Background
Dent was born in Putnam County, Illinois, the son of George Dent and Comfort (Ijams) Dent.
Dent was born in Putnam County, Illinois, the son of George Dent and Comfort (Ijams) Dent.
Thomas Dent was educated at public schools in Illinois and Ohio, and then, at age 15, became permanently employed as his father"s assistant.
After studying law on his own, Dent was admitted to the bar in 1854, at which time he established a law practice in Hennepin, Illinois. Dent married Susan Strawn in 1857. At that point Dent joined forces with William P. Black to establish a new law firm, Dent & Black.
Dent had a successful practice with many corporate clients, including banks, insurance companies, a railroad company, and the Chicago Board of Trade.
Dent argued several cases to the Supreme Court of the United States. In 1879, Dent ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Supreme Court of Illinois on the Republican ticket.
Dent served as president of the Chicago Law Institute, the Chicago Bar Association, and then, in 1888, as president of the Illinois State Bar Association.
George Dent held a number of elective offices in Putnam County, including clerk of the circuit and county courts, county judge, and member of the Illinois General Assembly.
