History of Early Pioneer Families of Hood River, Oregon. Compiled by Mrs. D.M. Coon

JOHN LELAND HENDERSON

     John Leland Henderson was born in Boston, Massachusetts, September 11, 1851. When he was seven years of age the family spent nearly a year at the home of his Grandfather, John Henderson, Sr., on Mississippi Sound in Louisiana, In the warm waters of the Sound he became an expert swimmer and in the luxurious home of wealth he imbibed the traditions of the educated and cultured people of the South. The following year was spent in the Ozark Country in Arkansas. Then the family went to New Orleans where the father opened a law office.
     The Pine Lands of Louisiana are located about one hundred miles north of New Orleans and here the Mother and her two boys went to make a short stay, but the Civil War came and for more than four years they were unable to leave or even to hear from the father. When the war closed, John was fourteen years old, nearly a man in size and fully a man in many ways. Adversity was a hard school and he was an apt pupil.
     During those years of privation and hardship his education had not been neglected. His mother was his teacher and a library full of books was at his disposal. The years of isolation and trouble knit stronger the natural ties and, as the oldest son, he was his mother's protector.
     The war closed and the broken family was reunited in the fall of 1865 at New Orleans, but before four months had passed the father was killed in a political riot.
     Back to their Boston home they came and then to a Military school in Vermont where his mother became one of the instructors. Then he entered Cornell University at Ithaca, New York, and when he had finished there started West.
     He was in Hood River valley in the spring of 1871. Then he taught school in Harrisburg, Oregon for a number of years and from there he went to Olympia. He married Harriet E. Humphrey and two children, Leland and Julia were born at Harrisburg. Louis A., Edwin Andrew, Sidney and Faith were born at Olympia.
     After several years of service in the schools he entered the Real estate business in Olympia, then came domestic trouble. In 1897 he went to New Orleans to revisit the scenes of his boyhood days. His daughter, Julia, accompanied him and died there. He came to Hood River bringing with him his second wife, nee Marian Graves. While living there he was city surveyor, real estate dealer and lawyer. Two sons, Robert Lynn and Wm. Elliot were born in Hood River.
     He was an energetic wide-awake citizen, active among the pioneers, and a thorough sportsman. In spite of his advancing years, he twice attempted a long swim in the Columbia River. The first attempt was from The Dalles to Hood River. After making twelve miles he was forced to give up. The second time was from Hood River to the Locks, but failed within a mile of his goal. If the water had been warmer he would probably have succeeded, but the Columbia River comes from melting snows, and numbs its victims.
     From Hood River Mr. Henderson moved to the city of Tillamook. He was a very rugged man, venturing forth in all kinds of weather regardless of advancing years.
     After a severe snowstorm during the winter of 1926 and 1927, he was missed from his home. A party of friends found his trail through the snow, over steep hills and gullies, on land in which he was interested. So laborious was the traveling that many of the searchers became exhausted before he was found. He had stopped to rest on the bank of a creek, and death came, as the result of exhaustion and exposure.

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