Pioneers of Stark County, Illinois
November 5, 1874
The death of Mary, wife of the late Samuel Camp, ocurred on Thursday morning at 11 a.m. of last week, about 11 weeks intervening since the paralytic stroke she received, and which was the ulterior cause of her death. She was born in Ulster county, N. Y., July 4, 1812. In 1829 she moved with her father’s family to Luzerne county, Pa., where she remained until married to Mr. Samuel Camp, September 30, 1839, when they came to Stark county, in this state, residing there nine years, in 1848 removing to Henry, which has been her home until her death. She had three children, one dying at the age of 10 years, soon after they came to Henry; the other two, Olive and William, living here at the family residence. Mrs. Camp has a large circle of relatives and acquaintances, by whom she was endeared by friendship and love. She was womanly, neighborly, pleasant to all. Nine years she had been connected with the Presbyterian church, and from its portals was her funeral solemnized by a sermon from her pastor Rev. H. McVay, on Saturday at 10 a.m., and words of comfort spoken by Rev. John Winn, who previdentially happened to be in the city. A large attendance of mourning friends and sympathetic citizens tested the great esteemed in which she was held. The remains were encased in a metallic casket, ornamented with a silver plate with the inscription of name, birth and death, and at the cemetery the casket was placed in a brick arched vault similar to the one in which Mr. Camp was consigned four years ago. Her age was 62. She was quite robust, for one of her age up to the time of her misfortune, and was one of our oldest esteemed citizens. Her death leaves quite an estate to the children.
Taken From the 1887 History of Essex Township
Page 519
Jesse L. Moffitt, son of Josiah and Jane (Stuart) Moffitt was born in this county in 1844. Josiah was born in Ross county, O., in 1808 where his parents, John and Lydia (Cox) Moffitt, natives of North Carolina, had settled. Up to his twenty-first year Josiah Moffitt's educational advantages were very limited. In 1829 he married Miss Jane, a daughter of John and Ann (Carney) Stuart, who was born in Derry county, Ireland, in 1813. She came with her parents to New York in 1817, and in 1820 moved with them to Ross county, O., where her mother died shortly after. Her father moved to Stark county and purchased a farm and resided here until his death in 1865. Josiah Moffitt and wife were engaged on their Ohio farm until 1836, when they took up 160 acres in Essex and made their home in the west - the log cabin being without doors and windows, Indians prowling around and in the absence of the disagreeable but then innocuous savage, wolves presented themselves. The nearest market was Peoria. Here the young wife was often left to protect her four children. Josiah died in 1885, but this pioneer lady still lives with her son (Jesse), now in her seventy-third year. At one time she, with her sister, were lost on the prairies, and did not find a landmark until the following day. Jesse Moffitt remained on the homestead which he aided in improving. In 1879 he married Miss Sarah Arganbright, born in Ohio in 1860, where her father still resides. Their children are Fred, Ada B., and Harley M. In society matters Mr. Moffitt is an Odd Fellow, in politics democratic, and in all public enterprises enterprising and liberal.
John H. Ogle
John H. Ogle, son of William and Lucretia (Butler) Ogle, was born in Stark county in 1840. His father was born in Ohio in 1810. His mother was born in Vermont the same year, and with her parents emigrated from Vermont. They were married in 1835 and shortly after came to the wilderness of Spoon river, engaged in agriculture until 1856 when they moved to Toulon, where Mrs. Ogle is today a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and William one of the leading citizens, as related in the history of Toulon and in the general history. John H. spent his youth as other pioneer boys. In his eighteenth year he entered Rock River Seminary, and, after a full course engaged in school teaching in Stark county. In his twenty-third year he married Miss Diantha W., daughter of Job and Diana Shinn, the father being a Virginian and the mother a native of New Hampshire. Of seven children born to this marriage, six are living; William S., Lucretia D., Mary E., Laura, Diantha, John Co. and Marcia, (deceased). Mrs. Ogle, the mother of this excellent family, died September 7, 1880. In 1882 the widower married Miss Anna, daughter of Hugh and Ann ……(remainder missing.)
The roster of officers and men serving in the late war from the grand old prairie state furnishes a long list of those who distinguished themselves in camp and upon the battlefield, and among that number there is not one with a better record for faithful service, greater bravery and exalted patriotism than the man whose name heads this sketch. He is a native of Tennessee, born in Brownsville, Haywood County, November 29, 1824 and is the son of Colonel William H. Henderson and Sarah M. (Howard) Henderson.
William H. Henderson was born in Garrard county, Kentucky, November 16, 1793, and there spent his boyhood and youth. At the age of nineteen years he enlisted in Colonel Richard M. Johnson’s regiment of mounted riflemen, and served during the war of 1812.
