John Avery Denison (August 17, 1875 – March 7, 1948) was an American politician and judge. He was Mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts, and a judicial appointee of Calvin Coolidge.

Early life and family

Denison was born on August 17, 1875, in Chicopee, Massachusetts, near Springfield, Massachusetts. His father, George Denison, was the great-grandson of the founder of the Connecticut colony—Captain George Denison (b. Dec. 1620) of

Mystic, Connecticut Mystic is a village and census-designated place (CDP) in Groton, Connecticut, Groton and Stonington, Connecticut, United States. Historically, Mystic was a significant Connecticut seaport with more than 600 ships built over 135 years starting in ...

. His mother, Elizabeth Chapin Denison, was the granddaughter of

Samuel Chapin Samuel Chapin (baptized October 8, 1598 – November 11, 1675) was a prominent early settler of Springfield, Massachusetts. He served the town as selectman, magistrate and deacon (in the Massachusetts Bay Colony there was little separation ...

—a prominent early settler of Springfield, Massachusetts—whose statue stands in Springfield's Merrick Park. Through his mother, Denison was a close relative of United States Presidents

Grover Cleveland Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. Cleveland is the only president in American ...

and

William Howard Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States (1909–1913) and the tenth chief justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft was elected pr ...

, abolitionist and author Harriet Beecher Stowe, financier J.P. Morgan, and poet and playwright

T.S. Eliot Thomas Stearns Eliot (26 September 18884 January 1965) was a poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, literary critic and editor.Bush, Ronald. "T. S. Eliot's Life and Career", in John A Garraty and Mark C. Carnes (eds), ''American National B ...

Denison Homestead

The Denison family's home ( Pequotsepos Manor) was built in 1717 and has been continuously held by the same family since that date—one of the oldest homes to have been retained by the same family in the United States. Today, the Denison Homestead includes regional museum and the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center—a 300-acre wildlife sanctuary, natural history museum, and educational facility in Mystic, Connecticut.

Education

Denison graduated with honors from Springfield High School. He then attended the University of Vermont. Later, like his father, attended

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

where he received his undergraduate degree in 1898 and his law degree in 1901. He was editor of the

Harvard Crimson The Harvard Crimson are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Harvard College. The school's teams compete in NCAA Division I. As of 2013, there were 42 Division I intercollegiate varsity sports teams for women and men at Harvard, more than ...

from 1896 to 1898.

Mayor and judge

Denison was elected mayor in 1912 after serving as president of the city council. As mayor, Denison oversaw construction and dedication of the Springfield Municipal Group, which includes City Hall, Bell Tower and Symphony Hall and which remain today as the seat of Springfield's government. On December 8, 1913, at the dedication of the three buildings, President

Howard Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States (1909–1913) and the tenth chief justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft was elected pre ...

, who was in attendance, referred to the three buildings Denison had spearheaded as "one of the most distinctive civic centers in the United States, and indeed the world." As mayor, Denison led efforts to develop Springfield's transportation system, including rebuilding and restoring the city's train station. In 1920, Calvin Coolidge appointed Denison to a judicial seat, where he served until his retirement. He died at his home in Longmeadow on March 7, 1948

Record as mayor and judge

Denison was a progressive mayor and judge during a period of change in Massachusetts and an advocate for environmental conservation. His position set a tone of inclusivity in regional politics at the time. At a 1912 campaign speech, Denison was quoted as saying: "We have numerous classes of people. Each class has its special viewpoint and special need. All classes should have representation and a part in the city's government so that the needs of all can be best presented, appreciated, and met. Power should not be concentrated in the hands of a few, least of all if those few are drawn from the same walk of life." Denison was also an advocate for public service. Denison's first acceptance speech as mayor in 1913 entitled "Endeavors in the Municipality" sought to reach all the City's residents noting "do your share in this city of ours and if you learn about and understand your government, if you give of yourselves freely to many kinds of public and quasi-public undertakings, you will find your return a hundredfold."

2013 centennial and return of city key

On October 4, 2013, Springfield mayor Domenic Sarno announced a centennial celebration of Mayor Denison's service and the Springfield Municipal Group. At the ceremony, Denison's great-grandson, Jonathan Fantini Porter, returned to Springfield the original key to City Hall which was given to Mayor Denison and President Howard Taft at the building's 1913 dedication.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Denison, John Mayors of Springfield, Massachusetts 1875 births 1948 deaths Harvard Law School alumni The Harvard Crimson people Massachusetts Republicans American judges Springfield, Massachusetts City Council members