The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 145 JAMES HENDERSON. James Henderson, who makes his residence in Sunnyside, is one of the successful business men of Mabton, where he conducts a profitable drug store. Moreover, he has been engaged in agricultural and horticultural pursuits and in that manner has contributed toward development in those two industries. He was born at Fox Lake, Wisconsin, January 10, 1868, of the marriage of John and Isabel (Sanderson) Henderson. When our subject was two years old they removed to Minnesota, taking up their home near Willmar, where the father, successfully followed agricultural pursuits until his death. His wife has also passed away. James Henderson spent his boyhood days in Minnesota under the parental roof and received his first lessons in an old-fashioned log schoolhouse near his father's home. Subsequently he improved his education by a high school course. He then served an apprenticeship in Minnesota as a druggist and successfully passed the examination before the state board in January, 1894, taking active charge of a drug store at Paynesville which he had owned for some months previous. He came to Sunnyside in March, 1894, and here established the first drug store in February, 1895, in the conduct of which he was very successful until disposing of the same in 1906. He then retired from active business affairs for about two years, devoting his time to the management of his property, but in October, 1908, returned to his old occupation and acquired the drug store owned by Alexander & King at Mabton and has conducted the same ever since with growing success. He carries a complete line of the best drugs and also has a stock of such sundries as are usually carried in stores of this kind. His prescription trade is large and the public appreciates the fact that prescriptions filled at his store are always carefully compounded. Although Mr. Henderson is counted among the business men of Mabton he still maintains his residence in Sunnyside, the latter town having now been his home of over twenty-three years. On August 27, 1892, Mr. Henderson married Miss Isabel Brown, of Paynesville, Minnesota, and to this union were born the following children: Marion, who is with the First National Bank of Yakima; Blanche, at home; Bernice, now in Ellensburg; Amy, who is attending high school; and Ruby, who assists her father in his business. Mr. and Mrs. Henderson are well known in Sunnyside and Mabton and their hospitable home is always open to their many friends. Mr. Henderson has always taken a very laudable part in all affairs pertaining to public improvement and the cause of education has been especially dear to his heart, he having served as a member of the school board for many years. He was the first mayor of Sunnyside, giving the city a beneficial administration out of which has grown much good. At present he is serving as game commissioner of Yakima county. He is a large landowner but does not farm his property, confining himself to a general supervision thereof. He it was who in 1894 planted one of the first orchards in the Sunnyside country and in fact he is numbered among the honored pioneers of his section. He is very fond of hunting and his reputation as a sportsman and taxidermist among his neighbors is the highest and he has the largest private collection of mounted birds and other animals in the state of Washington. It is of the greatest interest to all who are students of outdoor life and is greatly admired by his many friends and those who come from afar to view it. Fraternally Mr. Henderson is a member of the Elks Lodge No. 318, of Yakima, and the Modern Woodmen of America, while his political allegiance is given to the democratic party. The family attend the Episcopal church, in the work of which they take an active and helpful interest. As one of the honored pioneers of Yakima county Mr. Henderson has many friends among its population and all who know him speak of him in terms of high regard and deep respect, conceding his superior qualities as a man and a citizen. ******************************** Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.