Introduction

Captain Charles Eugene Henry was born of John and Polly Henry on November 29, 1836 at Bainbridge, Geauga County, Ohio.  Young Henry pursued the normal of pious farmer’s on the Western Reserve.  He worked during the day, studied at night, and became and advocate of the Disciples of Christ Church. Because of the latter association Henry attended the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute (now Hiram College) during the closing years of the 1850’s when James A. Garfield was mentor of the institute.

Graduating in the spring of 1861, Henry soon found his way into one of the Ohio regiments being raised as a result of the outbreak of the Civil War.  He enlisted on September 20, 1861 in Company A of the Forty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry as a private.  Once again Henry found himself under the tutelage of James A. Garfield who organized and commanded the Forty-second Ohio through the Big Sandy Valley Campaign of the winter of 1861-1862.  The young Eclectic graduate steadily rose in rank until he became a second lieutenant during the spring of 1863.  Involved in the fighting at Vicksburg, Henry sustained a sever leg wound at the Battle of Thompson’s Hill which ended his infantry action.  Recovering from the leg injury, he was assigned to the provost marshals office at Baton Rouge, La., under Colonel Don A. Pardee.  He served as provost judge and adjutant until the fall of 1864 when he was brevetted captain and honorably discharged.

On November 10, 1864 Henry accepted the mantel of domestic life by marrying Sophia Williams, a fellow schoolmate at the Eclectic Institute.  Soon the married couple settled on the Henry family homestead at Geauga Lake, which became their permanent residence until the end of their lives.

Running parallel with these events in Henry’s life was the burgeoning political career of James A. Garfield.  Garfield had been the Congressman-elect of the 19^th Congressional district in Ohio since 1862.  With Henry taking residence in the confines of this district Garfield renewed old acquaintances, recognized the political acumen of the Republican Henry, and initiated the latter into his intimate circle of friends including Burked A. Hinsdale, Harmon Austin, J. Harrison Rhodes, W. S. Streator, and others.  All of these men served as unofficial political advisors to Garfield the congressman, yet Captain Henry through patronage became Garfield’s chief political agent.  In 1869 Garfield secured for Henry the position of railway mail clerk between Cleveland and Sharon, Pa., the route of the railway running through the heart of the 19^th district.  Although Henry’s primary duties consisted of sorting and dispersing the mails to the small Western Reserve communities, his other responsibility was to keep an eye on the political tenor of the district.  This association lies at the base of the Garfield-Henry correspondence.

As the political aspirations of the Garfield widened he sought better positions for his political lieutenant with greater mobility.  In 1872 Garfield captured the position of Special Agent to the Untied States postal server for Henry, and in 1880 Henry became and inspector for the postal department.  Captain Henry could now move feely throughout Ohio in the interests of Garfield.  For instance, in the latter part of 1870 Garfield sent Henry on a special mission to Columbus, Ohio.  This was to secure the nomination and election of the Congressman to the Senate of the United States.  Henry’s adroit management of Garfield’s interests resulted in the unanimous selection of Garfield for Senator, a position which he never enjoyed because of his election the Presidency.

When Garfield became President in 1881, he immediately was besieged by spoils men.  Yet, the President reserved the post of Marshal of Washington, D. C. for his political agent.  Henry served in this office with distinction and became embroiled in the Charles Guiteau trial (Garfield’s assassin) and the Star Route frauds.  In December 1882 he was removed by President Chester A. Arthur in the latters attempt to wipe out the political appointments of Garfield.

Once again, Henry returned to private life.  But his family was increasing in size and the homestead at Geauga Lake was unable to support the Henrys in a fashionable manner.  Accepting an appointment in 1885 from his friend Don A. Pardee to serve as special master commissioner of the U. S. Circuit Court for investigating the railway strikes on the Gould railroads in the Southwest, of the Texas and Pacific Railway.  For six years Henry remained in the service of this road as Stock Claim agent at Dallas, Texas.

During the 1890’s Captain Henry accepted an assignment with the United States Treasury Department as an inspector of public buildings.  Likewise, he became an inspector for the American Surety Company, which sent him on such exotic cases as n extradition mission to South America and to Costa Rica.

