BIO: William N. HENRY, Huntingdon County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JO Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************** __________________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers. Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, pages 387-388. __________________________________________________________________ WILLIAM N. HENRY, Shirleysburg, Pa., was born in Mifflin county, March 27, 1842, son of Harry and Mary (Knepp) Henry. Mr. Henry is of German descent; his ancestors were among the earliest settlers of this country, his great-grandparents having all been born in America. The family was remarkable for longevity. His paternal grandfather was a cooper, and also a trapper. He married Miss Keyser, and they became the parents of nine children, all of whom are now deceased. Mr. Henry's maternal grandparents were natives of Mifflin county, Pa., where his mother was born; his father was a native of Huntingdon county. The father followed the calling of coopering until the breaking out of the war. In 1863, he enlisted in Company B, Sixty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers. He had served about two years, when he was shot through the body in front of Petersburg, in March, 1865; he was then fifty years old. His wife, Mary, was the daughter of Adam and Mary Knepp. Mr. and Mrs. Henry had nine children: John T., died January 20, 1874, aged twenty-two; Reuben, deceased; William H.; Nancy J. (Mrs. David Stollman); Nelson; Ellen (Mrs. Gottlieg Strite); Sarah (Mrs. Horace Hinman); Sophia (Mrs. Baer); and Lydia (Mrs. Faust). The mother is dead. At about nine years of age, owing to the poor health of his father, William H., Henry was taken from his home to Centre county, Pa., where he was brought up on the farm of William Lane. He attended school in Penn's Valley, Centre county. He continued to reside on the farm and assisted Mr. Lane, until he reached the age of sixteen. He then went to learn shoemaking, and continued about seven months; then was with a Mr. Kurtz for three months, after which he returned to Mr. Lane, and helped him through harvesting; then went back to Mifflin county, and helped Mr. Sherk for two weeks; then helped Mr. Stark for about a week. In 1858, William Henry went to Indiana county, Pa., to visit his father, and remained there about five months. He then obtained employment as teamster, with Giles Doty, for about thirteen months; was afterwards with his father in Indiana county for three months; then returned to Mr. Doty, and was with him for a year. In 1860, Mr. Henry went to Allegheny county, Pa., and became foreman in a cooper shop, under Mr. Kimberly; six months later, he came back to Indiana county, and opened a shop on his own account. He carried on coopering until the war broke out. He then enlisted in the Union army, and served for three-months; re-enlisted in the nine months' service; again enlisted, March 4, 1862, in the Sixty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served until the close of the war. In the battle of the Wilderness, Mr. Henry was wounded by a shell which struck him on the head, and rendered him unconscious for three days; but he was not disabled for service for any longer time. Returning home from the war, Mr. Henry continued in the same place at his trade of coopering for about two years; then removed from Black Log valley to Petersburg, Huntingdon county, and still manufactured barrels for another year. Then he went to New Jersey, where he was employed for a few weeks to dig cellars, after which he engaged in truck gardening, on a truck farm, for one year. Resuming the coopering business, he opened a shop, where he worked for about two years, after which he was in the hotel business in Philadelphia for about six months; then for a year in the huckstering trade; then for one summer, he worked at carpentry. He then sold out, left the city, and returned to Huntingdon county, where he engaged in the shingle business, near Three Springs, and in repairing houses, which he continued for about a year. In 1872, Mr. Henry removed to Hill valley, where he bought some land and built a house, in which he lived for a year, and then removed to the Price farm, and remained there for a year. For eight years from that time he resided in Shade valley, Juniata county, and was variously occupied. He then removed to Hume's farm, at Singer's Gap, and lived there four years; and next bought a property in Hill valley, on which he remained two years. Removing next to Whetstone valley, to the farm of Daniel Roberts, he lived there three years, until in some way, the buildings caught fire, the house with all its contents was laid in ashes, and he lost everything. In 1894, Mr. Henry began farming on the property of Mr. Isenberg, where he is still engaged. William M. Henry was married November 4, 1863, to Susan L., daughter of Charles and Anna C. (McKinsey) Barker. Their children are: Anna (Mrs. William Swisher); Ida M. (Mrs. James C. Baker); Clara L. (Mrs. William H. Roberts); William J.; Elmer E. and Edwin E., twins; Ethel E.; Harry H.; James F.; Lawrence G.; Charles, who died in February 15, 1872, aged seven years; Ella M., died August 20, 1869, aged one year; George, died May 8, 1877, aged one year; Sarah M., died May 6, 1881, two days old; Jessie died when one day old; also one infant not named. Mrs. Henry was born May 11, 1846. Her father was a native of Baltimore, her mother of Philadelphia. Her father was a sea captain and lost his life in a ship wreck. Her mother was the daughter of Thomas and Mary McKinsey; they were the parents of seven children, of whom Susan (Mrs. Henry,) is the only one now living. Mrs. Barker died December 28, 1870, at the age of fifty-four. Mr. Henry is a member of the Methodist church.