Dr. Edward L. Denison, physician, legislator and Marion Alderman, was born August 16, 1835, in Senaca, New York.  He was the son of Edward L. Denison (1789-1871) and Eveline Hitchcock (1808-1886) and the brother of prosperous Marion businessman and Mayor, Charles H. Denison.

Edward had four brothers and sisters:  David Delome Denison (1827-1864), Charles Hoton Denison (1837-1908), Harriet Newel Denison (1840) and Amelia Emma Denison (1843). Charles H. married Mary Elizabeth Bundy Mar. 21, 186x; Harriet married George A. Seaver June 20, 185x, and Amelia married J. D. Walden on October 24, 1864.

Edward L., the father, moved the family to Huron County, Ohio in 1844 and in the 1850 census the family was living in Ruggles, Ashland County, Ohio. All four of their children were born in Ohio.  He then moved the family on to McHenry County, Illinois in 1854.  Edward L., the son and our subject, attended college at Marengo Seminary and moved to Southern Illinois in 1857. He taught school in Jackson, Union and Williamson Counties and studied medicine. 

On March 31, 1861 he married Marietta Bentley. She was born about 1839 and was the daughter of Alonzo Bentley and Rachel Mandeville and the sister of Dr. W. J. Bentley of Marion. 

Edward and Marietta settled on a farm in the southern part of the county. He entered medical school in 1864 and graduated from the Chicago Medical School in 1866. 

After medical school he practiced from his home until 1869 when he and his family moved to Marion where he entered the drug business and practiced medicine. 

Dr. Denison was Williamson County’s first Republican representative in the lower houses of the twenty-sixth general assembly in 1869, serving one term, representing Williamson and Jackson Counties.  At his one session, the law was passed to establish and maintain the Normal University at Carbondale. The fifteenth amendment to the U.S. constitution was ratified by a strict party vote. This provided the right to vote, should not be abridged on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Dr. Denison’s nephew, Edward E. Denison, the son of his brother, Charles H. Denison, also served as a congressman for eight terms.

In the 1880 census, Edward and Mary Etta were living in Marion, Williamson County, Illinois. They had five children:  Emmet, 15; Charles H., 13; Edward L., 9; Miland, 7; and Cary M., 3. Edward was listed as a physician.

Edward was an alderman in Marion in 1882 under Mayor Leroy A. Goddard. His fellow aldermen were: J.M. Campbell, T.J. Goodall, Thomas Dunaway, John P. Moore, and Rueben Borton.

In the spring of 1886, Dr. Levi B. Casey moved to Marion and began the practice of his profession in partnership with Dr. E. L. Denison, then in the drug business. Dr. Casey was not the only person to enter medicine under the tutelage of Dr. Denison. Johnston City resident and Civil War veteran, Dr. Benjamin R. Felts (1842-1914) also studied under him after Felts graduated from medical college in St. Louis.

In 1888 he moved with his family to Spokane Falls, Washington.  He was said to be the first medical doctor on the Spokane Prairie.

In the 1900 census, Dr. Edward L. Denison was living in Bridge, Spokane County, Washington. Only daughter Carrie M., 25, was still living at home with her parents.  Edward was 64 and Mary E. was 62 and they had been married 37 years.  He was listed as not having been employed for one month in the past year.

He returned to Marion in December of 1900, two weeks previous to his death; his family returned 6 months before him.  The day of his death he was heard to remark that he came back to his old home to spend his remaining days among his friends of former years.  The day he died he had returned from the country where he had attended a patient and was sitting and talking to his wife.  He complained of feeling bad and sank in death.

Edward died on December 23, 1900 and was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery. He was a Mason and member of the Christian Church.

Notes on the Children:  All born in Marion, Illinois

Emmet L. Denison was born Sept. 1864 and died in Spokane, Washington.  He married Agnes Downey. In 1900 he was a farmer in Kootenai, Idaho.  They had six children:  Harry, Earl J., Fred J., Frank W., Agnes M., and Lawrence Denison.

Charles H. Denison was born on Feb. 16, 1867 and died August 8, 1941 in Stevens County, Washington. He married Eva Jane Barker Nov. 11, 1890.  In 1910 he was a farmer in Douglas County, Washington.  They had 8 children:  Erma V., Clara, Altha C., Lyle G., Ray, Roy, Dennis C., and Jessie.  Enna may be another child.

Edward Lyman Denison was born June 18, 1870 and died Apr. 29, 1952 at Fort Pierce, Florida. He married Margaret L. O’Grady of Chicago Oct. 18, 1893.  He was a physician.

Milan Denison he was born 1872 and died May 30, 1898 in Spokane, Washington.  He married Bernice Long. They had children Hope and Lyle Milan Denison.  Bernice married Stanley Sickafoose after Milan died.

Caroline Marie Denison Lang she was born May 1874 and died in Spokane, Washington.  She married Philip Lang.

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(Sources: Goodspeed’s History of Williamson County; Federal Census Records; Pioneer Folks and Places by Barbara Barr Hubbs; Photo from the Williamson County Historical Society; compiled by Colleen Norman)