David B. Henderson

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David Bremner Henderson (March 14, 1840–February 25, 1906) was a prominent U.S. politician of the 1890s and 1900s.

He served as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1899 to 1903, (the only Iowan and first person representing a district west of the Mississippi River to so serve) and served as a Republican from Iowa in the House from 1883 to 1903. Henderson lived in Dubuque, Iowa, and was an anomaly of sorts, since he was a Republican from a solidly Democratic county in Iowa.

Henderson was born in Scotland on March 14, 1840. His family settled on a farm near Clermont, Fayette County, Iowa in 1846. He served in the Union Army during the Civil War and was wounded severely twice, once in the neck and later in the leg, which resulted in progressive amputations of that leg. He was a successful lawyer prior to pursuing his political career. During his tenure as Speaker of the House, many of his peers lobbied him to run for the presidency even though the United States Constitution forbade it because he was foreign born. His leaving the House was related to his war injuries.

He died in Dubuque, Iowa on February 25, 1906, aged 65. Henderson is buried at Linwood Cemetery in Dubuque.

Allison-Henderson Park, in Dubuque, shares his name with that of US Senate Majority Leader, William B. Allison.

[edit] Sources

"100 Years Later, Henderson still remembered as a hero", Dubuque, Iowa Telegraph Herald, February 25, 2006, p.1.
This article incorporates facts obtained from the public domain Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

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Preceded by: Thomas B. Reed	Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives December 4, 1899 – March 4, 1901; December 2, 1901 – March 4, 1903	Succeeded by: Joseph G. Cannon