Henderson daily dispatch., 1941-06-28
City Named
For Famous
N. C.. Jurist
Leonard henderson
Was Chief Justice of
State Supreme Court;
Much of His Life Was
Lived in WILLIAMSBURG
Section.
BY ARCHIBALD HENDERSON

BY ARCHIBALD HENDERSON
Inc una OI Inc Henderson lam
Ily III North Carolina, u WuIch Leon
ara henderson Was d member, was
Samuel henderson OI Hanover cOun-
ty, Virginia. About the year lI4O
he, his wife, Mary Williams, and
them tive children removed to the
NutDusH section oil EugecomDe, later
Granville county, ana u this couple
We're born SIX more children, alter
their removal to North Carolina.
One OF the children was Richard,
born III Hanover county, Virginia.,
April 20, 1875, who was married to
Elizabeth Keeling on December %,
1863. these were the parents Of
Leonard Henderson, who Was born
at NutDush, Granville county, Octob-
er 8, l772.
Education the Best
Leonard received the best educa-
ton the country afforded, lilst at
lcndInS u ~neIgADOrnOUd school
Taught Dy q man named Rocker, and
lalel Studying Tor some two year at
Springer College IN Warren county.
tie completed ms studies at the VII
Ilalnsoorough Academy, OF which the
principal Was the Presbyterian
preacher, the Rev. Henry Patullo.
About the time oil reaching mis-
majority, he began the study oI law
unoer MS great uncle, Judge Joan
Williams, who 1or long wa judge
on the highest court IN the Stale.
Alter receiving his license, he was
married to Judge Williams niece,
ErnrrnE Ea,,,.r A J+C, ,~.,,+,,,,~
Jaw for a time ne was appointed TO
the clerkship of the district court at
Hlllsboro. This office he retained,
1t Is believed, until the expiration Of
the district system in 1906, after
winch he resumed the practice of
law.
Elected to Bench
In 1903 he was elected to the
bench, by a legislature the majority
OF whom were Of the opposite poll
teal party. His election" says
Judge William H. Battle, was due
solely to the high appreciation of his
character and eminent qualifIca-
tlons,' After eight years of service
on he bench, at the meagre salary
OF 9l,oOO PEI year, he resigned this
post and returned to Granville coun-
~ and resumed the practice Of law.
In 1913 the court was revised by
the legislature; and John Hall and
Leonard Henderson, out of seven
names originally proposed, were
elected on the first ballot. John
Louis Taylor, elected on a subse-
quenl ballot, was chosen chief
justice Sy his two associates.
Leonard Henderson remained an
associate justice Of the Supreme
Court until 1929, when in June
OF that year he was designated
by his associates to preside as chief
justice. Tins office he retained UNI
til his death at his home near Will
llamSboro, August 13, 1888.
First Law School
About the year 1919, 1t appears, he
opened d law school at WlIlIamsboro:
ana as this was the first regular law
school 10 open IN this State, Leon
ara henderson has been termed The
rather OF North Carolina Law
Schools Two Of his pupils, who be-
came Justices of the Supreme Court.
subsequently founded law schools:
William II. Battle at the University
OF NoFlh Carolina, and Richmond M.
Pearson at MS home "Richmonu
XIII. According To WeII-established
tradition, Leonard Henderson taught
)he case SYSTEM, and at the open
forums periodically held with his
students discussed concrete cases
selected from the vast volume of
business dispatched by him as a
Judge"
Estimate of His Ability
Judge William H. Battle. who pub
llShed a memoir of Leonard Hendcr-
son IN the North Carolina University
Magazine, November. 1889. says of
HIM: He was unqueStionably a man
of genius, and in early life he had
studied with assiduity and success
the principles Of the common law.
and had made himself familiar with
ITS grounds and references"
The author Of "Sketchcs of North
Carollna'. John H. Wheeler. OBJ
serves: "No one who knew him. or
who may read his opinions. will
doubt for a moment his intellectual
9~reatness.' Chief Justice Richmond
Pearson, in the case of State V. Deal
(North Carolina Law Reports. vol.
"a. page 273). says: His powers of
reflection exceeded those of anv mar
who ever had a seat on this bench,
unless Judge Haywood be considered
! his pnl191 in fhic cNo