Greenbrier County, West Virginia         Biography of THOMAS HAMNER DENNIS.

This biography was submitted by Sandy Spradling,
E-mail address:  <SSpradling@aol.com>

This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit
organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved.

Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval
system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other
means requires the written approval of the file's author.

This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside
a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at

http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm


History of Greenbrier County 
J. R. Cole 
Lewisburg, WV 1917 
p. 230-231

THOMAS HAMNER DENNIS.

Thomas H. Dennis, youngest son of Col. William ?. and Ann (Morton) Dennis, 
was born February 20, 1846, in Charlotte county, Virginia. He was educated in 
the schools of his community; at the Lewisburg Academy, 1865-66; in 
Washington Col-lege, Lexington, Va., 1866-68, and graduated from the Law 
School of the University of Virginia in June, 1873. He joined the Charlotte 
Troop Captain Bouldin-Fourteenth Virginia Regiment, in February, 1864, 
serving till the close of the war. He taught in the Charleston Male and 
Female Institute with Rev. Dr. J. C. Barr, 1868-69, then in Kansas for two 
and a half years. Returned to Lewisburg in 1872, and after reading law; with 
his brother, Capt. Robert F. Dennis, matriculated in the University of 
Virginia, graduating, as above stated, in 1873. As chairman of the Democratic 
county executive committee, about 1876, he prepared the rules and regulations 
under which the Democratic primaries of the county were conducted with 
satisfaction to the people for fully twenty-five years. Practiced law at 
Lewisburg, in partnership with his brother, from 1873 until 1887, when he 
bought a half interest in The Independent- and since has not been an active 
member of the bar. From about 1876 to 1882 he served the people as county 
superintendent of schools; was elected to the Hiouse of Delegates in 1884, 
and when the Legislature assembled at Wheeling in January, 1885, was chosen 
speaker of the House. He married Miss Jennie Johnston, daughter of Col. A. H. 
Johnston, of Union, December 23, 1884; bought Mr. Argabrite's interest in The 
Independent in October, 1909. and has since been its sole owner and editor; 
was again elected a member of the House of Delegates in 1908, serving at the 
January session, 1909.