Andrew Henry (fur trader)
Encyclopedia
Major Andrew Henry was an American fur trader who, with William H. Ashley started the Rocky Mountain Fur Company
in 1822. Born circa 1775 in Fayette County, Pennsylvania
, Henry was tall, slender, with dark hair, blue eyes and a reputation for honesty.
He appears in the narrative poem, the Song of Hugh Glass, which is part of the Neihardt's
Cycle of the West
.
, in his twenties but moved on to Louisiana in 1800 (before the Louisiana Purchase
) to the lead mines near present-day Potosi, Missouri
, and in 1806 he bought a share of the mine.
In 1809 he joined with Manuel Lisa
, Jean Pierre Chouteau
and William Clark to found the Missouri Fur Company
. He soon led an expedition to the Three Forks in the Montana mountains, where he built "Fort Henry". In 1811, Henry explored the Montana-Idaho wilderness and discovered Henry's Lake. During the same expedition he built a post near present-day Saint Anthony, Idaho.
After many difficulties, especially with the Blackfoot
Indians, Henry returned to Saint Louis, Missouri in January, 1812. When the War of 1812
was declared Henry enrolled in the army, rising to the rank of major
.
In 1818 Henry married Mary Flemming, daughter of one of the owners of the lead mine. Mary Flemming was of French birth and considerably younger than Henry; the marriage was a happy one for them both and produced four children. Henry returned to lead mining.
In 1822, he started the Rocky Mountain Fur Company
with William H. Ashley. The new company tried to send three keelboats up the Missouri River
. Henry led an expedition of 150 men, 60 horses and one keelboat to the mouth of the Yellowstone River
and built a post that came to be known as Fort Henry. The next boat, under the command of Daniel Moore, sank, along with ten thousand dollars worth of provisions. Ashley equipped a third boat and was able to get through to Henry, and then returned to Saint Louis.
In 1824, after a profitable season and many harrowing adventures, Andrew Henry retired from Lisa's company and returned once more to lead mining. He died, intestate, January 10, 1832.
Rocky Mountain Fur Company
The Rocky Mountain Fur Company, sometimes called Ashley's Hundred, was organized in St. Louis, Missouri in 1823 by General William H. Ashley and Major Andrew Henry . They posted advertisements in St. Louis newspapers seeking "One Hundred enterprising young men . ....
in 1822. Born circa 1775 in Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the2010 census, the population was 136,606. The county is part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, Henry was tall, slender, with dark hair, blue eyes and a reputation for honesty.
He appears in the narrative poem, the Song of Hugh Glass, which is part of the Neihardt's
John Neihardt
Johnathan Gneisenau Neihardt was an American author of poetry and prose, an amateur historian and ethnographer, and a philosopher of the Great Plains...
Cycle of the West
Cycle of the West
A Cycle of the West is a collection of five epic poems written and published over a nearly thirty-year span by John G. Neihardt...
.
Biography
Henry went to Nashville, TennesseeNashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, in his twenties but moved on to Louisiana in 1800 (before the Louisiana Purchase
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America of of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. The U.S...
) to the lead mines near present-day Potosi, Missouri
Potosi, Missouri
Potosi is a city in Washington County, Missouri, United States. Potosi is about 10 miles north of Belgrade. The estimated population in July 2008 was 2,698. It was 2,662 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Washington County...
, and in 1806 he bought a share of the mine.
In 1809 he joined with Manuel Lisa
Manuel Lisa
Manuel Lisa, also known as Manuel de Lisa , was a Spanish-American fur trader, explorer, and United States Indian agent. He was among the founders in St. Louis of the Missouri Fur Company, an early fur trading company...
, Jean Pierre Chouteau
Jean Pierre Chouteau
Jean Pierre Chouteau was a French-Canadian fur trader, merchant, politician and slaveholder. An early settler of St. Louis, Missouri, he became one its most prominent citizens. He and his brother Auguste Chouteau, known as the "river barons", negotiated the many political changes as the city...
and William Clark to found the Missouri Fur Company
Missouri Fur Company
The Missouri Fur Company was one of the earliest fur trading companies in St. Louis, Missouri. Dissolved and reorganized several times, it operated under various names from 1809 until its final dissolution in 1830. It was created by a group of fur traders and merchants from St...
. He soon led an expedition to the Three Forks in the Montana mountains, where he built "Fort Henry". In 1811, Henry explored the Montana-Idaho wilderness and discovered Henry's Lake. During the same expedition he built a post near present-day Saint Anthony, Idaho.
After many difficulties, especially with the Blackfoot
Blackfoot
The Blackfoot Confederacy or Niitsítapi is the collective name of three First Nations in Alberta and one Native American tribe in Montana....
Indians, Henry returned to Saint Louis, Missouri in January, 1812. When the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
was declared Henry enrolled in the army, rising to the rank of major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
.
In 1818 Henry married Mary Flemming, daughter of one of the owners of the lead mine. Mary Flemming was of French birth and considerably younger than Henry; the marriage was a happy one for them both and produced four children. Henry returned to lead mining.
In 1822, he started the Rocky Mountain Fur Company
Rocky Mountain Fur Company
The Rocky Mountain Fur Company, sometimes called Ashley's Hundred, was organized in St. Louis, Missouri in 1823 by General William H. Ashley and Major Andrew Henry . They posted advertisements in St. Louis newspapers seeking "One Hundred enterprising young men . ....
with William H. Ashley. The new company tried to send three keelboats up the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
. Henry led an expedition of 150 men, 60 horses and one keelboat to the mouth of the Yellowstone River
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately long, in the western United States. Considered the principal tributary of the upper Missouri, the river and its tributaries drain a wide area stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the vicinity of the Yellowstone National...
and built a post that came to be known as Fort Henry. The next boat, under the command of Daniel Moore, sank, along with ten thousand dollars worth of provisions. Ashley equipped a third boat and was able to get through to Henry, and then returned to Saint Louis.
In 1824, after a profitable season and many harrowing adventures, Andrew Henry retired from Lisa's company and returned once more to lead mining. He died, intestate, January 10, 1832.