Amador
County
Biographies
JACKSON DENNIS
Jackson Dennis is a self-made man
who without any extraordinary family or educational advantages at the
commencement of life has battled earnestly and energetically, and by
indomitable courage and integrity has achieved both character and fortune. By sheer force of will and untiring effort he
has worked his way upward and is today one of the most prominent businessmen of
Sutter Creek.
Born on the 1st of
November, 1852, in Audrain County, Missouri, he is a son of James Dennis, whose
birth occurred in Missouri in 1815. His
father was a farmer and for many years was a leading citizen of his community,
holding the office of district judge. He
was married in his native state to Miss Mary A. Donavan, whose birth occurred
in Linn County, Missouri, and in that state they became the parents of five
children, who in 1853 accompanied them on their journey across the plains to California. The father was the captain of the company
which made the trip at that time. They
secured their outfits at St. Joseph, Missouri, and in the party were one
hundred and twenty men, women and children, their equipments consisting of
twenty-three wagons, drawn by ox teams. They were harassed by savages and had
several hard fights with the red men, four of their number being killed, while
a considerable amount of their stock was captured and driven away. Mr. Dennis, with a squad of men, followed the
Indians, and when they overtook them, punished them severely and recaptured
most of the cattle. On the Platte River they
succeeded in purchasing more cattle, and were thus enabled to make their way
over the plains to the land of gold.
They crossed the Sierra Nevada Mountains and came down the old Volcano
road to Ione, Amador County, where Mr. Dennis followed his trade of
carpentering.
For some years he carried on
contracting and building, after which he became the proprietor of the Arcade
Hotel, which he conducted successfully for a considerable period. Then he left Ione and engaged in copper
mining near what is now the Newtown mine in Amador County, but in that venture
he lost much money and was obliged to resume his work as a contractor. He assisted in building the towns of Shingle
Springs and Latrobe, in El Dorado County, and followed his chosen vocation
until his eyesight began to fail, when he was forced to retire from active
business. He then came to Sutter Creek,
which place he continued to make his home until his death, which occurred on
the 4th of March, 1897, when he had attained the age of eighty-two
years. He was an upright, honorable man,
and in politics a life-long Republican, supporting the Union cause during the
Civil War. His wife survived him until
the 16th of November, 1899, when she too passed to the home
beyond. Two children were added to their
family in California, making seven in all, and of that number five at yet
living, namely: John D., who is a
druggist in San Luis Obispo; Henry, a telegraph operator and station agent for
the Valley Road; Maggie, the wife of William Land; Louise, the wife of A.
Adams, of Sacramento; and Jackson, the subject of this sketch.
The last mentioned was only a year
old when brought by his parents to California.
He was educated in the public schools of Ione, Latrobe and Shingle, and
when his literary course was completed he began reading medicine under the
direction of Dr. J. A. Brown, of Sutter Creek, and subsequently took a course
in the medical department of the Cooper School of San Francisco. On leaving that institution he accepted a
clerkship in his brother’s store, which was subsequently sold to the firm of
Dunlap & Walker, and at a later day Mr. Dennis purchased the interest of
Mr. Walker, the firm then being Dunlap & Dennis, which relationship was
retained for eight years, when Mr. Dennis bought out his partner, becoming sole
proprietor. Through the succeeding years
he has conducted the leading drug store at Sutter Creek, having nearly all the
trade in his line in the town. He
carries a large and complete stock of everything found in a first-class
establishment of the kind, and his commendable business methods, reasonable
prices and honorable dealing have secured to him a large patronage.
Mr. Dennis has always been an active
factor in the life of Sutter Creek in every way. For over thirty years he held the position of
postmaster, being appointed by President Grant and serving in the office until
after the inauguration of President McKinley, when he resigned in order to give
more undivided attention to his commercial interests. His long retention in office indicated his
fidelity and his promptness in the administering of the affairs of the office. He is also a representative of the Western
Union Telegraph Company, the Wells-Fargo Express Company and has the agency for
the Sunset Telegraph Company, which has recently been extended to the
town. He is an expert telegraph operator
and an able representative of the corporations mentioned. He owns the brick business block in which his
drug store and the post office are located, and in all his business affairs he
has prospered. On the 26th of
March, 1900, Mr. Dennis organized a bank, the only one in Sutter Creek. He expected it would have a steady growth and
build up a banking business in a gradual manner; but on the first day of
opening he was rushed with deposits doing a ten-thousand-dollar business! The first three months’ business aggregated
what he expected to do in a year’s time.
So encouraging is his success that a building must be erected expressly
for his bank.
On the 30th of January,
1872, Mr. Dennis wedded Miss Frances Ricard, and to
them have been born the following named children: Wilfred, who is the superintendent of the
Free American Quartz Mining Company and the principal stockholder; Harry S.,
who enlisted in the heavy artillery at the breaking out of the Spanish-American
War and was stationed at Fort Canby until after the close of hostilities, when
he received an honorable discharge. He
next enlisted in the Third Cavalry and is now engaged in the pursuit of
Aguinaldo in the Philippines. Hazel, the
daughter of the family, is at home with her parents, who occupy a very pleasant
residence adjoining Sutter Creek, where Mr. Dennis owns forty acres of valuable
land. He is a member of the blue lodge
and chapter of the Masonic fraternity and has filled all the offices in both
branches of the Odd Fellows Society; and is also a member of the Independent
Order of Foresters and of the Chosen Friends.
His wife is a valued member of the Methodist Church. He contributes liberally to all enterprises
and an interest calculated to prove a public benefit and is one of the valued
residents of his community. His official
conduct was that of an upright, honorable businessman, who retired from office
as he had entered, with the confidence, respect and esteem of his fellow
citizens.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Pages 494-496. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2010 Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Amador County Biographies