Henson Walker

Henson Walker, Jr.
Born March 13, 1820 in Manchester, Ontario, New York
Died January 24, 1904 in Pleasant Grove Utah

• Pleasant Grove's first mayor
• Grew up on a farm in New York
• He studied his Bible carefully and went with the Minister around his circuit
• Enjoyed hunting and fishing
• Had black hair and eyes, was tall at six feet, straight and well built — much inclined to athletics and liked wrestling and was a good runner.
• Active and quick in thought and deed
• Moved to Michigan in 1835
• Often preached at Methodist services in a clear loud voice. He felt there was something lacking in his religion and heard the message of the Mormon Elders. Converted and baptized on April 16, 1840.
• His family didn't follow him in his conversion, so he left them and went to Salem, Mich.
• Married another convert of the church, Martha Ann Bouck, on Aug. 24, 1841.
• Went to Nauvoo with his wife and her family and met the prophet. Said about that: "I was thrilled in every fiber of my being and I knew I was looking into the face of a prophet of God."
• Worked on the temple and worked hard to build up the church. Member of Nauvoo Legion as a Major. Member of the Prophet's body-guard.
• Spring of 1843, had a baby boy named John. Martha died in August. Henson moved to his in-laws house, where mother Bouck took care of the baby.
• Married Elizabeth Foutz on April 10, 1846 in the new Nauvoo temple by Orson Hyde.
• Short time after his marriage, his son, John, three years old, drowned.
• May 1846, Henson crossed the Mississippi with Elder Cutler's company and went back and helped get people out of Nauvoo.
• Volunteered to join the Mormon Battalion, but President Young told Henson he had other plans for him.
• In the spring of 1847, just recovering from a fever, Henson was called to go west with the first band of pioneers. He left Elizabeth who was sick with the fever, not knowing if he would see her again. She stayed with the Boucks.
• His wife followed him there and she arrived in good care and improved health. Her parents went with her to give her a burial because they felt sure she was going to die on the trip since she was in such bad condition.
• A short time after Henson and his family arrive in Utah, he was called to go to California, but when he was about ready, he was released and given other work to do, as the pioneers began making Utah an inhabitable place to live. (farming, problems with Indians, etc.)
• Spring of 1850 went and build a ferry on the Platte River.
• One of the first inhabitants of Pleasant Grove, by the time he had two children, Henson III, and Victoreen Elizabeth.
• Summer of 1852 went with Pres. Brigham Young to St. George and did it cheerfully.
• Called to look after the spiritual affairs of the north end of Utah Valley as one of two leaders of the settlement.
• Married Sophronia Phylinda Clark in 1851 and Mary Green in 1856. Married Margaret Foutz (sister to Elizabeth) in 1857.
• Henson became the first mayor of pleasant grove in 1854, when Pleasant Grove became a city.
• Went on a mission to Great Britain from 1863 to 1865. Preside over Scottish Mission in 1864. Later filled two mission to the Northern States.
• Served as a bishop and president of the high priests quorum of the Utah and Alpine stakes.
• Died on Jan 24, 1904, 84 years old.
• Twenty children total: 11 sons, 9 daughters. One son with his first wife. 5 sons and 2 daughters with Elizabeth Foutz. 4 daughters with Sophronia Clark. 4 sons and 3 daughters with Mary Green and 1 son with Margaret Foutz.
• Had genial and pleasant ways and was popular with the people and highly respected.

(From information from the Henson Walker book)

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