Biographical Sketch of W. S. Dennis, Johnson County, Missouri,
Henrietta.

>From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell,
Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918.
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W. S. Dennis, the genial and popular merchant of Henrietta, Missouri, 
is a native of Indiana.  He was born in 1857 in Jefferson county, son
of Jacob N. and Eliza (Thompson) Dennis.  Jacob N. Dennis was a son of
John Dennis, of Scotch and English descent.  The Dennis family were
residents of the state of New York.  Governor Dennis, of Ohio, traces
his genealogy back to the same ancestors as W. S. Dennis, the subject
of this review.  Eliza (Thompson) Dennis was a daughter of Captain
Thompson, of Virginia.  He received his title in the Revolutionary
War and was proud of the fact that he was one of the "F. F. V."  Jacob
Dennis moved with his family from Indiana to Missouri in 1866 and 
located at Knob Noster, where he engaged in the general mercantile
business, associated with the firm called Swingle & Dennis.  In 1867,
he purchased E. G. Gilbert's grist mill, located south of the town of
Knob Noster.  He was an excellent miller, capable, industrious and
enterprising, and he made of the mill a big proposition and had remark-
able success.  People came from long distances of many miles over the
open prairie to this mill and they would often be obliged to camp, 
while waiting for their grist.  W. S. Dennis has frequently seen as 
many as fifty camping at one time.  In 1870, Mr. Dennis moved the mill
to Knob Noster and for several years had a splendid business in the
old town.  He sold his mill in 1881 and retired from active business,
to be long remembered as the originator of "Snowflake Flour," a widely
known brand.  His wife had died two years before Mr. Dennis retired, 
her death occurring in 1879, and in 1892, she was followed in death by
her husband.  Mr. Baker was the teacher of the first school, which
W. S. Dennis attended at Knob Noster, Missouri.  Another teacher, who
came later was Louis Bigley.  He always attended church with his 
parents and recalls several of the early day preachers, among whom were
"Uncle Bob" Harris, Reverends Randel and Whitsett.  The people seemed
more social and fond of merry making in the olden days, "Singing 
schools," dancing parties, house-raisings, corn-huskings, "spinning
bees" and "spelling bees" were the favorite amusements and the young
people always had great times.  In early youth, W. S. Dennis began life
for himself.  He was employed as bookkeeper at his father's mill in
Knob Noster and when the mill was moved to Leeton, Missouri, he assumed
complete charge of it there.  After five years in the milling business
at Leeton, he returned to the original choice of his father and engaged
in the general mercantile business, purchasing a general store in
Henrietta, where he has since remained.  Mr. Dennis carries a fine
stock of general merchandise, which is valued at five thousand dollars,
and he enjoys an extremely large patronage, his trade extending from
Henrietta four or five miles.  He is industrious, efficient, and capa-
ble and he possesses good business judgement, qualities which invari-
ably win.  He has been very successful and his business motto is, "We
sell everything."  Besides his store, he is the owner of his residence
and a small tract of land, consisting of three acres.  In 1893, W. S.
Dennis was united in marriage with Mattie Denton, daughter of Oliver C.
Denton, of Knob Noster, Missouri.  To W. S. and Mattie (Denton) Dennis
has been born three children: Emma, who is a graduate of the Warrens-
burg State Normal School and is now engaged in teaching at Cainesville,
Missouri; Lela and Irene, who are at home with their parents.  Both Mr.
and Mrs. Dennis are members of the Baptist church.  The Dennis family 
is one of the best and most highly respected in Johnson county.

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