Henderson Family

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Henderson, Gano, Burgett

Catherine Henderson, wife of John Burgett


Compiled by Judy Griffin, 2007 - email address


This information may be helpful:

Henderson – Gano/Ganoe marriages:

John Henderson married Phoebe Gano, 1792, Hunterdon County, NJ
Moses Henderson married Charity Gano, 1789, Hunterdon County, NJ
David E. Henderson married Elizabeth Gano, 1795/96, Hampshire County, VA
Joseph Henderson married Catharine Gano, 1797, Berkeley County, VA

Henderson – Burget(t) marriages:

Sarah Henderson, daughter of John, married Silas Burget, 1820, Pickaway County, OH
Catherine, daughter of John married John Burgett, 1825, Pickaway County, OH

Henderson – Henderson marriages:

Rachel Henderson, daughter of Moses, married her first cousin
Stephen Henderson, son of Moses, married Susannah, daughter of John and Phoebe Henderson
David G. Henderson, son of John and Phoebe, married Mary, his first cousin, 1822, Pickaway County, OH

Note that the biographical information on some of the more distant Henderson relatives gives information on early Southern Illinois and relates to our Hutchinson ancestors.



Edward Henderson

Information on Edward and his descendants is from John Marvin Henderson and Frank Henderson. (1)

Edward Henderson was born November 1, 1735 in New Jersey and died in October 1819 in Bethlehem Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. (2) Edward married Susannah circa 1764 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Susannah was born 1740/1745. After Susannah’s death (?), Edward married a Rachel, possibly Rachel Eaton. Rachel died July 8, 1785 in Bethlehem Township, Hunterdon County. Descendants of Edward and Rachel are from Frank Henderson. (3) Edward and Susannah had only one son, our John, born April 27, 1765. Edward and Rachel had nine children: Moses, David E., Joseph, Phineas, Nathaniel, Mary, Daniel, James H. and Rachel. All these children were born in Hunterdon County, New Jersey.

Edward’s descendants have been taken from family Bible records. Research has produced records on seven of his sons. His two daughters, Mary and Rachel, both died young. Edward lived in Bethlehem Township, Hunterdon County from at least 1773 (or 1764, birth of John) until he died there in 1819. Edward placed an advertisement in the Philadelphia Gazette on November 10, 1773. In this ad he sought the location and return of a runaway indentured servant girl by the name of Elizabeth Edgeworth. He offered a reward and gave his location as “a subscriber from the upper end of Hunterdon County, West New Jersey.” In September 1784, a sheriff’s sale was held at Edward Henderson’s dwellinghouse which was referred to as being 2 miles from Daniel Buskirk’s Tavern. Edward was also listed in the rateables for Bethlehem Township, June 1778 - Sept 1789. He was taxed for 300 acres, 4 horses, 4 horned cattle and 5 hogs in 1778, and 200 acres and 9 hogs in 1789.

Edward was listed in the Revolutionary Census of New Jersey 1778-1780 as reconstructed by Stryker-Rhodda. Many entries referring to Edward, his sons and the families of James and John Henderson, Sr. were found in the Record Book of Bethlehem Township, 1756-1812. Edward was listed as Assessor 1803-1813, Overseer of Roads 1763-1791-1797-1801, Overseer of Poor 1810 thru 1813, and as Registering Ear Marks and Estrays 1775 and 1786. A sheriff’s sale ad from the New Jersey Gazette reported: “Sale to be held at the dwelling house of Edward Henderson Bethelehem Township, two miles from Daniel Buskirk’s tavern, on Sept 3, 1784, of a plantation of 250 acres late the property of William Garner, seized at the suit of Anthony White Esq.” Court records also place him in Hunterdon County during these years.

Edward’s will was dated 10 June 1819. He named George Gano and his son Joseph Henderson, of Virginia, as executors. He directed his estate to be sold and be “equally divided between my seven sons or their heirs . . . provided they call for their shares in 1 year after the sale is made.” It seems that he was not sure where they were all located. No record has been found of the distribution of Edward’s estate. An Inventory of Goods and Chattel Rights and Credits of Edward Henderson was dated October 16, 1819. An account of Edward Henderson’s Estate, dated May 17, 1821, was filed by Executor George Gano, with the August term of the 1821 Court. His real property was sold by his executors on December 9, 1821. There was a George Gano, Justice of the Peace in Hunterdon County in 1818.

