Joseph Deneen

  General Notes:

Note! the connection from Joab to Joseph DeNeen is speculative at this time. We know that Joab was born in this area at the this time, and we know that Joseph had a son Joab born in the same area at the same time period but we have no documentation that these Joabs are the same person.

DENEEN-A HUGUENOT FAMILY

by Ken Hale (used with permission)

The 16th century in France witnessed the most unspeakable acts of indignity of man against man in the name of religion. It was the century of the Reformation. Notwithstanding the rages and threats of the Catholic Church, the Protestant churches grew as the persecution grew. In 1571, there were 2150 churches with 10,000 members; in 1581 their membership grew to over 200,000.

An edict was passed in 1540, "under pain of high treason it is prohibited to give solace, support, or refuge to the Reformed Religion." Unspeakable atrocities were commited to supress the hated doctrines. Hated, not because they wished to overthrow the throne but because they wished to worship God in the old simple manner, according to the dictates of their conscience.

On August 24, 1572, sunday, St. Bartholomew's Day, a plot to annihilate the movement was executed. Huguenots had been invited to participate in the nupial festivities of Henry IV, Henry of Navarre. The plot was hatched by Charles IX of Valois, his mother Catherine de Medici, and the Duke of Guise. Such pillage, destruction, fire, murder, and mutilation has never been equaled by Goths, Huns, or vandals. Huguenot victims were stabbed, chopped with halbards, thrown from windows, and thrown into the Seine, just to mention a few means of dispatching them.

After ascending to the throne of France, Henry, who was reared in a protestant background, granted to the Huguenots the Edict of Nantes on 13 April 1593. The Edict gave "perpetual and irrevocable" liberty of conscience, free exercise of religion, churches of their own, ministers, also their own judges and garrisons, and paid for their own troops. After Henry's death in May 1610 to an assassin's dagger, the social and political equality enjoyed for 22 years by the Huguenots changed to persecution and disintegration.

By the time Louis XIV ascended to the throne, the plight of the Huguenots had worsened. Influenced by Cardinal Mazarine, Louis revoked the Edict of Nantes on October 8, 1685 and vowed to exterminate the Huguenots. The Huguenots were driven into exile and banished from the kingdom.

It is a shame to capsulize this one hundred or so years of history. It does, however, tell us why our ancestors, the Deneens, as well as thousands of others fled France to find refuge in Holland and the British Isles. Our family legend says that the Deneen's fled to Northern Ireland.

Hoping to secure even greater religious and political freedom as well as economic advantages, some families decided to migrate to America. Often a younger family member would come first to America and upon becoming settled would write to the rest of the family to come to America.

A daughter, Margaret was the first Deneen. Perhaps she married a man destined for America or she had signed on as a bride for a groom unseen in the new world. There are numerous versions of how she came. A common one, and possibly apocryphal, was to the effect that she attended a party aboard a ship. While the party was in progress, the ship pulled anchor and headed for America.

In any event her father and siblings came to join her and her husband, DeCamp. The mother apparently died before or during the voyage. A granddfather of Samuel Hackett Deneen, according to one story, was two years old when he arrived. Upon disembarking, the family made it's way to Hunterdon, NJ to join Margaret and her husband. It seems Margaret had died before the family arrived. DeCamp doubtless helped the family get settled.

The first record thus far found of a Deneen in America is in Hunterdon County, N.J. 1778-1797, concerning tax lists, by TLC Genealogy, Miami, Fla, page 47: "Deneane, James, Lebanon, 1778-1785". In the same list was the name of Dr. Gideon DeCamp, Hopewell,1778-1785. Was this Margaret's widower, or his descendant? the name Peter Rodenbough, of Lebanon, also was listed for the years 1778-1785. This name had numerous variations in spelling.

There were at least 3 Deneen brothers, all born in New Jersey: James, Joseph, and Samuel Hackett. There may have been a William also. A sister, Elizabeth was born in 1758. This researcher has no further information concerning William and Elizabeth.

JOSEPH DENEEN was born in 1760, New Jersey. He married and apparently started on the westward trip, probably to Ohio, with his brothers James and Samuel Hackett. His wife was about to give birth and could travel no farther. A stopping point was selected in what became known as Deneen's Gap, in Buck Valley. The child was the 1st white child born in Buck Valley. His wife died soon thereafter. Joseph carried the child back to New Jersey, then returned and married Amy Bishop. Amy was born 12 Jan. 1778.

Amy's father, John bishop, came from England, settled in New Jersey, came to Bedford Co., Pa, then removed with his family to Kentucky. John Bishop and his wife died in Kentucky. Their 3 children, Jacob, Amy and David, returned on foot to Bethel Township, Bedford Co., in 1803.

Joseph built a tannery and followed tanning for many years, also farming and hunting. It is unknown why he remained in the Gap when his brothers, James and Samuel continued on to the west. He and his wife Amy, lived out their lives in Buck Valley. Joseph died 17 Dec. 1821 and Amy died 15 Nov. 1862. They are buried in a family plot on the Deneen Farm. The original headstones long ago disappeared. A common stone for all persons buried there has been erected by their descendants.

Buck Valley was originally known as Whipper's Cove or Sarah's Manor. The valley is about 4 miles wide and 20 miles long. It is surrounded by mountains, excepting on the south. There are 3 Gaps: Maud McKeel's, northwest, Barnes, southwest in Ray's Hill, and Deneen's Gap, east in Sidling Hill. Buck Valley is located in Union Township, taken from a part of Bethel Township on 19 Jan. 1864.

Joseph married Amy Bishop, daughter of John Bishop and Unknown. (Amy Bishop was born on 12 Jan 1778 and died on 15 Nov 1862 in Union Township, PA.)