Under the surface of his public life remained C. E. Henry the gentleman farmer.  His greatest pride as a farmer was the high quality Western Reserve maple syrup, which his farm produced each spring.  The Captain continually was active in Civil War organization such as the Grand Army of the Republic.  Perhaps most noteworthy of his outside interests was his long association with the Hiram College Board of Trustees and his several terms as President of the Board.  A raconteur of sorts, Henry enjoyed the rewards of writing and published extensively in the area newspapers and the Ohio Farmer.  In total, Captain Charles Eugene Henry, who died on November 3, 1906 lived a many-faceted life which has given him a place as one of the outstanding personalities of the nineteenth-century Ohio Western Reserve.

  HENRY MATERIALS
BOX #1

Captain C. E. Henry’s yearly diaries: 1877, 1878, 1880, 1884, 1885, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1903.

 Henry Family Record.  A genealogical study of the Henry Family.

 Balbi, Adrian.  Universal Geography.  New York, 1835.

 Casey, Brigadier-General Silas.  Infantry Tactics.  Volume I.  New York, 1863.

 Clark, Adam.  The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  A commentary.  Philadelphia, 1838.

 The Continent.  Volume V.

Eadie, John.   A New and Complete Concordance to the Holy Scriptures.  New York, 1830.

 Erskine, Ralph.  Gospel Sonnets, or Spiritual Songs.  Glasgow, 1770.

 Hale, Sir Matthew.  History of the Common Law of England.  London, 1716.

 Headley, J. T.  The Great Rebellion.  Volume I.  Washington, D. C., 1898.

 Henry, Sophia Williams.  A Texas Pilgrimage.  Cleveland:  J. B. Savage, 1905.

 Houston, Edwin J.  The Elements of Physical Geography. Philadelphia, 1892.

 Hume, David.  The History of England From The Invasion of Julius Caesar to the Revolution of 1688.  Volume I.  London:  A. Millar, 1773.

 Keith, Thomas.  A New Treatise on the Use of the Globes or A Philosophical View of the Earth.  New York, 1832.

 Lady’s Book of 1859.  Place and date of publication not available because of the condition of the book.

 Landon, L. E.  The Works of L. E. Landon, Vol. II.  Philadelphia:  El Carey & A. Hart, 1839.

 Saxe, John G.  The Money-King and Other Poems.  Boston:  Ticknor & Fields, 1860.

 Whiston, William (trans).  The Works of Flavius Josephus.  Baltimore:  Armstrong & Plastik, 1833.

 Historical War Map.  Memphis, Tennessee. 

HENRY MATERIALS
BOX #2

Accountants book

Bible, Old Testament (Peshito Version) 1823?

Biblical Text

Checkbook

Cleveland Investments, 1908

Court Manuals and Journals, 1914-1924

Delphic Literary Society, James Garfield Henry

The Family Garden

Goodrich, Charles.  The Universal Traveller.  Hartford:  Robins & Smith, 1844.

Growth of Greater Cleveland

His Life:  A Complete Story in the Words of the Gospel

Kent’s Law Directory & Court Manual For the City of Cleveland, Ohio

The Latest Books:  A Buyer’s Guide

Law Notes of F. A. Henry

Lawrence, Eugene.  A Primer of Latin Literature.

Legal Dictionary

Moore, Thomas.  Lalla Rookh.  Boston:  Phillips, Sampson & Co., 1850.

 Scrapbooks:
    1870-1874 
    1900 
    1936

The Union Club of Cleveland 

Webb, A. G.  Herbarium & Plant Descriptions, 1890. 

Wilcox, Owen Nelson.  Rowfant Leaves.  Cleveland:  The Gates Press, 1944. 

