. Dennis: 1m 5-10, 1m 15-20, 1m 20-30. 1f -5, 1f 10-15, 1f 20-30
A. R. Dennis: 2m -5, 1m 20-30. 1f 20-30 [Probably Andrew the younger]
Dist 9, a couple of pages away from other Dennis families:
Joshua Dennis 1m 5-10, 1m 10-15, 1m 30-40. 4f -5, 1f 5-10, 1f 30-40

In District 11, in 1840 was
Wm. R. Dennis, 2m -5, 2m 5-10, 1m 20-30 [Wm R.]. 1f -5, 1f age 20-30 [Sarah].
This Wm R. Dennis lived near the Fox families - brothers William, Henry & Bartlett, as well as Benj. F. Chaffin, a brother to his wife Sarah. This William R. will be in Greene Co MO in 1850.

In 1840, a William Dennis was in District 1 but the family isn't a good match to either of the Williams in 1830:
1m 10-15, 1m 15-20, 1m 20-30, 1m 50-60. 1f 10-15, 1f 20-30, 1f 40-50
Possibly the elder William has remarried and has stepchildren.
No Williams are present in Jackson Co in 1850.

In 1840, there is also an Alfred "Dennis" - study of subsequent censues indicates he was most likely Alfred Denham, and not part of the Dennis family. In 1840 he was age 20-30 with spouse and young children. In 1850, Alfred Denham was age 40, b. TN, wife & children and Mary Denham age 65 born in NC.

1850 Census, Dist. 9, Jackson Co TN, Hh 308
Andrew Dennis, age 65. Alas, age 70. No places of birth given. Lucinda age 12. [Probably a granddaughter - Alice too old to be her mother.]

Also in Dist 9, household 344 and 345 are the following - I suspect are the younger sons of Andrew:
Andrew Dennis age 32, b. NC. Nancy age 32, b. TN. Children all born in TN; James 13, William 11, Martola 9 [female], Thomas 7, Josephine 3 and Nancy 1.
and
Hewit Dennis age 30, Eli age 28 [female - Ellie?], Nancy 6, Sary E. 5, Darcus 4, Polly 2, and Nancy Crocker age 65.

In 1860, when the elder Andrew & wife have disappeared and are likely deceased, the younger Andrew and Hewitt have both moved.
Union Twp, Webster Co MO, P.O. Jericho, p.811, Hh 744
Andrew Dennis, age 41, b. NC. Nancy age 41, b. TN.
William J. age 21, Thomas age 17, Sarah J. age 13, Nancy E. 10, Andrew J. 8, Mary A. 6, and Uriah G. age 2
[Uriah was a name often used in the Fox family in Jackson Co but I find no Nancy Fox of the age to be Andrew's wife.]
Andrew and family can be found in Webster Co MO in 1870 and 1880.
Hewitt didn't move quite so far away:
Putnam Co TN, Dist 15, P.O. Equality, p.70, Hh 460
H. J. Dennis, age 42, entire family born in TN. Elenor, age 38. Sallie E. 16, Darcy 13, Polly 12, Lucinda 10, Jane 6, America 4, William 8 [probably should have been 3, and James age 1.
I haven't found this family after 1860.

Andrew DENNIS and Alice [DENNIS} were married. Alice [DENNIS} was born in 1780 in North Carolina.

Andrew DENNIS and Alice [DENNIS} had the following children: