James McHenry (ca. 1752-1816)
MSA SC 3520-895
Biography
Born: Given variously as November 25, 1751, 1752, or
November 16. 1753, in Ballymena, County Antrim, Ireland; elder son.
Immigrated: From Ireland to Philadelphia in 1771; to Baltimore Town
by 1781.
Resided: With Capt. William Allison in
Philadelphia, 1771; Newark, Delaware, ca. 1772; Philadelphia, ca. 1774-1775; with Continental
troops, 1775-1781; Baltimore Town and Baltimore County, 1781-1796; Philadelphia, 1796-
1799; Washington, D.C., 1800; "Fayetteville,"
near Baltimore City, and Allegany County, 1800-1816.
Died: May 3, 1816, at his home near
Baltimore City. Buried in Westminster Churchyard, Baltimore City.
Family Background
Father: Daniel
McHenry (ca. 1725-1782), who immigrated from
Ireland ca. 1773 and was a merchant in Baltimore
Town.
Mother: Agnes (1726-1774).
Brother: John (1755-1790), of Baltimore Town, a merchant.
Sister: Anna (1751-1771).
Married: January 8, 1784, Margaret Allison Caldwell (1762-1833), daughter of David Caldwell (?-1762) of
Philadelphia, a merchant, and wife Grace Allison. Margaret was the stepdaughter of Capt. William Allison of Philadelphia with whom McHenry
resided upon his arrival in America. Her brother
was John (1759-1820), who married his cousin
Margaret Caldwell and practiced law in Baltimore
Town. Her half sisters were Grace Allison; Jane
Allison, who married (first name unknown) Dorsey.
Children
Sons: Daniel William (1786-1814),
who married in 1812 Sophia (1794-1874), daughter of Nathaniel Ramsay (1741-1817), and moved
to Allegany County; John (1791-1822), who
married in 1819 Juliann (Juliana) Elizabeth (1796-1821), daughter of John Eager Howard (1752-1827).
Daughters: Anna (Agnes) (1788-1837),
who married in 1808 James P. Boyd; Grace (1784-1789); and Margaretta (1794-1809).
Private Career
Education: In Dublin before emigration;
Newark Academy, Delaware, ca. 1772; studied
medicine under Dr. Benjamin Rush in Philadelphia, ca. 1774-1775.
Religious Affiliation:
Presbyterian; member of First Presbyterian Church
of Baltimore; first president of the Bible Society
of Baltimore, 1813.
Social Status and Activities: Gent., by 1791; Esq., by 1796; Hon., by
1799; original member, Society of the Cincinnati;
elected to the American Philosophical Society,
1786; member, Grand Lodge of Maryland, Masonic Order, Lodge 23, 1806-1809.
Additional Comment: From at least 1782, McHenry suffered
from what he described as "bilious fever." He
spent many summers at various warm springs in
southwestern Virginia or in Allegany County.
While visiting his son Daniel in Allegany County
during the summer of 1812, McHenry lost the use
of his legs and was unable to return to Baltimore
until the following summer. The paralysis continued until his death.
Occupational Profile: Physician; merchant; businessman; land developer;
officeholder. Although McHenry practiced medicine as an army surgeon during the early years
of the Revolution, he apparently gave up this
profession permanently when he joined General
Washington's staff. McHenry was included as a
partner in the family mercantile business, Daniel
McHenry & Son, before 1775, although his participation was probably not significant until after
his father's death in 1782. When McHenry accepted the position as secretary of the War Department in 1796, he gave up his share in two"mercantile partnerships" to enter public office
free of private business interests. McHenry compiled and published the Baltimore Directory and
Citizens Register for 1807.
Public Career
Legislative Service: Senate, Western Shore, Term
of 1781-1786: 1781-1782, 1782-1783, 1783, 1784,
1785 (did not attend; resigned on January 7, 1786);
Lower House, Baltimore Town, 1788, 1789; Senate, Western Shore, Term of 1791-1796: 1791-1792, 1792, 1793, 1794, 1795.
Other State Office: Constitution Ratification Convention, Baltimore Town, 1788.
Local Offices: Justice, Baltimore County, 1782-1784 (resigned); justice,
Orphans' Court, Baltimore County, 1783, 1784.
Military Service: Volunteered as a surgeon for
the American army in Cambridge, Massachusetts, by January 1776; surgeon, Fifth Pennsylvania Battalion, commissioned on August 10, 1776,
taken prisoner by the British at Fort Washington
on November 16, 1776, paroled on January 27,
1777, exchanged March 1778; senior surgeon,
Flying Hospital, 1778; assistant secretary to Gen.
