Trent family tree

The Trents of Colonial Virginia

Trent Family Tree

Article sections:
  1. Introduction
  2. Henry the Immigrant and the Group 3 Trents
      a. Descendants of Henry> Alexander> Alexander 2> Alexander 3
      b. Group 3 Trents with missing generations
      c. Non-Virginian Group 3 Trents
  3. The Group 1 Trents - descendants of William Trent and Ursula Branch
      a. Group 1 Trents with missing generations
  4. The Group 2 Trents - descendents of William Trent/Sarah Bryant, Henry of Amherst, and more
  5. The Group 4 Trents - stepsons of Group 1

It was once believed that the Trents of colonial Virginia were all descended from a single ancestor, Henry "the Immigrant" Trent of Varina Parish (1642-1701). He first appeared in the record books in 1673, when he claimed headrights to 200 acres of land in Henrico county. DNA testing has revealed that the truth is more complicated than that, and the Trent family has at least three separate genetic lineages that can trace their ancestry to colonial Virginia (see separate article on the results of the Trent DNA project).

This article will present the lines of descent for each of these genetic groups, using the same group numbering system as the Trent DNA project. The general goal is to present the first few generations as completely as possible, and after that to focus on specific lines of interest, including the lines participating in the DNA project.

Many Trent descendants have researched these families and shared their knowledge, so the information below is the work of many hands. The records are often scanty and incomplete, so some errors and omissions are expected. As our knowledge continues to grow, new discoveries sometimes show that the "facts" we thought we knew were all wrong. An explanation will be provided when the information below contradicts the previous understanding of the family.

The lines of descent are presented in chart form. This is a big family, so the charts use color coding to make it easier to identify the family subgroups. This might seem obnoxious, but a big wall of black-and-white font is worse. When a chart starts getting too large, subsequent generations will be listed in a separate chart. This tree is designed to support the Trent Y-DNA project, not to present a complete picture of all Trent descendants. Children who are known to have died before the age of 15 will not be listed because it is assumed that they have no descendants. Children who may have lived long enough to reproduce but have no known descendants will be listed to help place them in the tree if descendants are eventually found. Daughters will be mentioned when their names are available, but the line of descent from daughters will not be pursued because their DNA trail can't be traced back to the colonial period.

DNA kits associated with a line are highlighted in yellow, but for privacy reasons they are not fully identified, and they stop short of generations born after 1900.

Henry the Immigrant and the Group 3 Trents

It's currently believed that Group 3 is the group that is most likely to be biologically descended from Henry the Immigrant. Only the descendants of Henry's son Alexander have actually been identified as members of Group 3. We do not have DNA results for the descendants of Henry 2 and John, and their known lines of descent are very short. This article will classify them as part of Group 3 until we receive information indicating that they don't belong here. It looks like the fourth son, William, actually has Howell paternity, and the Group 1 Trents are his descendants.

				Birthdate	Death date	Birthplace	Death place	Married
Henry "the Immigrant" Trent				1642	1701	Great Britain	Henrico, VA	Elizabeth Sherman, abt 1672
Henry's parents are unknown and so is his exact birthplace. Do not trust internet trees that assign ancestors to him. Some sources say he was born in Staffordshire and others say Scotland, but there is no documentation for either place. 1642 is a generally accepted birth year based on Henry's testimony in a court case.
1.	Alexander Trent			1674	1703	Henrico, VA	Henrico, VA	Obedience Branch, 1701
	A.	Alexander Trent 2		1702	1751	Henrico, VA	Cumberland, VA	Frances Allen, abt 1725
		1.	Alexander Trent 3	1728	1793	Henrico, VA	Powhatan, VA	Elizabeth Woodson, 1753
			- descendants listed in separate chart
		2.	Peterfield Trent	1732	1795	Richmond, VA		Angelica Wilkinson, 1770
			Children: Edward, Frances, and Peterfield 2, all born after 1770; Joseph b. 1793 m. Ann "Nancy" Reynolds.
		3.	Elizabeth Trent	1734				John Archer
2.	Henry Trent 2			1676	1726	Henrico, VA	Henrico, VA	Edith Harris, abt 1702
	A.	Mary Trent		abt 1705	aft 1725
	B.	Edith Trent		abt 1705	aft 1725
	C.	Henry Trent 3		1708	aft 1758		Grannel, VA	Joanna Hooper
3.	John Trent			1678	aft 1732	Henrico, VA		Elizabeth Blake(?)
	A.	John Trent 2		bef 1731		Henrico, VA		Mary Hall(?)
	B.	Sarah Trent		bef 1731
4.	Mary Trent			1681	1735	Henrico, VA	Henrico, VA	Richard Cox, 1700
		Eight children born between 1700-1735: (1) John Cox m. Elizabeth, (2) Edith Cox m. James Whitloe, (3) Obedience Cox m. Phileman Perkins, (4) Martha Cox m. James Ferguson, (5) Henry Cox m. Judith Redford, (6) Richard Cox, (7) Mary Cox m. ? Fore, (8) Elizabeth Cox m. Strangeman Hutchins
5.	William: non-biological son			1684	1769	Henrico, VA	Chesterfield, VA	Ursula Branch, abt 1709
		There's no doubt that William grew up as a son in Henry the Immigrant's household, but his Y-DNA matches the Howell family, not the Group 3 Trents. This appears to be a genuine non-paternity event. His descendants are listed in the Group 1 section. See separate article on the results of the Trent DNA project
6.	Rebecca Trent			1686	aft 1731	Henrico, VA		? Wacher, bef 1731
7.	Susanna Trent			aft 1686	aft 1731	Henrico, VA		William Womack, 1708
		Five children born after 1708: Susannah, Phebe, Priscilla, Andria, and Henry Womack. Susanna later married married Daniel Nunnally or Nunnary, but they had no known children.

