Thomas Dent

Who is Thomas Dent?

Thomas Ijams Dent was a prominent Chicago lawyer.

Dent was born in Putnam County, Illinois, the son of George Dent and Comfort Dent. 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. 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. He moved to Chicago in 1856, forming a legal partnership with Martin R. M. Wallace. Dent married Susan Strawn in 1857. Also in 1857, he moved to Peoria, Illinois, but was back in Chicago the next year, and in 1860 formed a partnership with Judge A. W. Arrington that would last until Arrington's death in 1867. 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.