Researching William Henderson

Henderson was born in Clarkston, Utah to James and Mary Watkins Williams Henderson. In 1901 he married Survina Wheeler.

Henderson graduated from Brigham Young College in 1903. He then received a master's degree from Cornell University in 1905 and a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of California, Berkeley in 1925.

Henderson was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and for a time served as a counselor in stake presidencies in the Pocatello, Idaho area.

He was born in Aberdour, Aberdeenshire, the son of a farmer, and his first job was a junior position in the Fraserburgh branch of the North of Scotland Bank. However, he soon moved to Aberdeen to work for the Aberdeen White Star Line, founded in 1825 by George Thompson, a ship-owning company whose fleet of Aberdeen clippers included the Thermopylae. He travelled widely on the firm's business, and in 1886 he became senior partner of the firm, on the retirement of George Thompson. This was a time of great change as sailing ships were replaced by steamships.

Mr. Henderson entered Aberdeen Town Council in 1885, and in November 1886 was elected Lord Provost in succession to James Matthews, serving until 1889. While on the council, he was instrumental in causing the rebuilding of the Royal Infirmary to commemorate Queen Victoria's jubilee in 1887, and the erection of the Public Library buildings on Rosemount Viaduct. Politically, he was a Liberal. On his retirement as Lord Provost, he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Aberdeen.

He was an active member of the Free Church of Scotland, and involved in many philanthropical endeavours. He was knighted in Queen Victoria's 1893 Birthday Honours, and in 1895 awarded an honorary degree of LL.D. by Aberdeen University.

In 1852 he married a daughter of George Thompson, and they had 5 sons and 5 daughters. From 1857 they resided at Devanha House.

He studied at Queen's University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1938. In 1942, he was formally installed as a lawyer after graduating from Osgoode Hall Law School. During this time, he also served in the Canadian Forces from 1939, including some service in World War II, joining the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals in 1942 before his discharge in 1946. He remained a reservist until 1952. He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his work in re-establishing a functioning judicial system in the Netherlands following World War II.

Henderson was first elected at the Kingston City riding in the 1949 general election. After a redistribution of electoral districts, Henderson was re-elected for successive Parliamentary terms in at the Kingston riding in the 1953 and 1957 elections. He was defeated in the 1958 election by Benjamin Allmark of the Progressive Conservative party.

In 1965, he was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of Ontario. He is also considered a founder of Amherstview, a suburban community near Kingston. The local recreation centre in Amherstview is dedicated in his name. He was also named to the Kingston and District Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.

Henderson died at Kingston General Hospital on 15 May 2006, aged 89.