Print
Permanent LinkSenator Henry Benham Hendershott View All Years
HENRY B. HENDERSHOTT was born in the State of Ohio, in 1816; he died at Ottumwa, Iowa, August 10, 1900. He came to Burlington, Iowa, in 1837, where he studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1841, residing a while at Mt. Pleasant, and afterwards at Fairfield. He finally settled at Ottumwa, which became his permanent home. He was one of the best known among the early settlers of this State, and held several important public offices. He was appointed by Judge Charles Mason, Clerk of the District Court of Wapello county in 1844. While acting in this capacity he organized the county. In 1845 the Governor appointed him to the office of District Prosecutor for the Seventh District of Iowa. He was at one time Colonel of the 2d Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Division of the Iowa Militia. He also had charge of some important surveys of government lands. With Joseph G. Brown he acted as commissioner to settle the vexed question of the Missouri boundary. He served until the matter in dispute was considered settled. Years afterwards it was reopened and a settlement was only reached in quite recent times. Judge Hendershott represented Wapello, Monroe and Lucas counties in the State senate from 1850 to 1854, where he was chairman of the judiciary committee. In 1856 he was elected judge of the District Court of the Third Judicial District, in which position he won very distinguished credit. During all these years he had filled many other positions in the State, county and city, and was a man in whom the public reposed the largest confidence. As a speaker he was fluent, forcible and convincing, and an able supporter of education, morality and sobriety, enjoying the fullest confidence of all who knew him. A biographical sketch of Judge Hendershott, from the pen of Hon. E. H. Stiles, now of Kansas City, but many years ago reporter of the Supreme Court of Iowa, with his portrait, appeared in this magazine, Vol. 3, No. 8, pp. 624 - 630.