Will of Edward Henderson 10 June 1819: In the name of God, Amen. I Edward Henderson of the county of Hunterdon and the state of New Jersey do make and publish this my last will and testement, and 1st I order that after my desece my body be decently intered in a Christian like manner at the discretion of my surviving friends, and secondly I order that all of my just debts and funeral charges be payed off by the executors, and thirdly I order that all of my estate, real and personal, to be sold off by my executors to the best advantage the times will admit, except my daughters bodly apparel, if found in my possession after my decese, which is to go to her brother’s daughter that bears the name of Rachel, to be put in the hands of her brother Joseph, to be by him divided as he thinks best, and forthly I give and bequest the money arising from the sale of my estate to be equally divided among my seven sons or their heirs, share and share alike, to be divided by my executors or the survivors of them provided they call for their shares in one year after the sale is made by the person or attorney otherwise to go to them that does. And lastly, I constitute George Gano and my son Joseph Henderson of Virginia my executors with full power to fulfill this my last will and testement in witness threof I have set my hand and seal this 10th day of June 1819 in presence of Henry Staats, Jacob Smith, George Warne. /s/ Edward Henderson, /s/ Henry Staats, /s/ Jacob Smith, /s/ George Warne.

Child of Edward and Susannah:

Children of Edward and Rachel:



John Henderson

John’s lineage is from Madeline Dillman Bechtold. (4)

John Henderson, son of Edward Henderson and his wife Susannah, is probably the father of Sarah and Catharine Henderson, who married the brothers, Silas and John Burget(t), in Pickaway County. John Henderson was born April 27, 1764 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, and died September 15, 1834 in Pickaway County, Ohio or Warren County, Indiana. He married Phoebe Gano circa 1792 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, daughter of Stephen Gano. She was born March 3, 1769 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, and died December 20, 1846 in Warren County, Indiana. Phoebe’s father was Stephen or John Gano (undocumented, see Gano history).

The Hendersons were originally from New Jersey, but moved to Hampshire County, Virginia in the late 1700s. John Henderson, and several of his brothers, moved to Pickaway County, Ohio, and lived in Darby Township alongside our Burgett families (Pickaway was originally part of Ross County). They were neighbors, and several bought land in Darby Township from James Inglish in 1819. James English had 1,300 acres in the Darby Creek area and transferred acreage to Moses, John and David Henderson; Jacob and George Purget; and Frances Rush and John Combs. In the 1820 census for Darby Township, these families or family names in the lineage above were all listed near each other: James Gannoe, Francis Rush, Peter Tanner, Moses Henderson, David Henderson, Stephen Henderson, Barnet Duwit, Jacob Burget, John Martins, Christopher Wells, Samuel McChesney, Andrew and Cornelius Poulson, Jacob Foster, John and Izeral Devall, William and Elizha Polson, John Deyo, Thomas Call, John Polston, Archibald Shockley, John Henderson, James (Jonas?) Deyo, and Silas Burgat. Barnet Duwit (Barnett DeWitt), married Sarah Burgett, daughter of Frederick Burgett, moved to Indiana early, along with our John and Silas Burgett. Peter Tanner may be the father of the Elizabeth Tanner who married Joseph Henderson in 1822 (son of David Eaton Henderson and Elizabeth Gano). Francis Rush married Nancy Greenwade. Jacob Foster married Polly Burget, daughter of our Frederick Burget. William Kent may be related to our Phoebe Kent (married Frederick Burgett). Thomas Call married Rachel Burget, daughter of George Burget who was the son of Jacob Burget. John Polston married Elizabeth Burget, daughter of Jacob Burget. James Deyo was the father of Ozias who married John’s daughter Elizabeth Henderson. Silas Burgat was the son of our Frederick Burget and married Sarah Henderson.

