The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1885-12-03
p1NOT : NORTH CAROLlNlANS
r. EMINENT MEN NOKIH CAR-
Il HAS PRODt CED.
o,tbIrt Justice Leonard LENDER
q u,itt.u bx Justice W III. II. Bhttie,
~ l,nrr,.I Pupil in iS5o.

- al thIrf Justice Leonard Hchuti-
- vIitt.u by Justice " III. II. bh't'e'
rs EormcI pupil in 1899.
rWe reprint below from the y :. | nj
81 MAGAZINE, Of November 1913,
-, ,sr nir If chief Justice Leonard liender-
~, ,,,,. gf hi. fdvorite pupils, VIM. II
"a al - ,ybo became one of the Judge Of
81 a,,,,n ~5prcmc court, which Judge
~ .r,on 81 greatly adorned.
m name Of Henderson has been long
a .ayarably known in North Carolina
s. family 10 which this is principally due
of EugIi,h origin, and, having settled
h time III Hanover county, Virginia,
a into this province about the year
. and fixed itself in the county Of
81 Vile. Here. during the last years Of
noy.d Government, one of its members
d, ne a distinguished Judge. In the war
III Revolution the family cSpoused the
4, ol Liberty, and several Of the sons
il. rcd the ranks of the patriot army. 1t
ii ulled to flourish after peace and IN
n udcucc had been secured, and III the
6r-r Of the history of the state, the name
4, ~. found an hOnorea one in almost
el employment of life. a county, a
~ and il village will carry this name to
,st rrItv, and be standing monuments to
d fame and services Of those who bore it.
"a momg he most prominent of this dis
apui,hcd family was Leonard Henderson,
te Chief Justice of the Supreme Court OF
or b Carolina He was born on the wa
Is OF Nutbuoh Greek, IN the county of
"a yilc, on the 9th day Of October, iii
q wear l1s2 His father was Richard
a. Icr,on, the gentleman above alluded to
no.
Idi al department Of the provincial Gov
nlucut The latter was III early life a
Unstable. an office which perhaps he owed
H. influence of his father Col. Samuel
en- lrrSon, who was at one time high
lertl of the county Of Granville. Promp-
by the aspiration Of Il noble ambition,
e humble officer resolved to make an cf
II to better his fortune by devoting him
If 10 the profession of the law. He ac-
rtlngiy commenced the reading of such
D. as were then deemed necessary, and
q y a very short period or study presented
nlsclf for examination before the Chi #
Is ice of .'thc General court, upon whose
II iiicatc Of proficiency he was to obtain
Ii cue, to practice law from the Cover
or The Chief Justice, upon hearing
b. the applicant that he had been read
e few months only, advised him to re
il bone; to which he replied with
q rtuess and spirit, that he had come,
ii to seek advice, or seek a favor, but to
sn md a right; Whereupon the Judge, be
q rritated, subjected him TO 4 rigid eN-
b nination. which he sustained with great
oi tv The result was that the cert rt!ticate
as given, accompanied with many en-
10 ums upon his talents and industry.
r0m such beginning his professional
lcceSs might we'll have been anticipated
e attained not only to the highest hon
s Of his profession under the royal gov
nmeut but after the independence Of
le colonies had been secured and a con
itutional government had been establish
liu North Carolina, he was elected one
the first three Judges of its Supreme
)urt This latter office, however, he either
DC hHed to accept, or resigned IN lew
lei hs He married lady whose name
as Elizabeth Keeling, by whom he had
,ur sons who lived to years maturity, all
ENH0m We're men of more than ordinary
bill ieS Richard, the oldest, studied law
I'd began the practice IN Granville county,
he he died III the commencement OF q
arc Of unusually bright promise. Arch
Ia l. the second son, also devoted him
slf ro the profession OF law, and settled
lthc town OF Salisbury where he became
sycry distinguished advocate, and un-
ue e>tonably the leader Of the bar in the
reS tern portion of the State He also fOl
wo terms represented the Salisbury Dis
dc N Congress John L., the youngest
st., sons, was also a lawyer, and, after
eprrsenting, during several sessions, the
or ugh of Salisbury III the lower House
foar General Assembly, filled success
vel he offices of Comptroller of State
nd Clerk Of the Supreme Court. Not the
eas talented, and in many respects the
nos distinguished, of the sons, was Leon
rd j.lr subject of the present memoi..
10 was the third son and sixth child ot
lis parents He was left an orphan at al
arl e. his father having died when he
vas aelye years old. and his mother sur
riviu- her husband only five years. II
nay not be amiss TO mention here, as al
'yii of the simplicity and frugalitN
Ut times. as we'll as of the prudence anC
ndu~tr of the lnatrons of that day. thai
is mother. though the wife Of one Of the
liehe,t officers of the province, taught
ler eldest sons, us well as her daughters
ocard and spin Why Leonard was moi
3lkhuent we are not informed. Th
lFaendid professional career Of one of hi
,lder brothers, shows that though it nigh
not have advanced, it certainly would no
has 9h,tructed, his upward course to fam
and fortune
afterwards he, with a limited amoun
1f classical instruction, which was all tha
a1s narrow pecunlary resources alloWe
him to obtain, he commenced the study G
he w with his relative, Judge John Wi
lar whose sister his paternal grand
Eat -r had married In what year he w,
Adniittcd to the bar, we have been unabl
F4earn, but suppose that 1t was about tn
nd when hc came Of age. Soon after tia
I'M to wit, in the year 1875, he was maj
rA to his cousin, Frances Farrar, VIII
was q niece of Judge Williams. The youn
con being poor, the Judge who wa
wee by, with an only child to provide fol
gem ISlv gave them Il portion with whic
to b -In the world They settled in Wi
Ian 3lrough, a small village near tn
plae of their uncle's residence.
at was the professional success {
tne young lawyer in the beginning of h
aue dance upon the courts, we have nc
heala We infer, however, that his II
evn from his practice at the bar was ne
s0s ett aa to render unnecessary otht
Of profit. He was appointed to, an
efal Years held, the office of Clerk {
~ District Court of HillsbOro. I'll
was then divided into a small nun
- alatncts in each of which coul
pIeiile jurisdiction was held twice
''ii ds each district comprised seN
sodAliea the clerkship must have bee
digny tha einoleiieiti onc tha 80 "eli
ten VIA, aboIish.3 81 l9op ~ .ilI ui'I ~
aSuyerior court W. ,'nu - 'iI la piai haid n mn,.
yea n each conntT uas - s,hs+i+ntad 49,. A. =;
s-s~ l'+dLt Oh II. For hat ,urpoSa I ba 81 AT