Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/566

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

where James Henderson, a knight of For- dell, was born about 1450. He was killed in 1513 in the battle of Flodden. In 1494 he was King's advocate, and later lord justice clerk. John Henderson, born about 1650, probably a grandson of James, the knight, is described as a gentleman, and his son, Wil- liam Henderson, born April 30, 1676, died August I, 1737, married, February 7, 1705, Margaret Bruce, born March i, 1681, died December 15, 1739. Their sons, John, James and Samuel Henderson, came to Virginia and settled in Augusta county. None of these were identical with the first member of the family herein described, but there can be little doul.it that this family comes from the same ancestry.

Samuel Henderson, of Scotch lineage, was a resident of Hanover county, Virginia, and married a Miss Williams, of Welsh extrac- tion. About 1745 he removed to Granville county. North Carolina, and was subse- quently sheriff of that county. In that state are a county, town and village named in honor of this family, which has been dis- tinguished at the bar, in the pulpit, upon the bench and in the halls of congress.

Richard Henderson, son of Samuel Hen- derson, was born April 20, 1735, in Hanover county, Virginia, and was but ten years of age when he went with his parents to North Carolina. There he read law with his cousin, Judge William, was admitted to the bar, and rose to the highest ranks in the profes- sion. He was appointed judge of the Su- preme court, and soon after, in 1774, formed a company with several others to buy the lands of the Cherokee Indians, which were oft'ered by that tribe for sale. A fair bargain was made with the Indians and their lands purchased at a proper compensation, em- bracing a large portion of the present states of Kentucky and Tennessee. The governors of North Carolina and Virginia declared this purchase illegal, but those states subse- quently gave to the company two hundred thousand acres each. In 1779 Judge Hen- derson opened an office at French Lick, now the city of Nashville, for the sale of these lands, and after a few years returned to his home in Granville, North Carolina, where he died January 30, 1785. He married Eliz- abeth Keeling, who survived him but a few years, and they had children : Fanny, born 1764; Richard, July, 1766; Archibald, Au-

gust, 1768; Elizabeth, 1770; Leonard, of further mention below; John; Lawson, 1778.

Leonard Henderson, son of Judge Richard and Elizabeth (Keeling) Henderson, was born October 6, 1772, on Nut Bush Creek, in Granville county, and achieved greater dis- tinction than his worthy father. He attend- ed the covmtry schools, read Latin and Greek with the Presbyterian clergymen in his district, studied law with Judge John Williams, and after admission to the bar be- came clerk of the district court of Hillsboro. He was elected judge of the superior court, and after eight years' service resigned be- cause of the inadequate compensation of judges, and resumed private practice. Sub- sequently the judicial system of the state was remodelled and a fair salary was fixed for its judges. Mr. Henderson was again elected to the superior court, December 12, 1818, and served many years with distinc- tion. During his career he instructed many students in the law. His wife was a Miss l-'arrar. and their children, were Archibald Erskine ; Dr. William Farrar ; John; Fanny, married Dr. \\'illiam V. Taylor, and lived in Memphis ; Lucy, married Dr. Richard Sneed.

Archibald Erskine Henderson, eldest child of Judge Leonard Henderson, was born at Granville, North Carolina, and after study in the public schools and with private tutors read law, and graduated at the University of North Carolina. He engaged in agricul- ture on a large scale, producing great c^uan- tities of cotton, corn, tobacco and wheat, cm- ploying a large number of slaves. He was a magistrate and a very proininent man of his time, and founded the town of Henderson, North Carolina, where his descendants have since resided. He married Anne, daughter of Richard 15ullock, and they were the par- ents of two sons and five daughters.

Richard Bullock Henderson, son of Archi- bald Erskine and Anne (Bullock) Hender- son, was born February 11, 1832, in Gran- ville county. North Carolina, and after studying with private tutors entered the University of North Carolina. Subsequently he pursued the academic course at William and Alary College, Williamsburg, Virginia. On the death of his father he took charge of the latter's estate, in whose management he continued several years. The old plantation was known all over the country as one of