Untitled Document

How “Henderson” County Got Its Name
By Virginia Ross, Stronghurst IL

    No where in the local history books is proper recognition given to the man from whom the county was named. Perhaps, the 1882 history author was not fond of the individual, had a grudge from some disagreement, or chose to ignore the whole subject. The editor of the Oquawka Spectator, however, gave just due to Mr. William Henderson when he died in 1891.
    If the Pattersons, the publishers of the Oquawka Spectator, knew the story, the others must have too. Only lost hours of days past know why he was so blatantly forgotten. Here is what was printed in the March11, 1891 issue of the Oquawka Spectator:
    “ There recently died at Derby, Kansas, a man who for many years during the early history of Henderson County was perhaps more closely and prominently connected with its affairs than any other man in the county. We refer to Col. Wm. Henderson, the man for whom the county was named.
    The lives of those characters upon whom devolved the necessity of opening up and developing a new and untried country are filled with events. The history of the man is in part the history of the locality in which he lived. Of those present during organization of the county, Col. Henderson was “ a man among men.” A man of powerful frame, weighing when in health upwards of 200 pounds, of strictest integrity and morality, a close student of passing events-both local and national and a mind continually adding to its store of useful knowledge. Having an extensive personal acquaintance with leading political and professional men of Illinois, it was but natural that he should occupy a prominent place among its representatives.
    Col. Wm. D.Henderson was a native of Philadelphia and an officer in the War of 1812. He was twice married: first to Martha Watt in South Carolina in 1831 and then to Ellen McNeil to whom he was married at Oquawka, Illinois, in 1851. He moved from South Carolina to Ohio in 1832 and to Illinois in 1835, settling on a farm near the present town of Gladstone. At that time Henderson was part of Warren County.
    When Henderson County was organized, he removed to Oquawka and was elected the first Sheriff of the county and held that office for 6 years. He served 4 years as postmaster under President Taylor. From 1844 to 1848 he represented Henderson and Warren Counties in the Illinois Legislature. He was for some years associated with Wilson Graham in the grain and general merchandise business in Oquawka. In 1857 he moved to Aledo and when Abraham Lincoln became President, he was appointed by him Internal Revenue Tax Collector for what was at that time the 10th Congressional District including the river counties between Rock Island and Quincy and a tier of counties to the east. This position he held for about 5 years. He moved to Monmouth in 1862 and in 1872 was a presidential elector, carrying the vote of the State to Washington. In 1880 he moved to Red Oak, Iowa, and in 1883 to Derby in Sedgwick County, Kansas(Wichita is in Sedgwick County), where he died on Feb. 28, 1891 of congestion of the lungs.
    He lived an active, useful life and died a peaceful, painless death. He was, during his entire lifetime an earnest student of the Bible, conscientious Christian and a member of the U.P.Church. He leaves a wife and a large family of children, all but two of whom are married. Seventy-nine years of earnest life and shadow were proportioned as is usually the lot of man; a peaceful death; an entrance upon an eternity of existence beyond life’s portal; where shadow is removed from the years, where there is light, joy and peace. “

    But wait a minute, dates do not add up consistently.

Other Notes on William Henderson:
1882 History of Henderson County. Chicago, H.H. Hill & Co., 1882, p.22
He was appointed Collector of taxes for the current year (1841) by the county commissioners’ court
p.43 W.D. Henderson elected Sheriff-April5, 1841 and Aug.1, 1842
p. 51 1844 William D. Henderson was elected representative for Henderson and Warren Counties (He served until 1846 when John Curts was selected)
p.77-78 W.D. Henderson listed as a dry-goods merchant coming in 1837
p.84 W.D.Henderson elected president of the village board for 1852
p.88 W.D. Henderson elected president of the Oquawka and Washington, Iowa, Plank Road-July 21, 1852

Richard, Bernice C., Henderson County, Illinois 1850 Census. Mt. Prospect, Ill.: Frank Rademacher, 1977, p.102   Taken on August 28, 1850
Dwelling     Family    Surname        Age    Birth    Occupation Real estate $$
House #    House#                    Place
221        224    Henderson, William D.    37    S.C.    Merchant    2500
                Martha        36    S.C.
                Mary E.        16    Ohio
                Sarah A.        12    Ill
                William T.        10    Ill
                Margaret        7    Ill
                Rachael E.        3    Ill
                Charlotte        1    Ill
            McNeil. Mary J.        30    N.Y.
                Ellen            25    N.Y.

