Arthur A. Denny facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arthur A. Denny
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Arthur Denny circa 1890
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| Born | June 20, 1822 near Salem, Washington County, Indiana |
| Died | January 9, 1899 (aged 76) Seattle, Washington |
| Resting place | Denny Family plot, Lake View Memorial Park, Seattle. |
| Occupation | Pioneer, store owner, politician, author |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | US |
| Notable works | Pioneer Days on Puget Sound |
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Arthur Armstrong Denny (born June 20, 1822 – died January 9, 1899) was a very important person in the early history of Seattle, Washington. He was one of the main founders of the city and a leader of the group of settlers known as the Denny Party. Arthur Denny became one of Seattle's wealthiest citizens and served many terms in the local government. A hill in Seattle, Denny Hill, was named after him. It was later leveled in a big project called the Denny Regrade. However, Denny Way in Seattle is named after his younger brother, David Denny.
Contents
Early Life and Journey West
Arthur Denny was born in Indiana. When he was a child, his family moved to Illinois. His father, John Denny, was involved in politics in Illinois. Arthur had to work hard from a young age. He learned many skills, including carpentry and surveying, which is the job of measuring and mapping land. By 1843, he was a civil engineer and a surveyor for Knox County. In the same year, he married Mary Ann Boren, and they had six children together.
In 1851, Arthur Denny led a group of people, known as the Denny Party, on a long journey west. They left Illinois in April and arrived in Portland, Oregon, in August. In November, Arthur and some others sailed north to Puget Sound. They first landed at Alki Point on November 13, 1851. However, they soon realized that Alki Point was not the best place to build a city. So, the Denny Party moved to the eastern shore of Elliott Bay. This new spot, near what is now Pioneer Square, became the very first part of Seattle.
Building a City and a Career
On February 15, 1852, Arthur Denny and others officially claimed their land. Denny quickly started a business, selling goods for ship captains. He was very good at it.
Arthur Denny was also active in politics. In 1852, he helped create a petition to the U.S. Congress. This petition asked for the Oregon Territory to be split, creating a new area called the Washington Territory. This territory later became the state of Washington.
In 1854, he started a business partnership with Dexter Horton and David Phillips. He also volunteered to serve in the Indian War that was happening in the Washington Territory in 1855. Denny held many important political jobs. He was a county commissioner for two different counties. He also became Seattle's first postmaster. For nine terms, he served in the territorial House of Representatives, even becoming its speaker. From 1861 to 1865, he worked for the General Land Office, which managed public lands. He also represented the territory in the U.S. Congress for a short time.
Later, Denny focused more on business. He became a partner in Dexter Horton and Co., a bank that eventually grew into a very large bank called Seattle-First National Bank. He was also the president of the Seattle and Walla Walla Railroad Company and invested in other companies. In his later years, he wrote a book about his experiences called Pioneer Days in Puget Sound.
One of his most important contributions was helping to found the University of Washington. He even donated much of the land for its first location. Today, a building on the university's campus, Denny Hall, is named in his honor. In 1962, he was recognized for his contributions and inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners.
Personality and Beliefs
Arthur Denny was known for being a serious and disciplined person. He was a very religious Christian. He was also a careful businessman and investor.
Denny once described his decision to move from Portland to Puget Sound as a "desperate venture." This means it was a very risky and uncertain move. Historians agree, saying it was one of the few big risks he ever took.
Supporting Women's Right to Vote
Arthur Denny believed that women should have the right to vote. In 1854, he even introduced a law that would have allowed white women aged 18 and older to vote. However, the law did not pass at that time.
A Disagreement Over Land
Arthur Denny was a serious man, but he was also remembered for a clever remark he made. In his book, he wrote about a disagreement he had with another founder, David Swinson "Doc" Maynard, over how to plan the streets of Seattle. Denny said that Doc Maynard, who sometimes drank, had "taken enough to cause him to feel that he was not only monarch of all he surveyed, but what Boren and I had surveyed as well." This meant Maynard thought he controlled all the land, even the parts Denny and Boren had already measured.
It was later found that Arthur Denny was actually mistaken about the direction the streets should run. This shows that even important founders could make mistakes!
Writings
- Pioneer Days on Puget Sound (1888).
- Pioneer Days on Puget sound, published by The Alice Harriman Company, Seattle, 1908
