Vale Henry

Regions: Chemung and Madison Co., NY; Jefferson Co., WI

From Memorial and Genealogical Record of Dodge and Jefferson Counties, Wisconsin, Publ. 1894 - Page266-267 VALE HENRY. He whose name heads this sketch occupies the prominent and responsible position of president of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank of Jefferson, Jefferson County, Wis. This bank was established February 2, 1874 and Mr. HENRY was chosen president and Adams BRIMM cashier. These gentlemen were instrumental in establishing the bank, and after the death of Mr. GRIMM in 1876, Mr. HENRY resigned the presidency to be elected cashier, and held this position until 1884, when he was re-elected president and George J. KISPERT was made the cashier. The bank was established with a capital stock of $50,000, which was afterward raised to $75,000 and later reduced to 460,000, at which it stands at the present time. The bank is incorporated and a general banking business is done, in fact the largest of the kind in the county. Mr. HENRY came to this section from Madison County, N.Y., with his parents, Elam and Lucy (PERRY) HENRY, in 1844, but both his parents were born in Massachusetts. The family is of English descent, and have resided in this country from an early day. Yale HENRY was one of a family of five sons and one daughter: Edward, a well-known farmer of this county, died in 1876; Orrin, who has been a farmer but is now living a retired life in Jefferson; Solomon who died in Nebraska, having moved there in 1859; Robert who died in this county in 1862; Yale, and William who is a county judge in Kansas; and Mary, wife of David HANNAH, died in this county. The father of these children died in 1872 and the mother in 1862. Vale HENRY has resided in this county ever since he was fourteen years old and in his native State received a practical education in the common schools. In 1851 he became a miller and a farmer, engaging in the raising of hops, and 1862 buying and selling same, continuing in these callings up to 1875, and to which he devoted a portion of his attention up to 1880. In 1865 he purchased an elevator in Jefferson and began buying grain, and at the same time he was engaged in the lumber business as a member of the firm of HILLYER, HENRY & Co. In 1868 the firm dissolved and Mr. HENRY purchased an interest in the flouring mill at Jefferson, which occupied the most of his attention up to about 1873. In politics he has always been a Republican, and socially is a member of Jefferson Lodge, No. 29, of the I.O.O.F., and has held all the offices in his lodge. Mr. HENRY is a self-made man, and has been very successful in his business operations, which fact is no doubt due to the energy and enterprise which he has always shown. He was married in 1851 to Miss Sarah E. SAYRE, daughter of William M. SAYRE, who was a native of New York, and became a resident of Jefferson County in 1848, and is still living in Monroe County, at the age of eighty-five years. Mrs. HENRY was born in Chemung County, N.Y., in 1836, and died April 10, 1873, leaving six children: Eolah, wife of F. O TILTON, of Minneapolis; Edgar O., who is a merchant of Cold Springs, Wis.; Fred H. is a farmer and grain-buyer of this county; Will S. is his father's assistant cashier in the bank; Ellis A. resides in Minneapolis, and George who is tilling the old home farm. Mr. HENRY married Miss Darcey INGAMELLS, of English birth who came to this country when a child. Although Mr. HENRY is now in his sixty-fifth hear he is active and energetic, and gives every promise of living many more years. He is one of the leading business men of the county, has been a very useful citizen, and his sons are likewise. Submitted by Carol