Henderson, Ole J.

HENDERSON, JOHNSON, BROWN

Posted By: Pat J. (email)
Date: 3/19/2011 at 13:49:54

HON. OLE J. HENDERSON, judge of the Eleventh District Court of Iowa, is a resident of Webster City, where he has been a member of the bar in good standing for over twenty-eight years.

Judge Henderson is a native of Hamilton County, Iowa, born there March 8, 1878, and is of Norwegian parentage and ancestry. His grandparents all died in Norway. His father, Lars Henderson, came from Norway and settled in Illinois in 1848, and ten years later moved out to Iowa. he was with a group of Norwegian colonists who acquired land and developed one of the important pioneer communities of Hamilton County. Lars Henderson was a man of much business ability, a thoroughly practical agriculturist, and acquired a large amount of land in the county. He was one of the trusted leaders of the colony of Norwegians in Scott Township. On going there he helped put up the first school, known as the Sheldall School. This old school is still standing at the same site, and contains a very interesting selection of pioneer relics, constituting museum. Lars Henderson was a Republican in politics and a devout Lutheran. His second wife was Sarah Johnson, also a native of Norway. They had a family of seven children, all of whom are living, Judge Henderson being next to the youngest child.

Ole J. Henderson was reared in a rural district, attended country schools, and in 1898 graduated with the degree Bachelor of Science from the Iowa State College at Ames. He had several years of experience as a country school teacher and deputy clerk, and in the meantime was studying law. In 1902 he graduated LL.B. from the University of Minnesota Law School, was admitted to the bar the same year, and has been continuously in practice at Webster City, Judge Henderson acquired a reputation as an able lawyer and had a large private practice before he was willing to accept any of the honors of politics. His interest in public office has been in the line of his profession. He served two terms as county attorney, and in March, 1928, was appointed judge of the Eleventh Judicial District. In the fall of 1928 he was elected by popular vote to that office, succeeding Judge G. D. Thompson.

Judge Henderson is a member of the Iowa State and American Bar Associations. He is a deacon in the Congregational Church and is a Republican. He married, in 1906, Miss Mary Brown, who was born and reared at Vinton, Iowa. Her father, James A. Brown, for many years was secretary of the Iowa School for the Blind.

"A Narrative History of The People of Iowa" with special treatment of their chief enterprises in education, religion, valor, industry, business, etc. by Edgar Rubey Harlan, LL. B., A. M. - Curator of the Historical Memorial and Art Department of Iowa, Volume IV - The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1931 - found at IAGenWeb Special Project: Iowa History
http://iagenweb.org/history/peopleofiowa/vol4/h.htm