John A. Denison

Mayor John A. Denison presiding over Independence Day celebrations on July 4, 1913 in Springfield, Massachusetts

John Avery Denison (August 17, 1875 – March 7, 1948) was an American politician and judge. He was Mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts and a judicial appointee of Calvin Coolidge.[1]

Early Life and Family

John Avery Denison was born on August 17, 1875 in Chicopee, Massachusetts (near Springfield, Massachusetts).

His father, George Denison,[2] was the great-grandson of the founder of the Connecticut colony—Captain George Denison (b. Dec. 1620) of Mystic, Connecticut.[3]

His mother, Elizabeth Chapin Denison, was the granddaughter of Samuel Chapin—a prominent early settler of Springfield, Massachusetts—whose statue stands in Springfield’s Merrick Park. Through his mother, Denison was a close relative of United States Presidents Grover Cleveland[4] and William Howard Taft,[5] abolitionist and author Harriet Beecher Stowe,[6] financier J.P. Morgan,[7] and poet and playwright T.S. Eliot.[8]

Denison Homestead

The Denison family home (Pequotsepos Manor) was constructed by George Denison in 1717 and is today one of the oldest continually held homes in America. It includes the Denison Homestead and Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center. The home was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 15, 1979.

The Denison family’s home (Pequotsepos Manor) was built in 1717 and has been continuously held by the same family since that date—one of the oldest homes to have been retained by the same family in the United States. Today, the Denison Homestead includes regional museum and the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center[9]—a 300-acre wildlife sanctuary, natural history museum, and educational facility in Mystic, Connecticut.[10][11][12]

Education

John A. Denison as a member of the Harvard Football Team c.1897

Denison graduated with honors from Springfield High School and, like his father, attended Harvard University where he received his undergraduate degree in 1898 and his law degree in 1901. He was editor of the Harvard Crimson from 1896-1898.[13][14][15][16][17]

Mayor and Judge

1912 Campaign flyer of Mayor John A. Denison

Denison was elected Mayor in 1912 after serving as President of the City Council.[18]

As Mayor, Denison oversaw construction and dedication of the Springfield Municipal Group, which includes City Hall, Bell Tower and Symphony Hall and which remain today as the seat of Springfield’s government.[19] On December 8, 1913, at the dedication of the three buildings, President Howard Taft, who was in attendance, referred to the three buildings Denison had spearheaded as "one of the most distinctive civic centers in the United States, and indeed the world."[20] As Mayor, Denison led efforts to develop Springfield’s transportation system, including rebuilding and restoring the city’s train station.[21] In 1920, Calvin Coolidge appointed Denison to a judicial seat, where he served until his retirement. He died at his home in Springfield on March 7, 1948[22]

Record as Mayor and Judge

Denison was a progressive Mayor and Judge during a period of change in Massachusetts and an advocate for environmental conservation. His position set a tone of inclusivity in regional politics at the time.[23]

At a 1912 Campaign Speech, Denison was quoted as saying:

“We have numerous classes of people. Each class has its special viewpoint and special need. All classes should have representation and a part in the city’s government so that the needs of all can be best presented, appreciated, and met. Power should not be concentrated in the hands of a few, least of all if those few are drawn from the same walk of life.”[24]

Denison was also an advocate for public service. Denison’s first acceptance speech as Mayor in 1913 entitled “Endeavors in the Municipality” sought to reach all the City’s residents noting “do your share in this city of ours and if you learn about and understand your government, if you give of yourselves freely to many kinds of public and quasi-public undertakings, you will find your return a hundredfold.”

2013 Centennial and Return of City Key

On October 4, 2013, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno announced a Centennial Celebration of Mayor Denison's service and the Springfield Municipal Group. At the ceremony, Denison’s great-grandson, Jonathan Fantini Porter, returned to Springfield the original key to City Hall which was given to Mayor Denison and President Howard Taft at the building’s 1913 dedication.[25][26][27]

References

  1. ↑ (Mass.), Springfield (1920-01-01). Municipal Register of the City of Springfield ... S. Bowles.
  2. ↑ League, National Municipal (1896-01-01). Proceedings of the ... National Conference for Good City Government and of the ... Annual Meeting of the National Municipal League ... 1896 - 1910. The League.
  3. ↑ "Full text of "A record of the descendants of Capt. George Denison, of Stonington, Conn. With notices of his father and brothers, and some account of other Denisons who settled in America in the colony times"". archive.org. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
  4. ↑ Chapin, Gilbert Warren. "The Chapin Book of Genealogical Data with Brief Biographical Sketches of the Descendants of Deacon Samuel Chapin; Vol. I: First Seven Generations and Vol. II: Eighth to Twelfth Generation". Chapin Family Association, 1924. Hartford, CT.
  5. ↑ Chapin, Gilbert Warren, Vol. II, p. 2178.
  6. ↑ Chapin, Gilbert Warren, Vol. I, p. 1071.
  7. ↑ Chapin, Gilbert Warren, Vol. II, p. 1355.
  8. ↑ Gordon, Lyndall (2000). T.S. Eliot: An Imperfect Life (paperback) (1st American ed.). New York: W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0-393-04728-8.
  9. ↑ http://www.dpnc.org/
  10. ↑ http://www.ctvisit.com/science-and-nature/denison-pequotsepos-nature-center/summary/1497
  11. ↑ http://www.5rivcon.org/HistoricalSites.html
  12. ↑ denisonhomestead.org/
  13. ↑ Thayer, William Roscoe; Castle, William Richards; Howe, Mark Antony De Wolfe; Pier, Arthur Stanwood; Voto, Bernard Augustine De; Morrison, Theodore (1908-01-01). The Harvard Graduates' Magazine. Harvard Graduates' Magazine Association.
  14. ↑ Harvard Alumni Bulletin. Harvard Bulletin, Incorporated. 1917-01-01.
  15. ↑ 1898, Harvard College (1780-) Class of (1898-01-01). Harvard College Class of 1898 Secretary's First Report. University Press.
  16. ↑ Names and Addresses of Living Bachelors and Masters of Arts, and of the Holders of Honorary Degrees of Harvard University ... 1902-01-01.
  17. ↑ "Cambridge Tribune 2 July 1898 — Cambridge Public Library". cambridge.dlconsulting.com. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
  18. ↑ (Mass.), Springfield (1920-01-01). Municipal Register of the City of Springfield ... S. Bowles.
  19. ↑ Springfield Municipal Group
  20. ↑ Springfield Municipal Group
  21. ↑ http://blog.pressrepublican.com/archive/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6689:looking_for_a_rail_bargain:_rouses_point_coveting_d&h_station_for_museum&catid=34:news-articles
  22. ↑ "Cambridge Chronicle 7 December 1912 — Cambridge Public Library". cambridge.dlconsulting.com. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
  23. ↑ (Mass.), Springfield (1920-01-01). Municipal Register of the City of Springfield ... S. Bowles.
  24. ↑ Denison, John, Campaign Speech, Springfield, Massachusetts, 1912
  25. ↑ "Spirit of Springfield announces 100-year anniversary celebration of City Hall, Symphony Hall, Campanile". masslive.com. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
  26. ↑ "Home". Retrieved 2016-04-09.
  27. ↑ Zeitlin, Hugh. "Springfield plans for 100th anniversary of municipal group". www.cbs3springfield.com. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
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