Biographical Sketch of Thomas Henderson, Johnson County, Missouri, Columbus Township >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** Thomas Henderson, a well known and respected farmer and stockman of Columbus township, is a son of one of Johnson county's brave, noble pioneers. He was born in Columbus township October 17, 1855, one of ten children born to his parents, J. W. and Lena Ann (Houx) Henderson. J. W. Henderson was a native of Kentucky. He came to Missouri in the spring of 1839, coming on horseback the entire distance and carrying what little money he had in his saddle bags. He settled on the farm now owned by his son, Thomas, a place located one-fourth mile north of Columbus, where he lived for fifty-four years and engaged in general farming. J. W. Henderson was the son of William Henderson, who came to Missouri within a few years after his son had settled here. J. W. Henderson, at the time of his death, was an extensive landowner, pro- prietor of the Nancy Greenwell home. Lena Ann (Houx) Henderson was a daughter of Nicholas Houx, an honored pioneer of Johnson county. He came to this county in 1827 and is well known as he who established the first cemetery in Johnson county and the first person to be buried there, mention of which is made elsewhere in this volume. The child- ren of J. W. and Lena Ann Henderson were, as follow: Mrs. Elizabeth Letton, Nevada, Missouri; William, Jr., of Arkansas; Mrs. Pattie Wolfe, Colorado Springs, Colorado; Thomas, the subject of this review; Mrs. Emily Jane Peffer, deceased; Mrs. Alice Simpson, deceased; Nicholas, deceased; and three children died in infancy. J. W. Henderson was justice of the peace for many years and was universally known ever afterward as Squire Henderson. He was industrious and thrifty and, from the first, prospered. He owned several farms, comprising in all more than 700 acres of land, which included the places now owned by Thomas Henderson, B. F. Simmerman, Milton Clifton, Ed Wilhoff and Jeff Coffman, besides the Captain Raker farm and the Specker farm. Squire Henderson died in 1893. In an old log school house, which stood in the site of the present district school house, in Columbus township, Thomas Henderson received his education. After attaining maturity, he resided in Barton county for three years, where he was engaged in farming. Mr. Henderson returned to Johnson county to remain one year, when he moved to Indian Territory, now Oklahoma, and for ten years lived in that part of the country. Upon his return to Johnson county, he purchased the Raker farm, which he afterward sold and bought 149 acres of the homestead, which is his present country home place. He has added all the improvements and he now has a nicely improved, well kept and equipped stock and grain farm, every acre under a high state of cultivation. In 1882, Thomas Henderson and Della Stotts were united in marriage. Mrs. Henderson was formerly from Chautauqua county, Kansas. To this union have been born three sons: Joseph W., at home; Archie, Pittsville, Missouri; and Victor, of Montana. Mr. and Mrs. Henderson are widely known and universally esteemed in this county, where the Henderson family has for nearly 80 years been con- sidered one of the very best and most substantial families. Mr. Henderson relates several incidents of significant historical interest in Johnson county. The old elm tree, under which the first court in Johnson county was held on the farm of Nicholas Houx, was blown down in the spring of 1916. A part of the original Nicholas Houx homestead is now owned by Fred Specker and a part is the present site of the city of Columbus. Mr. Henderson recalls an amusing event relative to early day judicial procedure in Johnson county. The first two men convicted of crime in this county were placed under a wagon box for safe keeping and upon the top of the upturned box were stationed two guards. The quarters of the convicts were extremely close and uncom- fortable, although there was plenty of room for meditation. Becoming thirsty, they pled with their wardens to send for some stimulating liquor. The not unwilling wardens did so and helped themselves so well and so frequently to the gallon of whiskey, that when they awake- ned from a long, deep, drunken stupor they found themselves where the criminals should have been and no trace of the former prisoners. Johnson county's first "jail birds" had flown. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: <> Penny Harrell ====================================================================