J. C. HENDERSON, who resides on a farm of eighty acres in Union Township, is a man of prominence and affluence and was at one time commissioner of Miami County. In addition to the farm named, he is the owner of three good farms in Darke County, Ohio, and of a half interest in a farm of 147 acres located near Laura. He was born in Brown County, Ohio, July 22, 1837, and is a son of Jonathan and Nancy (Carl) Henderson.

Jonathan Henderson was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and was a young man when he moved west to Brown County, Ohio. He followed farming all his days and died in 1865, at the age of sixty- eight years. His marriage to Nancy Carl resulted in the birth of eight children.

J. C. Henderson attended the public schools of his native county and worked on the home place until 1862, when he got up a train and went with the army. He was with Burnside at Knoxville at the time of the siege. Upon returning from the front, he located in Hamilton County, Ohio, and shortly afterward in Miami County, where he engaged in the sawmill business. While engaged in that business be lived for five years in Darke County, and during that time served a term as trustee of Twin Township. In 1875 he purchased the farm of eighty acres on which he now lives, and from time to time added other property until he now is the owner of several hundred acres. He erected all the buildings on his home farm and has followed general farming and tobacco raising, having some fifty acres in the latter commodity. He is a man of great energy and oversees the work on his various properties, in addition to which he is with his son proprietor of a tobacco warehouse at West Milton. He has always been active in the affairs of the township, which he has served several terms as trustee. He was elected county commissioner on the Democratic ticket, receiving a majority of 310 votes in Union Township, notwithstanding the fact the township is normally Republican by from 500 to 700 votes. He also served in that office through appointment to fill a vacancy, and during his incumbency the present court house was erected.

Mr. Henderson was first married to Miss Elizabeth Markley, who died in I884, and they had three children: Caroline, deceased; Emma; and J. W. Henderson, who is in the elevator business at West Milton. He formed a second union with Miss Mary Harmon. They spend their winters in Florida, where he has a comfortable home, and thus they escape the rigors of the northern climate. Religiously, they are members of the United Brethren Church. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at West Miltou.