Murphy-Henderson House - its owners had political success

     This article appeared in the West Prince Graphic (www.peicanada.com) newspaper on June 6, 2007.  Page 2.

Robbie Henderson latest MLA to find political success in historic home

by Wayne Young for the Graphic

     If houses could talk what a political take the 200-year-old Henderson homestead on the Murray Road (in Lot 11) here could spin.
     Joseph Murphy, whose father built the house in the early 1800's, was born here and lived in the home while he represented the old district of First Prince in the P.E.I. legislature from 1882 through 1893.  
     In 1935, another future MLA for the district was born in the same house.
     George Henderson, was first elected to the Island legislature in 1874 i the district then known as Second Prince.  After gaining re-election in 1978, he switched to federal politics where he served as the Member of Parliament for Egmont from 1980 until he retired in 1988.
     And last week, the old house welcomed its latest MLA, George's son, Robbie, who has been living there with his wife and two daughters since 1983.
     Robbie won the seat in the district now called O'Leary-Inverness in the May 28 election.
     All three MLAs ran under the Liberal banner.
     "Maybe there's something in these walls," Robbie smiled,  "It's contributed significantly to the political life of this district for a long while now."
     In the kitchen of the old home, the Hendersons sat down recently to talk about their lives in politics, George with more than 14 years to draw from and Robbie less than a week into his new job...

For more information about MLA George Henderson, see
http://www.peildo.ca/fedora/repository/leg:27553

Served during the following dates: 1974-04-29; 1978-04-24; 1979-04-23

     HENDERSON, GEORGE ROLAND, electrician and shellfish technician; b. 10 November 1935 in Freeland, son of R Edgar Henderson and Hazel Edna Hardy; m. 27 August 1960 Brenda Lue Matthews, and they had three children. Robert, Holly, and Jason; Presbyterian.        Henderson, a Liberal, was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in the general election of 1974 for 2nd Prince. He was re-elected in the general elections of 1978 and 1979. From 1974 to 1978, he served as Minister of Fisheries and Minister of Labour. Henderson was Minister of Highways and Minister of Public Works from 1978 to 1979. On 3 January 1980, he resigned his seat in the Legislature to run in the federal election of that year. Henderson was elected to the House of Commons for Egmont and was re-elected in 1984. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans in March 1980 and remained in this position for two years. From 1982 to 1984, he served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence. While in Opposition, Henderson was the fisheries critic.  Henderson received his early education at the Freeland Public School. From 1950 to 1953, he attended Prince of Wales College in Charlottetown. He was president and general manager of Malpeque Oyster Cultures Incorporated and also worked as a shellfish technician. In 1988 he was appointed to the Canadian Pension Commission, a board that adjudicates pension claims for death and disability from service in the Canadian Armed Forces. George Henderson is retired and lives with his wife in Freeland. Brenda Henderson is the daughter of Lowell Matthews and Olive Keefe. - References: CPG 1979, 1988; WWPEI p. 56; Guardian 6 January 1988; Journal-Pioneer 12 August 1988; Questionnaire to Former MLAs.