James Dengate

James Dengate

James Dengate, c. 1920

KEY DATES:

Birth: 15 January 1849, Frant, East Sussex

Baptism: 13 May 1849, St Andrew's Church, Fairlight, East Sussex

Marriage: 1880

Death: 1924, Lucas, Kansas, America

Burial: Delhi Cemetery, Kansas, America

BIOGRAPHY:

James Dengate was born to John and Harriet Dengate on 15 January 1849 in Frant, East Sussex. John Dengate worked, as did many Dengate's, as a journeyman (paid by the day), which often meant lots of travelling from one mill to another to seek employment. By the time of James' baptism the family were living in Fairlight, just outside Hastings. James was baptised 13 May 1849 in St Andrew's Parish Church, Fairlight, East Sussex.

St Andrew's Church, Fairlight, East Sussex

The family stayed in Fairlight for the next two years. In 1851 James is living with his parents, brother Christopher and twin sisters Emily Mary and Susannah Dengate. His father, John still working as a miller at Fairlight windmill¹. Also living with the family is John's niece, Frances Dengate - daughter of his elder brother Charles Dengate. Soon after the census was taken the twin sisters died of whooping cough.

Sometime in the next two years the family moved to the Sedlescombe / Whatlington area where John continued to work as a miller - possibly alongside his father James. Unfortunately for the young family who had just lost the twin girls, John Dengate died on 4 March 1853 in Whatlington, East Sussex aged 27 years of disease of the lungs. He was buried in Sedlescombe churchyard.

In 1856 Harriet Dengate took James and Christopher to Pennsylvania, America to live with her brother. The journey took 42 days and was suggested in part by a physician who thought a sea voyage would help Harriet's failing health. On arrival in Pennsylvania, the family settled in Sinking Valley. However, Harriet's health deteriorated and she died in 1858 of tuberculosis and the two children were indentured to her brother. Harriet was buried in Arch Springs Cemetery, Pennsylvania.

James Dengate, like his brother Christopher, was a school teacher in Pennsylvania, an engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and in the 1870s went to Kansas with a Mr Waring.

James Dengate married Cora Arminta Bacon in 1880 and they lived on a farm in the Shiloh neighbourhood, Lincoln County, where James farmed and taught in schools. They couple had 7 children; Roscoe Christopher, Rolland H., Florence A., Leona, Ethel I., Lyman J., and James R., all born on the Shiloh farm.

The family moved to Lucas, Kansas where James was a town trustee, town clerk and for one year was a police judge.

Dengate Family, Lucas, Kansas, 1913

Back Row, Left to Right: Augusta Dengate, Rolland H. Dengate, Leana A. Dengate, Florence A. Dengate, Ethel I. Dengate, Roscoe Christopher Dengate and Gertrude Dengate

Front Row, Left to Right: James Dengate, Rhea Dengate (daughter of Rolland & Augusta), Everett Dengate (son of Rolland & Augusta), Cora A. Dengate, Leta Dengate (daughter Roscoe & Gertie), Merlyn Dengate (son of Roscoe & Gertie)

Cora Dengate died in 1916 in Lucas, Kansas. James died in 1924 at his daughter Florence Sperry's house in Lucas, Kansas, and was buried in Delhi Cemetery, Kansas.

CENSUS:

1851 Census

EXTERNAL LINKS:

Information on Buxted, Frant and other Weald areas:

www.thesussexweald.org - The Weald is "the place where London ends and England can begin"

Thanks to Lise Leresche, Mary Ann Zimmerman, Mary-Jo Harper, Ronald Sperry and Merle Dengate for all the various America information and photographs.

^{1 Fairlight windmill stood on Mill Lane and burnt down in
1872.}