John Henson and one son, Fred, came north to the gold rush in 1898 from Port Angeles, WA. John became a U.S. Commissioner. In 1902, Mrs. Sarah Pace Henson came north to Douglas, Alaska with Jack, their second son, and daughter Alice. Mr. and Mrs. John Henson were Douglas residents from 1889 to 1921. They were also among the pioneers who settled Port Angeles, Washington.

Jack went to work for the Douglas Island News and Alice Henson became a teacher. Jack became a journeyman printer and served as postmaster in Douglas from 1914-1919. He was a volunteer fireman and also worked in the mines until he was injured in a 1911 mining accident. After he recovered, he returned to the newspaper business, filling a position that opened when an irate subscriber shot and killed a reporter at Alaska Daily Empire. During his 15 years as a newspaperman in Alaska, Jack Henson covered the Alaska Territorial Legislature, the sinking of the Princess Sophia, an earth slide in Juneau, labor strikes (IWW), mine disasters and the rum-running fleets of Prohibition. He returned to Port Angeles, WA, in 1921. He was married to Mary Gravlock [?] and had one daughter Marie.

Jack Henson, known as the “Wandering Scribe” in Port Angeles, died at age 80 in May, 1964 (probably May 4); Mary died in 1960.