Biographical Sketches
JAMES P. HENRY, M. D.
Has for nearly half a century maintained his residence in Independence, Missouri, and is therefore entitled to rank foremost among its pioneers. There are now only 11 men living in this city and township who were here when Dr. Henry came to Independence in the Spring of 1849.
James P. Henry was born in Mercer county, Kentucky, June 29, 1819, and when small removed with his father's family to Harrison county, that state, where he was reared. Jesse Henry, his father, was a man of local prominence in his day. For some 20 years he served as sheriff of Harrison county, his home during this period being in Cynthiana. In 1845 he left his Kentucky home and came over into Missouri, first making settlement in Booneville, and a year later removing to Independence, where the closing years of his life were passed and where he died in the Spring of 1852. He was one of the first mayors of this city. His wife, the Doctor's mother, was before her marriage Miss Nancy Porter. She died in Independence in the year 1876. In their family were 6 children, 3 sons and 3 daughters - James P., being the eldest.
He received an academic education at Cynthiana, and was there deputy sheriff under his father for several years. Later he filled the position of deputy clerk of the circuit and county court for about 2 years in Harrison county. Then he took up the study of medicine, at first in Cynthiana and subsequently in the Transylvania University at Lexington, Kentucky, where he graduated in the Spring of 1843. After practicing one year in Cynthiana he came, in October, 1844, to Missouri, locating at New Franklin, Howard county, where he remained 5 years, or until his removal to Independence in the Spring of 1849. Since that date he has been a constant practitioner. At this writing he is regarded as the oldest practicing physician in Jackson county; and throughout his whole residence here he has in many ways been prominently identified with the best interests of the city. For about 10 years he was the regular attending physician at the county asylum and for a number of years was one of the curators of the orphan asylum of Kansas City, having been appointed to the latter position by Governor Woodson.
Dr. Henry is a man of family. He was married in Clark county, Kentucky, in April, 1845, to Miss Eleanor Smith, a native of that county, and to them were born 2 children - Mary E. and Charles M. Charles M., died in Independence, January 17, 1895. He was for many years deputy recorder in Kansas City.
Early in life Dr. Henry was initiated into the mysteries of Freemasonry, and has been a Royal Arch Mason since 1845.
This page was last updated August 2, 2006.