Descendants of Henry> Alexander 1> Alexander 2> Alexander 3

The first four generations listed here are a quick summary of the direct line. See previous chart for more details on the previous generations.

Birthdate

Death date

Birthplace

Death place

Married

1. Henry "the Immigrant" Trent
1642
1701 Great Britain Henrico, VA Elizabeth Sherman, abt 1672

2. Alexander Trent 1674 1703 Henrico, VA Henrico, VA Obedience Branch, abt 1701

3. Alexander Trent 2 1702 1701 Henrico, VA Cumberland, VA Frances Allen, abt 1725

4. Alexander Trent 3 1728 1793 Henrico, VA Powhatan, VA Elizabeth Woodson, 1753

A. Frances Trent 1753 1769 Cumberland, VA Cumberland, VA William Gay, 1769

B. Elizabeth Trent, marriage 1 1756 1834 Cumberland, VA M. Willis Wilson, abt 1785

1. Marie Wilson aft 1785

Elizabeth Trent, marriage 2 1756 1834 Cumberland, VA William Black Jr., 1788

1. William Black IIII aft 1788

C. Alexander Trent 4 1758 1804 Ann "Nancy" Anderson, 1782

1. Alexander Trent 5 aft 1782 1873

D. Peterfield Trent 1766 1799 Cumberland, VA

E. John Archer Trent 1769 1828 Cumberland, VA Cumberland, VA Elizabeth Montgomery Lewis

1. John Trent aft 1785

2. Elizabeth Mildred Trent 1794 1870 George Washington Swoope, 1818

3. Anne Frances Trent 1799 1887 John Robertson, 1818

F. Stephen Woodson Trent 1769 1853 Cumberland, VA Elizabeth Bassett Coupland, 1794

1. William Alexander Trent 1796 Eliza Dean 1826

Children: Mary Jane b.1827, Judith C. b.1829, Frances Virginia 1831-1874, and Thomas Deane Trent b. 1834

2. Edwin Coupland Trent 1798 1878 Nancy McClung

3. Carter Harrison Trent 1804 1885 Maria A. Wilson, 1834

DNA kit #763XX thru son Carter H. Trent Jr 1847-1916 m. Emma Mador Mann

4. Elizabeth Woodson Trent 1807 John P. Wilson, 1832

5. Ann Harrison Trent 1812 John Scott Nicholas, 1832

6. Joseph Henry Trent 1814 1837

7. Thomas William Trent 1821 1903 Catherine Lewis Gannaway, 1867

DNA kit #695XX thru son Stephen Woodson Trent 1871-1948 m. Anna Harrison Trible

Group 3 Trents with "missing" generations

Henry the Immigrant is currently thought to be the common ancestor of the Group 3 Trents who can be traced to colonial Virginia. So when there are generations that have not been documented in a particular line of descent, we assume that Henry the Immigrant is at the top of the line. But we have not been able to identify which of Henry's sons and grandsons they are descended from.

				Birthdate	Death date	Birthplace	Death place	Married
Henry "the Immigrant" Trent				1642	1701	Great Britain	Henrico, VA	Elizabeth Sherman, abt 1672
	Unidentified generation(s)
	1.	Thomas Trent		1757	1820	Virginia	Buckingham, VA	Elizabeth Edwards
		Thomas's ancestry is debated. He may be a son of Alexander 3 (Henry the Immigrant> Alexander 1> Alexander 2> Alexander 3) per this link, or of Henry 3 (Henry the Immigrant> Henry 2> Henry 3) per this link. If he is a son of Henry 3, this is evidence that the Henry line is also Group 3.
		A.	Henry Trent	1784	1845	Virginia	Chariton, MO	Phoebe Walton
			DNA kit #1384XX thru son Thomas Trent 1814-1857 m. Mary Dalton
		B.	Thomas Trent	1786	1850	Virginia		Martha D. Holland
		C.	Mary Elizabeth Trent	1790	1857			Elliott R. Thomas
		D.	William Trent	1790				Elizabeth Webb, abt 1811
		E.	Elizabeth Trent	1792		Virginia		??? Webb
		F.	Alexander Trent	1792	1851	Buckingham, VA	Chariton, MO	Mary Hicks, 1819
		G.	Jacob Trent	1793
		H.	Nancy Patteson Trent	1795	1860	Buckingham, VA	Chariton, MO	Thomas Cook Walton, 1817

The Non-Virginian Group 3 Trents

Group 3 is the only group that has been traced back beyond the Virginia immigrant generation, with lines that immigrated from Britain to Canada in the late 1800s. We don't know how far back the common ancestor is. Unlike previous charts, the people listed below are NOT brothers; they are some sort of cousins, but we don't know the degree of cousinship. Henry the Immigrant is listed here as a reminder that he's related to the others.

