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Born in Gregg County in 1859 to farmers and laborers William and Mariah Henry, Reeves Henry was a prominent local African American businessman in Kaufman County. In 1880, he married Carrie Echols (b. 1864). The couple would have nine children: Felix, Josephine, Arthur Lee, Maria, Ada, Devonia, Dave, Daisy and Zaing. The Henrys moved from Gregg County to Kaufman County sometime in the 1890s. Henry had received machinist training and sometimes repaired locomotives. In Kaufman County, he established a blacksmith shop. He also repaired automobiles, wagons, carriages and accessories. Many times, this meant “making do” or crafting repairs out of items deemed to be junk. Forney native Hubert Feagin remembered Reeves Henry as a mechanical “genius” due to his ingenuity, inventiveness and problem-solving skills. In 1907 and 1921, Henry filed patents for cotton chopping machines.
Success continued as Henry earned a reputation for excellence in both his mechanical skill and customer service. Even though the rise of Jim Crow laws made life difficult for African Americans, Henry seemed to be well respected by all. Henry opened a new shop at the corner of Center Street and Pacific Street sometime before 1914 and business boomed. About that time, he built a home four blocks to the southeast at Broad and Pine. The Henry home was the first black-owned house in Forney to have a telephone. He was possibly the wealthiest black man in Forney at that time. In 1925, the Henry Blacksmith Shop was demolished to make way for construction of the B.A. Badgett Gin. Henry died on November 4, 1930, and was buried in Prairie View Cemetery. His grave is unmarked. Reeves Henry’s ingenuity and skill during a time when Forney was adopting the new conveniences that would shape twentieth century life makes him an important early citizen worthy to be remembered. (2021) |
