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Joseph William Dennis

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Joseph William Dennis

Birth	:	9 Apr 1825 Henry County, Kentucky, USA
Death	:	11 Nov 1912
Burial	:	Bluemont Cemetery, Grafton, Taylor County, USA
Coordinate	:	39.3446999, -80.0121994
Description	:	Joseph William Dennis was born in Henry county, Kentucky, April 9, 1825, died in Seneca, Kansas, November 11, 1912. His parents were Batson Dennis, a native of same county and state as the son, and Miss Mary Ann Callender of Virginia. The elder Dennis was a farmer; but in 1830 lost his property and moved with his family to Johnson county, Indiana, where in a partnership he again "lost out" and moved to DeWitt county, Illinois. Living there a year the family moved t o McLean county, Illinois , where the elder Dennis bought a farm and began life again.... Read More	Joseph William Dennis was born in Henry county, Kentucky, April 9, 1825, died in Seneca, Kansas, November 11, 1912. His parents were Batson Dennis, a native of same county and state as the son, and Miss Mary Ann Callender of Virginia. The elder Dennis was a farmer; but in 1830 lost his property and moved with his family to Johnson county, Indiana, where in a partnership he again "lost out" and moved to DeWitt county, Illinois. Living there a year the family moved t o McLean county, Illinois , where the elder Dennis bought a farm and began life again. Mr. Dennis (J. W.) began working out when thirteen years old, mostly at farm work, but always near home, and gave all his earnings in support of the family. His first wages were $9.00 a month and increased to $13.00; one single month he was paid $15.00. He was "given his time" when twenty years old, and the next three years cut and splitrails at 25# a hundred. Most of his time working out he was employed by a man named Wakefield; his son C. W. is named for him — Campbell Wakefield Dennis. After of age he worked nights burning brick and earned extra $5.00 with which he bought two ewes that were taken home. From their wool his mother made his winter clothes; summer wear was homespun flax a l l home-made. From his other earnings Mr. Dennis bought live stock and corn which his father sold for $100* With this first money he went to Danville, the county^seat, and entered eighty acres of government land at $1.25 an acre, and improved the homestead with a log house* To make a home complete he married when in his twenty-third year, Miss Mary Ann Young of DeWitt county, Illinois , whom he had met on arrival to the state ten years before. She was a native of Adair county, Kentucky. For his wedding suit Mr. Dennis bought a pair of boots and cassinette cloth from which his mother made the clothes. Their house furnishings were a fireplace for cooking and only a few dishes and primitive furniture. His wife "turned in" the bed, a COVJ and six geese. Wooden troughs for storing lard and the like were hewn from buckeye wood by the young bridegroom. No house furnishing stores in those days that sold on the "installment plan." But Mr. Dennis was thrifty from the start . He bought another eighty of land and a timber lot , and sold his whole farm for $1,810. Then he bought another tract of land and built a good house. To help his father he gave him a warranty deed for forty acres off his farm, and when they came to Kansas sold both homes for $13.00 an acre. This was in 1855. The Kansas emigrants started with eight teams, and these made up the party: his parents, brother Samuel, John and Jesse with t h e i r families, his unmarried brother Batson, his sister , Mrs. Nancy Keenan, his brother-in-law, Thomas Rich and family, and Mart Allison, a young man hired to drive. Mr. Dennis* outfit was drawn by an ox-team and horse-team; his stock was a cow and calf, and he had $1,800 in gold. His own family were himself and wife and daughters, Mary, Elizabeth and Amanda. Leaving the company five miles north of St. Joseph, Missouri, in Andrew county with others of the party, they came to Seneca by team, where Mr. Dennis bought the homestead right of his present 160 acre home of Bill Berry for $75.00, assuming to pay the government price in addition of $1.25 an acre. This $75.00 was for "good will." Many others were "jumping homesteads". Returning for his family they left for Kansas May 1, and arrived at the new Kansas home the last day of June, 1856. They found shelter in Lew McGowen's cabin across the road north on the present "George Seeley farm." cabin building was the work ahead for. the new arrivals, and after the rest had houses Mr. Dennis built himself a log house 16x18' with one roome, in which he lived until 1860, when his present frame house was built. All the immigrants were under shelter long before winter. His son Campbell was born in this log house. Among his first hired men were Uncle Johnny and George Roots, who made 10, 000 rails for him. These were sold to buy food, which was purchased and hauled from the river. Mr. Dennis began the Kansas life in earnest, and accumulated from the start. He made a rule early and which he never broke — "keep out of debt." He bought the other three-quarters of his home section, and later a halfsection, a quarter and an eighty, until at one time he owned free of debt 1,200.acres. With this land he helped all his six children and a grandson by giving them land for a home, only reserving finally for himself the original homestead of 160 acres. Mr. Dennis' mother died in 1861, when his father came to his home to live and died there in 1875. His wife died in 1908, and the old home has been kept up. In his health he enjoyed going from house to house to visit his children Campbell, Philip, and Mrs, John Gillaspie. They all lived nearby and he went the rounds on foot as long as strength lasted. Mr. Dennis never attended a public school, but learned to read and write in Indiana and Illinois. He was director of his home school district in Kansas twelve years. His politics was Democrat, but he was a paid-inadvance subscriber to the writer's Republican newspaper from its establishment in 1863, and all during his cashiership of the First National Bank "Uncle Joe" Dennis was amongst its best customers. Mr. Dennis made a profession of religion in 1868 at a series of revival meetings held in Seneca by Rev. Granville Gates, a Baptist evangelist of Highland, who had come to Seneca to visit the family of the late George Graham. They had been neighbors in New York. He was baptised with others by immersion; and to be associated with his wife in church fellowship, united with the regular Baptist church, then a missionary charge with services in the school house by Rev. Thomas Newton, the pioneer preacher of Nemaha county. He set apart ground on his farm for a graveyard, which is maintained to this day, and where his body lies buried beside his wife awaiting the resurrection promise of the Christ, that He would "come again" and receive unto Himself his disciples, to be with him in the many mansions of His Father's house that He left earth to prepare in the centuries long ago. The funeral of Mr. Dennis was held at his late residence on Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 o'clock, attended by a large number of Friends and neighbors who respected him in life and met to show their last regards to the departed. The services were conducted by Elder Joseph Ford of Seneca. The pall bearers were George W. Williams, E. R. Murphy, Adam Simon, J.E.E. Ford, George Roots, and Abijah Wells. ("The Seneca Tribune")

