John A. Denison

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| footer = Portrait of a young Denison as a high school student, and as a member of the Harvard Football Team, {{circa|1897}}

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Denison was born on August 17, 1875, in Chicopee, Massachusetts, near Springfield, Massachusetts.

His father, George Denison,{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QgUKAAAAIAAJ|title=Proceedings of the ... National Conference for Good City Government and of the ... Annual Meeting of the National Municipal League ... 1896 - 1910|date=1896-01-01|publisher=The League|language=en}} was the great-grandson of the founder of the Connecticut colony—Captain George Denison (b. Dec. 1620) of Mystic, Connecticut.{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/recordofdescenda1881bald/recordofdescenda1881bald_djvu.txt|title=Full text of "A record of the descendants of Capt. George Denison, of Stonington, Conn. With notices of his father and brothers, and some account of other Denisons who settled in America in the colony times"|website=archive.org|year=1881|access-date=2016-04-09}}

His mother, Elizabeth Chapin Denison, was the granddaughter of Samuel Chapin—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 ClevelandChapin, Gilbert Warren. "The Chapin Book of Genealogical Data with Brief Biographical Sketches of the Descendants of Deacon Samuel Chapin; Vol. I: First Seven Generations and Vol. II: Eighth to Twelfth Generation". Chapin Family Association, 1924. Hartford, CT. and William Howard Taft,Chapin, Gilbert Warren, Vol. II, p. 2178. abolitionist and author Harriet Beecher Stowe,Chapin, Gilbert Warren, Vol. I, p. 1071. financier J.P. Morgan,Chapin, Gilbert Warren, Vol. II, p. 1355. and poet and playwright T.S. Eliot.Gordon, Lyndall (2000). T.S. Eliot: An Imperfect Life (paperback) (1st American ed.). New York: W. W. Norton & Company. {{ISBN|0-393-04728-8}}.

File:Pequotseposmanor-mystic-ct-usa.jpg) was constructed by George Denison in 1717 and is today one of the oldest continually held homes in America. It includes the Denison Homestead and Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center. The home was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 15, 1979.]]

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{{cite web |url=http://www.dpnc.org/ |title=Home |website=dpnc.org}}—a 300-acre wildlife sanctuary, natural history museum, and educational facility in Mystic, Connecticut.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ctvisit.com/science-and-nature/denison-pequotsepos-nature-center/summary/1497 |title=Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center |access-date=2013-10-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029200000/http://www.ctvisit.com/science-and-nature/denison-pequotsepos-nature-center/summary/1497 |archive-date=2013-10-29 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web|url=http://www.5rivcon.org/HistoricalSites.html|title = Historical Sites in Southeastern Connecticut}}denisonhomestead.org/

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| footer = 1912 Campaign flyer of Mayor John A. Denison; Mayor John A. Denison presiding over Independence Day celebrations on July 4, 1913 in Springfield, Massachusetts

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Denison graduated with honors from Springfield High School. He then attended the University of Vermont.Walker, R. Hickman. (January 1936) "[https://digitalcommons.du.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6234&context=dlr Judge Denison and the Colorado Code"]. Denver Law Review vol. 13, no.6, article 3, p. 151. Later, like his father, attended Harvard University where he received his undergraduate degree in 1898 and his law degree in 1901. He was editor of the Harvard Crimson from 1896 to 1898.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_BDFYAAAAYAAJ|title=The Harvard Graduates' Magazine|last1=Thayer|first1=William Roscoe|last2=Castle|first2=William Richards|last3=Howe|first3=Mark Antony De Wolfe|last4=Pier|first4=Arthur Stanwood|last5=Voto|first5=Bernard Augustine De|last6=Morrison|first6=Theodore|date=1908-01-01|publisher=Harvard Graduates' Magazine Association|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=04QfAAAAYAAJ|title=Harvard Alumni Bulletin|date=1917-01-01|publisher=Harvard Bulletin, Incorporated|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nu8nAAAAYAAJ|title=Harvard College Class of 1898 Secretary's First Report|last=Harvard College (1780-) Class of 1898|date=1898-01-01|publisher=University Press|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qeUTAAAAIAAJ|title=Names and Addresses of Living Bachelors and Masters of Arts, and of the Holders of Honorary Degrees of Harvard University ...|date=1902-01-01|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=http://cambridge.dlconsulting.com/cgi-bin/cambridge?a=d&d=Tribune18980702-01.1.1&e=-------en-20--1--txt-IN-----|title=Cambridge Tribune 2 July 1898 — Cambridge Public Library|website=cambridge.dlconsulting.com|access-date=2016-04-09}}

Denison was elected mayor in 1912 after serving as president of the city council.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SxMFAAAAYAAJ|title=Municipal Register of the City of Springfield ...|date=1920-01-01|publisher=S. Bowles|language=en}}

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.Springfield Municipal Group On December 8, 1913, at the dedication of the three buildings, President Howard Taft, 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."Springfield Municipal Group As mayor, Denison led efforts to develop Springfield's transportation system, including rebuilding and restoring the city's train station.{{cite web |url=http://blog.pressrepublican.com/archive/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6689:looking_for_a_rail_bargain:_rouses_point_coveting_d&h_station_for_museum&catid=34:news-articles |title=Looking for a rail bargain: Rouses Point coveting D&H Station for museum |website=blog.pressrepublican.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610203456/http://blog.pressrepublican.com/archive/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6689:looking_for_a_rail_bargain:_rouses_point_coveting_d&h_station_for_museum&catid=34:news-articles |archive-date=2015-06-10}} 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{{Cite web|url=http://cambridge.dlconsulting.com/cgi-bin/cambridge?a=d&d=Chronicle19121207-01.1.2&e=-------en-20--1--txt-IN-----|title=Cambridge Chronicle 7 December 1912 — Cambridge Public Library|website=cambridge.dlconsulting.com|access-date=2016-04-09}}{{cite news|title=Judge John A. Denison Dies in His Sleep in Longmeadow Home|location=Springfield, Mass.|page=1|date=March 8, 1948|work=Springfield Union}}

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.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SxMFAAAAYAAJ|title=Municipal Register of the City of Springfield ...|date=1920-01-01|publisher=S. Bowles|language=en}}

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, John, Campaign Speech, Springfield, Massachusetts, 1912

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."

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.{{Cite web|url=http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2013/10/spririt_of_springfield_announc.html#incart_river_default|title=Spirit of Springfield announces 100-year anniversary celebration of City Hall, Symphony Hall, Campanile|website=masslive.com|date=5 October 2013|access-date=2016-04-09}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.westernmassnews.com/|title=Home|access-date=2016-04-09}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.cbs3springfield.com/story/23613971/springfield-announces-plans-for-100th-anniversary-of-municipal-group|title=Springfield plans for 100th anniversary of municipal group|last=Zeitlin|first=Hugh|website=www.cbs3springfield.com|access-date=2016-04-09}}

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Category:20th-century mayors of places in Massachusetts

Category:Mayors of Springfield, Massachusetts

Category:1875 births

Category:1948 deaths

Category:Harvard Law School alumni

Category:The Harvard Crimson people

Category:Massachusetts Republicans

Category:American judges

Category:Springfield, Massachusetts City Council members

Category:Politicians from Chicopee, Massachusetts