Emily Denison (spelled with one 'n') was born on February 1, 1826, in Etna Township, Licking County, Ohio, to father John Denison and his second wife, Mary (Watkins) Denison.
According to the obituary of Emily's half brother Wesley Denison, her father sold the family farm and took the family to the Iowa Territory, probably ca. 1837-8. He had begun to clear the land n the new farm, when he became terminally ill, and wanted to return to Ohio to die. So John, with son Wesley (and possibly also Emily) in tow, returned to Ohio, where he bought back his same property in Etna Township, Licking County. Her father died on July 27, 1840, and was buried on the family farm, but was later reinterred by Wesley to Oak Grove Cemetery in Delaware, Ohio.
It is unknown what became of Emily's mother Mary. It may be that the older half-siblings helped raise John's youngest children until they came of age. According to years of research done by C. Brooman, Emily's younger full siblings were: Henry Denison (b. 2 Jan 1828), Asa Denison (b. 11 Oct 1829) and Laura Denison (b. 1 Jan 1833). The book Denison Genealogy, is unfortunately, chock full of errors in the data for John's children. For example, Emily and Laura were NOT twins; they were born seven years apart!) Her half siblings were: Stanley (b. 13 Jan 1815); Elizabeth (b. 12 June 1816); Amanda (b. 16 Aug 1817); Wesley (b. 6 Dec 1818); Samanthe (b. 26 Sep 1820); Orville (b. 4 Aug 1822) and Howton (b. 22 Jan 1824).
Emily eventually married a man named John Tharp, whose mother Magdalena (Swisher) Tharp was the sister of the Rev. Isaac Swisher, her half sister Amanda Denison's husband. (In that day, when spouses were hard to find due to sparsity of rural populations, two siblings often married two siblings or close relatives of another family.) No record could be found for Emily and John's marriage, but this is the norm for Licking County, due to the destruction of almost all early marriage records in the two Licking County Courthouse fires.
Emily and John had six children: Isaac Denison Tharp (b. 28 Apr 1847); Sarah Jane "Jennie" Tharp (b. 20 Feb 1850); Orlena J. Tharp (b. 5 Feb 1853); Frank P. Tharp (b. 11 May 1856); Samuel Harvey Tharp (b. Mar 1860) and Amanda Rosetta "Rosy" Tharp (b. 16 Oct 1863).
It was Rosetta with whom Emily was living in Franklin County when she died in 1908, the very first year for death certificates, as mandated by the State of Ohio. However, despite an extensive search, no death record has ever been located. It's possible that Emily died in a hospital or other facility (perhaps a T.B. hospital?) where the people knew very little about her family history—which would explain why her maiden name was given to the headstone carver as Emily Dennison, rather than the correct Emily Denison.
John's father (and Emily's grandfather) was Col. Nathan Denison of Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, who corresponded with General George Washington and fought in the Revolutionary War Battle of Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania. He later became a judge in Luzerne County, where the Nathan Denison House is now a museum.
As well, Emily is a descendant of six Mayflower passengers (John Howland and William Brewster, among others).
Emily Denison (spelled with one 'n') was born on February 1, 1826, in Etna Township, Licking County, Ohio, to father John Denison and his second wife, Mary (Watkins) Denison.
According to the obituary of Emily's half brother Wesley Denison, her father sold the family farm and took the family to the Iowa Territory, probably ca. 1837-8. He had begun to clear the land n the new farm, when he became terminally ill, and wanted to return to Ohio to die. So John, with son Wesley (and possibly also Emily) in tow, returned to Ohio, where he bought back his same property in Etna Township, Licking County. Her father died on July 27, 1840, and was buried on the family farm, but was later reinterred by Wesley to Oak Grove Cemetery in Delaware, Ohio.
It is unknown what became of Emily's mother Mary. It may be that the older half-siblings helped raise John's youngest children until they came of age. According to years of research done by C. Brooman, Emily's younger full siblings were: Henry Denison (b. 2 Jan 1828), Asa Denison (b. 11 Oct 1829) and Laura Denison (b. 1 Jan 1833). The book Denison Genealogy, is unfortunately, chock full of errors in the data for John's children. For example, Emily and Laura were NOT twins; they were born seven years apart!) Her half siblings were: Stanley (b. 13 Jan 1815); Elizabeth (b. 12 June 1816); Amanda (b. 16 Aug 1817); Wesley (b. 6 Dec 1818); Samanthe (b. 26 Sep 1820); Orville (b. 4 Aug 1822) and Howton (b. 22 Jan 1824).
Emily eventually married a man named John Tharp, whose mother Magdalena (Swisher) Tharp was the sister of the Rev. Isaac Swisher, her half sister Amanda Denison's husband. (In that day, when spouses were hard to find due to sparsity of rural populations, two siblings often married two siblings or close relatives of another family.) No record could be found for Emily and John's marriage, but this is the norm for Licking County, due to the destruction of almost all early marriage records in the two Licking County Courthouse fires.
Emily and John had six children: Isaac Denison Tharp (b. 28 Apr 1847); Sarah Jane "Jennie" Tharp (b. 20 Feb 1850); Orlena J. Tharp (b. 5 Feb 1853); Frank P. Tharp (b. 11 May 1856); Samuel Harvey Tharp (b. Mar 1860) and Amanda Rosetta "Rosy" Tharp (b. 16 Oct 1863).
It was Rosetta with whom Emily was living in Franklin County when she died in 1908, the very first year for death certificates, as mandated by the State of Ohio. However, despite an extensive search, no death record has ever been located. It's possible that Emily died in a hospital or other facility (perhaps a T.B. hospital?) where the people knew very little about her family history—which would explain why her maiden name was given to the headstone carver as Emily Dennison, rather than the correct Emily Denison.
John's father (and Emily's grandfather) was Col. Nathan Denison of Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, who corresponded with General George Washington and fought in the Revolutionary War Battle of Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania. He later became a judge in Luzerne County, where the Nathan Denison House is now a museum.
As well, Emily is a descendant of six Mayflower passengers (John Howland and William Brewster, among others).
Inscription
age 82y. 8m. 22d.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
