Alexander Shillington Henderson--Part 1

This history of Alexander Shillington Henderson was written by one of his granddaughters, Marie Oliver Winter. The original copy can be found at the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers in Salt Lake City. I have made some grammatical and spelling changes. Other additional information I have added is in italics. All of the pictures and graphics I have added as well.


"My Grandfather, Alexander Shillington Henderson, was the 6th and youngest child of James and Ann Jane Shilling Henderson. His paternal grandparents were: Isaac and Jane Askin Henderson. Those on his mother's side were: James and Ellen Anderson Shillington.

Grandfather was born, 31 October 1844, in Syerla, Tryone, Ireland. Other members of the family were: Eliza born 1831; Mary Ann born 1835; Thomas in 1837; James H. in 1841; and Mary 1842. Mary Ann died young, but the others five grew to maturity.

About 1848, my Great Grandmother Ann Jane Henderson died, leaving her little family who needed her so much. Young Alex (as he was called) especially missed her. Great Grandfather had to have help with the children. So he courted and married Mary Ann Murphy. Sometimes it is hard to replace a mother in a family, and Alex began to dislike his step-mother. The tension in the home grew so tense, that at the age of eight he left home and went to live with his older brother Thomas. From this time on he worked in the coal mines. They later left Ireland and moved to Glasgow, Scotland. Grandfather had a life long dislike for the Irish, but he loved Scotland and its people. After he came to America, I think he just let people suppose he was born in Scotland, because his published Obituary from Riverton, gave his birth place as Scotland.

In Scotland he continued to work in the coal mines. But he did work by contract, his brother Thomas was a weaver of fine Irish linen.

It was some time in 1858, when Mormon missionaries from America taught the true gospel of Jesus Christ to the Henderson's and converted them. Thomas and his wife were baptized early in 1859, Grandfather a little later on. I don't know if James was baptized or not. From the time they became affiliated with this unpopular religion, their way of living changed they were shunned by their friends, and work was harder to get.

The spirit of gathering was upon them and they started saving money to immigrate to America and to Utah. At the Church History Archives, it gives the sailing date for Thomas Henderson as May 30, 1862, from Liverpool England, we know that Alex and James came at the same time, however they arrived in New York, James decided to stay there. While on the ocean Tom's little son, Alexander, died and was buried at sea. Grandfather's sister Eliza married a man by the name of Turner who lived in Illinois. The records show that the Henderson's (Thomas and Alexander) made the trip across the plains to Utah in 1863, arriving in the Valley of the Great Salt Lake in the fall. (Alexander was about 18 years old at the time. See Perpetual Immigration Fund records).


TO BE CONTINUED...