Goodspeeds Biographical and Historical Memoirs

Samuel Henry

Farmer and stock raiser, is a son of Reuben and Elizabeth (Yates) Henry, of Polk County, Tenn, where Samuel was born on the 10th of August, 1837.  His father bore arms for this country in the War of 1812 and also fought under Gen. Jackson, at the battles of New Orleans and Horseshoe Bend.  After the death of the elder Henry, which occurred while in his prime, the government granted a land warrant to the family, in recognition of his services.  Samuel remained with his mother until he grew to manhood and then commenced farming for himself.  When war was announced between the North and South, he enlisted in the Confederate army and became a member of the Ninth Tennessee Cavalry, first as a private, but later on promoted to the rank of orderly sergeant.  He was present at the battle of Shiloh for three days and at the first siege and bombardment of Vicksburg for thirty days; then at the battle of Baton Rouge, LA, and at Corinth, Miss, where he was captured and taken prisoner.  Ten days after his capture he was paroled and in nine months time from that date re-joined his regiment in time to take part in the battle at Jackson, Tenn.  His last fight of importance was at the battle of Chickamauga, be he afterward fought in a great many skirmishes and smaller battles.  In the fall of 1864 he was taken prisoner at Charleston, Tenn and held at Paducah, KY, until the close of the war, when he was paroled at Union City, Tenn. in June, 1865.  He then returned to his home in that state and farmed for several years and in the fall of 1872 moved to Missouri where he remained for two years.  He again changed his habitation in 1874, coming to Lawrence County, Ark. and settling on a farm.  In 1882 he moved to Texas and was gone one year, when he returned to Lawrence County and bought a small tract of land, upon which he commenced farming.  Shortly afterward he went to Randolph County, Ark., where he has almost 200 acres of land and about 50 acres cleared and under cultivation, all of it being on bottom land and composed of very rich soil.  In politics Mr. Henry is a Democrat and before he went to Texas had been elected justice of the peace and is still holding that office.  He was married on July 22, 1860, in Bradley County, Tenn., to Miss Adaline Clark, a daughter of Henry Clark of Georgia and has three children:  Miranda, Elizabeth and Margaret, all single.  Mr and Mrs. Henry have lost a son, Reuben Napoleon, who died July, 1884 at the age of seventeen.  mrs Henry is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and is well-known for her charitable nature and interest in church work.