The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1901-02-28
DANIEL MCHENRY.
cne of Columbia County's Most
Prominent Citizens An
swers the Long Roll
Call.

Daniel McHenry. of Saltwater, one
of the oldest, best known and most
highly respected citizens OF Columbia
county, died at the age of seventy-four
on Wednesday, the twentieth of Feb
ruary, and was buried the following
Saturday in the graveyard that forms
the resting place Of SO many of his
kinsmen.
Daniel McHenry was one of the
eleven children of Moses and Martha
Edgar McHenry, and the last to die
of six brothers. The brothers, all of
whom were notable men of strong and
interesting character were, Elias, Of
Benton, Pa, James, Of Cambria, Lu.
zerne county, Pa, John J., of Benton,
Pa. Daniel, Cyrus b. and Silas of
Saltwater. Two sisters survive.
The subject of our sketch was the
great-great-grandson of Morris Nc
Henry, who was born at Giants
Causeway, County Antrim, Ireland,
in 1906, and came to this country in
1889. John, son of Morris, was born
IN t7a5. From this John McHenry
and his wife Susannah McNeal, are
descended all the McH snrys living in
Columbia county, some three hund-
red in number as we'll as many living
in New York, Indiana, Iowa and
other states. John McHenry first
settled IN Orange county, New York,
afterward moving into Pennsylvania.
He was major of the First New
York Battalion in the French and
Indian war of 1861, and served in
the war of the Revolution, as did four
of his seven sons. Other members of
the family came over later, notably
James McHenry, born at Giants
Causeway, county Antrim, Ireland, In
1853. He was secretary to General
Washington, afterward transferred to
Lafayette's staff; Secretary Of War
and of Navy under Washington and
Secretary of War under John Adams
Fort McHenry, below Baltimore, was
named for him.
Daniel McHenry, son of John and
grand father of our subject, was born
in Orange county, New York, in I7s5,
and married Mary, daughter of Uriah
Stevens, one OF the Connecticut set
tiers of the Wyoming valley. He was
first lieutenant, then captain of Com
pany B Northumberland Regiment,
commissioned in I777, and was in the
battle of Red Bank, Sept. II, I777.
In 1885 he came to Fishingcreek with
an AK, gun and knapsack contain
ing some seeds, and built log cabin
at Stil,water,the first white mans habi-
tation in Fishingcreek valley, north OF
Orangeville. His wife came later.
Before she came he had not seen the
face of man, white or red, for six
months. In those days, he said, his
bread was verizon and his meat was
tiout. The site of his log cabin is
covered by the house from which his
grandson, Daniel, was borne to rest on
Saturday.
Inc life that has just ended was a
useful, honorable and busy life. OF
an ambitious and energetic nature,
Daniel McHenry engaged in many
ventures, being successively school
teacher, store keeper, inn keeper,
farmer and lumberman. He was a
keen student and despite meagre
educational advantages possessed a
fertile and well stored mind, as well
as an ever ready wit. His genial,
kindly disposition won for him hosts
of friends. The sunniness of his ma
ture undimmed by the approach OF
age and i'll health, made him the CON-
fort and delight of loving family cir
Gle.
When in his twentieth year, in COM
pany with his brother James, he open
ed the first store in Saltwater. AT
the end of FIVE years he bought ou,
his brothers interest and conducted
the business alone for fifteen years.
Subsequently he was extensively en-
gagged in numbering. Six years ago
he retired from active business, turn
ing his attention to his farming inter-
ests.
He was keenly interested in all
public questions. In 1854 he was
appointed postmaster at Saltwater
under President Pierce and held that
position continuously for over thirty
years. In 1862 he was elected
County Treasurer. He was then, as
always, an uncompromising Democrat.
1t was while he was serving in the
copacity of County Treasurer that the
military occupation of Columbia
county occurred and the unwarranted
and illegal military arrests were made.
Partisan malice marked him and forty