Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1906-03-01
COL. GANo HENRY
Celebrates His Both Birthday
in Burbank, California.

ElSnly-SlA years Ola to-day u
Justice Of the Peace Gano Henry,
of Buly3ank. This birthday proba-
bly, scores him first for age Of all the
justices in the country.
For twelve years he has been de-
Gliding the troubles Of the Burbank
people; the old justice is just enter
ing on the last year Of his third term.
For twenty years he has been one OF
the prominent figures of the Sar
Fernando Valley.
He is a vastly different figure
from the usual "oldest inhabitant. .
He looks like some character stepped
out of the dramas Of our grand.
mothers days fragile, aristocratiC
and Southern gentleman.
His courtesy is stately; his man
.ners those of an ambassador. There
lis something fine and partrician
about the old gentleman. That he
should be judge of the village is as
natural as that he should breathe.
You would almost know without
his telling you that he is a relative
Of Patrick Henry. His great grand
father and Patrick Henry were rel
atives, having come over from Scot
land together.
His grandfather was a soldier in
the Revolution and fought under
Morgan. His father was Col. VIM.
Henry, who fought in the war of
1912, and was inthe fight in which
Tecumseh was killed.
When q years of age he was
elected sheriff of Christian county
The aged justice laughs yet over an
incident Of his career as sheriff
when bad handwriting saved him
from a law suit.
AS sheriff he had to attach a rich
farmer for his bad debts. Not feel
ing certain Of the legal intricacies,
he got a prominent lawyer of Lex
ington to make the necessary in
dorsements of the papers, showing
service, etc.
The lawyers handwriting was SC
vile that what he said in the indorse-
ment could never be made out;
wherefor the farmer could never
sue the sheriff as he afterward
wished to. Justice Henry says they
have been struggling for forty years
to make out what that handwriting
is supposed to be saying.
After he had grown to manhood,
Mr.. Henry became president of one
of the first railroads in the South; is
was called in those days the Hender-
son & Nashville, running across
Kentucky for about 140 miles.
That was before the days of our
own steel industries, and he had to
go to Europe to buy the rails.
For many years the justice has
been one of the moving figures of
the real estate market in the San
Fernando Valley; he has been the
Burbank real estate agent for years.
as well as the judge.
The jump in San Fernando reality
will probably make him strong finan-
cially; his home place consists of
seven lots on the best corner in
Burbank.
All the troubles and trials of the
whole valley have been heard before
him. He hears civil suits between
chicken owners and farmers and
criminal charges against Migrants.
Los Angeles Calf Times Feb. 8.
Col. Henry left this city for Cal
ifornia about 18 years ago. He is a
brother of Mr.. Winston Henry, of
Casky, and Mrs. S. H. Burbridge, of
this city. He also has daughter
residing in the county, Mrs. l.. l..
Leavell, of Pembroke. He visited
this county about a year and a half
ago. He is the only survivor of the
jury that tried Lonz Pennington in
1916, the only white man ever
hanged in the county.