Martin L. Henderson (1864-1936)

HENDERSON, HENRYSON, JOHNSON, ERICKSON, KALSEIM

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 8/13/2024 at 23:06:56

From Story City Herald February 20, 1936 (page 4)

M. L. HENDERSON LED A BUSY LIFE

Born in Scott Township; He Was Farmer, Businessman, Legislator and Community Builder

Martin L. Henderson, the oldest son of Lars and Sarah Henryson, was born under the bleak shadows of the Civil war, in Scott township, Hamilton county, Iowa, on the Henderson farmstead, located a short distance southeast of the present site of Randall, on the 19th day of January, 1864. The Henderson place was then the original site of the Randall postoffice.

During the intervening 72 years the house of his birth has been continuously occupied, as it is today, as the family residence of this farmstead.

At this home Mr. Henderson was reared from childhood to mature age, which gave him as a young lad the opportunity to see and feel the conquest of the prairie, with hardships and privations that are inescapable parts of pioneer life.

He was baptized and confirmed in the St. Petri Lutheran church of Story City, and received the rudiments of his education in the nearby Sheldahl schoolhouse, which was built by his father in the early sixties. (The Palimpsest of Sept., 1931, published by the State Historical society, has an interesting story of the Sheldall [sic] school.)

Married in 1889

On June 4, 1889, he was united in marriage to Josephine Johnson of Norway, Benton county. To this union eight children were born, of whom four survive him, namely, Mrs. E. M. Erickson of Randall, Walter of Marshall, Minn., Mrs. A. E. Kalseim of Jewell and Porter of Atlanta, Ga.

Besides the surviving widow and the four children he leaves 15 grandchildren, three sisters and four brothers to mourn his unexpected and sudden death on February 1, 1936.

Mr. Henderson was a charter member of the Riverside Cornet Band of the mid-eighties, which gained for itself an enviable reputation, and served at one time as the official band of the Iowa State Fair. This organization of farm boys attained not only an outstanding reputation locally, but it left a rich heritage of far-reaching significance to the music loving people of the mid-west. Eight other charter members of the band have preceded him in death.

It was also largely thru Mr. Henderson's influence and unstinting efforts that the Sheldahl Memorial association existed. The first objective of this association was to acquire ownership of the old Sheldahl schoolhouse, which had for many years been occupied as a residence in the town of Randall. This accomplished, the quaint old structure--his alma mater as well as that of many other band boys--was moved to its original site on the east side of Skunk river where it is maintained and known as the Sheldahl Memorial Hall. Among the many keepsakes and mementoes of yesteryears there housed may be found a black walnut ballot box constructed by Mr. Henderson's father and used in the schoolhouse in the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1864, the year of Mr. Henderson's birth.

In the mid-eighties Mr. Henderson purchased the farm he continuously operated until his death. This was an unimproved tract of his father's holdings adjoining the newly platted village of Randall. In 1889 he and his bride made extensive improvements on these premises, including a commodious residence, which became a part of the town. Here he lived and labored and became one of the moving spirits of his town and community, residing there continually with the exception of about one year when he served as County Agent in Ida county.

Had Business Experience

While his life was spent in the pursuit of agriculture, he also had a well-seasoned business experience. He was associated with the early business activities of his community and remained in close contact therewith until his death. He was identified with Randall's first mercantile establishment, the Randall Company, and a member of the firm of Seymour & Henderson, successors to The Randall Co.

Mr. Henderson held many positions of trust. in the days of the World war he spent much time and effort in the Near East Relief project.

In 1923-24 he represented Hamilton county in the 40th General Assembly.

At the time of his death he was a member of Board of Directors of The Farmers National Grain corporation of Chicago, and he held a like position with the Iowa Co-Operative Grain Co., and was also president of the Farmers Grain Co. of Randall.

Mr. Henderson was an acute observer and possessed a well balanced mind. These attributes, linked with a sterling character, an exemplary life and a genial disposition won for him a host of friends. Such friendship was not confined to his local community, but was statewide in scope. Then, too, perhaps the first and foremost manifestation of such camaraderie was with those closest to him, his immediate family and lest we forget, his large group of devoted grandchildren. This host of friends and comrades, individually and collectively, will sense keenly the loss of a tried and true friend.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, Feb. 4, with Rev. G. O. Paulsrud officiating at the home and in the church. The roads in all direction were practically impassable, which kept many of Mr. Henderson's old time friends from being present. Directors of the Randall Grain company were pallbearers, but because several were unable to get thru the drifts, substitutions had to be made. Robert Erickson, grandson of the deceased, sang.