George Washington, appointed on May 15, 1778,
sworn on June 9, 1778; transferred to Lafayette's
staff in August 1780; major, with commission dated
October 30, 1780; remained with Lafayette through
the southern campaign and at Yorktown; resigned from the Army on December 3, 1781.
Out of State Service: Delegate, Continental Congress, 1783-1785 (elected on May 12, 1783, to
fill vacancy; reelected in November 1783 and December 1784); delegate, Federal Constitutional
Convention, signer, 1787; secretary, Department
of War, appointed on January 27, 1796, resigned
on May 6, 1800 (effective June 1, 1800). As secretary of war, McHenry handled Indian affairs as
well as military and naval business until the latter
was assigned to Benjamin Stoddert (ca. 1751-1813)
in 1798. Involved with the preparations for possible war with France, McHenry frequently relied
on Alexander Hamilton (1757-1804) for advice
on problems of the War Department and on matters referred by President Adams to the cabinet.
It was this reliance upon Hamilton which caused
Adams to request McHenry's resignation in 1800.
As for McHenry's performance in office, Washington wrote, "I early discovered after he
(McHenry) entered upon the duties of his office,
that his talents were unequal to great exertions,
or deep resources." Hamilton defended McHenry, writing that he was "sensible, judicious,
well-informed, of an integrity never questioned." A later biographer of McHenry wrote that
his management of the War Department was "marked more by fidelity and industry than by
any conspicuous talent for conducting the complicated affairs of a great department."
Stands on Public/Private Issues: McHenry signed the
U.S. Constitution with some reservations, but with
the felt that its superiority to confederation
warranted its approval. He supported ratification
of the Constitution without amendments.
Throughout his career McHenry was a staunch
Federalist; he maintained an active correspondence with his Federalist associates until his death.
In 1791 McHenry wrote a commendation of Benjamin Banneker's almanac, saying, "I consider
this negro as a fresh proof that the powers of the
mind are disconnected with the color of his skin." He supported the establishment of a college
in Baltimore City, 1803. A modern historian has
written that McHenry "was not a great man, but
he participated in great events and great men
loved him."
Wealth During Lifetime
Personal Property: 6 slaves, 1790.
Annual Income: When
divesting himself of his shares in two Baltimore
partnerships in 1796, McHenry stated that one
had netted him £1,000.0.0 per year for five years
and that the other was sold at an "actual loss" of about £3,000.0.0. He once told President Washington that there was no need to increase his salary as secretary of the War Department.
Land at First Election: Probably none.
Significant Changes in Land Between First Election and Death: Received 400 acres of federal bounty lands
for service in the Revolution; inherited the property of his brother John, probably including 3 lots
and a lease on a fourth lot in Baltimore Town,
1790; purchased 8 lots and the ground rents on
additional lots, all in Baltimore Town, 1791; purchased ca. 92 acres and 9 lots adjoining Baltimore
Town to the west in 1792, and built his mansion,"Fayetteville," named for the Marquis de Lafayette; purchased the title to those lots on which
he held ground rents, 1796; sold 1 and one-half
lots in Baltimore City, 1796-1799; purchased 2
lots and obtained long-term leases on 3 lots in
Baltimore City, 1799-1803; leased out 9 lots in
Baltimore City, 1803-1804; purchased over 9 acres adjoining Baltimore City and at least 444 acres
in Allegany County, 1808-1810; patented 34 acres
in Allegany County, 1813; leased out over 34 acres
adjoining Baltimore City and at least 3 lots within Baltimore City, 1813-1815; acquired lots in Washington, D.C., prior to death.
Wealth at Death
Personal Property: Total estate value
at least $87,821.37, (including leases on 9 houses
and lots in Baltimore City valued at $26,000.00,
10 slaves, books, over 560 shares of stock in various banks, insurance companies, the Schuylkill
Bridge Company, etc., and shares of both 3 percent and 6 percent U.S. stock).
Land: About 95 acres
near Baltimore City under development, lots in
Baltimore City, lots in Washington, D.C., at least
1,000 acres in Allegany County (500 acres of which
had belonged to McHenry's son Daniel and probably were only controlled by McHenry), and 400
acres of federal bounty land.
Additional Comment: Rents received from 74 tenants on Baltimore property totaled $18,238.66, 1818-1821.
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