Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-03-28
From tho SaIegh News.
AN INTERESTING SKETCH.

IcI1ttcISOu, WHICH Will pS IOuuu
useful contribution tn North Carolina
biographical history. 1t is written by
relative of the deceased, Thomas
Henderson Pritchard, D. D., Pastor OF
the Baptist church in this city, and
will be read with pleasure throughout
this State :
ALEXANDER sfARTIS HENDERSON, II. d.
This truly eenerous-bearted man
died of apoplexv. on the 18th ultimo,
at Powhatan. Laurence county, Ar
kansas, in the sizty-sixth year of his
age.
DR.. Henderson was descended from
two families much distinguished in the
history of North Carolina, and on this
account, rs well as for his own per-
sonal qualities, his memory deserves
more than a passing notice from the
press OF the State.
His father, Major Pleasant Herder-
son. was n lawyer, and for thirty-one
years the reading clerk OF the House
OF Commons of the State. without ask
Richard Henderson, brother of
Major Pleasant, was judge in colonial
times. and the father OF Leonard Hen
ierson, Of Granville, and Archibald
Henderson. Of Salisbury. The former
became Chief jus of the State, and
the latter, in splendid eulogirm, de-
ivered by Judge Murphy at Chapel
Hill in 1927, WAS pronounced "tho
most perfect model Of LAWYER that
our bar has yet produced.
Another man Of eminence OF this
family was Col. Thomas Henderson,
who originated the Rale gh Star. and
built and occupied the Hinton House,
recently purchased by Col. T. G. Full,
Ter. OF Fayetteville.
The mother OF DR.. Henderson was
Sarah. a daughter OF Col. James Mar
tia. OF Stokes, an officer distinguished
for his ealla:1try in The Revolution
and the brother Of Alexander Martin
after whom the subject Of this sketci
was named. who was three times chosen
Governor OF North Carolina.
For many years Major Pleasant Hen.
1erson resided at Chapel Hill, at which
eminent seat of learning SIX ont of his
9Hven sons were graduated. He had
but one daughter, Eliza, who married
Hamilton G. Jones. OF Salisbury, and
was the mother OF the gifted and gal
ant Col: H. G. Jones, of Charlotte.
Mrs. Jones, one of the loveliest chris
tan women have known, died about
three years ago, preceding her hus-
band 20 the grave but by a few months.
Or. James Henderson, the eldest
son, practiced medicine in Raleigh for
many years. He was the step-father
of Mrs. Alfred Williams and the father
of Dr. Francis Marion Henderson, of
Concord, and Talking Bill Hender-
son" a learned member of the Texas
bar. The second son. DR.. William
Henderson, died in Martin county
many years ago. OF Maurice, the
third son, the writer knows but little,
save that he died early. Mark was a
lawyer, and resided i'll Oxford, though
he afterwards removed to Tennessee,
where he died
Tippo Saib, the fifth son, received
his strange name in q singular way.
His father and General William r.
Davie were bosom friends and ardent
Wings. They hated England with a
perfect hatred, aud both having sons
born to them about the same time,
they agreed to call them in honor OF
Hyde Ali, of Egypt, and Tippo Saib OF
India, who We're at war with their
great enemy, England, at that time
Uncle Tip" as everybody called
much practice.
He spent much of his time in Ten
nessee, with his kinsman, General
Williams, and an anecdote is told of
him while there, which fifty illustrates
the unselfishness of the man, as well
as his Discrimination to engage in any
sort of business.
One evening General Williams pro-
posed to give him five or six thousand
dollars with which to purchase a stock
of goods offered for sale in the neigh
borhood. He told Uncle Tip that
the store had good trade and he
could make money by going into bust
ness. Uncle Tip said he would econ
suit his pillow about it and report
progress III the mornir e." The next
morning, after thanking his friend for
his generous offer, he begged leave TO
decline it. but to comfort him in his
disappointment, said 10 his knsman:
Il think YOU will find it cheaper to
support ne without setting me up in
business TO lose your money" And he
was right. for IL n short time all the
money would have been gone and he
would never have known what had be-
come az it.
Thi5 Suilelcss old man, whom everv-
body loved. died a few years ago at
Panther Creek. the hospitablc home OF
Nicholas L. Williams, one of the finest
gentlemen Of the old school. who still
to teach this degenerated age
the manners of the oiden time.
Tue sixth son. Pleasant. WAS the
most distinguished man OF THO family.
He was indeed ii genius, and the most
genius l ever knew IF he
had lived in London or Paris or New
ok, his lam * . physician and Sur
geon .voui3 hare fi,lad the world. The
grace OF his manners, the dignity OF
his person, tn" extent and accuracy Of
his learning, the beauty. fuencv. bril-.
liancy and richness CT his conversation,
together with tSe insiescri table fasci-
nation Ct MS sweet Gri generous and
enirit. ali 11a5is. him the
most accomplished gentleman I have
ever seen. l have been told that Mr..
u ebstcT pronounced him TO be the
most ACCOMPLISHED man he had seen
IN Europe or America. Re was tac:ee
l,rince;2ts anywhere and every where.
Dr.. John Henderson, Of Cabarrus, told
the writer that he saw him kill, in one
fav. sixty-two birds in sixtv-three shots.
All the family wera much given t. field
@lnC.Tts.
Alexander Martin was the seventh
md youngest son, ard the last surriy-
HG member of the family. He saw
7everal years service in the navy. but
cit the rowing life of the sea to marry
Inc daughter OF Mr.. Charles E. John
'on, planter of Chowan, whose home,
tEando:l' on the river, was long the
eat of refined and elegant hospital
=. He thus became the brother-in-
aw OF DIR. Charles E. johnson. of
Raleigh. The ex-naval officer became
merchant III Edenton, and then at
chapel Hill, but failing in business and
0s;ng hin wife, he read medicine at
he University of Virginia, practiced
or ye2r in Gates county, and in 1916
emoved to Salisbury, and formed .
o-partnership WITH ais brother Pleas
mt. About 1850, he married Melinda
Fimbish, Of Halifax county, Va, the
lister of Kehecca, the wife of his broth
L. Both of these ladies were women
f such superior qualities of head a. 4