Article: Captain Henry Tidbits by Sheila

There is a bit of downtime between classes for me at Lakeland and you can usually find me in the Lakeland Library, either working on homework, research or just wandering aimlessly in the aisle looking for interesting books to read.  One book last week caught my attention.  Titled “Pioneer and General History of Geauga Ohio 1953” I found myself curious to see if the Henrys were mentioned.  Boy, was I in for a surprise.  The Henrys are not only mentioned but I found this passage on Captain Charles E. Henry…

‘An outstanding family is that of Charles E. Henry who was born in Bainbridge November 30, 1835, attended Western Reserve Eclectic College at Hiram and taught school for a time. For many years he was a trustee at Hiram College.

He served in the Civil War in Co. A, 42nd Regiment of the O.V.I. He was wounded twice, at Thompson Hill and at Vicksburg and was promoted to first lieutenant.  He was mustered December 2, 1864.  He also served as marshal of the District of Columbia during the time Charles Guiteau was on trial for the shooting of President Garfield.  Applications for admission to the hanging of Guiteau had to be approved by Henry, and many black caps and ropes were sent to him to be used for the hanging. But Captain Henry “had at his farm no lack of ropes with which to tie calves.” ‘He married Sophia Williams of Ravenna, and had five children: Frederick Augustus, Marica, Don Pardee, James Garfield, and Mary Annice.  He died November 3, 1906.’

Albeit morbid, but how interesting is it that Captain Henry was the guy who did all these things?  I never knew he was the man to go through to be present at the hanging; I only thought he was one of the people invited.  It’s also interesting that he named his children, Don and James, after men he worked with and was friends with.  James Garfield is obvious, but Don Pardee was a man he met while stationed in the South as mentioned in the Captain Henry of Geauga book.

Its truly amazing what you can find when poking around a college library.

April 2, 2011