Birthdate

Death date

Birthplace

Death place

Married

Unidentified common male ancestor - about 80% probability that the common ancestor is within 16 generations of modern descendants

1.
Henry "the Immigrant" Trent 1642 1701 Great Britain Henrico, VA Elizabeth Sherman, abt 1672

A. Alexander Trent and his descendants - details in previous charts

DNA kits #695XX, 763XX, 1384XX
2. Joseph Trent 1734 1803 Somerset, England Devon, England Ann Trenchar

A. Edward Trent 1765 1838 Somerset, England Dorset, England Susanna Burrows, 1785

1. William Trent 1788 1853 Somerset, England Somerset, England Ann Newman

This line was in England until after 1900 and then moved to Canada

DNA kits #N382XX and #5383XX thru son William Newbury Trent 1814-1853 m. Mary Joyce

B. William Trent 1756 1831 Somerset, England Somerset, England Isat Scadding

1. Samuel Trent 1798 1864 Somerset, England Somerset, England Susannah Chant, 1820

The next generation of this line immigrated to Ontario, Canada (Henry Trent 1825-1908 m. Elizabeth Curry)

DNA kit #IN723XX thru son Henry Trent 1825-1908 m. Elizabeth Curry

The Group 1 Trents - descendants of William Trent and Ursula Branch

The first two generations listed here are a quick summary of the direct line. See previous chart for more details on the previous generations. William Trent grew up as a son in the household of Henry the Immigrant, but his DNA type matches the Howell family. One advantage of the situation is that it's unlikely that Howell DNA infiltrated the Trent line more than once. We can be pretty sure that William/Ursula is the founder of the Group 1 Trent line; he is the common ancestor of the Group 1 Trent males.

Birthdate

Death date

Birthplace

Death place

Married

1.Henry "the Immigrant" Trent - father figure 1642 1701 Great Britain Henrico, VA Elizabeth Sherman, 1672

1. Unknown biological father - probably Howell

2. William Trent 1684 1769 Henrico, VA Chesterfield, VA Ursula Branch, 1709

Note: William did not move to a new place. Chesterfield county was created from the part of Henrico where he lived.

1.
Alexander Trent 1710 aft 1792 Chesterfield, VA Campbell, VA Elizabeth ??

A. Alexander Trent 2 1759 1841 Chesterfield, VA Hawkins, TN Jane Burton, 1792

B. Elijah Trent bef 1764 abt 1819 Campbell, VA Sarah Ratekin

1. Elizabeth Trent bef 1784 Benjamin Hambleton

2. Polly Trent bef 1788 German C. Noel, 1804

3. Lurany Trent bef 1789 Roderick Noel, 1805

4. Sally Trent bef 1791 William Daniel, 1807

5. Nancy Trent bef 1798 aft 1871 Joel Blankenship, 1814

a. William Blankenship aft 1815

6. John Trent TENTATIVE abt 1829 Campbell, VA Lewis, KY Candice Noel, 1804

He is not listed as a son on the well-researched Zajac website. But he was listed as an ancestor by a project participant who has the right DNA type.

a. German Noel Trent 1810 1846 Lewis, KY Elizabeth Doyle, 1829

DNA kit #1186XX thru son Simon Doyle Trent 1839-1912 m. Christina Charlotte Marshall

C. Zachariah Trent bef 1765 1822 Campbell, VA

1. Zachariah Trent 2 bef 1790

2. Obediah H. Trent bef 1790 1860 Campbell, VA Nancy Blankenship

a. Noah Trent abt 1815 aft 1880 Virginia Campbell, VA Nancy P. Blankenship

DNA kit #8720XX thru son Joel H. Trent 1848-1915 m. Nancy Ann Smith

D. William D. Trent SPECULATIVE abt 1775 abt 1866 Virginia Hancock, TN Charity Burton

There is not a paper trail indicating who his parents were, but the DNA evidence suggests strongly that the William Trent who married Charity Burton is descended from Alexander the son of William/Ursula. At the Y37 level, the project participants who descend from William and Charity are a perfect match (genetic distance of zero) for each other and also for the participant who descended from Alexander's son Zachariah (kit #8720XX above). William and Charity have a son named Zachariah, which is a further indication that they are closely related to the William/Ursula> Alexander> Zachariah line. In addition, the closest Y-DNA matches to the line of Alexander's son Elijah (kit #1186XX above) are the William/Charity line and the Zachariah line, suggesting that they all belong to the William/Ursula> Alexander subgroup.
Based on the currently-available timeline information, the "best fit" explanation is that William/Charity is the brother of Zachariah. But the birthdates are uncertain, so another possible explanation is that William/Charity is Zachariah's son, not his brother.

