Escambia County AlArchives Photo person.....Stephen C. Henderson 1893
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Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 22, 2004, 10:23 pm

Source: Brant & Fuller (1893)
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   STEPHEN C. HENDERSON, M. D.-Among the successful medical men of southern
Alabama who have gained distinction in the profession, few occupy a more notable
place in the estimation of the public than Dr. Stephen C. Henderson, whose short
but exceedingly brilliant career has placed him in the front ranks of Escambia
county's representative citizens. He was born January 8, 1861, in Pensacola,
Fla., and passed his early life in Escambia county, Ala., in the common schools
of which he received his elementary education. Subsequently he attended a high
school in the town of Greenville, and still later pursued his literary studies
for some time in the Highland Home institute, thus laying, broad and deep, a
solid mental foundation upon which in after years a most successful professional
career was built. The doctor commenced his medical studies in 1884, under the
efficient instruction of Dr. Andrew Jay, and one year later entered the Alabama
Medical college at Mobile, where he attended two courses of lectures, graduating
with the highest honors of his class in 1887. While attending college his record
as a student was such that, on graduating, he received the full vote of ten from
every member of the faculty, the second student so honored in the history of the
institution. Fortified with a thorough knowledge of his profession, the young
doctor immediately, on receiving his degree, opened an office in Brewton, where
his superior attainments and large and favorable acquaintance soon brought him
an extensive and lucrative practice, which is still constantly increasing. While
efficient in all departments of the profession, the doctor gives especial
attention to histology and chemistry. He is not only esteemed as a physician and
surgeon of rare excellence, but also as one who keeps fully abreast with the
advanced thought in his profession by a familiarity with the leading authorities
of the times. A gentleman of education and culture, with a naturally strong mind
and genial disposition, he would be a valuable addition to any community, and
his many commendable qualities have rendered permanent the prominent place he
already holds in the esteem of his fellow-citizens of Brewton. The doctor was
married December 6, 1882, in Douglasville, to Julia, daughter of C. Y. Mayo, a
member of one of the old and highly respectable families of Alabama. Mrs.
Henderson died on the 11th day of January, 1891, leaving two children, Lillian
Cary and Pearl Mayo. The doctor is a democrat in politics, belongs to the K. of
P., K. of H., and K. & L. of H. fraternities and the Methodist church, with
which he has been identified for some years, represents his religious creed. Dr.
Henderson married Miss Mary Lee, daughter of C. L. Sowell, a prominent banker of
Brewton, on the 24th of February, 1892, and now lives and practices his
profession in the above place, enjoying a large practice and the fullest
confidence of his people. John M. Henderson, the doctor's father, and for many
years a representative man of southern Alabama, was born in Brooklyn, Conecuh
county, on the 4th day of October, 1823. Educated in the common schools, he
never enjoyed the advantages of a collegiate training, but, possessing a strong,
well balanced mind, he in time laid up a vast fund of useful information such as
colleges and universities fail to impart. His first public work was as his
father's deputy when the latter became sheriff of Conecuh county, and later he
embarked in the mercantile business, which he conducted successfully until 1860,
during which he was honored by an election to the office of county treasurer,
filling that position very creditably two terms. In 1860 he removed to
Pensacola, Fla., where for one year he followed the commission business, and
later he returned to Conecuh county and built a large and elegant home near
Castleberry. In the late war he was lieutenant in a company of volunteers which
formed part of the Thirty-eighth Alabama infantry, and after two years of
service, severed his connection with the military and accepted the position of
probate judge of Conecuh county, to which he was appointed by Gov. Watts. He
held this official position until the close of the reconstruction period, when
he retired to his home at Castleberry. Subsequently he removed to Mill View,
Fla., where his death occurred on the 9th day of September, 1872. Judge
Henderson was a typical southern gentleman of the old school, of commanding
presence and dignified mien; he excited the profoundest respect of every circle
in which he moved, and his whole course of life bore the stamp of true
manliness. He was exceedingly scrupulous in regard to the slightest promise, and
toward the close of life evinced unusual solicitude in regard to his children,
precipitated as their lives had been into the midst of the wide-spread
demoralization which followed in the wake of the Civil war. Judge Henderson's
wife, whom he married in October, 1847, was Miss Laura Cary, daughter of
Armistead. Cary, who bore him the following children: Charles D.; John O.,
deceased; Samuel E.; David F., killed by a horse at the age of eight years;
Walter, died in infancy; Stephen C.; Mary, wife of John M. Rabb; Reuben F., died
in infancy, and Harry. The mother of these children resides with her daughter,
Mrs. Rabb, in. Brewton. The father of John M. Henderson was David Henderson, a
native of England, which country he left in an early day, immigrating to the
United States and settling in Conecuh county, Ala., of which he served as
sheriff many years ago. It is related as a matter of interest by his descendants
that during the voyage of Mr. Henderson to America, the ship in which he sailed
was attacked and captured by pirates, who compelled all the unfortunate
prisoners "to walk the plank." Mr. Henderson, who was a member of the Masonic
fraternity, made the fact known before being called upon to take the plank, and
his recognition by a brother member in the piratical gang was the means of
saving his life. He afterward became one of the prominent Masons of Alabama, his
interest in the order having been influenced largely by reason of the foregoing
incident. Armistead Cary, father of Mrs. John M. Henderson, was born in
Gloucester county, Va., October 23, 1791. Eight years later his parents moved to
Clarke county, Ga., settling near Athens. At the age of eleven he was sent to
the Waddell high school, Abbeville district, S. C., where he prepared himself
for college, and then entered the university of Georgia, from which he graduated
in 1813. Choosing the teachers' profession, his first work in that line was as
principal of the Sumter district school, S. C., and later, 1820, removed to
Claiborne, Ala., where he taught one year. Subsequently he was engaged in
educational work in Belleville and Sparta, and in 1826 was chosen circuit clerk
of Conecuh county, which office he held continually for a quarter of a century.
In 1833 he was appointed, by President Jackson, receiver of the land office for
the Sparta district, and discharged the duties of the same until 1850. He was
also first probate judge of Conecuh county, and a man prominent in all public
affairs in the community where he resided. Such was his character that Mr. Cary
passed through all the eventful scenes of a busy life with an unsullied record,
and one against which no one ever ventured to cast the slightest aspersion. No
man who ever lived in Conecuh county left a fairer record than Judge Cary. He
was universally recognized as a man who was swayed in life by the purest
motives, and he spurned with derision any proposition that did not fully comport
with the highest and noblest principles of rectitude.



Additional Comments:
from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p.  970, 971-973
Published by
Brant & Fuller (1893)
Madison, WI

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