Chambers County AlArchives Biographies.....Denson, N. D. June 20 1856 - living in 1893
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 15, 2004, 4:47 pm

Author: Brant & Fuller (1893)
    N. D. DENSON is a son of Augustus R. and Elizabeth (Ivey) Denson. Augustus
R. Denson was born in Franklin county, N. C., and reared in Hancock county, Ga.,
and when yet a young man came to Alabama, locating in Russell county. He first
settled on a plantation near Uchee, married in 1838 and lived there until his
death, which occurred October 16, 1871. By occupation he was a planter, in
politics he was an ardent whig, and he was a member of the Baptist church. His
father was John E. Denson, a native of North Carolina, but of Scotch-Irish
ancestry. The Iveys were from Georgia, Miss Elizabeth Ivey having been reared in
Oglethorpe county. Augustus R. Denson and wife reared a family of ten children,
six of whom are now living, viz.: Mary J., unmarried and living in Etowah
county; Julia F., wife of John R. Walker, of Etowah county; William H., lawyer
of Gadsden; Eugenia Ivey, wife of John B. Ivey, of Etowah county; Robert H., of
Grundy county, Mo., and N. D. Denson. This gentleman was born June 20, 1856, in
Russell county, Ala., and moved to LaFayette, Chambers county, in 1871, where he
has resided ever since. In 1873-74-75 he attended Auburn college, leaving the
institution in his junior year. He then studied law in the office of his
brother, William H., in Lafayette, and in 1877 was admitted to the bar by the
chancery court. He first formed a partnership with J. J. Robinson, under the
firm name of Robinson & Denson, which remained intact until 1882, when it was
dissolved on account of the appointment of Mr. Robinson as judge of probate. In
1883 Mr. Denson formed a partnership with J. R. Dowdell, under the firm name of
Dowdell & Denson, which continued until 1885, when it was dissolved, and since
that time Mr. Denson has practiced alone. In 1881 he was elected mayor of
Lafayette and was thrice re-elected. In 1884 he became the nominee of the
democratic party for the state senatorship, to represent the ninth senatorial
district composed of Chambers and Randolph counties. He was opposed by Rev.
Henry R. McCoy, an independent standard bearer, and defeated Mr. McCoy by a
large majority. Mr. Denson was then but twenty-eight years old, and as the Rev.
McCoy was an old "war horse" in politics, very popular individually, and
conceded to be one of the best campaigners in eastern Alabama, the victor very
naturally felt a high degree of satisfaction at the result of the election. Mr.
Denson served one term in the state senate. The most important legislation
during that period was that concerning the powers of the railroad commission,
and what is known as the "strangulated county" legislation. Upon the expiration
of his senatorial term in 1888 he was nominated by his party without any
solicitation on his part for representative in the legislature, was elected and
served one term. In 1992 he was nominated by the straight democracy for judge of
the fifth judicial circuit. In the convention, he had three opponents for the
honor, but was nominated on the fourteenth ballot, the opposition considering it
useless to nominate a candidate to oppose him. He was elected at the August
election, and is now serving in that position. Judge Denson was married December
19, 1883, at Cusseta, Ala., to Miss Carrie Vernon, daughter of John N. Vernon.
To this marriage there have been born three children, John V., Nimrod D., Jr.
and Carrie L. As has been already stated Judge Denson is a democrat, and he is a
master Mason, a Knight of Pythis and a member of the Baptist church. He is a
deacon of his church and superintendent of the Sunday-school. Judge Denson is
one of the strong men of his county, an able lawyer, an upright judge and a
highly esteemed citizen.



Additional Comments:
from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 627-628

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