In the 1820s, most of John Henderson’s step-brothers moved to Illinois, settling in Greene and Morgan Counties. John’s son David, who was married to the daughter of one of John’s half-brothers, went with them. Several of the Burget families, including our John and Silas with their Henderson wives, moved to Tippecanoe County, Indiana. John Henderson Jr., remained in Pickaway County until after 1830. John Henderson’s son, William Henderson, settled in adjoining Warren County, Indiana, perhaps accompanying family members of his wife, Hester Foster. William was an early settler in Warren County, Indiana, entering land in 1826: (5) Mound township, Warren County, was first settled by Thomas Cunningham, Benjamin Beckett and William Henderson in 1824. According to the election returns for the fall of 1836 the following cast a vote in Warren county in Mound Townships then organized – William Henderson, Henry Henderson, Abraham Henderson. In 1826 William Henderson entered land in the county.

In 1830, John, and probably his sons John Jr. and Edward, were in Darby Township, Pickaway County, Ohio. Solomon McCowen, who married Sarah Burget (Jacob Burget’s daughter) was also listed there, as was Thomas Burget, probably the son of Jacob Burget. Ozias Deyo who married Elizabeth Henderson was also listed. By 1840, John Henderson had died, and his widow and remaining children had moved to Warren County, Indiana, joining their son and brother, William Henderson in Mound Township. No partition records or probate records for John Henderson have been located, so this list of his children may not be totally accurate. Note: Mound Cemetery in Warren County referred to below is located near Pine Village in Adams Township.

Children of John and Susan:





Moses Henderson

Moses Henderson, the son of Edward and Rachel Henderson, was born on March 20, 1769 in Bethlehem Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Moses was married on December 20, 1789 to Charity Gano, daughter of Stephen and Abagail (Allen) Gano, who was born on December 12, 1768 in New Jersey (see Gano history). Moses died on June or January 13, 1826 in White Hall Township, Greene County, Illinois and was presumably buried in White Hall Township, Greene County. Charity died on May 19, 1854 in Morgan County, Illinois and was buried in May 1854 in the family cemetery, Arcadia Precinct, Morgan County. Moses was the second son of Edward but the first by his second wife Rachel. The first record of Moses was a record of his witnessing a will of Watford James in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, on December 27, 1791. He was next found listed in 1793 as a member of the militia in Kingswood Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Moses apparently migrated about 1795 to Hampshire County, Virginia (West Virginia), where he was found with his younger brother, David E., purchasing 117 acres of land from Samuel Stephenson on October 19, 1795. Moses was listed as a son-in-law in the will of Stephen Gano, filed April 30, 1809 in Hampshire County, Virginia (West Virginia), having married Stephen’s daughter, Charity.

The family migrated to Ohio where on April 13, 1811 they settled in Darby Township, Pickaway County, Ohio. They are said to have sold the land in Hampshire County from Ohio. The 1820 Federal Census listed him as living in Darby Township with his wife, three sons and five daughters. Listed as living nearby were his son Stephen, his brother David E., and his half-brother John. He migrated to Greene County, Illinois, where in December 1824 he purchased 80 acres of public domain land in Sections 19 and 20. He purchased another 80 acres in Section 13 the following December. His son Stephen was administrator of his estate. His wife, Charity, moved to Morgan County where she died May 19, 1854. A stone marks her grave in the old Henderson Family Cemetery located in Arcadia Precinct, north of Jacksonville. His heirs sold his land to his son Nathaniel and a final settlement of his estate was made by Stephen Henderson, his administrator, July 21, 1828. The 1840 Illinois census for Morgan County listed: Charity Henderson 60-70; James 50-60 (son of Charity); Rachel 40-50 (wife of James); Nathaniel 30-40 (son of Charity); Celinda 20-30; Charlotte 20-3-; Moses 15-20; Charity 10-15; William H. 5-10; John O. 0-5; and Samuel E. 0-5. The children of Moses and Charity were:



