Henry McHenry (b. July 20, 1762, d. September 10, 1826)
Henry McHenry (son of John McHenry and Susannah McNeal)373 was born July 20, 1762 in Lime Kiln, Wallkill Valley, Orange Co., NY, and died September 10, 1826 in Springfield, Essex County, N.J.. He married Priscella McClure on 1787 in Northumberland, Montour, PA, daughter of James McClure Sr. and Mary Espy.
Notes for Henry McHenry: Henry McHenry was born in Orange County, NY in 1762. He was the 5th son of John and Susannah McNeal McHenry. He married Pricilla McClure, daughter of James McClure. He was a private in Capt. James McMahan's company, Northumberland County, Pa., militia. Henry McHenry is also listed as a member of Robinson's Rangers, a militia company detailed for protection of the frontier during a period of Indian outbreaks, as Captain in the Second U.S. Infantry. In 1782 he was in an expedition send by Colonel Hunter from Fort Augusta in pursuit of marauding Indians. In 1783 he had command of a post near Cleveland, Ohio. In 1788 he was one of a company of twenty men under Captain Moses VanCampen sent to build a fort about three miles above the mouth of Fishingcreek for protection of threatened settlers. This was Fort Wheeler, sometimes called Mud Fort because it was built of logs covered with earth. In September of 1778 a large band of Indians swept down the Susquehanna River and several families fled for safety to Fort Wheeler. The fort was besieged by the savages and during the siege the ammunition of the garrison was exhausted. Henry McHenry and one of his brothers, both noted for fleetness, volunteered to make the dangerous journey to Fort Jenkins for a supply. They returned safely and the Fort with its refugees was saved.
It is said he was a member of Robinson's Rangers, in company with Captain Moses VanCampen a brother-in-law, who built a fort along Fishingcreek. In 1797 Henry with VanCampen moved to Allegheny Co. NY settling at a place known as McHenry Valley. In 1783 he commanded a post near Cleveland, OH.
He was a private in Capt. James McMahan's company, Northumberland Co. PA. militia.
At the close of the Revolutionary War, Henry McHenry took up a tract of land adjoining his brothers along Fishingcreek south of the junction of Huntington and Fishingcreek. This grant was named "Manchester Manor". Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series, Volume 25, show Warranties of land being issued in Henry's named as follows: Page 234 July 1, 1784 400 acres Henry McHenry Dec 19, 1792 245 - 200 Henry McHenry Dec 29, 1792 246 - 400 Henry McHenry Dec 29, 1792 248 - 400 Pricella McHenry Apr 22, 1793 248 - 400 Pricella McHenry
Apparently when Henry and Pricella moved to Allegany County, New York, they turned this land over to other family members, as this is the only accounting of land that they owned. In 1797, Henry McHenry with his wife Pricella, Reverend Andrew Gray, and William Gray and his wife and Moses Van Campen left Pennsylvania and moved to Allegheny County, New York, settling at a place known as the Karr-McHenry Valley, the site of present day towns of Almond and Hornell, New York, an area known to this day as McHenry Valley. It was said that the Indians had a price on the scalp of Moses Van Campen and possibly Henry too and this may be one reason they left Pennsylvania. Probably they chose this part of New York because land was available there.
Other settlers who came a very short time later included Hugh Lemmon and Martha (McHenry) Lemmon, and Matthew McHenry. Edward McHenry also moved there but probably not until about 1804. It is said that after he and Moses moved to the valley, that they built three chimneys and killed thirty six deer. During that same time, Henry and his brother-in-law Hugh Lemmon killed 36 wild turkeys in one day.
A book entitled "The Life and Times of Moses Van Campen" says that Moses was a judge in the first court session in Allegheny County, in 1807 in Angelica. Records show that Reverend Gray received the first land grant from the Pulteney Estate. Moses Van Campen later married Margaret, a sister of Pricella. Henry and his wife were the parents of eleven children.
Henry McHenry (b. July 20, 1762, d. September 10, 1826)
Notes for Henry McHenry: