"James Lawrence Henry, Jr., son of Dr. James L. and Mary A. (Barnard) Henry, was born in Easton, Washington county, New York, September 22d, 1839, and was educated at Greenwich, which is also in Washington county. In 1856 he left his native State, going first to Farmington, Iowa, where he worked one year in the machine shops, then to Knox county, Missouri, where he worked in the milling business eighteen months under the firm name of Hill & Henry. Selling out his interest in the mill he went to Macon City, Missouri, where he acted as superintendent of a livery stable owned by Harry Wortz. He remained in tis business until 1859, when he came to Boone county and drove the Columbia and Sturgeon stage for Leonard & Burks until the spring of 1860, when he engaged in the steam sawmill business. He removed the mill from near Centralia to Hinkson creek, ten miles northeast of Columbia. He ran this mill until March, 1861, when he went to farming one mile east of Brown’s Station. He was married March 10th, 1861, to Francis S., daughter of James and Louisa (Ridgway) Lampton. By this union they had seven children, two sons and five daughters. Mary L., born February 5th, 1862, died August 23d, 1866; Eunice B., born November 12th, 1868; John L., born April 13th, 1871; Susan G. born July 6th, 1873; James C., born July 19th, 1876, died May 11th, 1878; Marion L. born February 7th, 1879, and Elizabeth R., born February 23d, 1881. Mr. Henry enlisted in the Confederate army in 1861 under Capt. Robert L. Maupin, then again under Capt. Amos Hulett. After several attempts to reach the army, he was captured in the summer of 1862, and confined in prison at St. Louis, Alton and Washington City. In the spring of 1863 he was exchanged and sent to City Point, Virginia. From there he went West and joined Capt.. Harvey G. McKinney’s company, of which he was made first sergeant. Was ordered to Boonia station, near Vicksburg, where he was attached to company H, of the Fifth regiment, commanded by Col. James McCown. Was in the battle near Vicksburg, May 15th, 1863. May 18th, 1864, joined Johnston’s army at Kingston, and participated in the battle of New Hope church. He also took part in Hood’s raid on Nashville. Was wounded at Altoona station. His brigade was captured at the siege of Fort Blakely and sent to Ship Island, in the Gulf of Mexico. They were afterwards taken to Vicksburg and exchanged. He surrendered under Gen. Dick Taylor, May 12th, 1865. In 1873 he built the mill called by his name, situated on Rocky Fork, six miles north of Columbia. Since returning from the war he has followed milling and farming. He is now engaged in the milling business at Brown’s Station, in partnership with J.C. Dysart. In 1878 he made the race for assessor, but was beaten seventy-nine votes by M.G. Quinn. He was a candidate in 1880 before the primary election, but was again defeated. He is master of the Hallsville Grange, also a member of the Hallsville Masonic lodge, and the K.P.lodge, Columbia. He and his wife are members of the Christian church. His father died in Troy, New York in 1843. His mother is now living at Fox Lake, Wisconsin.

Contributor: James Dixon