John Henry

Who was John Henry?

John Henry was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.

Born near Stanford, Kentucky, Henry attended the public schools. He served as a private in Captain Arnett's company of Illinois volunteers in the Black Hawk War. He served as member of the State House of Representatives 1832-1840. He was prominently identified with the construction of the first railway in Illinois in 1838. He served as member of the State senate 1840-1847.

Henry was elected as a Whig to the Twenty-ninth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Edward D. Baker and served from February 5, 1847, to March 3, 1847. He was succeeded by Abraham Lincoln. He was not a candidate for the Thirtieth Congress. Superintendent of the State insane asylum at Jacksonville, Illinois from 1850 to 1855. During the Civil War was connected with the Quartermaster's Department at Jackson, Tennessee, from August 25, 1862, to April 30, 1863. He died on April 28, 1882 in St. Louis, Missouri, and was interred at Bellefontaine Cemetery.