Alexander Henry (Philadelphia)

Alexander Henry
Born	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	6 December 1883(1883-12-06) (aged 60) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Lawyer, politician, banker
Years active	1844–1883
Known for	Mayor of Philadelphia (1858–1865), police reform, Civil War Union support

Alexander Henry (April 14, 1823 – December 6, 1883) was a prominent American political figure who held the office of mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for three consecutive terms spanning from 1858 until 1865. Initially elected under the banner of the People's Party, he later aligned with the Republican Party for his subsequent two terms. Henry is noted for enacting major reforms and expanding the capabilities of the Philadelphia Police Department. Throughout the American Civil War, he was a dedicated supporter of the Union cause, actively working to curb violence targeting Confederate sympathizers and organizing civilian defense initiatives during the 1863 Gettysburg Campaign.

Biography

Alexander Henry was born in Philadelphia on April 14, 1823, as one of five siblings. After losing his father at the age of twelve, he pursued education at Germantown Academy and graduated with distinction from Princeton University in 1840. Following his studies in law, he gained admission to the bar in 1844 and built a thriving legal career. His public service roles included serving as inspector at the Custom House (1845–46), Secretary to the board at Girard College, and Secretary of the House of Refuge.

Involved actively in municipal politics, Henry began as a member of the Whig Party and represented Philadelphia’s Seventh Ward on City Council between 1856 and 1857. During the 1858 Philadelphia mayoral election, he unseated incumbent Richard Vaux running as a People's Party candidate. His campaign highlighted support for public transit improvements such as streetcar systems. Addressing challenges arising from the Act of Consolidation, 1854, Henry reorganized the police department by replacing political patronage with merit-based applicant testing, enlarging the force, implementing beat patrols, and founding Philadelphia’s inaugural detective bureau. He transitioned to the Republican Party and secured reelection in 1860 over John Robbins Jr.

A steadfast Union advocate, Henry welcomed President Abraham Lincoln on his journey to inauguration. While firmly opposing Confederate sympathies, he sought to prevent mob violence directed at them. After news broke of the Confederate assault on Fort Sumter in April 1861, Henry personally intervened to disperse a threatening mob targeting a secessionist newspaper and led police efforts to maintain order citywide. He won a third term in 1862 by defeating Daniel M. Fox.

In response to the Gettysburg Campaign in June 1863, Henry organized local militia under Brigadier General A. J. Pleasonton and rallied civilians to strengthen defensive earthworks safeguarding Philadelphia’s approaches. Together with Maj. Gen. Napoleon J. T. Dana, he managed a workforce of approximately 700 men engaged in constructing these fortifications.

Choosing not to pursue another term in late 1865, Henry concluded his mayoral duties on January 1, 1866. Subsequently, he served as trustee for the University of Pennsylvania (1864–1883), inspector of the Eastern State Penitentiary, and held directorships in banking institutions. He was instrumental on the committee organizing the 1876 Centennial Exposition. Henry retired to an esteemed residence located in Philadelphia’s East Falls area.

He passed away on December 6, 1883, at age sixty due to pneumonia following an extended trip abroad in Europe and was interred at Laurel Hill Cemetery.

Legacy

Henry Avenue, situated in Philadelphia's Roxborough area, bears his name as a tribute.

The residence located at 3460 West School House Lane in East Falls, where Henry resided between 1867 and 1888, is recognized as the Alexander Henry House. In 2022, the Philadelphia Historic Commission officially listed the Alexander Henry Carriage House and Stable on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places.

Sources

• Campbell, Sir John H., History of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick and of the Hibernian Society for the Relief of Immigrants from Ireland. Philadelphia: Hibernian Society, 1892.
• Weigley, Russell F., chapter "The Border City in Civil War, 1854–1865" in Philadelphia: A 300 Year History, W. W. Norton, 1982.

External links

• The Alexander Henry papers held by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania
• Political Graveyard