Transcribed from Goodspeed’s History of  Tennessee from the Earliest Time to the Present; Together with an Historical and a Biographical Sketches of from Twenty-Five to Thirty Counties of East Tennessee, Besides a Valuable Fund of Notes, Original Observations, Reminiscences, etc., etc. (Chicago and Nashville:  The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1887), pp. 962-987.  See footnote below for on-line access.

William A. DENTON was born in McMinn County, at Athens, November 13, 1829. His parents were James and Mary (GRADY) DENTON. Both were of Irish descent. The father was a native of Virginia, was born in Wythe County in October 1805, and died in Parker County, Tex., January 28, 1873. The mother was born in Pickens District, S. C., in 1812, and died in Parker County, Tex., in January, 1887. Our subject’s ancestors can be traced back three or four generations. The grandparents on his father’s side were James and Dorcas (MITCHELL) DENTON. The grandfather, James DENTON, was born, lived and died in Virginia, and was one of that State’s early and prominent farmers. The grandparents on the mother’s side were William and Susan (EAVES) GRADY. The name GRADY was at first O’GRADY, but the O was dropped by William GRADY. These persons, as well as the grandparents on the father’s side, were originally from Ireland. William GRADY was a South Carolinian. Our subject’s parents were married in McMinn County in 1827, and lived there after their marriage about seven years, then moved to Monroe County, and remained seven years. In 1840 they removed to Polk County, remaining twenty-eight years. In 1868 they returned to Monroe County, and remained two years, after which they went back to Polk, and lived again in that county one year, then came to Bradley County, lived one year, and in 1872 immigrated to Texas and settled in Parker County, where they died. The father was by trade a brick mason, but farmed also. He was an old line Whig, and a member of the Methodist Church. The mother was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Our subject is the eldest of a large family of children. He secured a good academic education in his youth, in Polk County. He began life as a merchant, and was engaged in the mercantile business at Benton, Polk County, from 1854 to 1859. Before he commenced business for himself he was a salesman in the firm of J. L. McCLARY, of Benton. In the spring of 1860 he purchased and settled on a farm in Polk County, where he lived eight years. In 1868 he sold his farm, went to Benton and lived there two years. These two years he was clerk of the circuit court of Polk County. In 1870 he came to Bradley County, purchased and settled where he now lives. He has made trading in live stock rather of a specialty. He now owns upward of 1,400 acres in Bradley and Polk Counties. On his home farm in Bradley County there is an iron ore vein, one and one-half miles in length, that is attracting considerable attention among speculators. On January 4, 1855, he married Miss Mary McCLARY, who was born in McMinn County in December, 1837. Her parents were Robert W. and Mary McCLARY. They had nine children — five sons and four daughters — four sons are dead. Our subject is a Republican, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Northern branch.

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This biography was transcribed by Sherry Pollard. We thank her for transcribing all the Goodspeed’s biographical sketches.

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