David E. Henderson

David E. Henderson, son of Edward and Rachel Henderson, was born on August 18, 1770 in Bethlehem Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, and married on January 7, 1796 in Hampshire County, Virginia (West Virginia) to Elizabeth Gano, daughter of Stephen and Abagail (Allen) Gano, who was born on November 16, 1775. David Eaton died in February 1826 in Greene County and was buried in September 1847 in Arcadia Cemetery, Arcadia Precinct, Morgan County, Illinois. According to family Bible records, David E. Henderson was born August 18, 1770 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. The E. probably stood for Eaton. His son was listed as David Eaton Henderson Jr., thus the assumption. David E. and his younger brother, Joseph, were listed as members of the Bethlehem Township militia in 1793. David E. migrated to Hampshire County, Virginia (now West Virginia) circa 1795. David and his older brother, Moses, purchased 117 acres of land in Hampshire County from Samuel Stephenson. On April 30, 1809, David and a William Ely were listed in the will of Stephen Gano as co-executors. David was a son-in-law of Stephen, being the husband of his daughter, Elizabeth.

David was listed in the 1810 Federal Census as living in Hampshire County, Virginia (West Virginia) with a family which included: 3 males under 10; 1 male, 26-44; 3 females under 10; 2 females, 20 to 25; and 1, 26-44. By 1820 the family had migrated to Darby Township, Pickaway County, Ohio and was listed the Federal Census as including: three males under 10; one male 10-15; one male 16-18; two males 16-25; one male 45 and over (David); two females under 10; two females 10-15; two females 16-25; and one female 26-44 (Elizabeth). By 1824 David E. had moved the family from Ohio to Greene County, Illinois, where David died. From there the family moved to Morgan County, Illinois.

Moses and Charity and David and Elizabeth sold the land they owned in Hampshire County, Virginia (West Virginia) to Solomon Park in 1826. In about February 1826 David is said to have ridden back to Greene County to settle up family affairs. He died shortly thereafter. The location of his death is a topic of debate. He is said to have been buried in the family burying grounds 20 miles from Winchester. Conflicting stories place his death and burial in Virginia (West Virginia) and Ohio. It is likely that he is buried in the family cemetery located in White Hall Township, Greene County, Illinois. Some say he may be buried in the old part of Arcadia Cemetery next to his wife in Morgan County, Illinois. No stone has as yet been found to mark his grave.

David’s wife Elizabeth gave up her right of administration of his estate to a cousin-in-law, David G. Henderson. He was appointed administrator of David’s estate. He was the husband of Mary, David E.’s daughter Mary, and the son of his half brother, our John. An Inventory of Goods and Chattels of David Henderson was made in Morgan County, Illinois on December 5, 1826 by David Hendersshott and David (G) Henderson, appraisers. David’s widow, Elizabeth, was listed in the 1830 Federal Census as living in Morgan County with a family which included: one male 10-15; one male 15-20; one female 15-20; one female 50-60. She died in Morgan County, Illinois on September 11, 1847. Her birth date may have been January 17, 1776. She was buried in the old part of Arcadia Cemetery where a stone marks her grave. Records of the Anderson Funeral Home, Jacksonville, Illinois, September 12, 1847 showed her son Silas Henderson purchased a coffin for his mother, paying $8.00. She was survived by eight children: Mary, wife of David G. Henderson; J. Ellen, wife of John N. Alkire; John Henderson; Abigail, wife of William E. Emerick; David Eaton Henderson Jr.; Silas Miller Henderson; Sarah Henderson, wife of Thomas Ratliff; and Elizabeth, wife of Michael Shrewberry. Not listed as a survivors of Elizabeth Gano Henderson were: Rachel T., Joseph, Eliza, and George Washington. The children of David and Elizabeth were:



Joseph Henderson

Joseph Henderson, son of Edward and Rachel Henderson, was born on November 24, 1771 in Bethlehem Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, and married on April 30, 1797 in Berkeley County, Virginia (now West Virginia), Catharine Gano, daughter of James and Rebecca Gano, who was born on August 20, 1775 (granddaughter of our Isaac Gano, see Gano history). Joseph died on August 4, 1843 in Berkeley County, Virginia (West Virginia) and was buried there in August 1843. Family Bible records say that Joseph Henderson was born November 24, 1771, presumably in Bethlehem Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey.