1. Zachariah Trent abt 1800 aft 1860 Hawkins, TN Naomi Green

a. Stokely Donalson Trent 1825 1909 Hawkins, TN Hancock, TN Margaret "Peggy" Frost

DNA kit #4329XX

b. William A. Trent abt 1834 aft 1880 Hawkins, TN Kissiah Wallen

DNA kit #2112XX
2. Richard Trent abt 1810 aft 1860 Hancock, TN Hawkins, TN Elizabeth Jones

a. Thomas R. Trent 1841 1912 Hawkins, TN Hancock, TN Louisa Bloomer

DNA kit #2220XX
3. William D. Trent Jr. 1814 1883 Hawkins, TN Hancock, TN Annie Jones

a. Isaac Trent 1845 1907 Hancock, TN Hancock, TN Nervesta Baker

DNA kit #3278XX
b. John Carson Trent 1845 abt 1915 Hancock, TN Hancock, TN Phoebe Jones

DNA kit #380XX

c. Lewis Valentine Trent 1850 1911 Hancock, TN Hancock, TN Elizabeth Jones

DNA kit #820XX

4. James Burton Osborne Trent STEPSON abt 1796 1867 Tennessee Hancock, TN Elizabeth Johnson, 1814

James is the stepson of William D. Trent, not a biological son according to this link, which reports that he was the son of Charity Burton from a previous relationship. It says that James Burton Osborne Trent fought in the War of 1812 under the name James Burton, and adopted the last name Trent in his later years. Internet sources disagree about which of the names Burton and Osborne was Charity's maiden name, and which was the name of her first husband. But a project participant who tested at the Y-67 level had many matches named Osborne and none named Burton, suggesting that Osborne is the correct patrilineal line. In any case, the descendants of this line are Group 4 Trents, and their male line prior to James Burton Osborne Trent is not expected to have the last name Trent.
Zachariah, Richard, and William Junior listed above are the half-brothers of James Burton Osborne Trent. They all have the same mother (Charity Burton), but James Burton has a different father than the others.

2. Lucy Trent abt 1712 Perrin Giles

0. William Trent: not a son bef 1740 abt 1800 Hawkins, TN Sarah Bryant

For a long time, it was believed that the William Trent who married Sarah Bryant was the son of William and Ursula. DNA testing indicates that this is not true. William and Ursula definitely had a son named William, but this is not him unless there was another non-paternity event in the family. It's likely that this is a case of mistaken identity, where there were two William Trents in the area and the wrong one has been attached to the William/Ursula family tree. The descendants of William Trent and Sarah Bryant are shown in the Group 2 section. The birthdate of about 1715 that's usually given for him assumes that he is the son of William/Ursula. He isn't, and there is no reason to assume that this William Trent grew up in their household. A birthdate before 1740 is reasonable, assuming that he was at least 21 years old when he started having children.

3. William Trent 2 SPECULATIVE abt 1715

There is a William Trent who received a land grant in Montgomery NC in 1790. His origin is uncertain, but his line has the right DNA type to be descended from William and Ursula. It is possible that the real son of William and Ursula was the biological father of this branch. Based on the timeline, it's likely that the William Trent who received the land grant in 1790 would have been William 3, the son of William 2. William 2 the son of William and Ursula seems a bit old to be having children in 1787 and getting land grants in 1790, so that's why the William 3 generation is speculated.

A. William Trent 3 SPECULATIVE, possible recipient of the 1790 land grant - see note on William 2 above d. aft 1790 Montgomery, NC

1. William Trent 1787 1877 North Carolina Guthrie, IA Wealthy Beaman

i. James Alexander Trent 1833 1909 Owen, IN Guthrie, IA Lucinda Anderson

DNA kit #1251XX

4.
Benjamin Trent abt 1717 aft 1798 Chesterfield, VA Lucy

A. Alexander Trent abt 1765 1815 Prince Edward, VA Frances McTaggart

1. Josiah Trent 1791 1840 Prince Edward, VA Hopkins, KY Elizabeth Cody, 1816

DNA kit #1220XX thru son Charles Harrison Trent 1817-abt 1890 m. Eliza Jane Gibson

5. Henry Trent abt 1719 1808 Chesterfield, VA Campbell, VA Sarah Powell(?)

A. Benjamin Trent bef 1760 1836 Campbell, VA Susannah

1. William Trent aft 1790 Mary Almond, 1832

2. Benjamin Trent aft 1790 Eliza Almond, 1832

3. Elizabeth Trent aft 1790 John Almond, 1833

4. Caroline Trent aft 1790 Thomas G. Adams

Five other children born after 1790: Elexander, Mensah, Isah, Sarah and Susan. No other info available.

B. John Trent abt 1760 aft 1820 prob Hardin, KY Sarah Welch

1. Benjamin Trent abt 1790 aft 1855 Chesterfield, VA prob Hardin, KY Mary "Polly" Coram

DNA kit #2727XX thru son William Trent 1819-1881 m. America Thurman

C. Henry Trent 2 abt 1765 1835 Chesterfield, VA Campbell, VA Nancy S. Reynolds

1. William H. Trent abt 1795 aft 1850 Rebecca Cumby, 1821

Six children: Benjamin abt 1824-1877, Eliza abt 1827-aft 1850, John abt 1827-aft 1850, William abt 1831-aft 1850, James abt 1834-aft 1850, Marshall abt 1836-aft 1850.

2. John H. Trent 1803 1865 Campbell, VA Appomattox, VA Sarah Cumby, 1822

Two children: George Washington Trent 1825-1886, John Wyatt Trent 1826-1884

3. Elizabeth Trent abt 1806 William H. Blankenship

4. Marshall Trent abt 1810 1876 Campbell, VA Charlotte, VA Martha Blankenship

Nine children: Nancy Ann bef 1840-aft 1857 m. Edward T. Smith; Joel b. aft 1836, Booker 1840-1862; Catherine b. 1841; G. Washington b. 1842; Marshall C. 1844-1862; Martha J. 1848-1877 m. Stephen Marty Trent (first cousin, see below); Christina b. 1849; Larry 1853-1877.

