Family Histories of Coleman County, Texas

JOHN HARRIS HENDERSON FAMILY
by Irene Henderson

From A History of Coleman County and Its People, 1985 
edited by Judia and Ralph Terry, and Vena Bob Gates - used by permission
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John Harris Henderson, born March 13, 1835, married Sarah (Sally) Graves, February 7, 1861 in Robertson County.  To this union were born: R. Henry (Hy), December 17, 1862; John Franklin, September 23, 1864; Mary Ella, October 15, 1866; and Edwin, December 23, 1868.  After Edwin’s birth Sally never recovered her health and died February 22, 1869 at Bald Prairie, where she is buried.  John Harris moved his family to Glen Cove, except for baby Edwin, whom a cousin took to Crockett, and reared him until he was old enough to join his family in Glen Cove.  John was a part time merchant and farmer as well as owning both a gin and a mill.  Mary Ella met and married Lamar Mirabeau Cravens, February 23, 1887, and settled in Winchell.  There Mattie Ella was born March 22, 1889; Minnie Lou, September 2, 1891; Jonnie, June 5, 1894; and Henderson, April 16, 1897.  His son, Dr. Henderson Cravens, is with Howard Payne College.

John Harris remarried December 22, 1871 in Glen Cove to Martha L. Smith, born May 7, 1852, a sister to Thomas Smith (see Hinson-Blackburn).  There were three children: Jessie, March 3, 1875; Ella Rose, June 29, 1877, and Oliver Perry, January 26, 1882.  On that date his wife, Martha, died and is buried at Glen Cove.  On February 27, 1885, John Harris married for the third time to Nannie Pruitt, a widow, with one child, Georgia Ellen Pruitt, born December 21, 1877.  John Harris died May 12, 1892 and is buried at Glen Cove. His grave is unmarked.

Both R. Henry (Hy) and John Franklin worked in Coleman.  Henry had business relations with the Williams and the Pettys.  In fact the Williams from Tennessee built the house at 401 North Neches in 1885 and Henry lived with them.  Mrs. Williams became ill, died and was taken back to Tennessee for burial by her husband and son.  Henry bought the house.  About this time, Cordelia Davis (Cordie) of Austin, came to Coleman to teach.  They fell in love, married about 1904, and moved to San Angelo, where Henry had the dealership for Studebaker wagons, carriages and buggies.  Later, he was mayor of San Angelo and a County Commissioner.  He died in Austin, February 1, 1938, and she later.  Both are buried in the Onion Creek Cemetery near Austin - the first Masonic Cemetery in Texas.

John Franklin (J. F., Sr.) worked at a ranch in Concho County.  The men were paid by the business manager, Sam Bronough, who stayed at the Peyton House in Coleman and who wrote the checks on the Coleman Bank which was in the rear of the present Bowen’s Drug Store.  While working on the ranch, he met a school teacher, Dora Dean Hardin of Paint Rock, courted, and married her December 18, 1895.  He brought the bride to a little cottage that he had built by the Santa Fe Railway Station in the northwest part of Coleman.  In this house were born three children: John Franklin, Jr. (Johnnie), September 28, 1896; Ada Irene, June 29, 1899; and Dora Belle, June 13, 1901.  As this family grew, Henry asked his brother John to move to the house at 401 North Neches and pay the taxes as well as keep the place.  About 1910 John bought the complete block from Henry (Hy).  John F., Sr. was not only a rancher but also a merchant in Coleman.  One time his business was known as: Henderson and Roach, Thompson and Henderson, Candler and Henderson, and last as Henderson and Son Grocery Store, it closed in 1932.  John F., Sr. belonged to the First Christian Church, died May 22, 1945, buried in Coleman.

