Thomas J. Henley

Who was Thomas J. Henley?

Thomas Jefferson Henley was a U.S. Representative from Indiana, father of Barclay Henley.

Born in Richmond, Indiana, Henley attended Indiana University at Bloomington. He studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1828 and commenced practice in Richmond, Indiana. He engaged in banking. He served as member of the State house of representatives 1832-1842 and served as speaker in 1840.

Henley was elected as a Democrat to the Twenty-eighth, Twenty-ninth, and Thirtieth Congresses. He served as chairman of the Committee on Patents. He moved to California in 1849 and engaged in banking in Sacramento. He served as member of the first State house of representatives 1851-1853. Superintendent of Indian affairs of California 1855-1858. Postmaster of San Francisco 1860-1864. He died in San Francisco, California, January 2, 1865. He was interred in Santa Rosa Cemetery, Santa Rosa, California.