Son of Rev. William Dennis and Lucy McKenzie Spink Upham. He married first, Emilie Clark who died in 1864 and second, Elizabeth H. Hall on July 12, 1877. He came to Meriden at age 16 and worked at Ives Brothers, drapers. At 19 he went to sea and upon his return from a world voyage returned to his position at Ives Brothers. The Colonel was a distinguished Civil War veteran. He enlisted as a private in Company B, 3rd regiment, infantry, Ct Volunteers in 1861. He was discharged so he could recruit a Meriden regiment - Company K, 8th Regiment. In 1863 he attained the rank of Colonel, less than two years after he enlisted as a private. After the war he returned to Meriden where he was one of the founders of the Meriden department store, Ives, Upham & Rand. He served as Mayor of Meriden for two terms, headed the Board of Trade, played a leading role in Merriam Post, Grand Army of the Republic, and the Masons.

[for more military background see "Heroes for All Time: Connecticut Civil War Soldiers Tell Their Stories." pages 283,284
By Dione Longley, Buck Zaidel

Son of Rev. William Dennis and Lucy McKenzie Spink Upham. He married first, Emilie Clark who died in 1864 and second, Elizabeth H. Hall on July 12, 1877. He came to Meriden at age 16 and worked at Ives Brothers, drapers. At 19 he went to sea and upon his return from a world voyage returned to his position at Ives Brothers. The Colonel was a distinguished Civil War veteran. He enlisted as a private in Company B, 3rd regiment, infantry, Ct Volunteers in 1861. He was discharged so he could recruit a Meriden regiment - Company K, 8th Regiment. In 1863 he attained the rank of Colonel, less than two years after he enlisted as a private. After the war he returned to Meriden where he was one of the founders of the Meriden department store, Ives, Upham & Rand. He served as Mayor of Meriden for two terms, headed the Board of Trade, played a leading role in Merriam Post, Grand Army of the Republic, and the Masons.

[for more military background see "Heroes for All Time: Connecticut Civil War Soldiers Tell Their Stories." pages 283,284
By Dione Longley, Buck Zaidel