Name Sake's of Henderson Gulch

As the story goes: “Big Joe”, “Little Joe” and “Young Joe” were the three men associated with the gold strike in the area now known as Henderson Gulch. The were Uncle, nephew and a man not related. 

Joseph (Young Joe) Henderson had lived in the valley for 61 years when he died on June 26, 1926. His obituary stated that he was born at Rothesay, New Brunswick, Canada on October 17, 1846. At the age of 18 he left New Brunswick by ship at St. John’s for Panama. He walked across the isthmus of Panama, then took a Pacific coast ship to San Francisco. From there he traveled to Boise and onto the Kootenai Lakes in British Columbia. With a companion Dick Prince (the namesake of Princeton) he walked to Blackfoot City in the summer of 1865. By autumn they were in Henderson Gulch, where his uncle (with the same name) had mining claims. 

By 1871 Joseph had staked claim to a homestead and “preempted” tracts of land near New Chicago. Ivy Blood Hill (1962) stated that Young Joseph Henderson and Angus McPhail took up land on the east side of the valley where the ranches of William Enman and William Wilson were located at the time of her writing in 1962. In 1881 Joseph and the McPhail brothers drove a herd of cattle from Yakima, Washington into the valley. Young Joseph’s obituary stated this was the first herd of cattle in the area. Whether all three brothers (Angus, Archie and Allen were involved in the cattle drive is uncertain.) At some time Angus and Joseph sold their land to Archie and Allen. I do not know what happened with Angus as there is no record of burial either at Philipsburg or Valley cemetery for him. 

In March of 1878, Joseph (Young Joe) returned to New Brunswick and brought a new bride, Isabella Rebecca Henderson back home with him. They were married on March 12 and came by rail to Ogden, Utah and then by stage to Deer Lodge. Isabella Rebecca was born in St. John County, New Brunswick on November 17, 1850. She was the eighth of ten children. Joseph and Rebecca had six children. One died as an infant, but I do not find a marked grave for the baby. 

When Rebecca died on August 14, 1925, she was survived by Joseph, sons George (1881-1947) and Jesse (1883-1969) of Hall, Charles (1885- 1945) of Pennsylvania and Miss Mary (Hall) and Mrs. M.R. (Renee Henderson) Henderson of Hall; and five grandchildren. She was also survived by three sisters in Canada. 

Rebecca whose maiden name was also Henderson was an original member of the Methodist, Episcopalian Church in Hall and her Christian burial services were held there by Rev. Allan Haldeman, with burial in the Valley cemetery. The burial services for Joseph were also held at the Hall Methodist Episcopalian Church the next June, with Rev. Haldeman officiating. Music for his service was furnished by the Hall Choir composed of Mr. and Mrs. L.E. Talbott, Charles L. Clawson and Miss Elva Talbott. Joseph served one four year term as a county commissioner and did not belong to any organizations, except the Vigilantes during the territorial days, according to his obituary. 

I know that Rebecca and Joseph’s son Jesse married Glee Eloise (1887-1981) and they had children: Minnie Isobel (Pohlman), (1914-2005), Archie and Joseph. Young Archie married Margaret Bradshaw on September 1939. She was born to Charles and Elizabeth Bradshaw on June 3, 1916 in Utah and moved to the Drummond area at the age of three. When Margaret died on August 8, 2007, her and Archie were living in Lolo. Survivors were: husband Archie, sons: Richard of Idaho, Jim of Hall, Gordon of Texas and daughter Debbie of Lolo and brother Darrell Bradshaw of Drummond. 

I have not found any evidence of his uncle Joseph (Big Joe) Henderson or the unrelated Joseph (Little Joe) Henderson in the newspapers or Granite county census or cemeteries. 

Minnie Isobel Henderson was born on March 26, 1914 to Jesse and Eloise Henderson on their ranch near Hall. She graduated from Drummond High School then Dillon Normal School and received a Bachelor Degree in Education from The University of Montana. She taught kindergarten and first grade in Missoula for many years. She married Dolphy Orvin Pohlman at an unknown date. He preceded her in death. Minnie died on March 29, 2005 at the age of 91. She was buried in the Valley cemetery near her husband and parents. Survivors were: daughter Pearl Eloise Symonds of California and son, Dolphy O. Pohlman Jr. of Butte; five grandchildren and brothers: Archie and Joseph Henderson.