Lawrence J. Henderson '98, Abbot and James Lawrence Professor of Chemistry, and chairman of the Society of Fellows of Harvard University, died early yesterday morning at Phillips House after a short illness.

Director of the Fatigue Laboratory at the Business School since 1927, Professor Henderson was a distinguished scholar, decorated by the French Legion of Honor. He served as foreign secretary of the National Academy of Sciences, and was a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Besides writing several books, he was a contributor to papers dealing with the applications of physical chemistry to biology.

Born in Lynn 64 years ago, he received his bachelor's degree in 1898.

Long Teaching Career

Professor Henderson taught here first in 1904 as a lecturer in biological chemistry, and became a full professor in 1919. During his teaching career, he was an exchange professor in Paris and Berlin, Silliman lecturer at Yale, and Mills lecturer at the University of California.

In addition to the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Professor Henderson was a member of the American Chemical Society, American Philosophical Society, and the Association of American Physicians.

He was also corresponding member of the Academic de Medecine, Paris, honorary member of the Societa Italiana di Biologia Sperimentale, and a foreign member of the Deutsch Akademic der Natureforscher, Halle.

He leaves his wife Edith Lawrence Thayer, of Cambridge, whom he married in 1910, and one son, Lawrence Joseph, Jr.

Funeral services will be held in Memorial Chapel on Thursday at 3 o'clock.