The son of the itinerant Richard Henderson (fl. 1760s) The father, described as 'of a timid, diffident, reasoning spirit', was born in *Ireland and came to England by 1761, when h appears in the Wiltshire Circuit . After leaving the itinerancy he set up a school and later kept a private asylum at Hanham, near Bristol.

His son John was a child prodigy who was sent to *Kingswood School at an early age, was teaching Latin at 8 and at 12 went to teach Classics at *Trevecka College. A protégé of Hannah More and Dean Tucker of *Gloucester, he went to Pembroke College, Oxford, where he attracted the attention of Samuel Johnson as 'a student... celebrate for his wonderful acquirements in alchemy, judicial astrology and other abstruse and curious learning'. John Wesley recognized his genius, but was concerned about his lack of occupation. He died young without any lasting achievement.

Entry written by: JAV
Category: Person
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