Joseph was found in Morton’s book, New Jersey, 1793, where he along with his older brother David E. were listed as being members of the Bethlehem Township militia. Joseph apparently migrated to Berkeley County, Virginia (West Virginia) along with several of his brothers. He was married there on April 3, 1796 to Catharine Gano (from family Bible record). Joseph was listed in the 1802 tax list of Berkeley County as paying taxes on 100 and 115 acres of land on Back Creek. He, along with Stephen and Daniel Gano, were listed as witnesses to the will of Mary Yingling in Berkeley County on January 11, 1806. He and his family were listed in the census of 1810. On December1817 an affidavit was filed in the Hunterdon County Court House, Flemington, New Jersey by Joseph Henderson of Berkeley County, Virginia (West Virginia), agent and attorney in fact for Hannah and Abraham Kitchen, stating upon his oath that Peter Wyckoff of New York is indebted to Hanna Kitchen in the sum of forty pounds with interest from December 1808. This apparently refers to the legacy left to Hanna by her grandfather, John Henderson Sr. This is another indication of a relationship between the Henderson families of Bethlehem Township.

Joseph was listed as son-in-law in the will of Stephen Gano on November 9, 1818. In 1819 he was listed as administrator of his father, Edward’s, estate, back in Bethlehem Township. Records from that county show that on December 9, 1820, he and George Gano, executors, sold the land of Edward Henderson in Bethlehem Township to Benjamin H. Opdycke. The Federal Censuses for Berkeley County for 1820 and 1830 listed Joseph and his family. The 1840 census listed John E./T. Henderson, who is probably the son of Joseph, with a male 50 to 60 and a female 40 to 50 in the household. These may be Joseph and Catharine. Joseph is said to have died in August 1843 but no record has been discovered to indicate where he and Catharine died or where they are buried. Several of their sons have been traced to Ohio where some of them located in Shelby and Henry counties and some moved west to Illinois. Children of Joseph and Catharine:



Phineas Henderson

Phineas Henderson, son of Edward and Rachel Henderson, grew up in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, married there and then went to Tully Township, Onondaga County, New York. Most of the information on Phineas comes from a historical sermon given at Collingwood, New York, in June 1894 by a Reverend A. R. Palmer, a descendant who gave the following account: “Phineas Henderson was a neighbor of Michael Christian, a Revolutionary War veteran in New Jersey. As a veteran, Michael had drawn Lot 18 near Tully, New York, as a reward for his military service. He offered young Phineas 100 acres if he would go to New York and develop the land and build a house. Phineas, recently married, left New Jersey early in 1796 with his wife and small daughter for New York. He is said to have married Elizabeth Miller, a niece of Michael Christian. Shortly after he arrived in New York his second child, Peter, was born. Peter is said to have been the first white child to be born in the area of the town of Tully, New York. Phineas built their first home, a crude log cabin with oiled paper for windows and blankets for doors. They had but one cow and few provisions. Phineas, it is related, made a trip back to New Jersey, and when he returned he carried with him a straw hive of bees. These were said to be the first domesticated bees to be introduced into the area. Phineas developed the land for Christian and later, when Christian sold the land, Phineas was given another lot of land to improve and build on. Joe Christian, a son of Michael, lived on Dutch Hill near the Hendersons.” Phineas sold his land in 1821 to Andrew English for $1129.62 and bought land on “the ledge,” an area nearby. He later sold this land to the Winchell family.

Phineas lived near Tully most of his life. He died testate May 18, 1824, at age 51. He was buried in the Cardiff Cemetery, where a large marker identifies his grave and that of his wife. The name and death date of his daughter Rachel H., the wife of John Segar, is on the monument along with the name of his daughter Sarah. No death date is given for Sarah. Her husband is shown as Vanranseler Woodmansey. She may not be buried there.

Phineas’s will: (9) Phineas Henderson of the town of Tully and county of Onondaga - Unto my three daughters, Rachel, Sally and Betsy, the some [sic?] of one hundred dollars each to be paid to each within four years after my decease in the following manner, each fifty dollars in two years and each fifty dollars in two years after; remainder of real and personal estate to be equally divided amongst my six sons, Peter, Edward, John, William, Harry and Perry. Executors - Sons, Peter and John Henderson. Written 3 May 1824 Witnesses: Daniel Smith, Eleaser Prindle, Danil Fellers. Proven - 24 January 1825.

