BIOGRAPHIES

Source: 
Portrait and Biographical History of
Fayette,  Pickaway and Madison Counties, Ohio.
Publ. Chicago: Chapman Bros.
1892
 

	JOHN HENRY, who is engaged in the livery business in Circleville, and is an enterprising man, claims New York as the State of his nativity.  He was born on the 4th of March, 1817, in Steuben County, and is a son of Alex Henry, a native of Dublin, Ireland.  When quite young, his father came to America.  His first location was made in Canada, whence he removed to Maryland, and afterward went to New York.  He there engaged in farming and stock-raising, shipping stock quite extensively.  He married Elizabeth Dunlap, a native of Belfast, Ireland.  In his political affiliations, he was a Democrat and in religious belief he was a Catholic.  His death occurred in 1882, and his wife passed away in New York in 1881.  In their family were eight children, six of whom are yet living.      The subject of this sketch was the fourth in order of birth.  He was reared in the usual manner of farmer lads and his early education was supplemented by a course in the Academy.  He remained at home until sixteen years of age, when, in 1863, he started Westward, traveling through Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.  He represented, as its traveling salesman, a large clothing house of New York City.  His health failing him, he went to Texas in 1855, hoping to be benefited by a change of climate, and continued in business as a representative of the New York house.  He was one of the first commercial travelers in Texas.  He traveled by team all over that State, but his principal route was between, Galveston and Houston.  He spent two years in the Lone Star State and then retired from that line of business.  In 1868, he bought a hotel in Washington County, Iowa, which he operated for two years and then sold out.  He was next again employed as a traveling salesman for the; firm for which he had formerly worked, his route being through Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri.  He embarked in business in Circleville in 1i73, purchasing the livery stable of Bechtell & Stooker, and now has the largest and finest stable in the city, it being well equipped with a nice line of carriages and turnouts, while his barns show some of the finest horses in this locality.      Mr. Henry was married in Circleville, in 1867, to Miss Maggie E. Feney, a native of this city.  Six children have been born of this union: Joseph F., who is engaged in business with his father; Stephen J., Marie H., John E., Mary E, and James D.      Mr. Henry owns a fine farm of one hundred acres on the Scioto Bottoms, Pickaway Township.  This is a well-improved tract of land, which he rents, and it yields to him a good income.  His own pleasant home residence is situated on Franklin Street.  In connection with his property, he owns a fine undertaking establishment, which he purchased in April, 1891.  It is located on Court Street and he is now doing a good business in this line.  In politics, Mr. Henry is a Democrat, and has served as a delegate to the county and State conventions.  He is a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, and contributes liberally to its support.  He is a pleasant, genial gentleman, well known throughout the community, and his personal appearance is pleasing. Source:  Portrait and Biographical History of Fayette,  Pickaway and Madison Counties, Ohio. Publ. Chicago: Chapman Bros. - 1892 - Page 597
Res. of Michael Henry, Wayne Tp., Pickaway Co., OH	MICHAEL HENRY.  The success which has attended the efforts of this highly-respected citizen of Pickaway County is not the result of chance, but represents the arduous labor of years.  In Wayne Township, he owns the homestead upon which he resides and which comprises three hundred and eighty-two and one-half acres of good land, embellished with first-class improvements.  The owner occupies a position of prominence among his fellow-citizens and is highly esteemed wherever known.      Berkeley County, W. Va., was the birthplace of Mr. Henry and Dec. 4, 1828, the date of his birth.  He is descended from an old and distinguished family of the Old Dominion and is the son of George Henry a Virginian, who served in the War of 1812 and followed farming pursuits throughout his entire life.  His death, which occurred at the age of seventy-seven, was the result of being accidentally thrown from a horse.  A man of prominence in his community, he at one time owned a large plantation and had a number of slaves.      The youngest of ten children, Michael Henry was only eighteen months old when he was orphaned by the death of his mother.  He is now the only surviving member of the parental family, with the exception of one brother, Philip, who is engaged in farming in Jefferson County, W. Va.  His childhood was passed in a somewhat uneventful manner, attending school during the winter season and assisting in tilling the soil during the summer, until he was fifteen, when his school days ended.  However, he was accustomed to pursue his studies afterward alone by the fireside at night, and in that way gained a good education.      When sixteen years old, Mr. Henry worked out as a farm laborer, receiving at first 15 per month, and afterward his wages were increased.  Dec. 5, 1848, he arrived in Pickaway County and located in Jackson Township, being at that time twenty years old, in the vigor of opening manhood and maturing strength.  After locating here, he was engaged for some time in various occupations whereby he could gain an honest livelihood, and in the spring of 1850 entered the employ of Samuel Campbell, a farmer in Wayne Township, for whom he worked several months.      The spring of 1851 found Mr. Henry operating as a renter and engaging industriously in agricultural pursuits, which he followed for three years on his own account.  He then engaged as a farm laborer for two years for the Hon. Nelson J. Turney and in the fall of 1855 located on the farm of James R, Hulse. Sr., remaining tin re three years. His next position was with Josiah Renick. in Circleville Township, where he also carried on agricultural pursuits.  During eight months of the year 1800 he was employed by John Fleming in raising broom corn, in which he was successful.      After farming for three years in Wayne Township on rented land, Mr. Henry removed to Jackson Township, where lie resided seventeen years, becoming known as a painstaking farmer, reliable citizen and obliging neighbor.  By the purchase in 1876 of two hundred and sixty-nine acres in Jackson Township, he became the owner of a splendid tract of farming land, which was his home for four years, until 1880, when he purchased his present place in Wayne Township and has since given his attention to its cultivation.  A view of his homestead is shown on another page.      The first marriage of Mr. Henry united him with Martha A. Moore, who, after twenty years of wedded life, passed away in 1870.  They were the parents of five children, namely: George W., deceased; John W.; Elizabeth; Mary A., deceased, and Ellen V.  Mr. Henry afterward was married, in 1871, to Elizabeth, daughter of Benjamin and Mary (Zeamer) Metzger, natives of Ohio, now deceased, the father dying in 1868 and the mother in 1847.  Mrs. Henry was born in Pickaway County and has passed her entire life within its limits.  She is the mother of five children, as follows:  Emma B., Nellie M., Fannie M., Kittie M. and one who died in infancy.  The children have received good educational advantages and are unusually blight and intelligent.      In connection with general farming, Mr. Henry raises all kinds of stock, having met with success in that department of agriculture.  He has devoted considerable attention to drainage and by means of the twenty-seven hundred rods of tile on his land, has placed it in splendid condition for the raising of large crops.  He is a Republican in his political belief, but has little time for affairs of public moment, his personal duties having always engaged his attention.  His wife is identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church as an active and faithful member, and is highly esteemed as a Christian lady and noble-hearted woman.      Through an accident which occurred in August, 1880, Mr. Henry has since been badly crippled and suffers to a considerable extent.  At that time, while working out his road tax, he was loading gravel, when the bank caved in on him and crushed him so severely that his life was for a time despaired of.  His right limb was crushed to such an extent as to render amputation necessary and his sufferings were intense for many weeks.  He has recovered sufficiently to oversee the details of farm work, but cannot engage in active labor as in former years. Source:  Portrait and Biographical History of Fayette,  Pickaway and Madison Counties, Ohio. Publ. Chicago: Chapman Bros. - 1892 - Page 738