Censuses are invaluable sources of the basic facts about a family. The 1880 U.S. census shows Henry Henderson and wife Abbie living in Rio Grande County, Colorado with Myrtle, age 12, Mandana, 5, John G., 4 and Charles, 1. Like most American men of the time, Henry's occupation was "farmer," however, he also worked as a cattleman and a builder. Henry's father John, who was a carpenter, had come to Colorado, too, leaving his wife Nancy in Minnesota. Life in Colorado was not easy for the Henderson family and in 1880, Henry applied for an invalid pension. Henry had been discharged from the army in 1863 due to "opacity of both corneas producing almost total loss of sight," but the review committee asked for proof to back Henry's claim and the process took years. Henry's father and acquaintances provided affidavits stating Henry was healthy upon enlistment, increasingly unable to obtain subsistence by manual labor, and going blind. It appears that in 1885, Henry was granted a $4 monthly pension. In 1886, Henry applied for an increase, stating he had kidney and liver troubles. Meanwhile, the family had grown. Henry Alonzo "Lon" (my great-grandfather) was born at the end of 1880, and George was born in 1882. The children attended school, where Sarah Mandana, John, and Charles are listed on an 1884 attendance roster. In 1887, Abbie had another son, George, but sadly, he died after a few months of illness.
The photo below, taken in Del Norte, Colorado shows Henry wearing a Grand Army of the Republic star, with Abbie, and one child, who I believe is Myrtle. Perhaps this photo signified a significant occasion in Myrtle's life.
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| Henry G. Henderson, Abbie McCloud Henderson, and possible Myrtle Henderson |
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| Henry Henderson's Grand Army of the Republic Star. The GAR was a fraternal organization of Union Army veterans. |
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