Henkel Family Papers

Perhaps one of the most influential families in the spectrum of American Lutheranism. The family was the original nucleus of the Tennessee Synod and also produced several noted Doctors and one College President. This sketch will tell the stories of the most prominent members of the family.

The first such member is John Justus Henkel, Sr. This Henkel was the father of Paul Henkel. He was born in Daudenzell, Germany, on February 10, 1706. His father was a pastor, his mother a judge's daughter; thus he came from a well educated family. He emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1717. He was married in 1729 and had 12 children. He moved to Virginia in 1729 and to North Carolina in 1751. In 1760 he moved to German Valley, Va., which he helped to found, and, due to difficulty with the local Indians, erected a fort there in 1761-1762. He was a member if the Virginia militia during the Revolutionary War and was discharged in June, 1778. He died August of 1778. After his death, his children scattered.

Perhaps the most influential and important person of this family is the son of John Justus Henkel. Paul Henkel was born in Rowan City, North Carolina, on December 15 1754. He and his brother Moses were enrolled in their first English School in 1768. He was married on November 20, 1776. In 1782 he had a dream that he should travel through virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland. In 1783 he first went to Shepherdstown, Maryland, then to Rader's Church in New Market, Virginia. His relatives were involved with that parish until at least 1914. On October 17, 1775, he went to First synod and was discharged for the Continental Army. In 1781 he sent the required substitute instead of serving in the army. In August, 1784, he went to Pine Church in Shenandoah Valley, Virginia. In 1790 he moved to New Market, Virginia, but kept his other congregations. In 1792 he was ordained by the Pennsylvania Ministerium in Philadelphia. In 1794 he moved to Staunton, Virginia. In 1800 he went to Rowan County, Virginia. In July, 1805, he returned to New Market. In 1811 he once again moved, this time to Point Pleasant, Virginia. In 1813 he returned to New Market. In 1815 he returned to Point Pleasant. In 1818 he again returned to New Market. He died on November' 27, 1825, in New Market. His career as a minister was mostly spent as a travelling missionary. He conducted four major tours. His first tour was in 1785-1786 in North Carolina. His second tour was in 1785 also and included the area north of North Carolina. His third tour was made in 1799. He was appointed as Missionary to North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia in 1808 and served this territory until 1818. He issued a plea for preachers in Virginia in 1816 because other denominations were winning out due to lack of Lutheran preachers on the area. He helped organize the Tennessee Synod (now part of the Lutheran Church in America) in 1820 because of an intolerable laxity in the doctrine of the Pennsylvania Ministerium. He also helped found the Henkel Press in 1805 and did much work in translation and in the field of hymnody. He bestowed all but one of his sons to the church as ministers. The other son, Solomon, became an apothecary and M.D. and was the owner of the family press.

"Like father, like son" so the old saying goes. This saying applies well to four of Paul Henkel's sons. Of Paul's sons, the four are Dr. Solomon Henkel, Rev. David Henkel, Rev. Socrates Henkel, and Rev. Polycarp C. Henkel. All four of these sons were closely affiliated with the Henkel Press.

The first son to be born was Solomon Henkel, M.D. Solomon Henkel, M.D., was born November 10, 1777, in Penleton, Virginia. In 1793 he moved with his family to New Market, Virginia. In 1793 he began his training to be an apothecary with Doctor Jackson. He lived with this family during the Yellow fever epidemic of this year (1793) and helped to care for the afflicted. In 1794 he got his first medicines and opened an apothecary in New Market. Here he remained until 1796, when he studied to be an M.D. with Dr. Peter Ahl. In 1797 he went to Staunton where he met with Ahl and helped in the Smallpox Epidemic of that year. After his studies had concluded, he returned home and established his practice as both a physician and as an apothecary. In 1805 Solomon was required to testify as to his activities since his departure from Staunton since Dr. Ahl attempted to bill Paul Henkel for $36.00 for Solomon's education. The judge disallowed Ahl's claim. In 1796, to return to the normal life of Solomon, he blasted rock. He married on September 9, 1800. In 1802 his house burned to the ground, so he established a home in the half of the office that was not used. In 1805 he purchased another lot due to increased business and to the wish for a new home. From 1801-1847 he was Postmaster of New Market. This tenure, however, was broken for about five years by his brother, Ambrose Henkel. He backed the founding of a school for the area in 1805 and was a trustee of the institution for a short time. He was also a trustee of the High School in 1817. His work as an apothecary left its mark in history as did his role in printing. He invented "Henkel's Craway of Liver Pills." These pills were sold on the drug market at least until 1934. He also pioneered in the use of electricity in medicine. He, along with his father and his brother Ambrose founded the Henkel Press in 1806. He was the owner of the press from 1812-1847. He died on August 31, 1847.

