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JOHN T. HENDERSON, locomotive engineer of the C. & N. W. R. R., and an employe of the company for twenty years, is now running on the O. & C. F. Division. He was born in the town of Franklin, Johnson Co., Ind., Nov. 1, 1840, and is the son of Robert H., and Elizabeth (McKinney) Henderson. His father was born in the United States, of Scotch parentage. His mother was born in Point Pleasant, Clermont Co., Ohio, being a native of the same town as Gen. Grant was. Both parents are living at this writing, and are residents of California. John T. removed to McDonough County, Ill., and in 1854 to Vinton, Iowa. He learned the carpenter's trade, and in June, 1861, enlisted in Co. G, 5th Iowa Vol. Inf. He served in the 15th Army Corps, and in June, 1862, suffered a severe sunstroke. He was subsequently employed on detached service, and spent eight months in Iowa as recruiting sergeant. Returning to the front he participated in the first battle of Corinth, the battle of Resaca, and in various skirmishes and minor engagements. He was in the service three years and one month and was mustered out Aug. 8, 1864. On his return from the war he came to Belle Plaine and was there engaged in milling till the spring of 1866, when he entered the service of the C. & N. W. R. R. Co. as fireman. He was thus engaged about two years, and spent about the same length of time in the yards and dispatching. He was set up as an engineer Dec. 30, 1870, and has been in the company's employ continuously since. During his twenty years' connection with the C. & N. W. R. R. Co. he has had one lay-off of six months, during a trip to California. At one time he was transferred to the Winona and St. Peter's Division in Minnesota, and ran an engine there three and a half years.
Mr. Henderson was united in marriage at West Union, Fayette Co., Iowa, Sept. 13, 1864, with Mrs. Jennett Allen, a widow lady, and daughter of Manlius and Esther (Lewis) Tyrrell. Mrs. Henderson had two children by her former marriage — Orend Allen, who married Lizzie Randall and is a locomotive engineer residing at Tracy, Minn.; and Frank Allen, who was killed in an elevator at Belle Plaine in 1866, when fourteen years of age. One child, a daughter, Nettie, has been born of the present marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Henderson are members of the Congregational Church. Mr. H. is a Republican in political belief. He is a member of the G. A. R.and A. O. U. W., Iowa Valley Lodge, No. 33, and of Boone Lodge No. 6 of the B. of L. E. Mr. Henderson's long-continued connection with the C. & N. W. R. R. Co. in the responsible position of locomotive engineer, is the best possible evidence of the confidence and trust reposed in him by the management of the road.
Source Citation: "1887 Benton County, Iowa Biographies" [database online] Benton County IAGenWeb Project. <http://iagenweb.org/benton/>
Original data: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Benton County, Iowa." Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1887, p. 258.
Transcribed by: Sue Soden. Submitted to the Benton County IAGenWeb Project on January 28th, 2009. Copyright © 2009 The IAGenWeb Project.
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