David Henderson (Canadian politician)

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

For other people with the same name, see David Henderson (disambiguation).
The Honourable
David Henderson
PC
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Halton
In office
February 7, 1888 – July 17, 1888
Preceded byJohn Waldie
Succeeded byJohn Waldie
In office
1891–1917
Preceded byJohn Waldie
Succeeded byRobert King Anderson
Personal details
Born(1841-02-18)February 18, 1841
Nelson Township, Canada West
DiedDecember 7, 1922(1922-12-07) (aged 81)
Acton, Ontario, Canada[1]
Resting placeActon, Ontario, Canada
Political partyConservative
Spouse
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 King's Privy Council for Canada in February 1916.[1]

Electoral record
1911 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
ConservativeDavid Henderson2,61854.3+2.1
LiberalWalter Harland Smith2,19945.7-2.1
Total valid votes 4,817100.0
1908 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
ConservativeDavid Henderson2,41752.3+0.7
LiberalWilliam Spencer Harrison2,20547.7-0.7
Total valid votes 4,622 100.0
1904 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
ConservativeDavid Henderson2,28851.6–
LiberalJohn S. Deacon2,14848.4–
Total valid votes 4,436 100.0
1900 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
ConservativeDavid Henderson2,37951.6+0.7
LiberalS.F. McKinnon2,23348.4-0.7
Total valid votes 4,612 100.0
1896 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
ConservativeDavid Henderson2,46050.9-0.2
LiberalJohn Waldie2,37649.1+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
ConservativeDavid Hendersonacclaimed
1891 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
ConservativeDavid Henderson2,44151.1+1.4
LiberalJohn Waldie2,33748.9-1.4
Total valid votes 4,778100.0
Canadian federal by-election, 22 August 1888
On Mr. Henderson being unseated for corrupt practices by agents
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalJohn Waldie2,04250.3+1.4
ConservativeDavid Henderson2,01849.7-1.4
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%±%
ConservativeDavid Henderson2,18351.1+1.2
LiberalWilliam McLeod2,08648.9-1.2
Total valid votes 4,269 100.0
1887 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalJohn Waldie2,22250.1-1.1
ConservativeDavid Henderson2,21349.9+1.1
Total valid votes 4,435 100.0

References
  1. "Hon. D. Henderson Passed Away on Thursday Morning". The Acton Free Press. 14 December 1922. p. 1.
  2. "Tragic Death of Mrs. David Henderson". The Acton Free Press. 26 November 1914. p. 3.
  3. "Hon. David Henderson Dies In 82nd Year". Georgetown Herald. 13 December 1922. p. 2.
  4. "Obituaries: Hon. David Henderson". The Canadian Champion. Milton. 14 December 1922. p. 2.
  5. "Municipal Elections". The Canadian Champion. Milton. 7 January 1869.
  6. "Obituary: David Darling Christie". The Acton Free Press. 27 March 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. 1 January 1880. p. 2.
  11. "Most Significant Yet". The Montreal Gazette. 9 February 1888. p. 4.
  12. "Halton Election Trial". Montreal Herald. 7 July 1888. p. 1.


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