Biography of William Henderson, pages 529 / 530 / 531. History of De Kalb County, Indiana. Inter-State Publishing Company, Chicago, 1885. William Henderson, one of the pioneers of De Kalb County, is a native of Ashland County, Ohio, born April 26, 1824, the eldest of thirteen children of Samuel and Lettie (Moody) Henderson, natives of Pennsylvania, of Irish parentage. They were married in Harrison County, Ohio, and soon after settled on rented land on the present site of Haysville, and afterward bought a farm two miles north, where they lived till the fall of 1836. In July of that year Mr. Henderson came to De Kalb County and entered 320 acres of land, and returned to Ohio for his family. Sept. 25 they left the latter State and Oct. 13 arrived at their frontier home. They built a fire by the side of a log and made their wagon their house till a cabin could be built. The next morning the father started for Fort Wayne to mill, and was gone four days. When he returned the boys had their cabin ready to raise, and in less than a week from the time of their arrival they had a house to live in, the first in the township. He afterward bought 120 acres more land, making a large farm of 440 acres which he and his sons cleared and improved. He was elected the first Justice of the Peace in the township but refused to qualify, having no aspirations for official honors. He lived to see all but three of his children married and settled on home of their own, and died Feb. 15, 1863, aged sixty-five years. His wife survived till December, 1880, and died at the age of seventy-five years. William Henderson was twelve years old when his parents moved to De Kalb County, and although so young he was obliged to assist in clearing and improving a frontier farm. His educational advantages were limited, never attending school but seven weeks. He was married Jan. 9, 1845, to Matilda Watson, a native of Ashland County, Ohio, daughter of William and Susan (Keffer) Watson, of Allen County, Ind. After his marriage he settled on a tract of heavily timbered land, and began to make a farm for himself. He built a cabin 16x18, in which he commenced housekeeping, and went bravely to work to clear his land. He has cleared 160 acres, and now has one of the finest farms in the township, and has made it his home for forty years. To him and his wife have been born four children, two of whom are living--- Margaret and John W.. their eldest died in infancy, and Elizabeth was the wife of Milo F. Walker, and died May 5, 1883, aged twenty-eight years. Mr. and Mrs. Henderson have been members of the Methodist Episcopal church forty years. He is a member of Concord Lodge, No. 556, A.F. & A.M.. In politics he was originally a Democrat, but since its organization has affiliated with the Republican party. He was elected County Commissioner in 1866 and served four years, and has also served as Township Trustee four terms. Submitted by: Arlene Goodwin Auburn, Indiana Agoodwin@ctlnet.com