Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-08-14
Judge H.B. Hendershott Pass
es Away in This City
SUFFERED LONG ILLNESS
Was Closely Identified with the Early
History OF Iowa and Otturwa-Was
Descendant of Fine Old Family
Funeral Sunday.
[From Saturdays Daily.j

The death of Judge H. B. Hender-
shott, one of the early pioneers of
Iowa, occurred at the home of his son,
l.. G. Hendershott, 921 North Elm
street, this morning at 1880 o'clock.
The deceased has been confined to his
bed for the past six months and his
death, tho shock to his many friends
in Ottumwa and thruout the state, is
not a surprise, as his condition has
been critical for number OF weeks
past.
Judge Hendershott was very close
ly affiliated with the early history of
the state of Iowa, and it was partly
thru his ability and efforts that the
state gained so rapidly in it's popular
ity and Importance in the government.
He served four years in the senate,
representing Wapello, Monroe, and
L,cas counties, and took an active
part in forming the code in 1851.
Mr.. Hendershott also served as Judge
of the Third judicial district and it is
said the supreme court reversed few
er of Judge Hendershott's decisions
than any ouner judge in the state.
Henry B. Hendershott was de-
scendant of excellent old Welsh and
German families, and possessed in a
goodly decree the worthy traits of his
ancestors. He was born in Miami,
Ohio, May Is, 1916; his father was u
native of New Jersey and his mother
native of Ohio. Soon after the birth
of their son Henry, in the autumn OF
the same year, they removed to the
territory of Illinois and located in
Madison county, where the early life
of the son was passed, amid the wild
scenes of a pioneers home. His OPP
portunities for securing an education
We're very limited, he being only able
to attend school during the winter sea-
son, and then often obliged to walk
three or four miles in order to reach
the public institution of learning. At
an early period in his life he gave I'M
mlslakable indication of great resoip-
later years fully established. At the
age of nineteen he started out alone
and on foot for Illinois college at
Jacksonville. When he reached the
place he had but $3.50 in his pocket
and very scanty wardrobe. He laid
his case before the faculty OF the COZ
1eSe, of which Rev. Edward Beecher
was president, and they, approaching
the WorthineSS of his undertaking. ex-
tended to him all the encouragement
in their power. At that time there
was large farm and workshop at
tached to the college, and during such
hours as he could obtain from his stu
dies, young Hendershott applied him
self to work, receiving twelve and one
half cents per hour. He remained
two years in college, alternating work
with study and keeping equal pace
with his classmates. At length he
found it necessary to find something
to do which would contribute more
literally to his support.
Mr.. Hendershott, in 1887, after leav-
ing college, proceeded westward to
Burlington, Iowa. He secured po-
sition as clerk of the postoffice, and
was afterwards employed in the re-
corder's Office. He still continued the
pursuit of his studies during his leis-
ure moments and took up the study of
law under Judge David Rorer and M
+ ID. Browning. He had been faithful to
his duties in the recorders Office, ana
in 1889 was appointed deputy clerk of
the district court of Des Moines coun-
ty, by the Hon. Charles Mason, OF that
court. Here he remained for two
years, in the meantime continuing his
studies, and was finally admitted to
the bar in 1S41.
The following year he removed to
Mt. Pleasant, Henry county, and soon
afterwards to Fairfield, Jefferson
county. Thence he went to Agency
City and on May 16, 1874, came to OF
tumwa, where he located permanently,
being one of the most honored pio-
neers and most highly respected citi-
zens of this city.
In February, 1874, previous to be-
coming a resident here, Mr. Hender-
shott was appointed by Judge Mason,
clerk of the district court of Wapello
county, which Office he held until the
following September. While acting
as clerk it became his duty, by an act
OF the legislature, to organize the
county. On December IL, of the fol-
lowing year, he was appointed by
Governor James Clark to the office Of
district prosecutor for the Seventh
district of Iowa, and not quite a year
from that time, on September IL,
1876, Governor Clark commissioned
him colonel of the Second regiment,
First brigade, Fourth division, Iowa
militia. On April 10, 1S49, he was
commissioned by Hon. George w.
Jones, surveyor general of Wisconsin
and Iowa, as surveyor to sectionize
townships. At the September term of
the United States court in 1S4S, he
was appointed by that court to the re-
sponsible position of commissioner of
Iowa, to act in conjunction with JOS
eph G. Brown, commissioner from
Missouri, in determining the vexed
question of the boundary line be-
tween those states. In the meantime
Mr. Brown died. and Hon. Robert W.
Wells was appointed his successor
Mr.. Wells, finding that the duties of
commissioner interfered with those of