Iullus Greenleaf Denny (1859-1925)

Judge I.G. Denny, portrait from the Nov. 30, 1941 Butte, Montana Standard.

    The inaugural posting for 2015 takes us out west to Montana and "I.G." Denny of the city of Butte. After discovering that his rather hard-to-find initials stood for "Iullus Greenleaf", I immediately set to work trying to locate a picture of the man. After what seemed like hours of searching a 1941 edition of the Butte, Montana Standard yielded the above portrait of Mr. Denny, looking quite intense and grumpy! Facial expression notwithstanding, "I.G." Denny (as most sources refer to him) was a prominent lawyer and political figure in Montana during the early years of the 20th century, serving as Missoula County prosecuting attorney. Shortly before his passing in 1925, Denny served one term in the Montana House of Representatives and in 1924 was an unsuccessful aspirant for Governor of Montana.

   Denny's story begins with his birth on May 19, 1859, in Bethel, Polk County, Oregon, being one of seven children born to Aaron (1823-1903) and Almyra King Denny (1826-1892), who had migrated to the Oregon territory from Indiana. As mentioned earlier, nearly every available source on Denny's life records him by his initials, except his biography in 1913's A History of the Montana Vol. 3, which denotes his first and middle names as "Iullus Greenleaf." His first name also has a slight variation in spelling, being given as "Iulius".

    As the son of pioneer settlers in the Oregon territory, I.G. Denny was "reared to the sturdy discipline of the pioneer farm" and commenced his education in the village school of Bethel, Oregon. After unsuccessfully applying for enrollment at West Point Denny enrolled at the University of Oregon, where he studied for one year. He would leave that school to begin the study of law in the offices of Daly and Butler, where he remained for about a year. Denny decided upon a career in law during this time and earned his law degree from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon in the class of 1888.

    Soon after graduating, Denny was admitted to the Oregon bar but within a short period decided to remove to Montana. He first settled in Ravalli County but later moved to Missoula, where he would enter "vigorously upon the practice of his profession." In the succeeding years, Denny would gain a "substantial and lucrative practice" in his new hometown and in 1889 made his first attempt to gain public office, being the Democratic candidate for Missoula County prosecuting attorney. He would be defeated for that office by Republican Frederick Webster by just two hundred votes. 

   Denny made another run for Missoula County prosecuting attorney at the next election and was successful. He would serve two more terms as county attorney (1899-1901 and 1901-1903) and was also headhunted by Montana Democrats to be a potential nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives from his district. Denny had married in February 1892 to Beatrice Reynolds, to whom he was wed until her death in 1906. Two sons were born to them, Robert M. (born 1892) and Thomas R. (born 1894). 

   Sometime after his time as Missoula County attorney Denny relocated to Butte, Montana,. where he continued to practice law. Sources of the time also give note to the "I.G. Denny Law School" located in Butte. Sadly further information regarding this school remains at a minimum, although it receives prominent mention in a November 30, 1941 article on Denny featured in the Butte, Montana Standard. The Standard notes that he:

"Established what was believed to be the only private law school in the northwest, from which many Butte young men graduated and later were admitted to practice by the Supreme Court. His school was in his law offices on the Silver Bow block. Most of the classes were at night due to the fact that most of his pupils were employed during the day."

From the Montana American, May 15, 1925.

   Despite the scant information available on the I.G. Denny Law School, it is known that it produced one notable graduate from its ranks, Dimitre A. Batchoff (1888-1968), who served as U.S. Marshal for the District of Montana from 1949-1953.

   Late in his life, Denny won election as one of Silver Bow County's representatives to the Montana General Assembly, serving in the session of 1923-24. He is recorded by the Big Timber Pioneer as having been one of the legislators to introduce a bill providing for the "appropriation of $15,000 for the construction of a tannery at the state penitentiary at Deer Lodge."

   In the 1924 election year, I.G. Denny threw his hat in the ring in the race for Governor of Montana. As one of five candidates vying for the Democratic nomination during the primary season, Denny faced an uphill battle, and on primary election day placed fourth, garnering 6, 340 votes. The winner of the Democratic primary, John Edward Erickson (1863-1946), would go on to defeat Republican incumbent Joseph Dixon in November and began the first of three terms as Governor, later serving a short stint as U.S. Senator from 1933-34.
   Following his unsuccessful bid for Governor Denny continued to practice law in Butte, and in early May 1925 became afflicted with appendicitis, which in turn necessitated an operation. Denny died shortly after undergoing the operation on May 16, 1925, at age 67. He had been preceded in death by his wife Beatrice and following his passing he was interred alongside her at the St. Patrick's Cemetery in Butte (note the misspelled first name on Denny's Find-A-Grave page!)