Children of Phineas and Elizabeth, all born Onondaga County unless otherwise noted:



Daniel Henderson

Daniel Henderson was born circa 1781 in New Jersey. Daniel died July 30, 1847, and was buried in the family cemetery located in White Hall Township, Greene County, Illinois. He married Sarah Collins in Ohio. Sarah was born on November 24, 1782 in Pennsylvania. Daniel probably followed the same general migration route as several of his brothers. He moved from New Jersey to Virginia (West Virginia), to Pennsylvania, to Ohio where he married, and then to Greene County, Illinois in 1820, where he settled in Wrights Township. (10)

Sarah, his widow and the other heirs, sold land in Rawlings Township on Sept 16, 1847, to Sarah’s son Joseph for $180.00. (11) Signing were Sarah by her X, John Stout and wife Mary, Edward and wife Margaret of Pike County, Jacob Stout and wife Juliann, Mary “Polly” by her X and Mariah by her X and John L. Henderson, all of Greene County, Illinois except as noted. After Daniel died, Sarah lived for several years as indicated by Federal Census records: in 1850 she was listed as living north of Apple Creek in Greene County, Illinois as Sarah Henderson, age 67, born in Pennsylvania with daughters, Mary 37 (born Ohio), Mariah 35 (born Ohio), Rachel 16 (born Illinois), Melissa 14 (born Illinois). In 1860 she was listed as living in White Hall Township, Greene County as Sarah Henderson age 71, born in Pennsylvania with $1200 real property and $300 personal property. Living with her were her daughters Mary and Rachel. The 1860 Atlas of Greene County showed Sarah Henderson as owner of 60 acres. (12) Sarah died June 23, 1860 at age 77y 8m 29d. She was buried in the old Henderson family cemetery in White Hall Township. The cemetery is located on the homestead of James Henderson, Daniel’s brother. A stone marks the grave of Daniel and Sarah.

The children of Daniel and Sarah were:



James Henderson

James Henderson, son of Edward and Rachel (Eaton?) Henderson, was born on March 9, 1783 in Bethlehem Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey and married on January 1, 1808 in Circleville, Darby Township, Pickaway County, Ohio to Mary White, daughter of Thomas and Amy (McGee) White. (15) Mary was born on October 25, 1787 near Old Fort Pitt, Pennsylvania. James died July 25, 1849, 66y 4m 15d, in White Hall Township, Greene County, Illinois and was buried in July 1849 in Henderson Cemetery, White Hall Township. Mary died August 9, 1849, 61y 9 m 16d, in White Hall Township and was buried in August 1849 in Henderson Cemetery.