(1) John, Jr. was a graduate of Coleman High School, where he belonged to the football team and helped with the first school annual.  As World War I broke out, he joined the United States Marines, his parents signing for him to go as he was underage.  He was kept on Paris Island, training troops for overseas duty.  On June 21, 1921, in the Methodist Church, he married Elizabeth Henson, born December 11, 1900, the granddaughter of Judge J. O. Woodward.  To this union on July 1, 1928, Mary Elizabeth was born in Overall Hospital, Coleman.  Johnnie F., Jr. died October 16, 1970, Coleman, buried at Coleman.  Mary, a graduate of Coleman High School, attended Texas Christian University, where she met Robert Edward Ebinger, they were married October 11, 1948, moving to Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania, where Robert (Bob) and his father, Henry, ran the Ebinger Iron Works.

(2) Ada Irene, graduating from Coleman High School in 1916, was president of the class.  Her B.A. was from Baylor College and her M.A. from Southwestern University at San Marcos.  She taught in the county Featherston School, Coleman, Hondo, Sonora, and San Antonio at Brackenridge High School.

(3) Dora Belle graduated from Coleman High School, received her B.A. from Howard Payne College and her M.A. from Southwestern University of San Marcos.  She taught in Coleman, Novice, and San Antonio.  She was County Supervisor of the Coleman County Schools at one time.  She was also an elementary principal in the San Antonio Independent School District, first of Tynan Elementary School and then Riverside Park Elementary School from where she retired.

Edwin came from Crockett, to join his family at Glen Cove.  Here he met Mary Elizabeth Smith, born November 11, 1877, and married her October 25, 1896 in Coleman.  While Edwin (Ed) lived in Glen Cove, he ran a store.  Two children were born:  Kathryn (Kate) October 1, 1897; and Harris George, born March 1, 1900.  About this time Ed moved his family to Talpa, where he owned a mercantile store and owned a farm.  At Talpa his third child, Nella Rose, was born June 7, 1907.  As the children were ready for high school and as he was working for a feed company, he moved his family to Coleman.  Ed and Elizabeth, known as Lizzie, helped to start the Church of Christ in Coleman.  Finally Ed moved his family from Coleman to Abilene, where he opened the Henderson Grain Store.  Ed died April 24, 1943, Lizzie died at Crane, March 30, 1969, both buried in Abilene.
(1) Kathryn (Kate) married Roger Hamblett at Canyon, July 20, 1918, where she had gone to study.  Kate had become interested in painting.  Her first entry won first prize at the Texas State Fair.  She and Roger had two children: (la) Tommy Lou, January 12, 1925-October 5, 1974, buried Elmwood Cemetery, Abilene married Dr. James B. Nevins, in Lubbock.  (lb) Vernona, August 16, 1934, married Lamar Gilstrap, lives in Snyder where she is a teacher.  Kate died in the Shannon Hospital in San Angelo, November 30, 1969. She and Roger are buried in Abilene.

(2) Harris George became a partner with his father, Ed, in the Henderson Grain Store, married November 14, 1925, Inez Goodwin, born July 22, 1903.  Three children were born: (2a) H. G., April 21, 1927, married Donna Gibson; (2b) Jean, September 16, 1931, married Clyde Mote; and (2c) Mary Henderson, August 22, 1933, married Kenneth Hecter.  Harris George retired to his ranch near May and H. G. took over the Henderson Grain Store, which is still a thriving business in Abilene.  Harris died January 13, 1978, buried in Abilene.

(3) Nella Rose married September 27, 1925 in Anson, Emory Askey Pliler (Buddy).  Buddy worked in one of the Abilene banks while Nella Rose worked in a jewelry store and became quite an authority on fine china.  Two children were born: (3a) George, January 30, 1927 in Abilene married Nina Lee Camway.  (3b) Billie, March 1, 1930 in Floydada, married Bob McCormick, who was mayor of Snyder.

Jessie Henderson married Ella Smith and was blessed with one child, Ronald, September 30, 1900 at Glen Cove, married Anna Pearl Gibson June 5, 1935 in Temple.  She died September 30, 1969, buried in Waco.  Ronald, better known as Bill Henderson, was associated with Baylor University, Waco, where he now resides. 

 
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