The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1906-03-01
COL. HENDERSON DEAD
The Famous ex-Congressman died
at Dubuque Sunday with Paresis
Funeral Held To-day.

Colonel David Bremmer Henderson,
former speaker of the house of repre-
sentatives, died at 2 o'clock Sunday
afternoon at Mercy hospital, at Du-
buque, following a stroke of paralysis,
which he suffered last May. His wife
and two daughters were at his bedside.
For nine months Colonel Henderson
had been failing. His once powerful
mind which had welded such influence
in the councils of the nation, became
weaker and weaker until toward the
end, he could not recognize old friends.
For weeks the only person he knew was
his faithful wife, who, throughout his
illness, was his constant companion.
Colonel Henderson had just returned
from California when he was attacked
by the malady. 1t was hoped for a time
| that the af1iiction was but temporary,
and Chicago specialists were sent for.
They could do little to arrest the pro-
gress of the disease, and in September
it was found necessary to remove Col.
Henderson from the st. julien hotel,
where he had been living to the hospi-
tai.
| There he remained in about the same
condition, feeble in body and with his
mind a wreck, until February 16, when
he was strickened with paralysis for
second time and left blind. 1t became
apparent then that the end was but
matter of a few days. Gradually the
patient became weaker, until last Fri
day when he rallied surprisingly and
for the first time in months his mind be-
came clear. He recognized all the
members of his family, asked for old
friends and seemed so improved that
there was almost hope that he stood a
chance of recovery.
Friday night, however, he became
weaker,and his mind was clouded again.
Saturday he lapsed into unconscious
ness and lay in comatose condition
until his affection was ended by death.
| The funeral will be held Thursday
afternoon in st. Johns Episcopal
church. The Grand Army of the Re-
public will be in charge Of the services
and Rev. John G. Sage will officiate.
George D. Perkins of Sioux City, for
merly Col. Henderson's colleague in
congress, will speak at the funeral.
| M 30 tlo
national house Of representatives for
twenty years and for two terms served
as speaker. "Good Old Dave as he was
Familiarity known, was in demand as an
after dinner speaker, where his ready
wit and biting humor brought forth
gales OF laughter. But from "Good Old
Dave as he was before his first term
as speaker, he went through transi-
tion, till at the close of his second term
as executive of the house he was styled
| Gear" just as his predecessor, Thomas
B. Reed. So strong was the feeling
against him in 1908, when the fifty
seventh congress adjourned that Mr..
|
gress rather than face what he surmised
would be defeat if he were again can
didate for the speakership. Since his
retirement he had lived quietly in Du-
buque, which had been his home for
many years.
Mr.. Henderson was born March a.,
1910, in the bleak village of Old Deer
which is attached to the estate of the
Earl of Buchan, in Aberdeenshire Scot
land. He was scarcely five years old
when his father, Thomas Henderson, left
Old Deer for America, bringing the
family with him.
After many tribulations the family
landed in Chicago, with something like
$5of ready cash remaining from the
fund obtained by selling their house
hold effects in Scotland. They managed
to get small farm in Illinois and there
they remained three years. Later the
Hendersons moved to Iowa, and with
the money saved by David's thrifty
mother, purchased tract of prairie
land in Fayette county, which later was
known as Henderson's prairie.
1t was in Iowa the future speaker re-
ceived his schooling. He worked on the
farm in summer and attended school in
winter, also joining debating society
from which he received his first ideas
of studying law. In 1860 he was sent
to small Methodist college at Fayette,
know as the Upper Iowa University.
In his second year at school the war
broke out, and on the morning of Sept.
ID, 1861, when Henderson was 81, he
arose during the morning assembly of
the students for prayer and asked that
he be given chance to speak. After a
consultation Of the faculty, his wish
was granted, and he then made speech
which was talked of for years in Iowa,
owing to it's passion and patriotism.
i As "a racult tuon4x, +,ro "a 49,. -.