Albert Henry, Where Are You?

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Albert Henry‘s childhood is shrouded in mystery. He was born 10 May 1885 in Cooperstown, Brown County, IL and died 16 Apr 1954 in Phoenix AZ of a myocardial infarction that took him in under ten minutes at the age of 69, while living with his wife Effie and daughter Mildred. His death certificate states he worked in an oil refinery, and before that he worked for the railroad in Beardstown.

According to Hazel, Albert’s mother Mary Morton died in childbirth. His father Hiram L. Henry remarried when Albert was two years old. He was the third or fourth child of Hiram and Mary.

Hiram and Mary were married on 21 March 1876 in Adams County IL, about 30 miles from Albert’s birthplace of Cooperstown, Brown County. Their marriage license states both lived in Clayton, Brown County and their marriage took place in the home of “Mrs. Morton” in Adams County.

Children of Mary Elizabeth Morton and Hiram Henry

Roxie Henry (1877-1967)
Charles B. Henry (1879-1937)
Otis Lloyd Henry (1882-1918)
Albert Levi Henry (1884-1954)

As Hazel tells it, her step-grandmother Hannah M. Evans (1869-1929) had no interest in raising Albert or his siblings. According to research conducted by my sister Elizabeth Hine Walker, Albert was raised until age 7 by his mother’s sister Dicey Jane Morton and her husband Charles William Ebey. When Albert was 7, he returned to live with his father and step mother.

Hiram and Hannah were married 17 October 1885 in Clayton, Adams County, IL.

Children of Hannah M. Evans and Hiram Henry:

Franklin Hurley Henry
Earl Howard Henry
Lawrence H Henry
Bessie M (Henry) Wages (1895-1991)
Jesse Martin Henry (1897-1941)
Gladys M Henry (b. 1899)
Helen M. Henry Rasch (1901-1966)

Roxie — *Aunt Roxy and Jeanie Martin (in Hazel’s handwriting on back of photo). Stamp on back says “Rextone” Rex Film Service, Peoria IL, May 28 1942.*

Hazel remembers her father being guarded about his childhood and she knew he did not have an easy time. He felt as though his wife and daughters were the first real family he ever had.

Albert married Effie Josephine Rhining in Virginia IL, 19 September 1909. They had three daughters:

Mildred Elizabeth (b. 1910)
Jessie Hazel, my grandmother (b. 1911)
Alberta “Bertie” (b. 1914)

Records Search

I’m trying to confirm where Albert grew up. From photos, we can see he had contact with siblings. There should be an 1890 and 1900 census record of his whereabouts, but I’ve spent many hours and turned up nothing. His father and wicked step mother appear on census documents,but Albert doesn’t show up on a census until 1910, after he married Effie.

*Albert Henry and sister or possibly cousin*

The 1880 Census shows Hiram and Mary Henry living in the Lee Township, Brown County IL. Hiram is listed as a farmer, unemployed for 5 months that year (winter months?) and aged 22. The document states he was born in IL, his father was born in NY (I think) and his mother in Kentucky. Mary is listed by her middle name, Elizabeth, aged 21. She was born in Illinois and both her parents were born in Kentucky. Roxy was three years old and Charles is six months old at the time of the census (June 1880).

Update

June 15 2016, I sent a request to the Brown County Clerk for Albert Henry’s birth record and Mary E. Morton’s death record. I also requested marriage records from the Adams IL County Clerk, for both of Hiram Henry’s marriages.

FOR FUTURE RESEARCH: Maybe the Cass County Historical and Genealogical Society, in Virginia IL, can help.