5. James William Trent 1810 abt 1900 Margaret Carwile

Nine children: Sarah F. b.1833 m. Ed Stepp; James William Jr 1835-abt 1863; Thomas Henry 1837-1910 m. Caroline Susan Smith; Nancy Jane 1839-1893; Margaret b. 1841; Jacob E. 1844-1885; Albert C. b.1846 m. Adeline; Gilliam H. b.1848 m. Jeanette Laura Smith; David b.aft 1850.

DNA kit #861XX thru son Thomas Henry Trent

6. Thomas Trent 1814 aft 1855 Henrietta Carwile

Three children: Lewis T. 1855-1917; Macky b.abt 1860 m. Charles Overstreet; Rheniette b.abt 1860 m. Pleasant Trent (first cousin, see below)

7. Pleasant Trent abt 1815 bef 1860 Lucy A. Carwile

Seven children: Stephen Marty 1842-1912 m. Martha Trent (first cousin, see above); Frances Ann b.1845; Wyatt A. 1846-1929 m. Ella Catherine Landrum; Pleasant b.1847 m. Rheniette Trent (first cousin, see above); Lucy A. 1854-1922 m. Warner W. Pollard; Henrietta J. 1857-1903; James H. 1858-1933.

DNA kit #1084XX thru son Wyatt A. Trent

D. Priscilla Trent bef 1782 Josiah Daniel, 1798

Group 1 Trents with missing generations

William/Ursula is expected to be the common ancestor of all the Group 1 Trents. So when there are generations that have not been documented in a particular line of descent, we can still be fairly confident that William/Ursula is at the top of the line. But we have not been able to identify which of William's sons and grandsons they are descended from.

					Birthdate	Death date	Birthplace	Death place	Married
1.Henry "the Immigrant" Trent - father figure					1642	1701	Great Britain	Henrico, VA	Elizabeth Sherman, abt 1672
1. Unknown biological father - probably Howell
2. William Trent aka William/Ursula					1684	1769	Henrico, VA	Chesterfield, VA	Ursula Branch, abt 1709
	Unidentified generation(s)
	1.	Field Trent			abt 1770	1837	Virginia	Patrick, VA	Sarah "Sallie" King
		A.	Field Trent 2		abt 1805	aft 1880	Virginia	Patrick, VA	Sarah Nowlin, 1835
			DNA kit #458XX thru son William Henry Trent 1837-1902 m. Altaminta Ann Ingram
		B.	David Trent		1817	1904	Patrick, VA	Rockingham, NC	Eleanor Matilda Hicks, 1850
			DNA kit #770XX thru son John Thomas Trent 1853-1927 m. Georgia Ann Evans
	Unidentified generation(s) - William and Obediah are believed to be brothers per this link.
	1.	William Trent			1780	1851	Virginia	Henry, VA	Katherine Webber, 1805
		A.	William Bailey Trent		1811	1886	Campbell, VA	Trentville, TN	Sally Wall Garrett, 1833
			i.	James W. Trent	1834	1899	Henry, VA	Trentville, TN	Mary Eliza Garrett, 1851
				DNA kit #365XX
	2.	Obediah Trent			abt 1789	abt 1865	Campbell, VA	Campbell, VA	Nancy Blankenship, 1810
		A.	Benjamin Wilkes Trent		1812	aft 1900	Campbell, VA		Keturah Craddock, 1832
			i.	Benjamin Hudson Trent	1838	1916	Campbell, VA	Campbell, VA	Mary Jane Johnson, 1859
				DNA kit #962XX
		B.	Hezekiah Farmer Trent		1815	1874	Campbell, VA	Campbell, VA	Mary A. Baugh, 1839
			i.	Thomas Edward Trent	1862	1921	Campbell, VA	Campbell, VA	Ida Ann Callaham, 1890
				DNA kit #363XX
	Unidentified generation(s)
	1.	William M. Trent			1796	1844	Virginia	Owen, IN	Susannah G. Dyer, 1826
		A.	David Shepherd Trent		1843	1917	Owen, IN	Owen, IN	Lucinda Defore, 1861
			DNA kit #1562XX
	Unidentified generation(s)
	1.	Alexander Trent			abt 1800	aft 1850		Claiborne, TN	Mary "Polly" Scalf
		A.	Isaiah Trent		abt 1831	abt 1900	Hawkins, TN	Knox, KY	Emily Hubbard, 1854
			i.	Nathan Trent	1860	1917	Knox, KY	Kentucky	Emily Jane Trent
				DNA kit #375XX
			ii.	William Frank Trent	1865	1917	Knox, KY	Clay, KY	Sarah Jane Blevins
				DNA kit #B2363XX
	Unidentified generation(s)
	1.	Archibald Trent			1797	aft 1870	Virginia	Claiborne, TN	Permelia Dallas, 1823
		A.	James Henry Trent		1833	1912	Franklin, VA	Roanoke, VA	Sarah Jane Murdock, 1855
			DNA kit #1925XX
	Unidentified generation(s)
	1.	Alexander Trent			1802	1887		Clarke, IA	Sophronia Thomas, 1850
		A.	Isaac Newton Trent		1853	1923	Schuyler, MO	Plankinton, SD	Nancy Alice Joy, 1874
			DNA kit #2122XX
	Unidentifed generation(s)
	1.	Thomas B. Trent			abt 1802	1871	Virginia	Wise, VA	Amy Pool, 1824
		A.	James Hardy Trent		abt 1835				Eliza Gray
			DNA kit #231XX
	Unidentified generation(s)
	1.	Benjamin Trent			abt 1803	1883	Hawkins, TN		Elizabeth Winstead
		A.	Clinton Trent		1840	1903	Hawkins, TN	Independence, AR	Martha Rogers, 1859
			DNA kit #620XX
	Unidentified generation(s)
	1.	Henry Trent			abt 1807	aft 1880	Virginia	Wolfe, KY	Charity ???
		A.	Alexander F. Trent		abt 1825	aft 1880	Virginia	Breathitt, KY	Nancy Osborn
			DNA kit #670XX
	Unidentified generation(s)
	1.	Joseph Trent			abt 1813	1888	Hawkins, TN	Hawkins, TN	Sarah Cobb
		A.	Campbell Trent		1838	1921	Hawkins, TN	Hancock, TN	Manilla Rogers, 1857
			DNA kit #1564XX
	Unidentified generation(s)
	1.	Thomas Trent			abt 1815	aft 1880	Virginia	Hancock, TN	Sarah Gilbert
		A.	John S. Trent		1840	aft 1910	Hawkins, TN	Claiborne, TN	Minerva "Snowbird" Trent
			DNA kit #364XX

