Charles C. Henrie
Charles C. Henrie, formerly proprietor of a tinshop in West Main street, Xenia, now operated by his son, Clement B. Henrie, has lived in this state all his life, a resident of Xenia practically all of the time since he was nine years of age, he having been sent at that time to complete his schooling in the Ohio Soldiers and Sailors Orphans Home in that city, his mother, the widow of a soldier of the Union, having died in 1872. He was born on a farm in the neighborhood of Fredericktown, in Knox county, this state, October 29, 1863, son of Samuel and Harriet 1 Baxter) Henri, both of whom were born near Bellville, in that same county, both members of old families, the Baxters in particular having been residents there since pioneer days. Samuel Henrie was the owner of a small farm. During the progress of the Civil War he enlisted as a member of Company H, One Hundred and Twenty-first Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served with that command until he met a soldier's death, being killed in battle near Chattanooga, Tennessee, when not yet thirty years of age. His widow did not remarry and died in 1872, leaving two sons, the subject of this sketch having a brother, four years the elder, Waldon Henrie, who is now a clerk in a railroad office at St. Louis, Missouri.
In conformance with the dying request of his mother, Charles C. Henrie, then nine years of age, was sent to the Ohio Soldiers and Sailors Home at Xenia, following his mother's death, and there he remained until he was sixteen years of age, completing his schooling and being trained to the trade of a tinsmith; receiving instructions there for which he ever has acknowledged a debt of gratitude to that admirable institution. In 1879, he then being sixteen years of age, young Henri received his "honorable discharge" from the state school and returned to Fredericktown, where he became employed in the tinshop of Charles Edwards. Six months later he went to Mansfield and was there employed in the tinshop of Blymyer Brothers for eighteen months, at the end of which time he returned to Xenia and in 1882 became employed in the Flemming tinshop. Two years later that concern was sold to Wolf & Peterson and Mr. Henri continued working for the latter firm until Januarv 1, 1888, when he started in business for himself, opening a tinshop of his own in Xenia and engaging in the general sheet-metal and heating business. His first plant was on South Detroit street, but in 1895 he moved his shop and plant to 52 West Main street, where it ever since has been maintained, and there he carried on his business until in April, 1916, when he sold the plant to his son, Clement B. Henrie, and retired from business. Some years ago Mr. Henrie bought and remodeled a dwelling house at 25 West Church street and there he and his wife reside. Since Mr. Henrie's retirement he and his wife have traveled quite a bit and he finds relaxation and enjoyment in keeping up his own with his cronies of the redoubtable quoits team with which he has long been connected. In addition to his long established business connection in West Main street Mr. Henrie has given some attention to other local business enterprises, was one of the charter stockholders of the Shawnee Refrigeration Company of Xenia and was secretary and treasurer of the same until his retirement and resignation from that ofiice in 1916. He is a member of the local camp of the Sons of Veterans, a Mason, a member of the local lodge of the Royal Arcanum and of the Knights of Pythias and he and his wife are members of the local chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star.
On December 15, 1884, at Mansfield, this state, Charles C. Henrie was united in marriage to Minnie Johnston, who was born at Mansfield, a daughter of Frank and Almira (Sloan) Johnston, the latter of whom also was born at Mansfield and both of whom are now deceased. Frank Johnston was born at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was but a boy when the scene of his activities was changed to Mansfield. There he married and spent the rest of his life. He was a harness-maker and owned a shop of his own. He died in 1880, at the age of forty-four years, leaving his widow with two children, Mrs. Henrie having had a brother, Frank Johnston, who died in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in February, 1917. The widow Johnston married Henry Martin, of Columbus, Ohio, who is still living in that city. She died on January 22, 1910, at the age of sixty-eight years.
To Charles C. and Minnie (Johnston) Henrie three children have been born, namely: Marguerite, born on October 28, 1885, who married Dr. Ralph John, now living at Baltimore, Maryland, and has one child, a son, Henrie Edgar, born on August 9, 1909; Clement B., September 9, 1887, now owner of his father's old business in West Main street, having bought the same in 1916, and who married Clara Hudson and has two sons, Charles, born on his grandfather Henrie's birthday, October 29, 1907, and Homer Hudson, August 31, 1909; and Harriet, August 2, 1890, who is now (1918) taking the course in the Palmer School of Chiropractic at Davenport, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Henrie are members of the First Presbyterian church at Xenia.
From History of Greene County Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, vol. 2. M.A.Broadstone, editor. B.F.Bowen & Co., Indianapolis. 1918