John Hardin McHenry (October 13, 1797 – November 1, 1871) was a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...

, father of Henry Davis McHenry.

Biography

Born near Ballymena County, Ireland, McHenry was tutored privately. He studied law. He was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

in 1818 and commenced practice in

Leitchfield, Kentucky Leitchfield is the county seat of Grayson County, Kentucky, United States. Leitchfield is a home rule-class city with a population of 6,404 as of the 2020 census. History The town was named for Major David Leitch, an aide to Gen. George Washi ...

. He was appointed postmaster of Leitchfield October 8, 1819. In 1821, he served as a major of the Eighty-seventh Regiment of Kentucky Militia, in 1821. He was appointed Commonwealth attorney by Governor

John Adair John Adair (January 9, 1757 – May 19, 1840) was an American pioneer, slave trader, soldier, and politician. He was the eighth Governor of Kentucky and represented the state in both the U.S. House and Senate. A native of South Carolina, Ada ...

in 1822. He moved to Hartford, Kentucky in 1823. He was appointed Commonwealth attorney by Governor Thomas Metcalfe in 1831 and again by Governor James Turner Morehead in 1837. He was commissioned a

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

in the State militia in 1837. He served as member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from Ohio County, Kentucky in 1840. He was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for election in 1840 to the Twenty-seventh Congress. He was appointed on the board of the

Transylvania University Transylvania University is a private university in Lexington, Kentucky. It was founded in 1780 and was the first university in Kentucky. It offers 46 major programs, as well as dual-degree engineering programs, and is accredited by the Southern ...

in 1843. Mchenry was elected as a Whig to the Twenty-ninth Congress (March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1847). He was nominated for reelection in 1846, but withdrew his name on the eve of election. He resumed the practice of law. He served as member of the State constitutional convention in 1849 and served as chairman. He moved to Owensboro, Kentucky in 1854, and served as judge of the circuit court of several counties in 1854. He died in Owensboro, Kentucky, on November 1, 1871. He was interred in Rosehill Elmwood Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McHenry, John H. 1797 births 1871 deaths Kentucky lawyers Members of the Kentucky House of Representatives People from Washington County, Kentucky American militia officers Whig Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Kentucky 19th-century American politicians People from Leitchfield, Kentucky Politicians from Owensboro, Kentucky People from Hartford, Kentucky 19th-century American lawyers