Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1916-03-24
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F Maj. Robert Ran
T dolph Henry.
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(By James P. Whitman.)

(By James p. Whitman.)
In assuming to write biogrnphicn
+ sketch of the civic life, and the ser.
vice as soldier in the war between
the States CT Major Henry, as com.
mander of Browne Hartman Camp
of which he was past commander and
member at the time of his decease, !
feel that ! am guilty of an uEpardon-
able negligencc-but can fruthfully
assert it wa9 not wilful negligence
for thought that 4 more gifted and
poetic pen would perform this duty,
And if this sketch should fall under
the observation of his friends and old
comrades, | hope they will overlook
Its imperfections and pardon the de-
lay.
MeJcr Henry was born at Chester,
Chester county, S. c., April &c. 1S45.
Died at his home in Tazewell, Vir-
glnia, October Z, 1915. His great
grandfather, James Henry, came to
America from County Tyrone, Ire
land in the year 1926, and settled near
Harrisburg, Pa. Major Henry's par
ents were William Dickinson Henry
and Julia Hall. The former was II
planter and cotton merchant of Chcs-
ter and the latter was u native of
Fredericksburg, Virginia. His early
life was spent in Chester until the
death of his father in 1856. He then
came with his mother to Virginia and
spent the remainder of his boyhood
days in Fredericksburg and Peters
burg. just before the breaking out
of the war between the States, he
entered Bloomfield Academy, ia
Virginia. From Bloomfield he entered
thes (,nnfnpnrntn nj he <,f
sixteen years, and served throughout
the period of the war. He enlisted in
Company l., 18th Regiment Virginia
Infantry. And during the last two
years of the war was on staff duty,
first with General r. H. Anderson
and then with General William Me-
hone. Major Henry was three times
wounded and had five horses killed
under him in action
After the war he studied law pri-
vately, and, obtaining license, set
tied at Wise Court House in 1872,
filling the position of Commemorative
attorney for three years. He then
moved to Tazewell, Virginia, where
he practiced his profession until his
decease, associated with Judge S. C.
Graham as eally as 1S73-believed
to be one of the oldest law firms
practicing in Virginia. He was a
Democrat who never changed his pol
itics, was an elector on the Hancock
ticket from the 9th District of Vir-
ginia. In 1886 lie received the Dem
ocratic nomination for Congress from
the 9th District of Virginia, but was
defeated by the Republican nominee,
Hon. Henry Bowen.
On December 10, 1869, Major Henry
married Lucy Strother Ashby, of Gull
pepper, Virginia and of this marriage
was born seven children, all of whom,
and their mother, are living.*
The above sketch of Major Hen
RVS life is an abstract taken from
Volume of "Noted Men of Virginia."
and was written with his approval.
This brief, it seems, was all the Ma
jor chose to leave to the world of an
interesting and successful life. Cen
ial and unassuming, he seldom spoke
of his service to his country as SOL
der, to his intimate friends Major
Henry was in declining health some
time before his death. Still in the
vigor of life, having surmounted all
obstacles, he attained the height Of
his profession. In the practice of his
profession he was not conceited, but
just; his analytical discernment of
truth in testimony, in the argument
of n cause before jury or judge,
possessed of the consciousness of self
control, together with his earnestness
and eloquence in pleading, most often
convinced the court and the jury of
the righteousness of his cause, which
should have been gratifying to him.
Egotism was not factor in his char
acter He loved freedom, action and
excitement, and instilled new life into
social intercourse amidst friends and
associates. He was studious, kind
and courteous. He was profound and
eminent in his profession. never
heard him accused of the slightest
dishonor. The Court and the Bar
will miss him. The Tazewell bar, of
which he was member, has not now
and never will have a truer, nobler or
better man.
1t might be suggested that this was
n comparison of the members of the
Tazewell bar, but that is entirely for
eign to my purpose. For l believe
the TaZewell bar stands as high in
the estimation of the judicial minds
of the State as any within it's limits.
Major Henry was true to his friends,
to his clients, to his country and to
his God Could there be more sub
Unity of character?
In his private life he was kind
and courteous to a marked degree. An
effectionate husband and lenient
father-and whilst the loss to his fam
lily is irreparable, yet he has left to