no image
Privacy Level: Open (White)

Henry Bruce (1811 - 1891)

Henry Bruce
Born in Fleming, Kentucky, United Statesmap
Ancestors ancestors
Husband of — married 3 May 1836 in Fleming, Kentucky, United Statesmap
Descendants descendants
Died at age 80 in Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri, United Statesmap
Problems/Questions
Profile last modified | Created 1 Nov 2020
This page has been accessed 243 times.

Biography

Henry Bruce, Jr. was born in 1811, in Fleming County, Kentucky, to Henry Bruce, Sr., and Eleanor (Threlkeld) Bruce. In 1830, he accompanied his father on one of his many hog drives through the South, ending in Sparta, Georgia where his uncle George Stubblefield Bruce, Jr. lived. That same year Henry, Jr, was sent to Florida to conduct more trading on his own followed in 1831 by a highly successful 2,000 mile business trading trip. Henry Bruce, Jr. married his first cousin Mary E. Bruce, daughter of George Stubblefield Bruce, Jr. In 1848 George, Jr. and his family moved into Henry, Jr.’s home in Covington, Kentucky. Henry, Jr. purchased a home (Rugby) on Sandford Street in Covington in 1853. [1]

Henry was a prominent businessman and a slave owner.

A large amount of information on the Bruce family, including family letters from four generations of the family, is available from the archives at Northern Kentucky University. A selection of correspondence includes:

24 March 1855 - Henry Bruce, Jr. [Covington, KY], to George S. Bruce. Copy of letter to his brother. Business dealings; no detail. Mentions the loss of his father-in-law, his daughter "Frank", and "two negro children" in the five years since they have lived in Covington. He is pleased, though, with the move to Covington, but advises George to remain where he is if he is, indeed, satisfied.

30 April 1858 - Henry Bruce, Jr. [Uniontown, KY], to Pauline Bruce [Covington, KY]. Henry is on board the steamer, Diana, and describes the trip over the falls at Louisville. He visited Jim Porter (the "Celebrated Ky Giant") at Porter's grocery store in Louisville. At Louisville they take on a number of Presbyterian preachers traveling to a national assembly in New Orleans, among whom are _____ Breckinridge and _____ Rice. Mentions that he has been speaking with a young United States Navy lieutenant from the steam ship, Susquehena{sp?}, which had yellow fever on board when it recently arrived in New York. The lieutenant has showed Henry pieces and parts of the Atlantic Telegraph Cable. The boat has stopped at Hawesville, Evansville, Owensboro, and Paducah.

26 January 1863 - Henry Bruce, Jr. [Covington, KY] to Dr. William Bell. Civil War politics both on a national and state scale are discussed. There is a hint that other states may secede from the Union and join the Confederacy. Henry Bruce is also attempting to purchase a slave girl from Dr. Bell, but the Emancipation Proclamation and recent Confederate victories have driven up prices.

21 June 1863 -Rev. S.L. Helm [Lexington, KY] to Henry Bruce, Jr. [Covington, KY]. Rev. Helm mentions a sermon he wrote during his recent imprisonment and offers to deliver it for the ill Nancy Bruce at her church, or at her funeral "if she cant get out". He writes that Henry Bruce is assured of finding slaves at a good price if he can send an agent to Lexington. He also mentions that Greater Cincinnati is becoming a booming slave market. Kentucky politics and "infidel abolitionism" are also discussed.

10 May 1864 - F.M. Bruce [Brandenburgh, KY] to Henry Bruce, Jr. [Covington, KY]. Henry Bruce has sent a slave boy as a gift to F.M.'s son, Henry. F.M. Bruce writes that he has no room for the boy at present, but will take him later. He also complains about the lack of letters from a friend in the army.

28 September 1864 - Henry Bruce, Jr. [Bancroft House, New York City, NY] to his wife, Mary Bruce [Covington, KY]. Bruce mentions his poor financial circumstances and his loss of another slave. He urges his wife to sell some property in Covington, as real estate is doing much better there than in New York. He also orders his Confederate money exchanged for gold immediately, as the value of the currency continues to drop. Bruce discusses the upcoming presidential election, and mentions the possibility of moving from Covington to Cincinnati, though he hopes it will not be necessary. Interestingly, he mentions receiving a neighbor's letter via Canada.

19 August 1875 - Henry Bruce, Jr. [Kansas City, MO] to Jefferson Davis [Memphis, TN]. A letter inviting Davis to speak at a local agricultural exposition and to stay at Bruce's hotel.

29 January 1885 - Henry Bruce, Jr. [Kansas City, MO] to Ann Bruce Morgan. Contains the news of Pauline Bruce Duke's death, as well as other family news.

Henry was also involved in the construction of the Covington KY to Cincinnati suspension bridge, including the hiring of John A. Roebling to design the bridge. Roebling later went on to design the Brooklyn bridge.

2 October 1856 - Notes by Henry Bruce, Jr., on the initial work for the Covington and Cincinnati Suspension Bridge indicating date of excavation for the towers and when the first log was laid for the tower foundations.

Winter 1859?] - John A. Roebling [Pittsburgh, PA ?] to Henry Bruce, Jr. [Covington, KY]. Fragmentary letter regarding general business surrounding the bridge construction. Mentions that the prospects in New York "are not very flattering."

Sources

  1. A Guide to the Bruce Family Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, W. Frank Steely Library, Northern Kentucky University, https://dspace.nku.edu/bitstream/handle/11216/3697/bruce_family_papers_find_aid_ocr.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y




Is Henry your ancestor? Please don't go away!
 star icon Login to collaborate or comment, or
 star icon ask our community of genealogists a question.
Sponsored Search by Ancestry.com

DNA
No known carriers of Henry's DNA have taken a DNA test.

Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.



Comments

Leave a message for others who see this profile.
There are no comments yet.
Login to post a comment.

B  >  Bruce  >  Henry Bruce