William Henry Denson

William Henry Denson ( born March 4, 1846 in Uchee, Russell County, Alabama; † September 26, 1906 in Birmingham, Alabama) was an American lawyer and politician (Democratic Party).

Career

William Henry Denson attended the Community School and the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. He left the University of Alabama in 1863 and joined the Confederate Army. After the Civil War, he worked on his father's farm and studied law. He was admitted as a solicitor in 1868 and then began to practice in Union Springs. In October 1870, he moved to La Fayette, where in 1874 he became mayor.

Denson also pursued a political career. He was in 1876 a member of the House of Representatives from Alabama. In the following year he moved to Gadsden, where he pursued his activities as a lawyer again. Denson was appointed on June 30, 1885 by U.S. President Grover Cleveland to the Federal Attorney for the Middle and Northern District of Alabama, a position which he held until June 3, 1889. Then he took part in 1890 as a delegate to the Democratic State Convention, where he presided. He was elected to the 53rd U.S. Congress, however, failed in 1894 and re-elected in the 54th U.S. Congress. Denson belonged to the U.S. House of Representatives on 4 March 1893 to 3 March 1895. Then he moved to Birmingham, where he pursued his activities as a lawyer again. He died there in 1906 and was buried at the Elmwood Cemetery.