HENRY PAPERS
BOX #3  

Letters Written By C. E. Henry
            1864-1887   

Letters Written By Sophia Williams Henry
            May, 1865-December, 1886

Family Correspondence
            February, 1865-December, 1886

Letters From Don A. Pardee
            1864-1886 

Letters Written By Frank Mason, B. A. Hinsdale & John Sherman
            1881

Letters Written By Charles Foster
            1881 

Letters Written By John Henry
            1864-1865

Post Office Correspondence To C. E. Henry
            January-December, 1881 

General Correspondence
            1881-1886

Letters From The White House
            1881 

Letters Concerning Marshalship of C. E. Henry
            1881-1882

Letters to C. E. Henry Reflecting The Political Tenor of the Time
            December 1884 

Letters Concerning the Assassination & Death Of James A. Garfield
            July-November, 1881

Letters To C. E. Henry Showing Patronage
            1881-1882  

Notes Pertaining To The Star Route Trials
            1882

Correspondence Concerning The Guiteau Trial
            1881-1882  

Requests For Civil War Pensions
            1882-1884

Miscellaneous Papers
            1864-July, 1882
            July-December, 1882 

Correspondence: C. E. Henry & James A. Garfield
            1864-1877
            1878-1881

Miscellaneous Papers of John Henry  

HENRY PAPERS
BOX #4 

I           Letters Written By C. E. Henry

                        1) 1888-1889 
                        2) January - December 1890
                        3) January – December 1891
                        4) 1892-1903
                        5) 1904-1906

II         Letters Written By Sophia Williams Henry
                        1887-1891

III        Letters Written By Fredrick A. Henry 

                        1) 1887 – 1890
                        2) 1890 – 1891

III        Family Correspondence
                        1887-1904

V         Letters From Don A. Pardee
            1888-1904

VI        Letters From The American Surety Company 

VII            Miscellaneous Papers 

                        1) 1887-1888
                        2) January – December 1890
                        3) 1891-1892
                        4) 1893-1905
                        5) No Date

VIII      C. E. Henry’s Notes On His Extradition To South America
            December 1892 – March, 1893

IX        Letters Written By C. E. Henry Concerning Costa Rica Extradition
            January – November, 1894

X         Letters From Treasury Department 

XI        Correspondence With Texas & Pacific Railway 

XII       Letters From John Sherman & B. A. Hinsdale 

XIII      Preserved Newspapers 

XIV      Writings of C. E. Henry 

XV       Information Concerning the Death of C. E. Henry, 1906 

HENRY PAPERS
BOX #5

I            Correspondence:  Frederick A, Henry & Louise Adams 

                        1) April 24, 1889 – May 31, 1889
            2) June – October 1889
            3) October – December 1889
            4) January – May 1890
            5) June – September 1890
            6) October 1890 – January 1891
            7) January – March 1891
            8)March 11, 1891 – May 31, 1891
            9) June 2, 1891 – August 31, 1891
            10) September 1, 1891 – November 30, 1891
            11) December 1, 1891 – January 31, 1892
            12) February 1, 1892 – April 29, 1892
            13) May 1, 1892 – July 29, 1892
            14) August 2, 1892 – October 31, 1892
            15) November 1, 1892 – January 19, 1893 (wedding invitations included)
            16) December 5, 1902 – December 28, 1902 (European Tour/Louise Adams Henry)

II            Correspondence:  Frederick A. Henry From Family and Friends 

                        1) January 7, 1891 – September 28, 1892
                        2) January 1893 (concerning wedding to Louise Adams ion Jan. 25, 1893)
                        3) February 2, 1893 – December 23, 1893
                        4) May 16, 1914 – August 6, 1929   

HENRY PAPERS
BOX #6

 I            Frederick A. Henry College Papers 

                        1) April – June 1887
                        2) July – December 1887
                        3) January – June 1888
                        4) July – September 1888
                        5) September – December 1888

II           Frederick A. Henry General Papers 

                        1) July – December 1889
                        2) January – June 1890
                        3) July – September 1890
                        4) September – December 1890

III         Correspondence:  Frederick A. Henry & Professor Harold E. Davis 1936 

IV         Notes By Frederick A. Henry concerning his book Captain Henry of Geauga 

V          Correspondence: Frederick A. Henry & Marcia Henry
                        January 25, 1919 – April 18, 1940  

VI        Correspondence:  Marcia Louise Henry & Family
                        November 19, 1914 – September 7, 1918

VII       Letters & Articles Concerning James Garfield Henry 

VIII     Miscellaneous Correspondence & Writings of Frederick A. Henry
                        1) 1899 – 1912
                        2) 1919 – 1924