In 1804, at the age of 21, James immigrated to Virginia (West Virginia). Two years later he moved to Pickaway County, Ohio where, on January 1, 1808, near West Fall, he married Mary White, eldest daughter of Thomas and Amy W. (McGee) White. They lived in Ohio near Mary’s parents, seven miles east of Circleville, on Pigeon Creek, until 1818. Biography of James: (16) “James Henderson was the first to make a claim on land north of Apple Creek, in this county, which was in Aug., 1818. He was born in Hunterdon county, N.J., March 9, 1783. He was the youngest of 10 children. His father’s name was Edward, and of Protestant Irish descent. At the age of 21, he went to Virginia, remained there two years, and then went to Ohio, where, in 1807, he married Mary White, eldest daughter of Thomas and Amy W. White, born Oct. 25, 1787. Her father’s mother’s maiden name was Shreve, whose grandfather, Derick Arison immigrated to New Amsterdam in 1680, from Holland. The maiden name of Mrs. White was McGhee, and her parents were Scotch. The children of James and Mary Henderson were eleven, 10 of whom grew to manhood and womanhood, three daughters and seven sons. Of these - Caroline, born in Oct., 1808, married by Rev. Bogarth, Jan. 1, 1828, to Geo. W. Allen, who died in Jan., 1864, and his widow now resides in Greenfield; Hope, married by John Allen, Esq., in Oct., 1831, to Rev. Amos Prentice, who died in Shelbyville, Ill., in Aug., 1849, she dying in Nov., 1879; Nathaniel, married in Dec., 1833, by John Allen, Esq., to Martha E. Bacon, who died in May, 1850, her husband following her in July, 1863, dying in Macoupin county; Thos., who now lives in Harrison county, Ia., married in June, 1834, to Eliza Estes, by Rev. J. B. Corrington; Edwin, now of Macoupin county, married in Nov., 1839, to Eliza J. Williams, by Rev. J. B. Corrington; James, now of Harrison county, Ia., married in March, 1841, to Elizabeth Peters; Perry, married to Ellen Williams, in Jan. 1846, by Rev. H. Wallace; his wife died in March, 1858, and he was found dead in his bed, on his farm, on Rock river, Rock Island county, Ill., June 10, 1882; Amy A., married to T. J. Robinson, in Jan. 1846, by Rev. H. Wallace; they now reside in Rock Island county; Safety M., married Hezekiah J. Williams, March 5, 1854, Rev. Rutledge, officiating; Franklin, married in July, 1851, by Rev. C. P. Baldwin, to Sarah A. Metcalf; F. Henderson, now resides in Towanda, Ill.; S. M. Henderson now lives on the old homestead, where he was born, three miles southeast of White Hall. He says, “Few and evil have been the days of the years of my pilgrimage, and I have not attained unto the days of the years of my fathers.” James H. Henderson died July 25, 1849, after a long and painful illness. His wife followed him Aug. 9, of the same year, having been an invalid for nine years. There are more than 150 descendants of James and Mary Henderson now living. . . . ”

A fairly detailed history of James and Mary Henderson was published in 1897 by L. P. Allen, entitled The Genealogy and History of the Descendants of Mercy Shreve and James White: “In May1818, with his brother-in-law Levi Reeder, James Henderson decided to migrate with their families to the territory of Illinois, then the limits of western civilization, where land was rich and cheap. Their lives had always been of a rural character, so the toil and dangers attending the lives of pioneers had no terror for them. At that period, in the western country, all travel was overland in rude wagons or by water in flat (keel) boats. On 7 May 1818 James Henderson purchased, of one Isaac Keys, a one-fourth interest in a keel boat, ‘which the said Keys had built.’ James agreed ‘to pay one-fourth of the expenses, and to have one-fourth of the profits arising from hire, freight and sale (if they should sell her).’ This boat was no larger than necessity compelled, had one sail and rudely constructed cabins to shelter them from sunshine and storms. In this they embarked with their families and several prospectors to make the voyage down the Sciota and Ohio Rivers to the rich and attractive territory of Illinois, then with a population sufficient to enter statehood, but widely scattered. Levi Reeder had recently married Eliza White, the youngest child of Thomas White and a sister of Mary Henderson. The Hendersons’ children ranged in age from seven and a half to one year. The two sisters and a young girl eloping were the only women in the company, and the only children were the Hendersons’ and the eldest child of Eliza Reeder. The remainder were prospectors and a boat crew of six men. Alfred Hinton, many years a highly respected citizen of Greene County, Illinois, joined them as far as Cincinnati. They traveled by day and when the nights were moonlit, but usually tied up at night. The women did the cooking on the land for the entire company.

