Maryland, 1777-79, was his great-great-grandfather. Colo-
nel Robert McPherson took an active part in establishing the
independence of the Colonies and in the Revolution.
From the above record it is not difficult to see from whence
John M. Dennis derived his love of statesmanship and inter-
est in public affairs.
John M. Dennis was educated in the public schools of
Frederick County and for two years attended Milton Acad-
emy at Philopolis, Baltimore County, Maryland. At sixteen
years of age he left Maryland and was employed by the C.
W. & B. Railroad Co. in Cincinnati, Ohio and remained
West in different railroad positions until June, 1890, when
he returned to Baltimore and formed a connection with the
firm of Tate, Muller & Company, grain merchants, which was
succeeded by the firm of Louis Muller & Company, of which
Mr. Dennis became president and remained president until
December 1, 1914, when he was elected president of the
Union Trust Company of Maryland, Baltimore, occupying
this position until lie resigned on May 9, 1933. Mr. Dennis
served as director of the Maryland National Bank, of Balti-
more, from October 2, 1905, until its merger with the Na-
tional Bank of Commerce of Baltimore on May 29, 1914.
After the merger he served as a director of the National
Bank of Commerce until February 17, 1916, when he re-
signed. He also served as a director of the Continental
Trust Company from January 5, 1909, and a member of the
Executive Committee from January 4, 1910, until he re-
signed November 30, 1914, to accept the presidency of the
Union Trust Company of Maryland.
In 1899 Mr. Dennis married Mary Chiles of Independence,
Jackson County, Missouri. He has two children, John Mc-
Pherson Dennis, Jr., and Mrs. Theodore Gould.
Mr. I)ennis is a large land owner in Frederick County and
also in Baltimore County, where he resides on his farm near
Riderwood. He was elected president of the Maryland State
flairymen’s Association in November, 1915, and is an exten-
sive breader of Holstein-Friesian cattle. He is also presi-
dent of the Maryland State Fair and Agricultural Society.
Mr. Dennis is Treasurer and member of the Board of
Regents of the University of Maryland, Treasurer and
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Teachers’ Retire-
ment System of the State of Maryland, and an officer and
director in a number of financial and other corporations
among which are the following: Baltimore Tube Company.
Director; Belvedere Hotel Company, Baltimore, Vice-Presi-
dent and Director; Claiborne-Annapolis Ferry Company.