IX        Clippings 

X         Photos & Memorabilia  

HENRY PAPERS
BOX #7

I            Business Correspondence To Frederick A. Henry 

                        1) January 7, 189– June 25, 18911 
                        2) August 2, 1891 – December 28, 1891
                        3) January 2, 1892 – April 30, 1892
                        4) May 1, 1892 – June 30, 1892
                        5) July 1, 1892 – November 21, 1892
                        6) January 1893
                        7) February 3, 1893 – May 26, 1893
                        8) June 1, 1893 – August 26, 1893
                        9) September 21, 1893 – December 30, 1893
                        10) April 1919 (including Hiram College)
                        11) May 1914 (including 18^th c. Henry genealogy)
                        12) July 15, 1918 – May 15, 1919 (including Hiram College)
                        13) April 1929
                        14) August 1929
                        15) September 1929
                        16) June 1930 

HENRY PAPERS
BOX #8

Diaries and Law papers of Frederick A. Henry, 1890’s 

Daguerreotypes From Henry Collection 

Memorabilia 

Cards And Photos

HENRY PAPERS
BOX #9A

I.            Text (photocopy) of Frederick A. Henry speech, Hiram College: an Historical
               Interpretation. " An address delivered at the Historical Session held in connection with the
               Seventy-fifth Anniversary Commencement Celebration at Hiram College, June 12, 1925
II.           Judge Frederick A. Henry Correspondence, 1903-1907 re: the state of the college.

BOX #9B

Frederick Henry's manuscript of Captain Henry of Geauga. Holograph
[Phase box]

HENRY PAPERS
BOX #10A

Marcia Henry Correspondence

Folders:

        · Css. To A.G. Webb Family, primarily Mary [Babe] Webb, Marcia's sister. June 19, 1908 -
          August 24, 1908
        · Css. To A.G. Webb Family, primarily Mary [Babe] Webb. July 7, 1910-December 9, 1918.
        · Css. To Mary [Babe] Webb. July 5, 1924 - July 28, 1924.
        · Css. To A.G. Webb Family, primarily Mary [Babe] Webb. July 8, 1927 - August 10, 1927.
        · Css. To A.G. Webb Family, primarily Mary [Babe] Webb. August 18, 1932 - November 8,
          1932.
        · Css. To Mary [Babe] Webb. August 5, 1935 - October 8, 1935
        · Css. To Mary [Babe] Webb. March 12, 1937 - November 3, 1937.
        · Css. To A.G. Webb Family, primarily Mary [Babe] Webb. July 8, 1938 - January 21, 1939
        · Css. To Mary Webb (niece). June 25, 1924 - August 4, 1938.
        · Css. From Ned Sheldon to Marcia Henry during her illness. February 20, 1944 - may 17, 1944
        · Css. From Sophia Henry [ Marcia and Mary's mother] to A.G. Webb Family. February 21,
          1908 - August 24, 1908.
        · Css. To Gertrude Barlow from Marcia Henry. December 8, 1947 - December 11, 1951.
        · Miscellaneous Correspondence to Marcia Henry. April 15, 1919 - April 12, 1944.

HENRY PAPERS
BOX #10B

Memorabilia:
        · Marcia Henry's Postcard collection from friends and relatives throughout their travels.
        · Autograph Album, 1879
        · Diary inscribed Marcia Henry, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A. American Red Cross, Poitiers Vienie
          (?) , France. September 1918. Volunteer work with the Red Cross during WW I. August 7,
          1918 - January 21, 1919.
        · Handwritten satirical book, composed by Marcia Henry, dealing with Hiram College subjects.
          Circa 1890.

INVENTORY OF UNBOXED MATERIAL IN THE C. E. HENRY COLLECTION

Civil War materials in the C. E. Henry Collection.

           A.  One Brady photograph dated 1863.  No name is given, but the picture is of a  two star
           general.  Other Civil War mementos with the photograph.

B.  Morning Report Book of Captain F. A. Williams (brother-in-law of C. E. Henry) while in command of Company A, Forty-second O.V.I.

            C.  Six Daily journals and general order books of the Forty-Second O.V.I.

            D.  Record of the Forty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

            E.  Several Deceased soldiers certificates in an envelope to C. E. Henry, Garfield building, Cleveland, Ohio.