| Notes |
Married:
- John and Elizabeth were married in Somerset, Kentucky on April 11, 1880, she was 15 years old. Wedding song was, "Pass me not Oh Gentle Savior". John F. Denney married his first cousin, Elizabeth Ellen VanHook, who was born in Pulaski County, Kentucky in 1865 (Johns mother, Mary Reynolds, was the sister of Lydia Reynolds, Elizabeth's mother). They were married at Jesse Reynolds home by her father, Benjamin VanHook. Witnesses present included William Morgan and William Denney.
On 22 Feb 1904, at the age of 47, John was shot and killed by 18-year-old Arch Morgan (supposedly a relative of Elizabeth - the VanHook's and Morgan's in this area were intermarried a few times). John F's last words were quoted as: "Oh Lordy, I am shot!" One of the sons was also wounded in the gunfight, but survived.
Archie Morgan, born 12 May 1885, was the son of Milton P. Morgan and Nancy Belle Morgan.
From the Springfield News-Leader (Springfield, MO), 24 Feb 1904, page 1:
"John Denney's Inquest - An inquest was held yesterday over the remains of John Denney who was shot Monday morning near Strafford by Arch Morgan. The verdict of the jury was to the effect that Mr. Denney had died from wounds caused by the firing of a shot gun by Arch Morgan with felonious intent. Morgan will be brought to this city and placed in the county jail."
From The Sedalia Democrat, (Sedalia, Missouri), 24 Feb 1904, Page 6
"Killed Over Board Bill - John Denney, a farmer living 3 miles south of Strafford, says the Springfield Republican, was shot and killed yesterday afternoon by Arch Morgan, who had formerly boarded at the Denney home. In the morning the two men had engaged in a dispute over a board bill and parted in anger. Several hours later Morgan with with three friends returned to Mr. Denney's house and another quarrel resulted. Finally, becoming enraged, Morgan discharged the shotgun which he carried, killing Mr. Denney almost instantly, and seriously wounding his son. Morgan was later placed under arrest by officers from Strafford."
Arch Morgan was convicted of 2nd degree murder for the shooting, and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Morgan was admitted to the Missouri State Penitentiary on 6 Feb 1905. The Missouri State Penitentiary was the first state penal institution west of the Mississippi River. It opened its doors in 1836 and operated continuously until 2004. The Missouri State Penitentiary, also called MSP or the Walls, was a notoriously brutal prison. In 1967, Time Magazine named it "the bloodiest 47 acres in America." However, Morgan served less than 4 years, being released on Christmas Eve in 1908. His sentence was commuted by Missouri governor Joseph W. Folk.
https://s1.sos.mo.gov/records/archives/archivesdb/msp/Detail.aspx?id=27892
(from notes of Opal E.E. Denney) John F was shot during a dispute over a $1.98 boarding bill (Jim Denney has the court records). As it turned out, Arch owed a $1.98 boarding bill to John F., and because he could not pay, John was holding on to Arch's belongings as collateral for the debt. The shooting occurred as John and two of his sons were cutting wood in the forest.There is a Denney/Morgan connection that I have yet to find. It may be through the VanHook line (it seems that John VanHook, Denney's Nephew, had advanced knowledge of the forthcoming gunfight).
John VanHook, who was a witness at the trial, was later killed while trying to hop a train in Ohio. Arch Morgan later accidently shot and killed himself, while hunting on March 12, 1938.
John and Elizabeth are buried in Danforth Cemetery in Stafford, Missouri. It is one mile North of East Division Street Road on County Road Y. Elizabeth's second marriage was in 1907 to Alec J. Hall.
1900 US Census - Dist 52, Jackson, Greene Co., MO
John F. Denney, 42, b. Sept 1857 KY, married 20 years, farmer
Lizzie E. Denney, 34, b. Jun 1865 KY, married 20 years
Wm. M. Denney, 19, b. May 1881 KY
Jas. F. Denney, 16, b. Dec 1883 MO
Lucy J. Denney, 14, b. Feb 1886 MO
Eugene Denney, 11, b. Mar 1889 MO
Susie E. Denney, 9, b. Aug 1890 MO
Lillian Denney, 8, b. Sep 1891 MO
Benj. Denney, 6, b. Jun 1894, MO
John E. Denney, 3, b. May 1897 MO
McFarland Denney, 7 months, b. Oct 1899 MO
|
| Children |
| | 1. William Markham Denney, b. 24 May 1881, Pulaski, KY  , d. 24 Feb 1958, Texas |
| | 2. James Franklin Denney, b. 19 Dec 1883, Strafford, Greene, MO , d. 2 Oct 1958, Kansas City, Jackson, MO |
| | 3. Lucy Jane Denney, b. 14 Feb 1886, Greene, MO , d. 29 Apr 1973, Strafford, Greene, MO |
| | 4. Eugene Snodgrass Denney, b. 26 Mar 1887, Greene, MO , d. 2 Jul 1931 |
| | 5. Susie Ellen Denney, b. 19 Aug 1890, Greene, MO , d. 17 Feb 1926 |
| | 6. Lillian Ophelia Denney, b. 19 Sep 1892, Strafford, Greene, MO , d. 24 Jan 1972, Tulsa, OK |
| | 7. Benjamin Primer Denney, b. 1 Jan 1894, Strafford, Greene, MO , d. 9 May 1952, Springfield, Greene, MO |
| | 8. John Albert Denney, b. 18 May 1896, d. 27 Sep 1984, Leavenworth, KS |
| | 9. Edward Mcfarland Denney, b. 19 Oct 1899, Greene, MO , d. 10 Dec 1947, Lake Station, Tulsa, OK |
| | 10. Augustia May (Gussie) Denney, b. 29 Aug 1902, Strafford, Greene, MO , d. 5 May 1983 |
|
1865 - 1948
