David Henderson (Canadian politician)

David Henderson,PC (February 18, 1841 – December 7, 1922) was a Canadian merchant, banker and politician.

The Honourable David Henderson PC
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Halton
In office February 7, 1888 – July 17, 1888
Preceded by	John Waldie
Succeeded by	John Waldie
In office 1891–1917
Preceded by	John Waldie
Succeeded by	Robert King Anderson
Personal details
Born	February 18, 1841 Nelson Township, Canada West
Died	December 7, 1922 (aged 81) Acton, Ontario, Canada[1]
Resting place	Acton, Ontario, Canada
Nationality	Canadian
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Alison Christie ​ ​ (m. 1865; died 1914)​ [1][2]

Biography

Born in Nelson Township, Halton County, Canada West, Henderson was educated at the Milton Grammar School and the Normal School of Toronto, and initially worked as a teacher in Nelson, later becoming a deputy registrar for the County.[3] In 1869, he was elected a town councillor in Milton, Ontario,[4] but not without controversy: he was accused of having switched allegiances on election day (known as there was no secret ballot) and thus had obtained his seat under false pretences.[5]

In business

He later settled in Acton, Ontario, and operated a general store in partnership with David Darling Christie, his brother-in-law.[3][6] They also owned a quarry with related lime kilns at Kelso in Nassagaweya Township.[7] In 1881, he established the Acton Banking Company, a private bank allied with the Bank of Hamilton,[8] as no other bank then had a branch in the village.[9] The bank remained in existence until 1901, and was considered to be financially sound during that time.[8] When Acton was incorporated as a village in 1874, he served on the village council for fifteen years,[9] including one year as Reeve in 1880.[10]

As an MP

He was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada for the electoral district of Halton in an 1888 by-election after the sitting MP, John Waldie, was unseated for bribery by agents. His election was seen as being significant, in that he won through the support of the rural parts of the riding while voters in Milton and Georgetown swung more towards the Opposition candidate.[11]

Henderson was then unseated for corrupt practices by agents,[12] and was later defeated in the resulting by-election. A Conservative, he was elected in the 1891 federal election and re-elected in 1896, 1900, 1904, 1908, and 1911.

In recognition of his long service in the House of Commons, he was made a member of the Privy Council of Canada in February 1916.[1]

Electoral record

1911 Canadian federal election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Henderson	2,618	54.3	+2.1
	Liberal	Walter Harland Smith	2,199	45.7	-2.1
Total valid votes			4,817	100.0

1908 Canadian federal election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Henderson	2,417	52.3	+0.7
	Liberal	William Spencer Harrison	2,205	47.7	-0.7
Total valid votes			4,622	100.0

1904 Canadian federal election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Henderson	2,288	51.6	–
	Liberal	John S. Deacon	2,148	48.4	–
Total valid votes			4,436	100.0

1900 Canadian federal election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Henderson	2,379	51.6	+0.7
	Liberal	S.F. McKinnon	2,233	48.4	-0.7
Total valid votes			4,612	100.0

1896 Canadian federal election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Henderson	2,460	50.9	-0.2
	Liberal	John Waldie	2,376	49.1	+0.2
Total valid votes			4,836	100.0

Note: indicates change in popular vote from to 1891 general election.

Canadian federal by-election, 28 January 1892 On the election having been declared void (16 November 1891)
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Conservative	David Henderson	acclaimed

1891 Canadian federal election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Henderson	2,441	51.1	+1.4
	Liberal	John Waldie	2,337	48.9	-1.4
Total valid votes			4,778	100.0

Canadian federal by-election, 22 August 1888 On Mr. Henderson being unseated for corrupt practices by agents
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Waldie	2,042	50.3	+1.4
	Conservative	David Henderson	2,018	49.7	-1.4
Total valid votes			4,060	100.0

Canadian federal by-election, 7 February 1888 On Mr. Waldie being unseated, 19 January 1888, for bribery by agents
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Henderson	2,183	51.1	+1.2
	Liberal	William McLeod	2,086	48.9	-1.2
Total valid votes			4,269	100.0

1887 Canadian federal election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	John Waldie	2,222	50.1	-1.1
	Conservative	David Henderson	2,213	49.9	+1.1
Total valid votes			4,435	100.0

References

1. "Hon. D. Henderson Passed Away on Thursday Morning". The Acton Free Press. December 14, 1922. p. 1.
2. "Tragic Death of Mrs. David Henderson". The Acton Free Press. November 26, 1914. p. 3.
3. "Hon. David Henderson Dies In 82nd Year". Georgetown Herald. December 13, 1922. p. 2.
4. "Obituaries: Hon. David Henderson". The Canadian Champion. Milton. December 14, 1922. p. 2.
5. "Municipal Elections". The Canadian Champion. Milton. January 7, 1869.
6. "Obituary: David Darling Christie". The Acton Free Press. March 27, 1924. p. 6.
7. Annual Report of the Bureau of Industries for the Province of Ontario 1886. Toronto: Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 1887. pp. 385–386.
8. Thorning, Stephen Edward (1994). Hayseed Capitalists: Private Bankers in Ontario (PDF) (PhD). McMaster University. pp. 461, 475, 480, 482.
9. Rose, Geo. Maclean, ed. (1888). A Cyclopedia of Canadian Biography, Being Chiefly Men of our Time. Toronto: Rose Publishing Company. pp. 777–778.
10. "Council for 1880". The Acton Free Press. January 1, 1880. p. 2.
11. "Most Significant Yet". The Montreal Gazette. February 9, 1888. p. 4.
12. "Halton Election Trial". Montreal Herald. July 7, 1888. p. 1.

External links

• David Henderson – Parliament of Canada biography
• The Canadian Parliament, being the 10th Parliament elected November 3rd, 1904. Montreal: The Perrault Printing Co. 1906. p. 190.