Samuel Dennis, Cooper

Samuel Dennis. Samuel Dennis is listed in the Coopers’ Returns of the construction of the ship in the Frigate Confederacy Papers in late 1778 and early 1779. According to his pension application #S-37884, Norwich resident Samuel Dennis was a mariner and cooper aboard the frigate Confederacy between 20 January 1779 and 19 May 1780. His discharge from the ship’s service signed by John Lawrence as Captain’s Clerk is in the pension file. No other record of Revolutionary War service is in the file. Samuel Dennis, son of Benjamin Dennis and Thankful Bliss, was born on 4 May 1756 probably in New London, but maybe Ireland, and died on 31 August 1821 in Norwich. He was married to Eunice Gallup (8/7/1755-7/1/1829) in Groton on 16 October 1783 by William Williams, Esq. of Cider Hills (J.P. of Groton). Eunice and Samuel had six children born between 1785 and 1796. According to Dennis’ 1820 affidavit, he was a cooper by trade but had not been able to do bodily labor for several years. The children of Eunice and Samuel Dennis include Eunice Dennis born 22 March 1785, Henry Dennis born 9 October 1786, Anna Dennis born 10 March 1788, Benjamin Dennis born 5 May 1789, Betsy Dennis born 21 March 1793, Jared Gallup Dennis born 18 June 1796 and who was married on 7 July 1822 to Lorhnamy Davis (who died 5 February 1833), and again on 4 August 1833 to Nancy Congdon.