Having studied surveying, for some years he followed that profession in his native state, and in 1823 removed to Tennessee, locating in Stewart County. In that State he also engaged in surveying, and also filled a number of offices of honor and trust. He served as sheriff of his county, was elected to the state senate, which position he resigned in 1836, to remove to Illinois. He was the first register of deeds of Haywood county, in which Brownsville is located, and there recorded the first deed the same year our subject was born.
On coming to this state William H. Henderson located in Putnam, now Stark county, on a farm, but his business tact and abilities were soon recognized by the people, and two years after his arrival he was elected a member of the legislature, in 1838, and in the winter of 1838-39 met with that body in its last session at Vandalia, and where he was associated with Lincoln, Edwards, and other notable men. He also served in the first session of the legislature meeting at Springfield, in the winter of 1840-41. While a member of that body he was instrumental in the creation and organization of Stark County. In 1842 he was a candidate on the Whig ticket for lieutenant-governor, but was defeated. In 1845 he removed to Johnson county, Iowa, where he purchased and operated a large farm. In politics he was a Whig. His death occurred January 27, 1864, at the age of seventy-one years.
William H. Henderson was twice married, his first marriage being with Miss Lucinda Wimberly, in Stewart County, Tennessee, January 11, 1816. By this union there were three children: Mary, who married John T. Sevier, both now being deceased; John W., who twice served as a member of the senate from Linn county, Iowa, and who now resides at Cedar Rapids, that state; and William P., who resides at Jefferson City, Iowa. Mrs. Lucinda Henderson died in Haywood County, Tennessee, and later Mr. Henderson married Sarah M. Howard, who was born in Sampson County, North Carolina, September 15, 1804, and died in Marshalltown, Iowa, in January, 1879. By this union were five children: (1) General Thomas J., our subject, (2) Henry C., who is now engaged in the practice of law at Boulder, Colorado; during the war he was a member of the state senate of Iowa, and for some years, was district judge in that state. (3) Elizabeth H., the only daughter by the second marriage, died in infancy. (4) Reverend Stephen H., who was a member of the Iowa Methodist Episcopal conference for some years, and while there filled some of the best pulpits of the state, and who also served as presiding elder. He was later transferred to the Nebraska conference and filled the Methodist Episcopal pulpits in Lincoln and other cities. He married Miss Elizabeth Winterstein of Iowa, a lady of pleasing presence, of much culture, and most admirably for the wife of a minister. They reside at Lincoln, Nebraska. (5) Daniel W., who resides at Jefferson, Iowa. He was a member of the Thirty-second Iowa Infantry, and served three years in the late war. (6) James A., who became an attorney of note in Iowa, but who was compelled to abandon the practice of law on account of ill health. Removing to Toulon, Illinois, he there published the Stark County News until his death. He was a member of the Forty-seventh Illinois Infantry.
The boyhood of our subject was spent in his native state, and until eleven years of age he attended the common schools and the male academy at Brownville, Tennessee, and during the last year commenced the study of Latin. With his father’s family he came to Stark County, Illinois, where he attended the pioneer schools of that locality. Nine years later he again went with the family to Johnson county, Iowa, where he entered the State University at Iowa City and spent one term. Prior to this, however, he had taught country schools more than a year.
On leaving the university he returned to Stark County, and taught the first term of school inn a building just erected for that purpose at Toulon. He then clerked in a store for nearly a year, and in the fall in 1847, was elected clerk of the county commissioner’s court of Stark county and served as such until the office was changed to that of clerk of the county court, to which office he was elected and served until 1853. While discharging the duties of these offices which were not very arduous at that time, he continued his law studies, and in 1852 passed an examination and was admitted to practice. On the expiration of his term as clerk, in 1853, he opened an office in Toulon and commenced the practice of his chosen profession.
Law and politics seemed to go hand in hand that day, and in 1854, Mr. Henderson was elected a member of the Illinois legislature and served in that capacity a term of two years. In 1856 he was elected to the state senate, and served with such men as N. B. Judd, Silas I. Bryan, B. C. Cook and W. C. Goudy, and was at that time the youngest member of that body. Those were exciting times. The Whig party had ceased to exist, and the newly organized Republican Party had sprung into existence. As an anti-Nebraska man he was elected to the house, but as a republican he was elected to the senate. The celebrated Kansas-Nebraska act had been passed. The southern states were attempting to force slavery upon the newly organized territories, and the north, much against its will, was forced to recognize the great power wielded by the south, and that that section was determined to have its way regardless of consequences. In this political fight our subject entered heart and soul.
The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 furnished the pretext for the southern states to carry out their threats. Secession acts were passed, and the war for the preservation of the union was begun. It may well be surmised on which side our subject was to be found. In almost every school district in Stark County he addressed his fellow-citizens, urging enlistments, and pleading with all to stand by the administration and the union.
