Alexander D. Henderson (businessman)

Alexander Dawson Henderson (February 28, 1865 – January 5, 1925) was an American-born businessman. He was vice president, first treasurer and founding investor of the California Perfume Company (CPC), which later became Avon Products.[1]

Alexander D. Henderson
Alexander D. Henderson ca. 1920
Born	Alexander Dawson Henderson (1865-02-28)February 28, 1865 Brooklyn, New York
Died	January 5, 1925(1925-01-05) (aged 59) Suffern, New York
Nationality	American
Occupation	Vice President and Treasurer
Known for	Founding investor in the California Perfume Company
Spouse(s)	Ella M. Brown (1892–1925)
Children	3
Signature

Biography

Early life

Henderson was born February 28, 1865, in Brooklyn, New York. He was the sixth child of Joseph Henderson and Angelina Annetta Weaver. On February 17, 1892, Henderson married Ella Margaret Brown.[2] Alexander and Ella had three children including Alexander D. Henderson Jr. and Girard B. Henderson.

Residence of Alexander D. Henderson, Suffern, N.Y.

The Henderson family went to Suffern in 1905 as summer visitors and boarders at Tilton's Hotel, on property now owned by Avon Products. In 1909, Henderson built a large Georgian style home, which sat on the hill at Campbell Avenue and the Nyack Turnpike (Route 59) in Suffern, New York.[3] A postcard was made of the Hendersons' Suffern home, looking at the residence from the bottom of the driveway.[4]

Professional life

In 1890, Henderson worked for the Union Warehouse Company in New York City where he held the position of private Secretary to Edward B. Bartlett.[5]

On May 30, 1895, he became the bookkeeper for David H. McConnell of the California Perfume Company. He went on to become Vice-President and Treasurer of CPC.[6]

As early as 1901, Henderson and McConnell were listed in the Trow Copartnership and Corporation Directory as "The California Perfume Co., (RTN) David H McConnell, Alexander D Henderson, at 126 Chambers Street."[7]

On June 16, 1909, an agreement was made between David H. McConnell and Alexander D. Henderson as partners trading as D. H. McConnell and Company, Goetting and Company, and California Perfume Company to sell these holdings over to the California Perfume Company, a corporation of the State of New Jersey. The bill of sale was for $220,000.00.[8]

On January 28, 1916, the California Perfume Company was incorporated in New York State.[9] Henderson and McConnell attended the American Perfumer annual meetings from May 9–11, 1916.[10]

In March 1912, Henderson invested in the incorporation of the Hatfield Auto Truck Company of Elmira, New York with capital of $1,500,000.[11]

In June 1915, Henderson took the train to San Francisco, California to set up a booth to advertise and exhibit CPC perfume products at the 1914-1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. The CPC exhibit was in the Liberal Arts Building. A Gold Medal was awarded to the company for the quality of the products and the beauty of the packaging.[12]

Peresonal life

Henderson assisted in the designing and building of the Lafayette Theatre in Suffern, New York.[13] Henderson became treasurer and director of the Ramapo Valley Independent when the old Suffern Independent was sold in 1922.[14]

Death

Henderson died on January 5, 1925.[15] On January 7, 1925, Henderson was cremated at the New York & New Jersey Cremation Company in Bergen, New York.[16]

See also

• Avon Products
• Joseph Henderson (Pilot)
• David H. McConnell

References

1. "Company Officials". Hagley Museum and Library. 1896. Retrieved 2012-12-19.
2. "Henderson-Brown". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 1892-02-18. Retrieved 2013-01-02.
3. Long, Craig H. (2011). "Suffern". Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. Retrieved 2020-04-01.
4. "Residence of Alexander D. Henderson, Suffern, N.Y." Library Association of Rockland County. 2007-01-31. Retrieved 2013-01-11.
5. "Verdict For $30,300". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 1897-12-15. p. 16. Archived from the original on September 7, 2008. Retrieved 2013-01-02. Alt URL
6. "The Story of Perfumery and the CPC". Hagley Museum and Library. 1924. Retrieved 2016-02-22.
7. The Trow Copartnership and Corporation Directory. Trow Directory, Printing & Bookbinding Company. March 1901. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
8. "Agreement of Incorporation for California Perfume Company". Hagley Museum and Library. Retrieved 2012-12-17.
9. Weekly Drug markets, New Incorporations, Volume 2, Page 26. University of Michigan. 1915. Retrieved 2012-12-17.
10. The American Perfumer and Essential Oil Review. Google. March 1916 – February 1917. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
11. Operations & Maintenance magazine, Vol. 7. Chilton Class Journal Company, provided Google Books. January 1912. Retrieved 6 Mar 2013.
12. "1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition Gold Medal Award". Hagley Museum and Library. July 1915. Retrieved 2013-01-02.
13. Lathrop, Mary Anthony (1979). Mary's Family Connections. Lebanon, Connecticut. pp. 85–112.
14. "Suffern Independent Sold To Corporation", Nyack Evening Journal, Wednesday, September 6, 1922.
15. "Alexander Dawson Henderson". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn, New York. 1925-01-06. Retrieved 2020-07-21.
16. Death Certificate #5375, State of New York Dept. of Vital Statistics, Place of Burial is New York & New Jersey Cremation Company, 1925-01-07

External links

Alexander D. Henderson at California Perfume Company website