William Peter Denny was the 5th child of George Denny and Ruth Peter born 1836 in Wadesboro, Calloway Co., KY. He enjoyed a childhood in McCracken Co.,Ky and married Sarah Ann Helm in 1865 there.

 

Some of his journals survive today, 1860-1870 and a ledger from a business in 1887. William took the tragedies in life as equally as he took the triumphs. He worked hard all of his life. They had 4 children: Georgia Denny (1866-1870), Charles Milton Denny (1869-1951), John Thomas Denny (1874-1954), and Leo Clyde Denny (1883-1973). He was a farmer most of his life.

 

In 1870 he was listed as a blacksmith. Later he came south along the Mississippi River with his family living and selling items off of a boat.

 

In 1890 he and his two oldest sons went to South American and started a banana/coffee plantation but left abruptly after trouble with the locals. He brought back a parrot which stayed on his shoulder as he continued to work along the river. They settled in Simmesport, LA where William Peter died in 1909 and was buried. Before he died he had no living male grandsons and remarked that he was going to heaven with only granddaughters. It was said that he went to heaven and sent back a bunch of boys as several grandsons were born in within a few years of his death.

 

Sarah died in 1931 in Meridian, MS. after living several years being blind. She was a very brave person. At one time she was staying in San Antonio taking care of her grandson while her daughter in law was in the tuberculous hospital. She would be walking the streets of San Antonio and would just knock on the door and ask if she could use their bathroom!

 

Charles Milton Denny married Amanda Neal on Cat Island in 1899. They were married by a boat captain.

They had 5 children: Wilma Denny, Charles Milton Denny, Jr., William Thomas Denny, Neal Denny, and Walden Joseph Denny, Charles helped his dad with the boat store and the store in Simmesport. He also ran a ferry before heading west to California where he died in 1951. Amanda died in CA in 1968.

 

Leo Clyde Denny married Katie Rose O'Sullivan in 1911 in Baton Rouge, LA. They had 3 children: Leo Clyde Denny, Jr., Larry Vincent Denny, Lyle Malcom Denny. Katie died in San Antonio in 1919. Leo Clyde Sr. married second to Loni ___, and thirdly to Pauline Perkins.