The Township of Denning lies west of Frankfort and south of Browning. It took its name from a prominent family who had been identified with its progress for more than 100 years.

The Dennings, Hubbards and Demnets seem to have been the first whites to enter the township. The Dennings took an active part in the organization of the county, settling near Plumfield. S. M. Hubbard, the most noted of that family, was the first county and circuit clerk in the county. The Dements, related to the Dennings, were soldiers in the Black Hawk War. A decendent of the Dements was three times Secretary of State of Illinois.


Plumfield is one of the old towns of the county. Here was built the first toll bridge of the county.

Townmount Praire in Denning Township, is one of the fertile prairies of the county.


Prominent family name in Denning are Murphy, Dilliard, Deason, Dawsen, Dorris, Lemaster, Crim, Jones, Avery, Duncan, Barbrey, Clark, Doty, Ezell, Bigg, Karns, Sanders, Hughes, Childers, Morgan, Rall, Mitchell, Swofford, Haine, Stewart, Joiner, Young and others.


The towns of the township are: West Frankfort, Orient, Freeman, Plumfield and Cambon. A new town is just starting in the Townmount Prairie and is known as Pershing and everything points to its soon becoming a living place. Orient is a mining town and seems to be growing readily. There are now more than 1500 people here. Freeman is on the line between Williamson and Franklin Counties. This is a lively mining town.

Plumfield on the Big Muddy and the old Kaskaskia trail, has been a trading point for that locality for many years. The miners have been near enough that a great many lived in Plumfield and worked at the mines.

The schools of Denning are: Townmount, Orient, Plumfield, Rogers, Freeman, Joiner and Crim. The churches are: Bartist - Townmount; Methodist - Bethel; Christian - White.

Politically the township is Democratic.


[(1918) Franklin County History Centennial Edition by H.M. AIKEN]