Joseph H. Denny (June 17, 1883 – January 20, 1962) was a Vermont businessman and politician who served as Speaker of the

Vermont House of Representatives The Vermont House of Representatives is the lower house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The House comprises 150 members, with each member representing around 4,100 citizens. Representatives ar ...

and

President Pro Tem A president pro tempore or speaker pro tempore is a constitutionally recognized officer of a legislative body who presides over the chamber in the absence of the normal presiding officer. The phrase '' pro tempore'' is Latin "for the time being ...

of the Vermont Senate.

Biography

Joseph Harold Denny was born in Northfield, Vermont on June 17, 1883. He graduated from

Norwich University Norwich University – The Military College of Vermont is a private senior military college in Northfield, Vermont. It is the oldest private and senior military college in the United States and offers bachelor's and master's degrees on-campus ...

in 1905, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in

chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

. After graduating from college Denny operated a Northfield grocery store and worked as a salesman for

Fairbanks Scales Fairbanks is a Municipal home rule, home rule city and the county seat, borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska, Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. Fairbanks is the largest city in the Alaska Interior, In ...

. In 1910 he became active in the insurance business as the owner and operator of an agency in Northfield. Denny also became active in banking, serving as President of the Northfield Trust Company. A Republican, Denny served as Chairman of Northfield's School Board from 1929 to 1934. In 1932 he was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives and served two terms, 1933 to 1937. Denny was elected to the Vermont Senate in 1938 and served two terms, 1939 to 1943. In 1941 he served as the Senate's President Pro Tem. Denny was elected to the Vermont House for the second time in 1942 and served two terms, 1943 to 1947. From 1945 to 1947 he served as House Speaker. In 1946 Denny was a candidate for

lieutenant governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

, but withdrew before the primary election was held. Denny died in Northfield on January 20, 1962. He was buried in Northfield's Mount Hope Cemetery.Vermont Death Records, 1909-2008, record for Florence M. (Mrs. Joseph H.) Denny, accessed via Ancestry.com, March 24, 2012

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Denny, Joseph H. 1883 births 1962 deaths People from Northfield, Vermont Republican Party members of the Vermont House of Representatives Speakers of the Vermont House of Representatives Republican Party Vermont state senators Presidents pro tempore of the Vermont Senate Norwich University alumni 20th-century American legislators Burials in Vermont