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Below is a family biography included in The History of Webster County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Judge John Denney, a prosperous farmer of Webster County, Mo., was born in Wayne County, of the “Blue Grass State” on the 21st of February, 1825, his father being Benjamin Denney, of Virginia. The latter was reared in his native State, and when a young man went to Kentucky, where he became acquainted with and married Miss Mary Mounce, who was born and reared in that State. Her father, John Mounce, was one of the early pioneers of that State, and many interesting anecdotes are told of his encounters with the red man and his fights with wild animals. Mr. Denney resided in Kentucky for a number of years after his marriage, and in the fall of 1836 immigrated to Webster County, Mo., which was then a part of Pulaski County, and entered and cleared the farm on which the Judge is now living. Here he died in 1842, having lived a useful life. Judge John Denney is self-educated, his learning having been mostly acquired since reaching years of maturity, and since his father’s death he has resided on the home farm, and has a comfortable and commodious residence and pleasant surroundings. He served in the Enrolled Militia during the late war, and was called out several times. In the fall of 1878 he was elected judge of Webster County, and has held this office for ten consecutive years, the duties of which he has filled with honor to himself and to the satisfaction of his constituents. His wife is a member of the Freewill Baptist Church, and their children’s names are as follows: Crafford, who is married and resides in the county; Thomas L., who was married, and died in 1881; Mary T., who died in September, 1882, aged twenty-three years; Ellet G., married and living in Webster County; William T., who died at the age of eighteen, in January, 1882; Louisa H., the wife of William Philpot, of Douglas County; Riley and Sophronia.

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This family biography is one of 110 biographies included in The History of Webster County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Webster County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Webster County, Missouri family biographies, click here

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