Spotlight on Sulphur: Henning one of Sulphur’s founding
families
Sulphur, La. —
@SDNSusanKyle
Sulphur honors the Henning family in the many places named after one of the family members. There is
Henning Memorial Methodist Church, Henning Cemetery, W.T. Henning Elementary School, Henning
Drive and the Henning House Culture Center, located in the home of the Sulphur family.
The Henning family has been integral in the development of Sulphur since the 1800s.
John Thomas Henning, (1850-1934) moved from Alabama to Calcasieu Parish in 1872 and to Sulphur in
1885. He built one of the first houses in town. He quickly became a prominent figure in early Sulphur
development. He operated a transfer company, a boarding house and carried the first Sulphur oil from the
Sulphur mines to the railroad. He also served as postmaster.
Less than 10 years after making Sulphur his home, he established the largest general store in Sulphur. In
1910 he began to raise cattle and was a rice farmer until 1920. J.T. was one of the citizens who helped in
the constructing the First Methodist Church and later helped in the building of the old brick Methodist
Church. This Henning also built the first schoolhouse in Sulphur.
Henning’s father, the Rev. John Henning (1812-1891), came to Sulphur around 1885, to settle with his
son. The Rev. John Henning served as a local elder in the Methodist ministry of West Calcasieu for many
years.
Through his projects, Methodist groups were organized near Rose Bluff, at Dutch Cove and at Jacksonville
(now known as Toomey and later transferred to Vinton). He also served in the churches at the Sulphur
Mines, Westlake and Sulphur circuits. The present church at 404 S. Huntington was named Henning
Memorial United Methodist to honor the minister.
John Thomas Henning remarried in 1890 to Mary Smith, who was also active in the Methodist Church
and devoted much of her time to work with the church.
One son was born of this union: William Thomas Henning (1849-1952). This Henning was involved in the
City of Sulphur by being a member of the first City Council of Sulphur. He served as president of the
School Board and Sulphur Chamber of Commerce. He was an active member and official of the Methodist
Church. He also organized the Cameron Telephone Company. Henning Elementary was named after him.
William Thomas and his wife Evelyn Mary Chevis had two sons, John Thomas Henning and William
Lovejoy Henning.
William “Bill” Lovejoy Henning, Sr. (1922-2012), who recently passed away, began his law practice in
Sulphur and practiced law publicly for over 15 years. Bill and his brother, John Thomas, took over the
operation of Cameron Telephone Company. The lines were extended to serve the remainder of Cameron
Parish, as well as Carlyss, Grand Lake, and Moss Bluff in Calcasieu Parish.
At the time of his death, he was working on developing a multi-state wireless broadband internet
company. He was a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association, a member and former president of the
Louisiana Telephone Association, former director of the United States Telephone Association, former
director of National Rural Telecom Association, and former director of Calcasieu Marine National Bank.
He was a charter member and former president of the Calcasieu Parish Industrial Board; charter member
and vice president of the Chennault Industrial Airport Authority; and member and former officer of the
West Calcasieu Port, Harbor and Terminal District. He had worked for and been involved in a multitude
of civic, business, church, fraternal, veteran, charitable organizations and Sulphur community projects.
Bill was proud of the fact that he, along with his three sons, were able to assist in getting the Methodist
Children’s Home of Southwest Louisiana built north of Sulphur on Hwy 27 near Houston River.
The Henning family continues to provide community and business leadership to Sulphur and Southwest
Louisiana, living in this area for the last 140 years.
Editor’s Note: Historical information for this article was taken from Brimstone! by Gen. (Ret.)
ErbonWise.