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Joseph William Dennis's memorial?
Joseph William Dennis's memorial is located at: Bluemont Cemetery, Grafton, Taylor County, USA.
When did Joseph William Dennis death?
Joseph William Dennis death on 11 Nov 1912 in
Where are the coordinates of the Joseph William Dennis's memorial?
Latitude: 39.3446999
Longitude: -80.0121994

Family Members:

Parent

Batson Dennis Sr.

(1796 - 1875)

Mary Ann Callender Dennis

(1790 - 1861)

Spouse

Mary Ann Young Dennis

(1826 - 1908)

Siblings

John Henry Dennis

(1827 - 1898)

Jesse Self Dennis

(1829 - 1866)

Children

Martha Dennis

(1848 - 1854)

Mary Catherine Dennis Highsmith

(1848 - 1876)

Amanda Dennis Gillaspie

(1854 - 1929)

Charity Dennis

(1860 - 1861)

George W Dennis

(1862 - 1864)

Sarah Ellen Dennis Luckey

(1864 - 1896)

Nancy M Dennis

(1866 - 1866)

John H Dennis

(1873 - 1897)

Samuel Dennis

(1885 - 1886)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Bluemont Cemetery
Grafton, Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3446999, -80.0121994

2. Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery
Grafton, Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3492012, -80.0171967

3. Old Catholic Cemetery
Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3445200, -80.0243000

4. Knotts Cemetery
Grafton, Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3550030, -80.0170860

5. Reese Cemetery
Grafton, Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3604990, -80.0068620

6. Grafton National Cemetery
Grafton, Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3350296, -80.0312500

7. Lantz Ford Cemetery
Grafton, Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3219370, -80.0132820

8. Carder Cemetery
Fetterman, Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3618760, -80.0409150

9. Keener Cemetery
Grafton, Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3502370, -80.0503460

10. Warder Cemetery
Pruntytown, Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3360670, -80.0549330

11. Current Cemetery
Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3642006, -79.9753036

12. Woodsdale Memorial Park
Pruntytown, Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3408012, -80.0658035

13. Brown Cemetery
Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3841630, -80.0295590

14. Wesley Chapel Cemetery
Grafton, Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3044014, -79.9922028

15. Arnold Cemetery
Grafton, Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.2985115, -80.0014712

16. West Virginia National Cemetery
Pruntytown, Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3350190, -80.0730590

17. Knottsville Cemetery
Knottsville, Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3125000, -79.9642029

18. Payne Cemetery
Thornton, Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3482220, -79.9440680

19. Wiseman Cemetery
Pruntytown, Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3602170, -80.0782840

20. Beulah Cemetery
Pruntytown, Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3336590, -80.0817140

21. Abram Smith Cemetery
Pruntytown, Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3314018, -80.0811005

22. Haymond Cemetery
Grafton, Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.3807240, -79.9579350

23. Linn and Hickman Cemetery
Marion County, USA
Coordinate: 39.4007988, -80.0286026

24. Amnon Cemetery
Taylor County, USA
Coordinate: 39.4007988, -79.9878006