Résumé

Carpenter, Chautauqua, NY, 1880.

Partner, Proctor and Dennis, Architects, Tacoma, WA, c. 1889-1891. The firm of Proctor and Dennis was listed in the Tacoma City Directory of 1891, but each had his own listing in the directory of the following year.

Principal, Oliver P. Dennis, Architect, Tacoma, WA, 1892-1893. In 1892, Dennis had an office in Rooms #601-603 of the Washington Building in Tacoma. The following year, Dennis had an office in Room #520 of the Fidelity Building in Tacoma. (See Tacoma, Washington, City Directory, 1893, p. 291.) He remained in this Fidelity Building office in 1895. (SeeTacoma, Washington, City Directory, 1895, p. 227.) Dennis was also listed in the 1900 US Census as working as an architect in Tacoma. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Tacoma Ward 7, Pierce, Washington; Page: 7; Enumeration District: 0189; FHL microfilm: 1241749, accessed 02/23/2019.)

Like several Washington State architect, it appears that Oliver Perry Dennis relocated some of his operations to Southern CA during the economically depressed years just following 1893. Construction in Los Angeles does not seem to have slowed as much as other parts of the West between 1893 and 1897. Others to move included the important Seattle architects Elmer H. Fisher (exact dates not known) and John Parkinson (1861-1935).

Partner, Dennis and Farwell, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 05/1895-03/1913. In 1896, Dennis and Farwell had an office in Room #414 of the Stimson Building. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1896, p. 1670.) The following year, the firm was located in Room #414 of the Currier Building in Los Angeles. (See Maxwell's Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1897, p. 280.)

Principal, O.P. Dennis, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 1914. Dennis had an office at 326 West 3rd Street, Room #618, in 1914. (See Los Angeles City Directory, 1914, p. 862.)

Partner, Dennis and Rasche, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1915.

Principal, Oliver Perry Dennis, Architect, Los Angeles, CA, 1919- . In 12/1919, the Architect and Engineerreported: ""Mr. O.P. Dennis has opened an office in room 322 Markham building, 6372 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles." (See "Personal," Architect and Engineer, vol. LX, no. 1, 01/1920, p. 113.)

Relocation

Born in Delaware County, NY, Oliver P. Dennis lived with his family on a farm near Colchester, Delaware County, NY, in the southeastern part of the state, between 1858 and 1865, at least. The farm was located nearest to the post office in Walton, NY, about two miles west of Colchester. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1860; Census Place: Colchester, Delaware, New York; Roll: M653_744; Page: 866; Family History Library Film: 803744, accessed 02/22/2019.)

The 1865 NY State Census listed members of the household as including brothers William H. Dennis, Thomas Dennis, Edward Dennis, Oliver P., John Dennis, and his maternal grandmother Nancy A. Brumley (born c. 1795 in NY). At that time, William worked as a carpenter, but Thomas and Edward both were listed as farmers. Later, Thomas would later turn to carpentry, as well. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. New York, U.S., State Census, 1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014, accesseed 07/23/2021.)

They moved to Evergreen, Sanilac County, in northeastern MI, sometime between 1865 and 1870. His family was not well-to-do. The 1870 US Census indicated that Oliver Dennis owned about $400 worth of real estate and had a personal estate of $300. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1870; Census Place: Evergreen, Montcalm, Michigan; Roll: M593_692; Page: 107A; Family History Library Film: 552191, accessed 11/16/2017.)

By 1875, another NY State Census listed the family having returned to the state, living in Chauitauqua, NY. Their farm near Chautauqua had an approximate value of $400. The 1880 US Census listed as Oliver living at home on the farm in Chautauqua with his parents and brother John. Oliver P. Dennis worked as a carpenter at this time. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Chautauqua, Chautauqua, New York; Roll: 815; Page: 76C; Enumeration District: 042, accessed 07/23/2021.)

Dennis dwelled on the east side of Ester Street near the southeast corner of the Bowe's Addition Tract. (See Tacoma, Washington, City Directory, 1892, p. 259.) The following year, he moved to a residence at 910 Proctor Avenue between 9th and 10th Streets in the Bowe Addition tract of Tacoma, WA, in 1893. (See Tacoma, Washington, City Directory, 1893, p. 291.) The 1900 US Census record the Dennis Family still living at 910 Proctor Avenue.(See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Tacoma Ward 7, Pierce, Washington; Page: 7; Enumeration District: 0189; FHL microfilm: 1241749, accessed 02/23/2019.)

