The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-03-22
HON. j. S. HENDERSON,
Senator From 26th District.

Col John Steele Henderson, membe,
/ of the Senate from Rowan county, en-
| joys not only a State, but likewise ma
| tional reputation as a maker, having
served repeatedly as member OF th'
| General Assembly of North Carolina anc
| as a member of the National Congress
| He is a man of distinguished ability
| being reckoned among the states aoles'
| public men. He possesses both courag'
and conviction and being a man OF grea'
| literary and legal resources as well
| of legislative experience, he at once
commands the respect and admiration OF
those with whom he comes in contact
whether i'm the drawing room, upon the
hustings, at the bar or the seat of law
making. AS a member of the Senate
of. 1903 he took a prominent stand OF
all questions relating to State and wa!
deeply interested in a number of bills
of local character. He was chairman
of the Committee on Education and
member of the Committees on Finance,
Judiciary, Trustee of the University, and
several others of Importance.
He was a member of the House in &c
Senate in> 70, 1900, 1903, was a member
of the National Congress lHouse) for
session of 1884, was nominated the sixth
time to succeed himself, but suffered
defeat by Fusion of Republicans and
Populist. While a member OF Congress
he was chairman of the Committee on
Postoffces and Post Roads and at his
second term was member of the Com
mittee on judiciary { a high COMPLIMENT
and remained on the Judiciary Commit
tee till the Fifty-secOnd Congress.
Mr.. Henderson was elected to the
Constitutional Convention OF 1871, was
elected by the Legislature in 1881 as
member of the Code Commission. He
has been active in politics all his life,
engaging in every campaign since his
twenty-first birthday. In 1890 the degree
of D. D., LII, D. was conferred on him
by Trinity College.
Col Henderson is a native of Sails
bury, Rowan county, was born January
6, 1916, was educated at the school of
Dr. Alex. Wilson, Melville Academy and
the University of North Carolina, which
institution he left in "a to enter the
Confederate army. He read law under
Judge Pearson, was licensed by the
county court in '66 and by the Superior
Court in 81.
He was associated, in the practice Of
law, with Luke Blackburn from January
1874, to January. 1884.
In 1874, Col Henderson married Miss
Bessie B. Cain, of Asheville, a grand
daughter of Judge Bailey. Four living
children, two boys and two girls, grace
this union. One of his sons, who holds
the position of assistant professor if
mathematics at the University of North
Carolina, was given leave of absence by
the faculty that he might accept the in
structorship in mathematics at the Chi
cago University for a year.
Col. Henderson is a very active mar
and takes a keen interest in popular
education. AS chairman of the Senate
Committee on Education he led the fight
fer the A. and M. appropriation during
the closing hours of the session. Perhaps
his greatest speech was that on the
abandonment clause Of the Divorce bill
He also takes lively interest in tho
subject of good roads and says his coun-
ty is lining up with Mecklenburg