Denton

By Mary Bailey

A greater portion of the land around Denton was at one time owned by Charles Stewart. He married Fannie Denton from Tennessee. They ran a hotel which she continued after his death, enlarging the hotel when the community began to more thickly settled. There was a total of 19 rooms in the hotel. The place was named after Mrs. Fannie Denton Stewart. The railroad was built the year of 1889, and after the railroad was built coal mines were opened. At one time there were two caol camps with stores. The Prichard family helped alot in the developing of industry around the area.

The first school house was just a small one room building. Later as buisness developed, Dr. Henderson moved to Denton and sowed the seeds of a larger school and was instrumental in obtaing one.

The last mining done around Denton was the Clay mining done by the Harbison Walker Refractories Co.

Church was held by all denominations at the Denton school. Later, H.M. Queen moved to the community and was instrumental in building the first church building. The Missionry Baptist Church was completed in 1901. Some of the early settlers who helped build the church (this also was built by the citizens without outside help) were: H.M. Queen, George Clark, Joe Branham, M.T. Cooksey, M.L. Bailey, and Elihue Webb.

One of Denton's more well known citizens is Everett B. Reeves, the son of Alden Blankenship Reeves and Claudia Olga Holbrook Reeves. He was reared and educated in Carter County and later moved to Ashland, where he served as Mayor of the city of Ashland between 1963-1967. The first phase of the Ashland Community College was developed during his term as Mayor. He married the former Daisy Marie Clevenger, daughter of Boone Clevenger of Hitchins.