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March 28, 2008

Legislators to honor Henderson family Monday

By Lauren Ricks

Monday will be the 200th birthday of one of the original founders of Texas.

A ceremony will be held to honor James Pinckney and his wife — Frances Cox Henderson — at 1 p.m., at Athens Middle School. Henderson County —which named after him — was founded in 1846.

The ceremony is part of State of Texas Anniversary Remembrance Day.

State Senator Robert Nichols and State Representative Betty Brown will speak at the event. Mayor Randy Daniel will also be on hand.

The 80th Legislature passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 38 which designated March 31 as “James Pinckney Henderson Remembrance Day” in the county. It also designates March 2008 the “Bicentennial of the Birth” of James Pinckney Henderson.

The resolution was signed by Governor Rick Perry on Dec. 31, 2007.

Henderson was born March 31, 1808, in Lincolnton, N.C. Through the early history of Texas, he was a distinguished soldier, attorney general, secretary of state and special minister to three countries, including the U.S. His final post, in state government, was as the first governor of the newly annexed state from 1846 to 1847.

Henderson then resumed his law practice in San Augustine following the end of his term. His partners in the firm were Thomas J. Rusk and Kenneth L. Anderson.

Henderson was elected by Texas Legislature to the U.S. Senate in 1857. Henderson was filling the seat of his former law partner, Rusk.

He did not serve in the Senate long because at the age of 50 he died of tuberculosis.

His wife, Frances Cox Henderson, is also recognized as an influential figure. The resolution states she was “said to speak at least 18 languages and (was) accomplished in mathematics and music, she studied law and aided her husband with his practice; a devout Christian as well, she established Episcopal churches in San Augustine, Rusk, Palestine and Nacogdoches.”

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