Writers of religious materials may be some of the most interesting to read. David Henkel is no exception. He was the brother of Solomon and the father of both Socrates and of Polycarp C. Henkel. He was born on May 4, 1795, in staunton, Virginia. He was married, but the date is lacking. In 1812 he was ordained and he preached his first sermon on November 1, 1812. He was the founder of St.Paul's Lutheran Church on Monroe County, Tennessee in 1817. He helped to organize the Tennessee Synod in 1820 and was a Visitor for the synod until his death in 1831. He was a prolific author on doctrinal matters. His publications include: "The Essence of the Christian Religion, and Reflections on Purity" (1817), "The Carolinian Herald of Liberty, Religious and Political" (1821), "Objections to the constitution of the General Synod" (1821), "The Heavenly Flood of Regeneration or Treatise on Holy Baptism" (1822), "An Answer to Joseph Moore" (1825), The Constitution of the Eyangelical Tennessee Synod and Remarks Concerning It (1828), translated Luther's Small Catechism (from the German) (1829), "A Treatise on the Person and Incarnation of Christ" (1831). He died on June 15, 1831, at the age of 36.

When a family becomes prominent, it seems that they remain so for several generations at least. The Henkel family is no exception. The next generation of Henkels was just as prominent as the last. The first to gain such prominence was Polycarp C. Henkel, usually referred to as P. C. Henkel. He was born on August 20, 1820 in Conover, North Carolina. He was married on September 5, 1843, and was ordained after a full course of studies on September 17, 1843. He left the Tennessee Synod on October 1, 1874, upon receiving a call for the Conference of Missouri. He remained in Missouri until November 8, 1877, when he reentered the Tennessee Synod and was elected President of Concordia College, Conover, North Carolina. Here he remained until his resignation on October 31, 1885. He died on September 26, 1889 in Conover, North Carolina. He was an excellent debater, a prolific writer, and an antagonist of all error. His chief texts included works on the Bible, the Lutheran Confessions, and texts in his field of expertise, which was Dogmatics. One of his largest accomplishments was to lead the organization of the LCMS's English District.

The last, but certainly not the least of the Henkel men, was Socrates Henkel. Socrates was born on March 23, 1823, in Lincoln City, North Carolina. He was ordained in 1850 and became pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Tennessee synod, in New Market, Virginia. He founded and edited Our Church Paper, the official paper of the Tennessee Synod from 1873 until his death in 1901. His was the first English translation of the Book of Concord. He also translated Luther's Kirchenpostille on the Epistles and the Gospels and much of Luther's work dealing with the Sacraments. He helped to prepare the basis for the united Synod of the South in 1883. In 1890, he wrote his work on the Tennessee Synod, entitled, The History of the Evangelical Lutheran Tennessee Synod. He resigned his position as a pastor in 1895 and died in New Market on June 20, 1901.

Despite our having discussed all of the major characters on the Henkel family, we have said nothing about the establishment which gave the family the outlet for all of its writings, The Henkel Press of New Market, Virginia. The press was established in 1806 by Paul, Solomon, and Ambrose Henkel. It began to publish works for public consumption in 1807, when it published The Virginia Popular Reporter and The New Market Weekly Record. The papers were published until 1809. Also in 1807 the press began to publish its series of Virginia childbooks. These books were published in German. In 1811 the press issued its first edition of Luther's Small Catechism. By August of 1812 Ambrose wished to move on into another field of labor. At this time he was bought out by his brother Solomon, although printing was still done in Ambrose's name. In 1814 Ambrose returned as an employee of Solomon. The firm printed the first English hymnal in 1816. In 1818-1826 Ambrose also operated a bookstore for the firm. In 1825 David Henkel, the uncle of Solomon, was published. A second edition of the 1816 hymnal was published in 1838. From 1845-1847 an attempt was made to publish the German Book of Concord in an English translation. In 1847 the printery was moved one lot over. Throughout this period and until 1861, the printery published many valuable works, including some books and pamphlets on medicine authored by it owner, Solomon Henkel. Solomon was its sole financier until the days of the civil War. The firm was still in operation in 1939. Perhaps the best description of both the printery and of the Tennessee Synod is given on p. 628 of The Henkel Family Record, where it is stated, "It was a family affair, a family product." Thus ends the story of the early Henkel family.