Sir John Henderson, 5th Baronet facts for kids
Sir John Henderson (born January 8, 1752 – died December 12, 1817) was a Scottish nobleman and politician. He was the fifth person to hold the title of Baronet of Fordell, a special honor passed down in his family. Sir John was also trained as a lawyer and was very interested in old things and history, making him a skilled antiquary.
Early Life and Education
Sir John Henderson was the son of Robert Henderson, who was the 4th Baronet. He went to St Andrews University and Oxford University to study. He earned his first degree from St Andrews in 1764. Later, he got a second degree from Oxford in 1771. In 1774, he became an advocate, which is a type of lawyer in Scotland.
In 1781, when his father passed away, John became the 5th Baronet. He also joined the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland in 1782. This group studies old objects and history. In 1784, he became a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, a famous group for scientists and thinkers in Scotland.
Political Journey
Sir John Henderson was a Member of Parliament (MP) several times. An MP is a person elected to represent an area in the country's government. He represented different areas like Fifeshire (in 1780), Dysart Burghs (from 1780 to 1784), Seaford (from 1785 to 1786), and Stirling Burghs (from 1806 to 1807).
Early in his career, Sir John worked with important politicians like Henry Dundas and supported William Pitt the Younger, who was a Prime Minister. However, they later had disagreements. Sir John was a very active politician. He even became the Provost (like a mayor) of Inverkeithing from 1791 to 1807.
In 1796, Sir John supported a newspaper called the Scots Chronicle. This newspaper did not agree with the government's decision to go to war at that time. In 1806, he was elected as an MP for Stirling Burghs again and supported the government of William Grenville.
Family Life
In 1781, Sir John married Anna Loudoun Robertson. Her father, General James Robertson, was a governor in New York. Sadly, Anna passed away in 1782 while giving birth to their only child, Anne Isabella Henderson. Anne Isabella later married Admiral Phillip Durham in 1818. Sir John also had other children named John Francis Wheatley Henderson, Maria Wheatley Henderson, Emilia Elizabeth Henderson, Charlotte Strickland Henderson, and Robert Strickland Henderson.
Sir John had a disagreement with his younger brother, Robert Bruce Henderson, about who owned Earlshall Castle. After a court case, Sir John's brother eventually gained ownership. Robert Bruce Henderson became the 6th and last Baronet of Fordell after Sir John died.
Art and Legacy
Sir John Henderson was interested in art. In 1777, he asked an artist named Christopher Hewetson to create a sculpture of him. The next year, he had his portrait painted by Gavin Hamilton.
Some of Sir John's books and artwork were on a ship called the Westmorland in 1778 when it was captured. These items were later featured in a book and art shows in 2012. A portrait of Sir John painted by John Brown in 1782 can be seen at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