From the Baker Sentinel May 29, 1925.

Dagobert Zeiser (1841-1925)

   A figure of distinction in the city of Troy, New York, German immigrant Dagobert Zeiser immigrated to the Empire State in 1860 and after serving in the Civil War became one of Troy's most prominent businessmen and merchants. In addition to his career as a butcher and beef wholesaler, Zeiser was active in Socialist political circles, eventually becoming the candidate of that party for Mayor of Troy and later for the New York State Senate.

   Born in Wittenberg, Germany on December 13, 1841, Dagobert Zeiser was the son of John and Caroline Mueller Zeiser. John Zeiser is remarked by the Troy Daily Times as being a well-to-do grain dealer in Wittenberg, and both of Dagobert's parents are listed as being the product of "very prominent German families". Dagobert Zeiser resided in his native country until the age of 20, whereafter he immigrated to the United States, settling in the city of Troy around 1860. 

    A few months after his arrival, Zeiser found work as a farm hand and engaged in this line of work for about two years. In late 1862 he signed on for service in the Civil War,  joining up with Company H, 169th Regiment of the New York Volunteer Infantry. His 1925 Troy Daily Times obituary notes that he "saw much service" and later suffered a grievous gunshot wound to his jaw at the Battle of Petersburg. Zeiser eventually rebounded from his war wound and was later discharged due to being "physically disabled". After being discharged from service in 1865 Zeiser returned home to Troy and on January 21st of that year married Josephine C. Rhinehart, with whom he would have a total of 15 children! Among this impressive number of offspring were six sons, (Albert, John J., Joseph, Frederick, Rudolph, and Leo) and five daughters (Josephine, Caroline, Mrs. William Grant Hague, Mrs. John Carr, and Mrs. Frederick Crowley). The three remaining Zeiser children's names are unknown at this time.
   Around the same time as his marriage, Zeiser embarked on a lifelong career as a butcher and meat producer, opening a shop in the Port Schuyler vicinity. He remained in this area until December 1882, when he ventured into wholesale beef production. In that year he and fellow butcher David Gaffey formed the company of Gaffey and Zeiser, "wholesale dealers in western dressed beef and pork." This company received a substantial write-up in the 1886 history of The City of Troy and Its Vicinity and was remarked as becoming "strongly established in public favor, and acquired, by its perseverance and enterprise, the large business in the wide extended territory mentioned." Receiving their product from the Armour Company in Chicago, Gaffey, and Zeiser would command a "great part of the territory of Northern New York, Vermont and Western Massachusetts, for the distribution of large quantities of dressed beef."
  Throughout the succeeding years, Zeiser built up a wide reputation as a consummate businessman, winning the "esteem and confidence of all brought into contact with him during the course of trade." While highly identified within the business community of Troy, Zeiser was also prominent in the activities of the Socialist Party, running on that ticket for Mayor of Troy on several occasions. His first attempt at the office came in 1894 when he ran for mayor on the Independent Democratic ticket. As one of eight candidates that year, Zeiser came out on the losing end, being defeated by incumbent Mayor Dennis J. Whelan. An article on that year's contest has been posted below.

From the September 1894 edition of the Syracuse Evening Herald.

Zeiser's 1919 Mayoral candidacy, featured in the Troy Daily Times.

   In addition to his 1894 candidacy, Zeiser ran on the Socialist ticket for mayor of Troy on several other occasions, including two contests in 1919 and 1921. In the former year, the Troy Times noted that he garnered around 700 votes, with Zieser himself relating that he "did not spend a single penny in his campaign", and that his vote total was received through integrity and his strength of character.

  In November 1922 Zeiser was again a Socialist Party candidate, this time running for a seat in the New York State Senate. In that year's contest, Zeiser squared off against incumbent Republican Frederick Draper and his Democratic opponent John P. Ryan. One should note that Zeiser was over eighty years old when he began his senate campaign, and one can wonder if his age (and not his party affiliations) were a factor when it came time for people to cast their vote. On election day 1922 Zeiser again came up short in the vote count, polling only 1,131 votes to John P. Ryan's victorious tally of 26,432. After losing this contest Zeiser made no more attempts at public office and continued to be a prominent business force in Troy. He was mentioned by the Troy Daily Times as having been engaged as a butcher and meat wholesaler for over forty-three years. 

  Dagobert Zeiser's last few months were marred by ill health, and he died at his home in Troy on April 8, 1925, at age 83. His wife Josephine had preceded him in death in 1912 and both were buried at the St. Agnes Cemetery in Troy. The portrait of him shown above was featured in his Troy Daily Times obituary, published on April 8, 1925.

A death notice for Zeiser that appeared two days following his death.