The Biographical Dictionary and Portrait Gallery of Representative Men of Chicago, Milwaukee and the World's Columbian Exposition

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BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY AND PORTRAIT GALLERY.
interest in assisting all religious efforts, and has been for some time a great friend of the Presby¬ terian Hospital and the Railroad Chapel.
Since the birth of the Republican party, he has been an ardent supporter of its principles. He has ever believed that the Republican principles were those that had the best interests of the peo¬ ple at heart. He is a strong admirer of President Harrison, and a firm believer in those principles of Republicanism that were advocated by Lin¬ coln, Grant, Garfield, Harrison and Blaine.
Such is the biography of a man whose life has been both active and honorable. He has achieved the high position he now occupies entirely through his owvi exertions. What he has achieved he owes to his ambitious nature, his high sense of
honor and to his sobriety and industry; he has never been addicted to the use of liquors or to¬ bacco.
In personal appearance, he impresses one as be¬ ing both benignant and kindly. Although having passed more than three score and ten years on this earth. Father Time has dealt lightly with him, and he looks like a hale and hearty gentle¬ man of less than three score.
In conclusion it may be truly said, that with a character above reproach and an honorable record at the head of a large financial institution, and with an ample fortune, there is no one more worthy of a prominent place among the body of men who appear in this work than is Solva Brint¬ nall.
THOMAS   DENT,
CHICAGO,   ILL.
THOMAS DENT was born in Putnam county, Illinois, November 14, 1831, and is a son of George and Comfort (Ijams) Dent.
His father, a native of Monongalia county, Virginia (now West Virginia), was from an early age reared on a farm in Ohio.
The parents removed from Muskingum county, Ohio, and settled in Putnam county, Illinois, at an early day. The father was for many years in official position, holding various public offices, such as Clerk of the County Commissioners, Circuit and County Courts, Master in Chan¬ cery, County Judge, and member of the State Legislature.
Thomas acquired the basis of his education in the common schools near his home, and while living for a time in Ohio. But following the natural disposition of his mind, he has, by virtue of continued and careful reading and study, acquired a degree of literary culture and disci¬ pline which would only have been more surely the outcome of a liberal education.
From the age of twelve years, he was an occasional assistant in the public offices of the county in which the family resided, and during the following three years was in employments requiring aptitude in penmanship and accounts. He thus early acquired a taste for legal business.
which led to legal study at various leisure inter¬ vals. At fifteen years of age, he became a regular assistant of his father in the public business of the county, and during the ensuing eight years was much occupied in making up court and other records in Putnam and adjoining counties, and also pursued a course of legal study. On his admission to the bar in 1854, he began the practice of law at Hennepin, Illinois. . Under appointment of the County Court, he made up tract and sectional indices for the land records of Putnam county.
In 1856, Mr. Dent removed to Chicago, where his first association in practice was with Mr. M. R. M. Wallace, prominently identified with military service in the late civil war, and also with service in civil affairs, as County Judge of Cook county, and in other stations.
In 1857, ^^- Dent removed his office for a time to Peoria, Illinois, but continuing to have professional engagements in Chicago, he re¬ sumed his residence there in 1858. In i860, he became associated with the late Judge A. W. Arrington. This association continued until the death of the senior partner, December 31, 1867. Soon after this, the firm of Dent and Black was formed, and continued for eighteen years.
The practice of Mr. Dent has been of a general