Biographical Database of NAWSA Suffragists, 1890–1920
Biography of Julia C. Henderson, 1862-1922
By Rebecca Durgin, Independent Historian
Julia C. Henderson – Secretary of the Woman's Franchise League of Indiana
Julia was born in Indiana to John R. Coons and Nancy C. Coons in April in either 1862 or 1863 (there are conflicting dates from the United States Federal Census). Julia had two older sisters, Fannie N. and Mattie E. Coons.
Julia graduated from Crawfordsville public schools in 1880 and then became a teacher. Julia taught grammar in Waynestown, Indiana. Julia married George M. Henderson on March 22, 1884 at her parents' home in Crawfordsville, Indiana. George was a well-known businessman in Waynestown where Julia was a teacher. After their wedding, Julia and George resided in Waynestown. Julia and George welcomed their only son, Edwin Francis Henderson, on September 29, 1890 in Crawfordsville. It is unclear when the Henderson family moved to Indianapolis but the United States Federal Census lists it as their residence in 1910.
Julia was named the treasurer of the Women's School League in 1909 that wanted to elect a woman to the school board in Indianapolis. This group would change its name to the Woman's Franchise League of Indiana in 1911. Julia was elected as the secretary of the organization from 1912 until 1917. The Woman's Franchise League of Indiana would join with the National American Woman Suffrage Association in 1912. After Julia's time as secretary, she became a chairman of "four minute speakers." These speakers would travel around the state to speak at organizations such as the Red Cross and Liberty Loans.#x200e
Julia C. Henderson died on March 15, 1922 at the age of fifty-nine in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Sources:
Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census. accessed December 14, 2017.
Ancestry.com. Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011. accessed December 14, 2017.
Harper, Ida Husted, ed. The History of Woman Suffrage, Volume 6: 1900-1920. (New York: National American Woman Suffrage Association, 1922). [LINK]
Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, IN), April 22, 1904. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Library of Congress. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82015679/1904-04-22/ed-1/seq-2/#date1=1830&index=8&rows=20&words=C+Henderson+Julia&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=Indiana&date2=1943&proxtext=henderson%2C+Julia+c.&y=16&x=12&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1.
The Indiana GenWeb Project. http://www.ingenweb.org/inmontgomery/marriages/clippings/coons-henderson.htm. accessed December 19, 2017.
Richmond Palladium and Sun-telegram. (Richmond, IN), March 6, 1915 and March 25, 1920. Accessed online in Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Library of Congress.