Randolph County, Indiana
John C. Henning
Randolph county has been fortunate in the character of her public officials, as a rule, the strongest men of the county being elected. This is due to the fact that all her citizens are public-spirited and are willing to do what ever they can to further the best interests of the county, not caring to leave the affairs of the same to idlers and ne'er-do-wells, so the best citizens are accustomed to seek the county offices; another thing, the voters of the county refuse to endorse the candidacy of anyone who is not a strong-minded, clean-living man, one whom they know they can trust to look after the best interests of the locality.
John C. Henning, the present sheriff of Randolph county, is one of the able and popular county officials at this writing, and although he has been incumbent of the office less than a year, he has shown himself to be eminently fitted for the same and is popular with his constituents and all concerned. He was born September 13, 1861, in Darke county, Ohio. He is a son of John and Elizabeth (Finfock) Henning. The father was born in Pennsylvania and the mother in Miami county, Ohio. John Henning devoted his life to general farming. He left the Keystone state and came to Darke county, Ohio, in 1834 with his parents, being then six years old, his birth having occurred on May 9, 1828. He died June 23, 1912. His wife was born in 1837, and died in March, 1904.
John C. Henning grew to manhood on his father's farm and there assisted with the general work when a boy. He received a practical education in the district schools. He was married on December 20, 1883, to Mary C. Stump, a daughter of Adam and Catherine (Cole) Stump, of Darke county, Ohio. To this union three sons have been born, also an equal number of daughters, named as follows: Bessie P., now the wife of Newton Wilkinson, deputy sheriff of Winchester; Charles C., of Hartford City; Edith and Flora are both deceased; John Raymond is telegraph operator at Millgrove, Indiana; James W. is at home.
John C. Henning left Darke county, Ohio, in 1884, where he had been successfully engaged in farming since a young man, at that time selling his farm and removing to Union City, Indiana, where he was on the police force from 1906 to 1909, when he was elected marshal of that place, serving three years, giving the people there eminent satisfaction in both positions. In the fall of 1912 he was elected sheriff of Randolph county and took office January 1, 1913. He has so far proven an alert, able and conscientious officer. At that time he moved to the sheriff's residence in Winchester.
Politically, Mr. Henning is a loyal Democrat and active in the affairs of the party. He enjoys the distinction of being the first Democrat elected sheriff of this county since the year 1854. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Knights of the Golden Eagle.
Past and Present of Randolph County, Indiana, 1914.
Contributed by Gina Richardson