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Ernest Mortimer Henderson

Clermont township, Fayette county, Iowa, is characterized by her full share of successful and enterprising farmers, and in this class must be included the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch. Mr. Henderson was born in the township in which he now lives on August 12, 1867, and is a son of Alexander C. and Minervia C. (Teeter) Henderson, the father born in Old Deer, Aberdeen, Scotland, on November 15, 1835, and the mother born in Canada in 1842. The subject’s paternal grandparents were Thomas and Barbara Legg Henderson, both of whom were born in Old Deer, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, the former born March 14, 1790, and the latter on April 24, 1793. They emigrated to the United States in about 1848, making their home at first in the state of Illinois, where they resided until 1852, when they came to Clermont township, Fayette county, Iowa, making their home on what is known as Henderson Prairie, and there they made their future home, the husband dying there on June 16, 1872, and the mother on April 17, 1883. Their son, Alexander C. Henderson, father of the subject of this sketch, was reared as a farmer and followed that occupation after reaching mature years. In 1889 he sold his Fayette county farm and went to Sundance, Wyoming, where he settled on a ranch of four hundred and eighty acres, which he devoted to the raising of cattle and horses with considerable success. In politics he has always affiliated with the Republican party, but he has never aspired to public office. While living in Fayette county he engaged in threshing with splendid success, being a pioneer in that line in this county. In religion he and his wife are liberal in their views, though in their relations with their fellows they have ever borne high and blameless reputations. They became the parents of seven children, namely: Winfred C., Ernest Mortimer, Carrie A. (deceased), David B., Annie Lucretia, Barbara Minervia and Alice Gertrude.

The subject of this sketch was reared on the home farm and received his education in the common schools of Clermont township. His first paid employment was as a farm hand for his uncle, George Kerr, after which for several years he was engaged in hauling cream. Subsequently he engaged in the piano business, in which he met with such success that he remained so occupied for twenty-three years, being connected with the W. W. Kimball company, for whom he established many agencies. In 1907 he engaged in the real estate business, giving his attention mainly to Texas, Mexico and Dakota land, in which he has met with good success. During the past nine years Mr. Henderson has maintained his residence at Oelwein, among the citizens of which thriving town he stands deservedly high in general esteem.

On June 26, 1890, Mr. Henderson was united in marriage with Anna Cevilla Brown native of Waukon, Allamakee county, Iowa, of which locality the parents were early and well known settlers. To Mr. and Mrs. Henderson have been born three children, Horace Brown, Helen Minervia and Ernest Mortimer, Jr. In all of life’s relations Mr. Henderson has exhibited those qualities which have commended him to the regard and admiration of the community. He has at all times given his support to those measures which have promised to be of the greatest benefit to the community and he is numbered among the stalwart and influential men of the township in which he lives.

~transcribed for the Fayette Co IAGenWeb Project by Ann Borden