JAMES HENDERSON was the first to make a claim on land north of Apple Creek, in this county, which was in Aug., 1818. He was born in Hunterdon county, N.J., March 9, 1783. He was the youngest of 10 children. His father's name was Edward, and of Protestant Irish descent. At the age of 21, he went to Virginia, remained there two years, and then went to Ohio, where, in 1807, he married Mary White, eldest daughter of Thomas and Amy W. White, born Oct. 25, 1787. Her father's mother's maiden name was Shreve, whose grandfather, Derick Arison immigrated to New Amsterdam in 1680, from Holland. The maiden name of Mrs. White was McGhee, and her parents were Scotch. The children of James and Mary Henderson were eleven, 10 of whom grew to manhood and womanhood, three daughters and seven sons. Of these - Caroline, born in Oct., 1808, married by Rev. Bogarth, Jan. 1, 1828, to Geo. W. Allen, who died in Jan., 1864, and his widow now resides in Greenfield; Hope, married by John Allen, Esq., in Oct., 1831, to Rev. Amos Prentice, who died in Shelbyville, Ill., in Aug., 1849, she dying in Nov., 1879; Nathaniel, married in Dec., 1833, by John Allen, Esq., to Martha E. Bacon, who died in May, 1850, her husband following her in July, 1863, dying in Macoupin county; Thos., who now lives in Harrison county, Ia., married in June, 1834, to Eliza Estes, by Rev. J. B. Corrington; Edwin, now of Macoupin county, married in Nov., 1839, to Eliza J. Williams, by Rev. J. B. Corrington; James, now of Harrison county, Ia., married in March, 1841, to Elizabeth Peters; Perry, married to Ellen Williams, in Jan. 1846, by Rev. H. Wallace; his wife died in March, 1858, and he was found dead in his bed, on his farm, on Rock river, Rock Island county, Ill., June 10, 1882; Amy A., married to T. J. Robinson, in Jan. 1846, by Rev. H. Wallace; they now reside in Rock Island county; Safety M., married Hezekiah J. Williams, March 5, 1854, Rev. Rutledge, officiating; Franklin, married in July, 1851, by Rev. C. P. Baldwin, to Sarah A. Metcalf; F. Henderson, now resides in Towanda, Ill.; S. M. Henderson now lives on the old homestead, where he was born, three miles southeast of White Hall. He says, "Few and evil have been the days of the years of my pilgrimage, and I have not attained unto the days of the years of my fathers." James H. Henderson died July 25, 1849, after a long and painful illness. His wife followed him Aug. 9, of the same year, having been an invalid for nine years. There are more than 150 descendants of James and Mary Henderson now living.

Many of the foregoing facts, which precede the sketch of the Henderson family, are given by S. M. Henderson and a sketch of early times is herewith given from the pen of that worthy gentleman:

Three sons were born in 1820, on Henderson creek, in the order named - William Speakes, W. B. Thaxton, and Perry Henderson.

One of the first school houses built in the township, stood about one-fourth mile east of the state road, on the Roodhouse farm. It was built of large logs, a fire-place in each end, with chimneys made of sticks and mud, with puncheon floor, a clapboard door, and for light, oiled paper was used instead of glass.

The second teacher in the settlement was a plucky little Yankee by the name of Augustus Barbour. One morning about Christmas time, the young men met at the school house just at day break, built a good fire, barred the door, and waited for the teacher. He was somewhat earlier that morning than usual, hoping to be in time to enter the house before the crowd arrived, for there were a number of neighbors and married men ready for the fun, but they were in readiness for the attack or to repel one. Mr. Barbour pretended to be very wrathy, and after a few feits to get in, started for his boarding place, which was at Thomas Rattan's. The bolters saw their opportunity, and soon pursued. He was caught by Hamp. Rattan, just as he stepped on his father's porch; and they soon had him with his feet in the air over the spring. "Treat, or we'll duck you till you do!" Were the stern words. "One, two, three!" "I'll treat," said the convinced teacher; and whiskey and sugar flowed so freely that many small children reeled and staggered as they returned home, which incensed a number of the patrons of the school, and the tide began to set against the practice, until it was abandoned, more than forty years ago.

Not quite 60 years ago (wouldn't do to give names), a young lady was preparing for her wedding day, and thought she could not obtain her outfit nearer than St. Louis, proposed to her father to help him drive cattle to that city, where she could purchase articles desirable. The offer was accepted and she rode on horseback there and back, bringing some things of which the queen of Sheba never saw.