Charles B. Henderson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States Senator fromNevada | |
| In office January 12, 1918 – March 3, 1921 | |
| Preceded by | Francis G. Newlands |
| Succeeded by | Tasker Oddie |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1873-06-08)June 8, 1873 San Jose, California, U.S. |
| Died | November 8, 1954(1954-11-08) (aged 81) San Francisco,California, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Residence(s) | Elko, Nevada, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan Law School |
| Profession | Attorney, businessman |
Charles Belknap Henderson (June 8, 1873 – November 8, 1954) was an American attorney, businessman, and politician who served asUnited States Senator fromNevada.
Born inSan Jose, California, he moved with his parents to Nevada in 1876, and attended the public schools inElko, theUniversity of the Pacific, andLeland Stanford Junior University in California. He earned alaw degree from theUniversity of Michigan in 1895, and was admitted to thebar in 1896, commencing practice in Elko. He served asfirst lieutenant inTheodore Roosevelt’sRough Riders during theSpanish–American War, and wasdistrict attorney ofElko County from 1901 to 1905. He was a member of theNevada Assembly from 1905 to 1907, and aregent of theUniversity of Nevada from 1907 to 1917.
Henderson was appointed to the U.S. Senate on January 12, 1918, byGovernorEmmet D. Boyle to fill the vacancy caused by the death ofFrancis G. Newlands. He was subsequently elected on November 5, 1918, as aDemocrat and served until March 3, 1921. While in the Senate, Henderson was chairman of theCommittee on Industrial Expositions (65th Congress) and a member of theCommittee on Mines and Mining (65th Congress). Henderson was defeated in his bid for reelection in 1920 by former governor,Tasker Oddie, aRepublican.
Days after his term ended as senator of Nevada, Henderson was approached in the Senate building by Charles August Grock, who had lost a land-related lawsuit to Henderson's law firm 25 years previously. Grock held a gun to Henderson's chest, a struggle ensued, and Henderson was shot in the forearm. Grock was arrested and Henderson was found "calmly bandaging his arm and not at all excited." He later said that he believed his assailant to be mentally unsound.[1]
In 1934, Henderson was appointed a member of the board of directors of theReconstruction Finance Corporation; elected chairman in 1941, he served until he resigned in 1947. He retired from political activities, but remained was president and director of the Elko Telephone & Telegraph Co., and a director of theWestern Pacific Railroad.
In 1953, a largely industrial town south of Las Vegas incorporated itself asHenderson, Nevada, naming itself after the former senator.[2]
Charles Henderson died in San Francisco, California, in 1954, and was interred in Elko City Cemetery inElko, Nevada.
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forU.S. Senator fromNevada (Class 3) 1918,1920 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by | U.S. senator (Class 3) from Nevada 1918–1921 Served alongside:Key Pittman | Succeeded by |
| Class 1 |  | |
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| Class 3 | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