The Group 2 Trents - descendants of William Trent and Sarah Bryant, plus Henry of Amherst and more

The chart below sums up the DNA conflicts in the traditional family tree. There are three incompatible Y-DNA types in the first two generations, and two sons for whom there is no DNA evidence at all.

Birthdate

Death date

Birthplace

Death place

Married

Henry "the Immigrant" Trent
1642
1701 Great Britain Henrico, VA Elizabeth Sherman

1.
Alexander: Group 3, probably Henry's biological son 1674 1703 Henrico, VA Henrico, VA Obedience Branch

2. Henry Trent 2: no DNA evidence 1676 1726 Henrico, VA Henrico, VA Edith Harris

A. Henry Trent 3: no DNA evidence 1708 aft 1758 Grannel, VA Joanna Hooper

3. John Trent 1: no DNA evidence 1678 aft 1732 Henrico, VA Elizabeth Blake(?)

A. John Trent 2: no DNA evidence bef 1731 Henrico, VA

4. William/Ursula: Group 1, not Henry's biological son 1684 1769 Henrico, VA Chesterfield, VA Ursula Branch

A. William/Bryant: Group 2, not William/Ursula's biological son bef 1740 abt 1800 Hawkins, TN Sarah Bryant

In addition, there is another Trent called Henry of Amherst, who has no known connection to the family of Henry the Immigrant, but matches the DNA type of the William Trent who married Sarah Bryant. There is also a John Trent of Albemarle, believed to be the brother of Henry of Amherst, whose DNA type is unknown; he is assumed to be Group 2. We don't know how Henry of Amherst is related to William/Bryant; they could be brothers, cousins, or some other relationship. We do know that they have a common direct-line male ancestor.

In an article written before the DNA age, Barbara Marsh presented a plausible case that John Trent of Albemarle was the same person as John 2 in the chart above, and Henry of Amherst was an unrecorded son of John 1: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4. If that is true, then William/Bryant could be another unrecorded son of John (or the product of an improper relationship between Ursula and her brother-in-law). But we still have a DNA problem, because this would mean that John's DNA does not match his brother Alexander - another non-paternity event. Marsh believed that Henry of Amherst was NOT the same person as Henry 3 in the chart above.

Here are the lines of descent for the Group 2 Trents:

Birthdate

Death date

Birthplace

Death place

Married

Unidentified common male ancestor (could be the father, grandfather, great-grandfather, etc)

1.
William Trent bef 1740 abt 1800 Hawkins TN Sarah Bryant

A. John Trent 1759 1824 Tazewell, VA Never married

B. Bryant Trent 1763 1836 Green, KY Ruth Abbot

1. James Trent 1794 Green, KY Mary Margaret Ralph, 1820

Nine children: Thomas J., James M., Martha A., John R., Mary E., Eliza A., Lucy J., Paul, and Christopher Trent.

2. John Trent

3. Sally (Sarah) Trent

4. Susannah (Susan) Trent

5. Margaret Trent William C. Downey, 1822

C. Alexander Trent abt 1766 1845 Chesterfield, VA Barren, KY Nancy Skaggs, 1791

1. Margaret Trent 1803 1889 Kentucky Morgan, IN James Trent, 1826

It is said that Margaret's husband James Trent was the son of James Harvey Trent, who may have been Margaret's uncle (see below); in that case Margaret and James were first cousins. They were married in Barren, KY in 1826. Alexander's will calls James Trent his son-in-law. According to Zajac their children were Miles b. about 1827; James; Newton J. 1829-1854 m.Susan C. Young; William H. b. abt 1832; Nancy Ann b. 1834; America Jane 1836-1881; Margaret 1840-1894 (never married); Robert 1842-1897; John b. abt 1844; and Florence b. abt 1853 m. John R. Sawyers.