Dennis himself, however, registered to vote in Los Angeles on 06/11/1896, while he lived at 1353 Star Street. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1896; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 21; FHL Roll Number: 976930, accessed 07/23/2021.) He continued to reside here in 1897. (See Maxwell's Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1897, p. 280.)

According to the US Census of 1900, he continued to reside here with his wife, Rosella, and their two children, daughter, Jessica, and son, Scott P. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Tacoma Ward 7, Pierce, Washington; Roll: 1749; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 0189; FHL microfilm: 1241749, accessed 11/16/2017.)

Dennis on his own lived in a boarding house at 7017 Hawthorne Avenue from at least 1910 until 1920. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1910, p. 403 and Los Angeles City Directory, 1914, p. 862.) The US Census of 1920 reported that Dennis resided there, and was listed as divorced. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Los Angeles Assembly District 63, Los Angeles, California; Roll: T625_106; Page: 21A; Enumeration District: 164, accessed 02/02/2021.)

The architect died in 1927, and was buried in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA.

Parents

His father was Oliver H. Dennis (born c. 1818 in NY), who owned small farms near Colchester, NY, in 1865, Evergreen, MI, in 1870, and Chautauqua, NY, in 1875-1880. Oliver H. Dennis may have found in the Civil War, as his name was included on a 06/1863 list of eligible men living in the 19th Congressional District consisting of NY's Chenango, Delaware and Otsego Counties. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Consolidated Lists of Civil War Draft Registration Records (Provost Marshal General's Bureau; Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865); Record Group: 110, Records of the Provost Marshal General's Bureau (Civil War); Collection Name: Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865 (Civil War Union Draft Records); NAI: 4213514; Archive Volume Number: 3 of 3, accessed 07/23/2021.)

His mother was Julia Ann Brumley (born c. 1820 in PA), who was one of ten children had by her mother, Nancy Brumley. Julia had had seven children herself by 1865, and she maintained the busy household. The 1880 US Census indicated that Julia had been struck with paralysis. This document indicated that her father had been Scottish, and mother, English. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Chautauqua, Chautauqua, New York; Roll: 815; Page: 76C; Enumeration District: 042, accessed 07/23/2021.)

Julia Brumley died before 1892., but Oliver H. Dennis lived until at least age 81, when he resided with his son Thomas, his wife Francis J. Blanding (born c. 09/1851 in NY) and their two of their sons, Leland E. Dennis (born c. 03/1872 in NY) and Merle D. Dennis (born 06/18/1882 in NY) in Chautauqua. It appears that the family did not farm any longer, as Thomas, Leland and Merle all worked as carpenters. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Chautauqua, Chautauqua, New York; Page: 11; Enumeration District: 0079; FHL microfilm: 1241014, accesssed 07/23/2021.)

Oliver Perry Dennis was one of seven children of Oliver H. and Julia Ann. The New York State Census of 1865 listed five brothers being William Dennis (born c. 1845 in Delaware County, NY) and Thomas Dennis (born c. 1847 in Delaware County, NY), Edward Dennis (born c. 1851 in Delaware County, NY) and John Dennis (born c. 1861 in Delaware County, NY). The 1880 US Census carried a note that John was mentally incapacitated and did not work.

Spouse

On 12/22/1887, Oliver Dennis wed Rosella Miller, (born 08/05/1863 in IL-d. 05/08/1948 in Los Angeles, CA), in Minneapolis, MN. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information: Minnesota, Marriages Index, 1849-1950 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011, accessed 02/22/2019.)

The two divorced before 1910. She listed herself as a "wid O.P. " in the Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1910, (p. 403), even though the architect was very much alive and listed three names above hers in the directory. Oliver resided at 717 Hawthorne Avenue, Hollywood. while Rosella lived at 500 Carlton Way, neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA, in 1910, with her children Jessica and Scott in 1910. The US Census of 1910 indicated that she lived on her "own income" at that time. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Los Angeles Assembly District 70, Los Angeles, California; Roll: T624_84; Page: 11A; Enumeration District: 0276; FHL microfilm: 1374097, accessed 11/16/2017.)

She was buried at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Los Angeles, CA.

Children

He and Rosella had two children, Jessica Dennis (born 10/1888 in WA) and Scott Perry Dennis (born 07/1890 in WA-d. 1948).

Biographical Notes

According to Los Angeles voting records in 1896, Dennis, at age 37, stood 5-feet, 9 3/4-inches tall, wtth light complexion, blue eyes and light hair. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 21; FHL Roll Number: 976930, accessed 02/22/2019.)

• Los Angeles, CA (Architect's Death)
  Los Angeles, CA

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