In the summer of 1862, when the call came for 300,000 more, Mr. Henderson determined to enlist, and at once took the field and soon succeeded in raising a company, which became a part of the One Hundred and Twelfth regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Assembling in camp, by permission of Governor Yates the regiment was permitted to elect its colonel and Mr. Henderson received the unanimous vote, both of officers and privates. On the 22d of September, 1862, the regiment was mustered into service and immediately ordered to the front. Its record for nearly three years following is a part of history of that great struggle. In the campaigns through Georgia and Tennessee, the One Hundred and Twelfth was ever at the front, its colonel winning the good will of his superior officers for his conscientious discharge of every duty devolving upon him. "Always hopeful, always prompt, always courageous, a most loyal subordinate, and a most able and devoted leader," was the record given him by Major-General J. D. Cox, under whom he long served.
At the battle of Resaca, Georgia, May 14, 1864, he was severely wounded and lay in a hospital for some time, after which he was granted a furlough and came home to recuperate. Returning to his regiment, the Third Brigade, Third Division, Twenty-third Army Corps, was organized for him, and he was assigned to its command. As commander of this brigade, he served until the close of the war, being brevetted a brigade-general for gallant conduct during the campaign in Georgia and Tennessee, and especially at the battle of Franklin, Tennessee, the commission dating November 30, 1864.
The war over, the regiment being mustered out of service, General Henderson returned to his home in Toulon, Stark county, and quietly resumed the practice of law. There he remained until March, 1867, when he moved to Princeton and formed a partnership with the late Joseph I. Taylor in the practice of his profession, which was continued until 1871. At this time the general was appointed by President Grant as United States collector of internal revenue for the 5th Illinois district, with headquarters at Peoria. During the two years he was connected with that office he collected and turned over to the general government more than nine million dollars. Returning home in 1873, he formed a partnership with Judge H. M. Trimble, which still continues, the firm being an exceptionally strong one.
In 1868 General Henderson was one of the presidential electors for the state at large, and cast his vote for General Grant. In 1870, he unsuccessfully sought the nomination for congress, and in 1874 was nominated and elected a member of the Forty-fifth congress from the sixth district. During that term he served on the railways, canals and pension committees, in the Forty-sixth on commerce; in the Forty-seventh he was chairman of the committee of military affairs; in the Forty-eight, Forty-ninth and Fiftieth congresses he served on the committee on rivers and harbors; in the Fifty-first he was chairman of committee on rivers and harbors; and in the Fifty-second and Fifty-third he served on rivers and harbors and also on banking and currency.
For eight years he served as a member of the sixth district, and for twelve years from the seventh. After his first term he was always re-nominated by acclamation. In all, General Henderson served the people faithfully and well for twenty years. His greatest service as a member of congress, as he regards it, was rendered as a member of the committees on commerce and on rivers and harbors, in the improvement of the waterways of the country, and his principal achievement was the securing of the construction of the Hennepin canal, and this is a movement of which he may well be proud. A man more honest and devoted to the best interests of his constituents never entered the halls of congress, and those that know him best do not hestitate to say that he is in every respect a noble type of American manhood. For twenty years he has been one of the most popular of the soldier statesmen in congress, and his name stands for honesty, integrity and everything that is good in politics and public life. No man in Bureau county in the past twenty years has stood nearer the hearts of the people.
General Henderson was married May 29, 1849 to Miss Henrietta Butler, of Wyoming, Stark county. She was born in New York City, August 11, 1830, and is the daughter of Captain Henry and Rebecca (Green) Butler of Wyoming, Illinois. By this union, four children have been born (1) Gertrude R., wife of Charles J. Dunbar, of Princeton, and they have two living children, Harry B. and Fred T. (2) Sarah E., wife of Chester M. Durley of Princeton, who also have two children, Leigh and Helen. (3) Mary L., wife of John Farnsworth of Washington, D.C., who have four living children, Gertrude, John, Eunice and Thomas H. (4) Thomas B., a boot and shoe dealer of Princeton and insurance agent.
Fraternally General Henderson is a Mason, holding membership, with blue lodge, chapter, commandery and consistory. As a citizen he is every ready to do all in his power to advance the interests of his adopted city, giving of his time and means for its material advancement. He and his estimable wife live in a beautiful home on Peru street.
The republicanism of General Henderson has never been doubted. He was a delegate at the last Whig state convention in Springfield, and was a delegate to the republican national convention at St. Louis in 1896, and cast his vote for Major McKinley, protection and sound currency. [The Biographical Record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois, Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company 1896, Page 10-13 - sub. by Nancy Piper]