2. William "Buck" Trent 1803 1862 Barren, KY Green, KY Chloe Trent, 1826

3. Six other children: Bryant, Mary, Sally, Ruth, Susan, and Hapatia. No other info available.

D. Williamson Trent abt 1770 1845 Virginia Mason, IL Nancy Potts, 1791

1. Henry Trent 1799 1883 Virginia Mercer, MO Ruth Wilcox

DNA kits #3468XX and #484XX thru son William S. Trent 1820-1883 m. Sarah Brewer

E. James Harvey Trent SPECULATIVE abt 1770 abt 1819 Virginia Kentucky Lydia Young?? 1795

We don't have a paper trail linking James Harvey Trent to William Trent and Sarah Bryant. But James Harvey has a son named Bryant Trent, which strongly suggests that he's part of this family, and DNA testing indicates that this line belongs in Group 2.

1. Patti Trent 1796 Virginia

2. William Trent 1799 1830 Virginia Green, KY Hannah Wilcox, 1830

3. James Trent 1806 1871 Virginia Morgan, IN Margaret Trent, 1826

It is said that James' wife Margaret Trent was the daughter of Alexander Trent, who may have been James's uncle (see above); in that case Margaret and James were first cousins. They were married in Barren, KY in 1826. Alexander's will calls James Trent his son-in-law. According to Zajac their children were Miles b. about 1827; James; Newton J. 1829-1854 m.Susan C. Young; William H. b. abt 1832; Nancy Ann b. 1834; America Jane 1836-1881; Margaret 1840-1894 (never married); Robert 1842-1897; John b. abt 1844; and Florence b. abt 1853 m. John R. Sawyers.

4. Bryant William Trent 1808 1869 Virginia Newton, MO Sarah Galloway, 1836

DNA kit #1086XX thru son Jesse Housley Trent 1849-1933 m. Anna Levina Roe

5. John Trent 1812 1883 Virginia Cedar, MO Delilah Galloway, 1835

6. Nancy Trent 1815 1904 Virginia Chicago, IL Mitchell Ennis, 1835

7. Jackson Trent 1818 1872 Virginia Barry, MO Elizabeth Ann Jobe, 1846

8. Charity Trent 1819 1899 Tazewell, VA Clackamas, OR Joseph P. Offield

9. Lynie or Lydia Trent (???) 1823 Morgan, IN

F. Frederick Trent UNCONVENTIONAL bef 1774 abt 1833 1. Lydia 2. Agnes Horton

It was previously believed that there were two Frederick Trents in western Virginia at this time, one in Tazewell county and one in Cabell/Logan. But the evidence for this is shaky, and the records indicate that there wasn't a Frederick Trent who lived continuously in either one of these places. It is likely that there was only one Frederick who moved around a lot, and that is the assumption used in this article. There are some unresolved issues with his wives. Unless Frederick was a bigamist, it seems likely that Lydia was the mother of all his children, but this chart doesn't assume anything about the mother's identity. See separate article on Frederick Trent.

1. Unidentified son SPECULATIVE 1794-1802 aft 1820 See 1820 census section of Frederick article

2. Chloe Trent 1800 1.Joseph McGuire
2.William Trent

3. Linea/Linney Trent 1801/02 1861 Tazewell, VA David Christian, 1822

4. Edy Trent 1803 Peter Cline, 1820

Fourteen children: Matilda b.1821; William b.1823; Cynthia b.1824; James b.1828; Edward b.1830; Mary b.1832; Susannah b.1833; John b.1834; Peter b.1836; Eda b.1838; Joseph b.1842; Henderson b.1845; Anna b.1847; Rhoda b.1849

5. Humphrey Trent 1804 abt 1866 Logan, VA Martha Smith, 1825

Four children: Clarissa b.1826 m. Madison Ellis; Smith b.1828 m. Phoebe Evans; Alexander 1829-1908 m. Elizabeth Mounts; Eli 1831-1924 m. (1) Mary Polly Ellis and (2) Amanda Artrip

DNA kit #698XX thru son Alexander Trent 1829-1908 m. Elizabeth Mounts

6. Eli Trent 1809 Mahala Elkins, 1830

7. Sarah Trent abt 1810 1893 Wyoming, WV William Riffe

8. Susan Trent 1811 1891 Andrew Hatfield, 1833

9. Frederick Trent Jr. 1815 1906 Wyoming, WV 1. Susannah Cline 1840
2. Alafair Lambert 1869

Twelve children with Susannah Cline: Flemming b.1841; Johnson b.1843; Patsy b.1845; Molly b.1847; Hannah b.1849; Smith b.1851; Humphrey b.1853; Harmon b.1856; Alifair b.1857; Alexander b.1859; Harriet b.1860; Peter b.1862. Nine children with Alafair Lambert: William Floyd b.1869; Arminda b.1871; Arvard b.1873; Mary E. b.1877; Lucinda b.1880; Charley Rayborn b. 1881; Meroah b.1885; Neva b.1887; Joseph Oscar b.1895

DNA kit #494XX thru son Alexander Trent 1859-aft 1930 m. Nancy Cline

G. Molly Trent bef 1775 William Blankenship

H. Nancy Trent 1778 1834

1. Four out-of-wedlock children: Frederick, Mary, Thomas, and William Trent. The boys carried the Trent name, but presumably did not have a Trent father. They are not expected to belong to Groups 1, 2, or 3.

