Henry J. Herrick of Texas County, Missouri

Henry J. Herrick, attorney, farmer and prominent citizen of Texas County, Mo., now residing in the suburbs of Houston, was born in Huron County, Ohio, near the city of Norwalk, August 9, 1832, and is the son of Lot and Lola (Sutliff) Herrick, natives of Utica, N. Y., and New Haven, Conn., respectively. The Herrick family came from England before the Revolutionary War. Mr. and Mrs. Herrick were married in Norwalk, Ohio, where the father had gone when a young man. They remained there until 1833, when they removed to De Kalb County, Ind., and lived there the remainder of their lives. Both were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and both died in 1879. He was a Whig in politics, and afterward a Democrat. He held official positions in De Kalb County for many years, and was very proficient in mathematics, although he could neither read nor write until after his marriage, when his wife was his teacher. To his marriage were born seven children, four now living: Catherine (wife of William S. Goodell, deceased), Electa J. (wife of Charles Ryan), Henry J. and George W. (who is an attorney and farmer, of Farmer City, Ill). Henry J. Herrick received his education at Ann Arbor, and graduated in the law department in 1861. He then practiced his profession one year in De Kalb County, Ind., and in 1863 moved to Princeton, Mercer Co., Mo., where he remained until October, 1864, when he enlisted in Company D, Fifty-fifth Regiment; was afterward commissioned assistant adjutant-general of Missouri, ranking as captain, and was on detached duty in the Federal army. He was for a time provost marshal at Chillicothe, Mo. In 1866 he located at Trenton, Mo., and entered the law firm of Shanklin & Austin. Two years later, as Shanklin, Austin & Herrick, they organized the Shanklin & Austin Bank. Mr. Herrick remained with the bank for five years, and was then elected prosecuting attorney, which position he held for six years. He remained in Grundy County until 1879, when he began to travel, and was in many states and localities. In 1861 he came to Houston, and one year later was connected with Edward A. Seay in the law practice. Mr. Herrick is a prominent criminal lawyer, and has been unusually successful. August 23, 1863, he married Miss Sarah Fusselman, a native of De Kalb County, Ind., born in 1837, and the daughter of Henry Fusselman. To this union was born one child, Henry L., who died when eight years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Herrick are members of the Christian Church, and Mr. Herrick is a member of the Masonic lodge; was Master of the lodge at Trenton one year, and represented that lodge at the Grand Lodge. He has taken all the degrees in York Masonry, is a Knight Templar, and belongs to Godfrey D. E. Commandery, No. 24, at Trenton, Mo. He is a Democrat in his political views.