Warren County Genealogical Society, Warren County, Illinois 1870 Federal Census, Book 1. Self Publication., p. 72
214        213    Henderson, Wm. D.        58    SC    Miller    Real Estate-$20,300
                                        Personal-$2000
                Ella            50    NY     Keeping House
                Elvisa            23    Ill    School teacher
                Charolotte        20    Ill    School teacher
                John M.        16    Ill    Farm labor
                Rufus C.        14
                Fannie            11
                McDougall        9
            McNeal, Sarah        54    NY
                Cath            52    NY

    If William D. Henderson was 37 years old in 1850, he would have been born in 1812 or 1813, depending on the date of his birthday. The War of 1812 lasted until Dec.24, 1814 when the Treaty of Ghent was signed; therefore, Mr. Henderson could not have fought in the War let alone be an officer. Ellen McNeil is listed as 25 yr. in 1850, but in 1870 is noted as being 50. (Remember that the census taker recorded what he was told and mistakes did happen.)
    As for the other things mentioned in the obit–he would have been 18 years old when he married Martha Watt and 19 yrs. when they moved to Ohio.

Bureau of Land Management Site for Ohio for most likely land purchase:
Apr 2, 1832 has a William Henderson purchasing land:
E1/2 SE in Sec.16 Township 4N9W in Coshocton County with land office in Zanesville
Serial# OHO400._082    BLM#OH NO S/N
W ½ SE in Sec.17 T4N9W in Coshocton County
Serial !OHO 400_.083       BLM #OH NO S/N

    He came to Oquawka in 1835 when he would have been 22 years of age.

Secretary of State, Illinois Archives Public Domain Land Tract Sales site on the internet:
SENE in Sec.23 Township 10N5W (Gladstone) purchased on Dec.12, 1835
W1/2 NE in Sec.23 T10N5W purchased same date as above
Lot 14 in Block 16 in 10N5W purchased Apr.16, 1842
Lot 13 in Black 16 in 10N5W purchased same date as above. (Township could be in error as obit says that he moved to Oquawka T11N5W)

    W.D. Henderson is found in a listing of the Old Settlers’ Organization as arriving in the area on May 5, 1835. Since it is a known fact that he was sheriff for 4 years(not 6 as stated in the obit) and postmaster for 4 years, his residence most likely was Oquawka in 1842. From 1844 to 1846 he served in the Illinois Legislature representing Henderson and Warren Counties. In the1850 census he is listed as a merchant; the obit says he was with Wilson Graham in both grain and merchandise business at that time.
    His first wife, Martha Watt, dies on Sept.12, 1850 age 37 years.He marries again on May 1, 1851 to Ellen McNeil (Note in the above census- possibly, she was living in the household at the time of Martha’s death along with her sister/cousin? The hasty marriage in itself is not too unusual as small children were in the family and needed care.)
    In 1862 the family lives in Monmouth having moved there from Aledo. In 1877 he is a constable in Monmouth–both along with the 1870 census supporting the claim that the family lived in Warren County.
    The rest of the obit tells the tale of a man committed to public service and yet still having the pioneer spirit moving to Red Oak, Iowa, in 1880 and then onto the wilds of Kansas in 1883.
In fact, he followed the migration pattern of many from Henderson County–first to Western Iowa and then onward to either Kansas or Nebraska.
    The puzzle remains–why did the 1882 History and the 1911 History ignore the naming of the county?   Why did the obit say he was an officer in the War of 1812? Did the founding fathers of the county sit around a table and draw cards to see whose name would be used for that of the county???? If so, William Henderson must have won but never really received the recognition until his death when the Pattersons , publishers of the paper, set things right. I guess we’ll never know?????

Submitted by Virginia Ross

Illinois Ancestors