Jessie
(France) Henry
(1871-1968)
Jessie
(France) Henry was born on Oct. 7, 1871 in Wood County, OH, the daughter of
of John C. and Rhoda (Van Horn) France.
In about 1892, Jessie married Jurdin C. Henry (1866-1940), the son of John and Sarah Henry, and a native of LaGrange, Licking County, OH.
Seen at right, their children were France B. Henry (at left in back row) and Lyle L. Henry (at right).
Said the Findlay (OH) Republican-Courier, Jurd "moved to Cygnet from Pemberville [in 1895] and was employed in the oil fields of the community ... [He] was a member of the I.O.O.F. at Pemberville and the Methodist church of Cygnet."
The Henrys resided in Cygnet, Wood County for many years. Jessie's first cousin, Sabina Lucretia 'Lou' (Van Horn) Callan, also resided in Cygnet.
Cygnet's Main
Street -- note the horse
and buggy riding
through the middle of town on a dirt road.
Jessie was active volunteering in community service. Said the Republican-Courier,
she "was a member of the Cygnet Methodist Church and its Woman's Society of
Christian Service."
Sadly, Jurd suffered a stroke in about 1937, and was disabled for three years. He passed away from its effects, relieved of his sufferings, on Jan. 11, 1940.
Jessie spent her final years in a rest home in Maumee, OH. She died there on March 11, 1968, at the age of 86. She was laid to rest with her husband in the Pemberville Cemetery. At the time of her death, the Republican-Courier said, she was survived by "six grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren."
Son Lyle resided in Maumee, OH, and was a longtime "Toledo barber and union official who also performed internationally as 'Henri and His Famous Cards," said the Toledo Blade. Added the Blade:
A barber 40 years
in various Toledo and area shops, Mr. Henry also was secretary and business
representative 21 years of Local 5, Toledo Barbers Union, until his retirement
in 1965. He was a charter member of the Toledo Port Council, when it was founded
in 1957 by a group of labor unions. He then served as a council trustee and
officer for many years... Although he did not bill himself as a magician, Mr.
Henry was a territorial representative for the International Brotherhood of
Magicians and twice appeared before international conventions of that
organization. He also was active in the Toledo Society of Magicians and the
Society of American Magicians.
Son France B. Henry resided in Burgettstown, Washington County, PA, where he worked as a railroad engineer.
Copyright © 2003 Mark A. Miner