Henry Olney was a metallurgist, watchmaker and salesman for the Waltham Watch Company in Waltham, Massachusetts. His brother Charles J. Olney was a watchmaker for the same company. They were sons of Hezekiah Olney. This family was from Malone, New York and other communities in northern New York near the St. Lawrence River. Henry's mother was Adelia Johnson.

Henry, Charles and Hezekiah were all inventors. Charles and his father received patents on their inventions but Henry was interested in perpetual motion devices so he received no patents. He wanted to build engines that ran on gravity, or compressed air engines that ran continuously without fuel.

In 1868, Henry married Ella Frances Niles, daughter of Lucinda M. Hewey and James E. Niles, a watchmaker in Waltham. Ella was born in Topsham, Maine around 1847. Their daughter Alice Maud Olney was born in Chicopee in 1869 and their son Albert H. Olney was born in Springfield, Masssachusetts in 1873. Ella died in Waltham in 1898.

Henry married Elizabeth Belle Greene in Chicago in 1899, the daughter of a lawyer. They were divorced around 1903. She later married a law professor Eben Newton Reaser.

Henry married Emeline Reis before 1906. They lived in Kansas City, Missouri. She was a German immigrant, a well-known naturopathic physician and spiritualist pastor, and older sister of Nettie Urban Umbreit of Oakland, California who had a similar career. Their brother Alois Joseph Reis was a brewmaster in Chicago and New Orleans. Their sister Marie Helen Tucker lived in Oakland.

Henry died in Kansas City in 1912. Emeline later married Antonio Zummo.

Thanks to Kelly M Beach for this contribution:

[New Series No 34]

In Camp at Fairfax Court House Va. Sunday morning May 17th 1863. Q.M. Dept
Ever Dear Almira!
“…I got a letter from Edwin Olney yesterday morning in answer to one I write him the 1st of May he wrote the 12th his Regt was then at Acqua Creek then but he Said he Expected Evry day they would get marching orders. Ed is well & Says he weighs 37 lbs more than when he left home. his fathers family are well or was the last news from home. Amelia, Henry and Willie are at home Charles & family are at Waltham Mass & doing well. James is at Denver, Kansas, he belongs to a Cavalry regt, Melissa, is living at Malone, her husband is a farmer and doing well Edwin wrote me a very good letter, and I was glad to hear from him, he Said he hoped to hear from me again Soon…”

courtesy of Civil War letter collection Alan Jones_descendants of Darwin Olney
transcribed by Kelly M. Beach #48171947