John Thomas Denny, the third child of William Peter Denny and Sarah Ann (Helm) was born Aug. 30, 1874 in Grand Chain, Illinois. He enjoyed a childhood in Woodville, KY which is located in McCracken Co., KY.

He came south along the Mississippi River with his family living and selling items off of a boat.

 

In 1890 he went with his brother, Charles Milton Denny, and his father, William Peter Denny, to South America. They started a bananna/coffee plantation but left abruptly upon having trouble with some residents. In 1895 John was in St. Francisville, LA and by 1905 started a sawmill in Erwinville, LA. The sawmill burned down in 1906 so he started a store in Erwinville. He was considered a well to do bachelor when he met, courted and married Margaret Ann Germany in Pointe Coupee, LA at an Episcopal church between Fordoche and New Roads, LA. They started housekeeping in Erwinville where they had 5 of their children: Maggie Leola Denny (1908-1988), John Thomas Denny, Jr. (1909-1975), Leo Floyd Denny (1911-1983), LaDell Denny (1913-2005), and Osceola Elden (Tootsie) Denny (1915-1989). The family then moved to Baton Rouge, La where their last 2 children were born: Cyril Clayton Denny (1917) and Margaret Melrose Denny (1927). Margaret named all of the children after someone special in her life. She gave each name a lot of thought.

 

From 1915-1917 he ran a farm where he raised sugar cane and cotton. He also planted a pecan orchard.

He had a dredge boat and dug out creeks for better drainage. A lot of people used the creeks for transportation because the roads were often muddy. He donated some land between the creek and road for a church. In 1917 he purchased and managed an automobile agency for Maxwell cars but sold out in 1920 to become a salesman for Standard Motor Car Company in Baton Rouge. He was a smart salesman.

 

He would drive a new car across the river into West Baton Rouge, pull up to a house and tell the people he'd leave the new car for them to drive and he would take the old one to be appraised for a possible trade in. He'd leave it there about a week. They'd always like the new car and want to keep it! In 1929 John owned the Hudson and Essex Car agency but he sold it before they stopped making those cars. He owned a trailer park until the men all became soldiers and went to war (WWII).

 

Margaret Ann died in 1952 and John Thomas died in 1954 while in Baton Rouge. They are both buried at the historic Magnolia Cemetery there.