Do you know anything about the addressee on the cover scanned (Maj. A.H. McHenry)? I found the following biography that would seem to be the same person, but it references him as being only a Captain (although it is possible the writer didn't indicate the correct rank?) Anyway, if it is the same individual, it seems he was quite a noted surveyor of the area in and around Jersey Shore during his lifetime:
Quote:
Alexander Hamilton McHenry
Alexander was born in Allegany County, New York, July 20, 1810. In early life he evinced a strong inclination for reading and the study of history, national, geographical, and military; in more mature youth, mathematical. When he was fifteen years old he was chosen captain of artillery by the comrades of his youth, serving two years, a reminiscence which gave him great satisfaction. About the time he was twenty-one he adopted Pennsylvania as his home, attending for a brief period the school held in the octagon-shaped building yet remaining on Third Street in Williamsport. He was connected with an engineer corps in 1833 and 1834 on the public improvements of the State and finished a mathematical course in 1835. While he made field surveys as early as 1826, it was not until the Spring of 1836 that he began his life business-field surveying, which he followed continuously to within a short time of his death, thus covering a period of fifty-five years, He was one of the best informed men on land titles, and location of surveys on the ground in northern Pennsylvania. May 18, 1839, he was appointed deputy surveyor of the district then composed of Sullivan, Lycoming, and Clinton counties and part of Cameron County. He was also appointed one of the commissioners to re-survey and establish lines between the counties of Union, Clinton, Lycoming, Potter, and Tioga, He was one of the corporators of the Jersey Shore, Pine Creek, and State Line Railroad Company (now Fall Brook Coal Company's railways). In 1856 he was one of the commissioners to organize the Jersey Shore Bank. In the same year he rendered important service in furnishing statistical materials to John F. Meginness, who was then engaged on his History of the West Branch Valley. In 1857 he was one of the corporators of the Jersey Shore Gas Company. At the breaking out of the rebellion he enlisted, and as captain of Company G, Thirteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, did active service in the field from August 1862, to November 1864, when he was discharged on a surgeon's certificate of disability. He was a member of Major Keenan Post, No. 349, G.A.R. He was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church from his youth. He was an honorable, upright citizen and died March 2, 1892, at his home in Jersey Shore.
Posted 07/12/2012 05:58 am
WoW!! 
