Born on 3 October, 1771 in Lincoln Kentucky, William McHenry was the son of Rev. Daniel McHenry (born 1750) and his wife Elisabeth (born 1750) according to records at Ancestry.com.
In the year 1795, William married Hannah Ruth Blackford (1772 - 1841) in Logan, Kentucky. From this union came 9 children.
In 1794, William was a Lieutenant in the Battle of Fallen Timbers (near present day Toledo, Ohio).
In 1811, we find William serving in Tecumseh's War and in 1812, he was a Captain in the War Of 1812.
He participated in the the attack on the native American village at Peoria Illinois which was allied with the British. This was known as the Peoria War.
Sometime between 1810 and 1812, William and his family settled in White County, Illinois.
In 1818 he signed the Illinois Constitution as a delegate to the 1st Illinois House of Representives.
In 1832 he was elected to the Illinois State Senate. Also in 1832, William served as a Major leading the Mounted Spies in the Blackhawk War and fought at the Battle Of Bad Axe.
1834 finds him serving his 4th term in the House Of Representatives for White County, Illinois.
(On a side note, Abraham Lincoln served in 1834, 1836, 1838 and 1840.)
While staying at a Boarding House in Vandalia, Illinois, Major William McHenry became ill and passed away on 3 February, 1835.
In 1836, McHenry, Illinois was organized by an Act Of The Legislature and named in honor of Major William McHenry.