2. Henry Trent of Amherst bef 1724 1796 Amherst, VA

Believed to be a brother of John Trent of Albermarle (below)

A. Obediah Henry Trent bef 1742 aft 1810 Virginia Nancy Mosely

1. Nicholas Trent abt 1784 aft 1860 Virginia Breckinridge, KY Rachel Jarred, 1803

i. Peyton Trent 1806 1874 Bedford, VA Breckinridge, KY Nancy Thornhill

DNA kit #375XX thru son John Henry Trent 1840-1913 m. Mary Jane Smith

ii. Obediah H. Trent 1813 1875 Breckinridge, KY Breckinridge, KY Mary Ellen Wathen

DNA kit #895XX thru son James Harland Trent 1872-1920 m. Rosa Winters

B. John Blake Trent 1752 1836 Virginia Henry, VA Martha "Patsy" Mitchell

C. Eady Trent 1752 Thomas Mitchell

D. Sally Trent 1754 George Goodwin

E. Martha "Patty" Trent 1758 Virginia Dudley Calloway

3. John Trent of Albemarle bef 1726 1760 Albemarle, VA Mary Hall(?)

Believed to be a brother of Henry Trent of Amherst (above)

A. Henry Blake Trent bef 1760

B. John Hall Trent bef 1760

4. The Childress Branch Albemarle, VA

Group 2 of the Childress DNA project is a genetic match for Group 2 of the Trent DNA project, and Henry of Amherst is even listed in this Childress group. The main Childress "Virginia Settlers" group is their Group 6, and their Group 2 appears to be the result of a non-paternity event where Trent Group 2 Y-DNA found its way into the Childress family in Albemarle County c.1759. Both Henry Trent of Amherst and John Trent of Albemarle were present in Albemarle at the time, and it's possible that they weren't the only adult Group 2 Trent males on the scene.

A. John Childress 1759 Albemarle, VA

Group 4 Trents - stepsons of the Group 1 Trents

The Group 4 Trents are descended from James Burton Osborne Trent, who was a stepson of William D. Trent not a biological son according to this link. It says that James Burton Osborne Trent was the son of Charity Burton (William Trent's wife) from a previous relationship. It says that he fought in the War of 1812 under the name James Burton, and adopted the last name Trent in his later years. Internet sources disagree about which of the names Burton and Osborne was Charity's maiden name, and which was the name of her (alleged) first husband. But a DNA project participant who tested at the Y-67 level had a large number of matches named Osborne, suggesting that this is the correct patrilineal line. However there doesn't seem to be a known record of James Burton using Osborne as his last name, so it is not clear whether his parents were actually married to each other. In any case, the male line prior to James Burton Osborne Trent is not expected to have the last name Trent, and seems very likely to have the last name Osborne.

See the Group 1 chart for more information on this family.

				Birthdate	Death date	Birthplace	Death place	Married
Paternity appears to be Osborne. Stepfather is William D. Trent of Group 1, mother is Charity Burton
1.	James Burton Osborne Trent			abt 1796	1847	Tennessee	Hancock TN	Elizabeth Johnson, 1814
	A.	Abner D. Trent SPECULATIVE		1826	1864	Hawkins, TN	Paris, KY	Malinda F. Brooks
		We do not have a paper trail establishing Abner as the son of James Burton Osborne Trent. But the date and place of birth, combined with the DNA evidence, suggest that he is. It may be significant that Abner has a son whose middle name is Orval, and his presumed brother David Trent (below) has a son whose middle name is Orville.
		i.	Samuel Orval Trent	1857	1934	Hancock, TN	Hardesty, OK	Mary Polly Stewart, 1878
			DNA kits #952XX and 1019XX
	B.	William G. Trent		1831	1893	Hawkins, TN	Hancock, TN	Charity Trent
		William G's wife Charity Trent was the daughter of William D. Trent Jr and Annie (Jones) Trent. William G and Charity were half first cousins, with the same grandmother (Charity Burton) and different grandfathers.
		i.	Samuel Franklin Patton Trent	1868	1946	Hancock, TN	Hancock, TN	Julie Carie Gray, 1889
			DNA kit #2023XX
	C.	David A. Trent		1842	1912	Hancock, TN	Hawkins, TN	Minerva Jane Brooks
		David's birthdate of 1842 (provided by a project participant) seems rather late, since his parents reportedly married in 1814. It's possible that there is a missing generation and David is their grandson not their son, or that James Burton Osborne Trent got married a second time to a younger woman and had at least one child with her.
		i.	James Orville Trent	1874	1954	Hawkins, TN	Hancock, TN	Margaret Fugate
			DNA kit #2168XX

Other family history articles:
   The Trents:
    1. Trent DNA project results
  2. Trent landholdings
    3. Frederick Trent of Tazewell/Logan county: how many Fredericks?
    4. The Lincoln connection
    5 . Original documents
   The Jarrells:
     1. Jarrell family tree
     2. Jarrell landholdings
     3. Who were William Jarrell's parents?
     4. Was Susannah Parks a Cherokee?
   Other Jarrell/Herbert articles:
     The Pocahontas problem
     The truth about Abner Vance
     The Canterbury family of Virginia
   The Beach line:
     Richard Beach 1825-1900
     The ancestors of Donkin Dover
     Tribute to Edwin Thomas Beach
  On the paternal side:
     The Armingeon family