“In after life many incidents of the trip were related to the children by the parents. One is remembered vividly. ‘Among the crew were to bullies, who, after indulging in drink too freely, had an encounter that threatened to be fatal to one of them. Each one had his friends so no one dared to interfere, as a riot would surely have been precipitated. None but a woman was equal to the occasion. Seizing a bucket filled with water, Mary Henderson threw it upon them, complete drenching them. They did not resent the unexpected method of interference. As a woman she had their respect, while a man dared not interfere. They ceased their struggle. This incident was the occasion of James Henderson asserting some legal authority he had. He informed Mr. Keys that he was legal owner of a part of the boat by contract, and, as such, he had a right to tie the vessel up, which he would do, and his family go no further unless Keys would consent that the liquor be placed in charge of the women, to dispense among the crew only when necessary. Keys consented and no further trouble arose from that source.’ They descended the Ohio to its convergence with the Mississippi. From Cairo the boat was ‘cordelled’ up the Mississippi River, 160miles, landing 4 June 1818 at the mouth of the Wood River, a few miles east of Alton, in Illinois. . . . The Hendersons and Reeders passed the summer, fall and winter of 1818 on the Hills of Piasas, one and a half miles east of Alton. The winter was cold and the families suffered much. On December 4 a child was born to Mary Henderson, named Mary for her mother. In August of that year, in company with a few others, James Henderson made a tour of inspection of the fertile lands northward, of which they heard glowing descriptions. They selected locations and accordingly, on the advent of spring 1819, James Henderson hired a man with an ox team to take them the 45 miles to north of Apple Creek. They were the first families to locate in that section which later was to become Whitehall township. James Henderson laid the first claim north of Apple Creek and located on a stream which bore his name for many years. James and his wife were to live out their lives on this homestead and are buried in a family cemetery located on the land they settled. Madison County then extended over that territory, but subsequently was divided and the new county was named Greene. Several years later the town of White Hall was surveyed and platted, two miles distant, north. . . . James Henderson gave names to the several streams, names which they still bear. ‘Wolf Run’ was so called because he had seen a large black wolf on its bank and killed it. Another named ‘Crooked Run,’ as streams in his native state were called ‘runs.’ ‘Bear Creek’ was so named as a very large bear was seen in its vicinity. A stream near his own home was called ‘Henderson Creek’ for himself; later it became known as Seminary Creek. . . . The autumn of 1819 saw the death of the infant daughter, Mary, age 9 months. This was the first death in the settlement. . . .”

Children of James and Mary:



Endnotes

1 Descendants of Phineas Henderson, sites.rootsweb.com/~nyononda/FAMILY/HENDERSO/phineas.htm. Frank Henderson & John M. Henderson.

2 Edward’s birth date from a cousin of John Henderson.

3 Online family tree of Frank Henderson. He collaborated with John Marvin Henderson.

4 Dillman-Kelley-Burgett Families of Tippecanoe, IN, Updated: Apr 13, 2002.

5 Thomas A. Clifton, Editor, Past and Present of Fountain and Warren Counties Indiana.

6 Plat Book of Morgan County, Illinois 1894. sites.rootsweb.com/~ilmorgan/1894/henderson.htm.

7 Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois & History Of Morgan County, Munsell Publishing Company, Publishers, 1906. sites.rootsweb.com/~ilmorgan/1906/hendersonj.htm.

8 Ancestry/Rootsweb online Family Tree, Don Burt, 2003.

9 Book D, Page 105 Onondaga Co, New York Wills, p. 6, Vol II 1824-1830. Source: Henderson Family Tree: To The Best of My Knowledge, written1958 by Fay W. Reed Sr, a grandson of Col William Henderson.

10 Daniel settled in Wrights Township, Section 7, Range 11NW. Records of Public Land Sales to Patentees indicate that on September 23, 1831, Daniel purchased 80 acres in W1/2 NE Section 18, Township 11N, Range 13W of 3rd PM at $1.25 per acre for $100.00. On April 28, 1834, Daniel bought 371/2 acres N2 of E2 of NW1/4 in Section 1, Township 11N, Range 11W of the 3rd PM from John J. Lakind for $46.85 ½.

11 Sarah, his widow and the other heirs, sold SEW 1/4 of SE 1/4 Section 7, Township 11N, Range 11W, Rawlings Township on Sept 16, 1847.

12 1860 Atlas of Greene County, Illinois showed Sarah Henderson as owner of 60 acres in Section 18, Township 11N, Range 13W.

13 History Of Greene & Jersey Counties, Illinois – 1885, Springfield, Ill.: Continental Historical Co., p. 946.

14 Nov 5, 1897, White Hall Register.

15 The Genealogical History of the Shreve Family from 1641, by L. P. Allen Private Printing, Greenfield, IL 1901 gives a rather complete history of her ancestry.

16 History Of Greene & Jersey Counties, Illinois – 1885, Springfield, Ill.: Continental Historical Co., p. 1074.