Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 March 1906 — D. B. HENDERSON DIES. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

D. B. HENDERSON DIES.

PASSING OF A DISTINGUISHED CITIZEN OF lOWA. Former Speaker of National Hon»e of Representative la Victim of Pareafa—Death Occura in. Duliui;ue Hospital. - ' Formef* Speaker David 15. Henderson of the national House of Repreoeptatlves died....at , 2 o’clock Sunday Jipoa. at. Mercy Hospital,, in. Dubhque, lowa, of paresis, which attacked him nine months ago. He began to sink Friday afternoon, rallied Saturday morning,. but in the afternoon lapsed into unconsciousness and failed rapidly until the end came. Coloiibl Henderson was stricken with paresis last May and his condition grew so grave that he was removed to a hospital In September. His condi(ipn remained unchanged except for. the usual progress of such a disease until a few days ago, when he suffered another stroke, Which resulted in total blindness. The former Speaker failed rapidly physically and mentally until Friday, when his mental powers returned for a few hours, followed by a relapse which ended in death. David Bremner Henderson was born in Old Deer, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, March 4, 1840. The family came to America when David was G years old and settled on a rented farm in Winnebago County, Illinois, in 184 G. A residence of three years in Illinois net-

ted the family enough to move to lowa. Going to Fayette Gounty, they acquired a large tract of government land, soon became known as “Henderson prairie’’ and still bears that name. Young Henderson was a student at Upper lowa University at the beginning- of the- warand- his-love. for ..his adopted country led him to take the initiative in a movement which later resulted in a company being organized and sent to the war from Fayette County. Henderson was unanimously tendered the captaincy of the company, but he declined on the plea that he was too young and inexperienced. He did accept the position of first lieutenant. The company of volunteers, which young Henderson had organized among the young men of Fayette County was mustered into the service as company A, Twelfth lowa Volunteers, and sent to Fort Henry, where they received their baptism in fire and blood. Henderson fell, struck in the jaw by a rebel bullet. The ball fractured his jaw. In the battle of Corinth Oct. 4, 1862, Lieutenant Henderson was again badly wounded, resulting in the amputation of a leg. When a call came from President Lincoln for more troops the Fortysixth lowa infantry was organized ' and Lieutenant Henderson, though he had already given a leg to his country, 1 tendered his service and was elected colonel of this regiment and served until the end of the war. In November. 1856, Colonel Henderson was appointed a Collector of Internal Revenue. He occupied this position until June, 1869, when he resigned to become a member of the law firm of Shiras, Van Duzee & Hender- | son.

Elected to Conirreta 111 1882.

In 1882 Colonel Henderson was unanimously tendered the Congressional nomination for the Third District, ahd he was elected to the Forty-eighth Congress by a splendid majority. Work on the appropriations committee and as chairman of the judiciary committee madte him for several years one of the foremost members of that body of Intellectual giants, so it was "taatnral that when Speaker Reed laid down the gavel in. 1899. Colonel Henderson was the unanimous choice for that exalted place. .Colonel Henderson was elected Speaker of the House when Congress convened on Dec. 4, 1899. His reelection to the speakership in December, 1901, was Insured by the election of an increased Republican majority in the House. Colonel Henderson was serving his second term as Speaker and his tenth term in Congress when in the fall of 1902 he startled the country by withdrawing from the political field. He served out his term in Congress and when he stepped down at the close of the session and turned over the gavel to Speaker Elect Cannon he was accorded one of the warmest demonstrations ever witnessed in the national bouse. Colonel Henderson was married .March 4, 1866, to Augusta A. Fox, wh« survives him. Three children were born to*them, namely: Mrs. R. C. Peaslee and Mira Relle 8. Henderton of Dubuque and Don A. Henderson', of California.

DAVID B. HENDERSON.