An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., 
The Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893, page 450

	STEPHEN D. DENNIS, editor and manager of the Vancouver Columbian. This paper
was established in 1890, the stock having been subscribed by a number of stanch
Democrats of Clarke county, and our subject was selected to take charge as
business manager. It made its first appearance as a four-page, six-column
journal, and so continued until March 13, 1891, when it was enlarged to nine
columns. In January, 1893, it made its appearance as an eight-page journal, is
now the leading paper of the county, and compares favorably with any weekly
journal of the Northwest. It has a far greater circulation than any weekly of
the county, and under its able management has constantly increased its
circulation. It has been self-sustaining almost from the beginning, and its
financial success has been highly satisfactory to the stockholders. Mr. Dennis,
although not an old journalist, is certainly a man of push, energy and executive
ability.
	He was born in Adams county, Illinois, April 12, 1861, a son of Allen and
Mary (Whittaker) Dennis, natives of Tennessee. The father died in 1871. On both
sides the family are old American citizens, and the ancestors were patriot
soldiers in the Revolutionary war. Stephen D., the eldest of nine children,
remained in his native State until seventeen years of age, when he entered the
high school of Great Bend, Kansas, and attended that institution until 1879. He
then worked for a time in a printing office of that city, but did not complete
his trade, and later returned to the State of his birth. Mr. Dennis next engaged
in teaching, holding a certificate from Kansas; also contributed to various
journals; was a merchant and Post-master of Chestline, Illinois; purchased and
conducted the Lane County Herald in Kansas fifteen months, and in 1886 came to
Vancouver, Washington. Soon after locating here Mr. Dennis engaged in milling in
Clarke county, owned and successfully conducted a shingle mill five years, and
was then employed in buying and selling town and country property until he took
charge of the Vancouver Columbian. Our subject was chosen by the Washington
State Editorial Association as a delegate to San Francisco, and is also
correspondent from southwestern Washington of the San Francisco Examiner and
Seattle Telegraph. Was military correspondent of the Omaha Bee, has been a
member of the City Council of Vancouver, has represented his county in the State
Convention of 1890-í92 and in the State Democratic Central Committee, and was
practically the organizer of the southwestern Washington counties, representing
the Democratic Union in 1892. In addition to his other interests, Mr. Dennis
owns 630 acres of farm land in Clarke county, 240 acres of which is located on
Lake river, and is known as Cedar Dale. He also owns residence property in
Vancouver, and twenty-six acres adjoining the city, which is devoted to
fruit-growing.
	In Illinois, February 18, 1880, Mr. Dennis was united in marriage with Miss
Amanda R. Spires, a native of that State. They have five children: Arthur,
Ethel, Albert, Elsie and Elmer. Socially, our subject is a member of the F. & A.
M., blue lodge and chapter, also of the K. of P. and the O.U.A.M. At the present
time he is filling one of the official chairs in the first named order.

Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in October 2003 by Jeffrey L. Elmer

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Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.