Kentucky: A History of the State, Perrin, Battle, Kniffin, 4th ed., 1887,
Marion County.

J. W. DANT was born May 7, 1820, in Washington (now Marion) County, and is
the oldest of four sons and four daughters born to John B. and Mary J.
(Smith) Dant, who were born in what is now Marion County.  John B. Dant
was a farmer, died December, 1881, aged eighty-two years, and was a son of
Joseph Dant, who married Malinda Shirkles and came from Maryland and
settled near Loretto at an early day and engaged extensively in farming,
owning a large family of slaves.  He was a son of John B. Dant, who came
from England and settled in Maryland; from thence migrated to Kentucky,
where he remained till [sic] death.  Joseph Dant died in 1833.  Mrs. Mary
J. Dant is a daughter of Samuel Smith, who came from Maryland in the early
settling of Kentucky and became a substantial farmer of Washington County.
J. W. Dant was reared on a farm, and received his early education by his
early application till [sic] after twenty years of age.  When twenty-two
he commenced blacksmithing, at which he worked for fourteen years.  He
was married February 12, 1849, to Catherine Ballard, daughter of William
P. and Mary (Greenwell) Ballard, natives respectively of Nelson and Marion
Counties.  William P. Ballard was born in January, 1810, and is still
living; he is a farmer and tanner, and served as justice for twenty-five
years.  His first wife was a Miss Mary Greenwell; his second wife was Mrs.
Tucker, nee Ford.  Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Dant have been born to them ten
children: Joseph Bernard, Thomas S., John P., James R., WIlliam W., Mary
J., Francis L., Ellen S., George W. and Anna C.  Mr. Dant located where he
now resides in 1860 on 196 acres of land, which he has improved.  He is now
the owner of 400 acres at Dant Station and two farms near Loretto of 329
acres.  He has followed distilling since 1836 more or less, and now owns a
distillery at Dant Station with a capacity of 220 bushels.  Before he
became of age he had been hired out for nine years, and has accumulated his
property by industry and good management, hence he deserves much credit.
In politics he is a Democrat, and cast his first presidential vote for
James K. Polk.  Mr. and Mrs. Dant are members of the Roman Catholic Church.

Dant Smith Shirkles Ballard Greenwell Tucker Ford
=
Washington-KY Nelson-KY MD England

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/marion/dant.jw.txt