Some Descendants of James Henderson of MA
SOME DESCENDANTS OF JAMES HENDERSON
OF MASSACHUSETTS
Copyright 1999 by Virginia Deagan. However material on these pages may be freely used for personal research. Please contact me before using the material on other web pages.

This is the line from James Henderson that I descend from. I have some information on the other families in this file and will be glad to share anything I have with others who are interested in this family. Feel free to let me know of any corrections or additions to this family. I have placed some of my sources at the end of this page. E-mail to Ginny Deagan (NEW E-MAIL:[email protected])


1. James Henderson was born about 1715 in Tyrone County, Ulster, Ireland. He was of Scottish descent but his parents are not known. He was married on 16 December 1736 at Sudbury, Middlesex County, MA to Sarah Harper. He was married a second time on 8 July 1756 to Elizabeth Rally who was married again after James’s death to Daniel Deland at Brookfield, MA on 30 November 1780.

James supposedly came to America with his parents in 1719 and lived in Concord, MA. About 1743-1745, he moved to Rutland, Worcester County, MA. He received a commission at a Lieutenant in the British forces during the French and Indian Campaigns of 1758 and 1759. He served in Captain Paige’s Company in the expedition to Crown Point. He returned to Rutland and later taught school at Oakham, MA in 1771 and 1773. James died in March 1776 at about age 61. He left a will that was probated 1 April 1776.

Children of James and Sarah (Harper) Henderson:

  1. James Henderson, Jr. b. 22 Sep 1737 in Concord, Middlesex Co. MA. Marr. 19 Jan 1758 in Rutland, Worcester Co., Rachel McFarland. Died Aft. 1791 in Washington Co. NY.

  2. Rachel Henderson b. 1 July 1739 in Concord, Middlesex Co. MA. Marr. 9 Feb 1759 in Oakham, Worcester Co. MA, John Crawford. Died 24 Apr 1773 in Oakham.

  3. William Henderson b. 25 Mar 1742 in Concord, MA. Marr. Margaret Green of Leicester on 10 Apr 1766.

  4. John Henderson died 13 Dec. 1757 at Rutland, Worcester, MA. No other information.

  5. Daniel Henderson b. 8 Sep 1746 in Rutland, MA. Marr. Sarah McIntyre of Spencer, MA on 25 Aug 1766.

  6. David Henderson b. 8 Sep 1746 at Rutland, MA. Died young.

  7. Mary Henderson b. 30 Jun 1748 in Rutland, MA. Marr. William Crawford in 1773. Died 26 Nov 1838 in Oakham, MA.

  8. Elizabeth Henderson b. 1 Jun 1750 in Rutland, MA. Marr. William Henderson of Worcester, 4 Jan 1774 (intention). Died 24 Jan 1842 in Oakham, MA.

    Children of James and Elizabeth (Rally) Henderson:

  9. David Henderson (2), b. 1762. Marr. Lucy Wicker of Leicester on 4 Jan 1781. Probably moved to Kingsbury, Washington Co. NY.

  10. Jonathan Henderson . 7th son. Marr. Esther Dean , at Oakham, MA 7 Jan 1788 (intention).

  11. Edward Henderson . No information.

  12. Sarah Henderson b. 1765. Marr. Nathaniel Cunningham of Spencer, MA at Paxton, MA on 5 Dec 1787.

  13. Josiah Henderson b. 1767.

  14. Abner Henderson b. 1768.

  15. Joseph Henderson b. 1771.

  16. Susanna Henderson b. 1773

  17. Martha Henderson b. 1776.

2. James Henderson Jr. was born in Concord, Middlesex County, Mass. on 22 September 1737. He was the son of Lt. James and Sarah (Harper) Henderson. He was married 19 January 1758 in Rutland, Worcester County, Mass. to Rachel McFarland. Their son, Alexander served in the Revolutionary War and was taken a prisoner to Montreal, Canada where he remained in irons for two years and was liberated at the end of the war.

James and Rachel moved to Oakham, Mass. in 1758 and bought 125 acres of land. He was the Assessor for the District of Oakham in 1765 and 1768. During the Revolutionary War, her served as a Corporal in Capt. David Dent's Co., Col. Job Cushing's Regiment. He served to two months from 5 September 1777 to 27 October 1777 and was at the Battle of Saratoga.

After the war, James and his family moved to Salem, Washington County, New York. They were some of the first pioneers in the settlement there. In 1787, he served as Pathmaster of Salem. His death date is not known. (The DAR Patriot Index says he died after 1791).
Children of James and Rachel (McFarland) Henderson:

  1. Alexander Henderson b. 4 July 1758 in Oakham, MA. Marr. Margaret Harper . Served in the Rev. War. Died 27 Mar 1833 in Cayuga Co. NY.

  2. John Henderson b. 5 Jun 1760 in Oakham, MA. Marr. 17 Oct 1786, Susanna Harper. Died 1834 in Hartford, Washington Co. NY.

  3. Sarah Henderson b. abt. 1762 in Oakham, Ma. Marr. Alexander Morrison.

  4. Lucretia Henderson b. 19 Nov 1764 in Oakham, MA. Marr. Oct 1781, in Salem, Washington Co. NY, Ephraim Morrison . Died 7 Feb 1857 in Genoa, Cayuga Co. NY.

  5. James Henderson b. in Oakham, MA. Lived in Canada.

  6. Rufus Henderson b. in Oakham, MA. Lived in Canada.

  7. Reuben Henderson b. abt. 1777 in Salem, NY. Marr. 1798 in Sandgate, VT [?], Mehitabel Royce.. Died 26 Nov 1816 in Starkey, NY.

  8. Betsy Henderson b. Abt 1783 in Salem, NY. Marr. 14 Aug 1804 in Oakham, MA, John Whitaker.

  9. Jane Henderson b. 16 Jan 1784 in Salem, NY. Marr. 14 Nov 1799 at Salem, NY, Matthew Royce.

3. Lucretia Henderson was born 19 November 1764 in Oakham, Worcester County, Massachusetts to James and Rachel (McFarland) Henderson. She was married to Ephraim Morrison at Salem, NY in October 1781.

Before the Revolutionary War, Lucretia's family moved to Salem, Washington County, New York. When Burgoyne made his invasion of New York in 1777, Lucretia, who was only about thirteen at the time, rode on horseback through the vicinity of Salem and Fort Edward, warning the settlers that Burgoyne's army was coming. One of her playmates, Jane McCrea, was murdered by the Indians.

In 1856 when she was 91 years old, Lucretia appointed an attorney to prosecute her claim for a pension and bounty land due as a result of Ephraim's Revolutionary War service. At that time, she was living in Genoa, Cayuga County, NY with her daughter, Rachel King. Lucretia died 7 February 1857 at Genoa and is buried in the King Cemetery there.

Children of Lucretia Henderson and Ephraim Morrison: See Morrison Family

SOURCES

The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol LIII. Jan. 1922, pp. 28-31.
This source (in error) gives Lucretia's husband as "Alexander Morrison"

Soldiers of Oakham, Massachusetts, Henry Parks Wright. 1914. p.99-100.

History of Oakham, Massachusetts pp. 781 - 785.

Oakham, MA Vital Records to 1850

Rutland, MA Vital Records to 1850

DAR Membership Application #600743-A579 of Margaret (Keyser) Addison. Approved 30 Mar 1982. Descendant of James Henderson.