BERNHART HENN

 

BERNHART HENN was born in 1820 at Cherry Valley, New York. He secured a good
education and in 1839 came to Iowa, locating at Burlington where he was clerk
in the United States Land Office. In 1844 Mr. Henn was appointed Register of
the United States Land Office which had been removed to Fairfield. After
serving four years he was elected to Congress on the Democratic ticket from
the First District. He was reelected, serving four years. In 1853 he
organized the firm of Henn, Williams & Company, which was extensively engaged
in banking and real estate business in different parts of the State. This
company laid out a portion of Fairfield and was among the original
proprietors of Fort Dodge. Mr. Henn was a gifted writer and a frequent
contributor to the Burlington Gazette. Although never a member of the State
Legislature or a Constitutional Convention, Mr. Henn exercised wide influence
in framing laws and shaping public policy in the early history of the
Territory and State. He was an ardent Democrat of the old school and long
one of the political leaders of the State. He died at Fairfield August 31,
1868.


Debbie Clough Gerischer