Henkel Family Papers

Access and use

Location of collection:
James Madison University
Second Floor Room 203, MSC 1704
Carrier Library
James Madison University
880 Madison Drive
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Tiffany Cole
Phone: (540) 568-3444
Phone: (540) 568-3612
Fax: (540) 568-3405
Restrictions:

Collection open to research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collections Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).

Preferred citation:

[identification of item], [box #, folder #], Henkel Family Papers, 1801-2008, SC 0253, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.

Summary

Extent:
2.08 cubic feet 6 boxes
Creator:
Henkel family, Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates, and ZH Books
Abstract:
The Henkel Family Papers, 1801-2008, document the influential Henkel family of Rockingham and Shenandoah counties in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. The collection, primarily documenting the Siram and Margaret Koiner Henkel line of the family, is comprised of correspondence, personal and financial papers, and genealogical research materials. The Renalds family is heavily documented in the 2023 accession materials.
Language:
English, German
Preferred citation:

[identification of item], [box #, folder #], Henkel Family Papers, 1801-2008, SC 0253, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.

Background

Scope and content:

The Henkel Family Papers, 1801-2008, document the influential Henkel family of Shenandoah and Rockingham counties in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. The collection, chiefly documenting the Siram and Margaret Koiner Henkel line of the family, is comprised primarily of correspondence written to Siram P. Henkel and includes letters from his sons Lewis and Luther during their service in the American Civil War. The collection also includes personal and financial papers of various Henkel family members including Siram's children and genealogical research materials, much of which was used to inform Mildred Renalds Wittig's Henkel – Renalds Connection: with Ancestral Scripts and Collections (2014).

Biographical / historical:

Several complete and thorough genealogies have been written about the Henkel family and their contributions as doctors, printers, entrepreneurs, millers, and religious leaders. As such, this biographical note does not serve as an exhaustive rehashing of previous scholarship. Researchers are encouraged to review published secondary sources for additional information on the Henkel family.

The Henkel Family of Virginia's Shenandoah Valley descends from Rev. Paul Henkel (1754-1825) and Elizabeth Henkel (d. 1843). Siram Peter Henkel, who along with his immediate family is primarily documented in this collection, was the fifth child of Dr. Solomon Henkel (1777-1847) and Rebecca Miller Henkel (1780-1854) and grandson of Rev. Paul Henkel.

Siram was born March 16, 1809 in New Market, Virginia. In an attempt to follow in his father's footsteps, Siram attended, but did not complete, medical school at the University of Pennsylvania. He married Margaret Koiner (variously spelled Coiner) Henkel (1820-1899) of Augusta County, Virginia on June 30, 1835. The couple settled at "The Plains" – located between New Market and Timberville – in September 1835 and their thirteen children, many of whom are also documented in this collection, were born and raised there. Siram farmed various crops and also operated a store and mill at The Plains. The Plains Mill was erected between 1847 and 1849 under the direction of Siram and his father Solomon, prior to his death in August 1847.

During the American Civil War, two of Siram and Margeret's sons served for the Confederacy. Lewis Philip (1837-1904) served in the Ordance Department of the Confederate Army. Around 1863, Lewis became a member of Co. H (Valley Rangers) of the 10th Virginia Cavalry. Luther Melanchton (1841-1919) was also a member of the Confederate Army and wrote home to his father from various camps. Lewis and Luther's brother Samuel Augustus (1840-1885) was exempt from military duty due to medical reasons. He became epileptic after sustaining injuries from run-away horses in 1855.

In 1878, one year prior to Siram's death, he sketched the plans for a new house at Plains Mill. The house was built in 1882 and served as the residence for Siram's widow, Margaret, until her death in 1899. The aforementioned sketch and photographs of the completed house are found in this collection.

Heleah Margaret Henkel, daughter of Siram and Margaret Henkel, married William M. Renalds in 1893. Their family is heavily documented in the 2023 accession materials.

Acquisition information:
Acquired from Jeffrey S. Evans Associates' November 10, 2017 Americana Fine Antiques Auction, Featuring Virginia and the South auction. A second accrual to this collection was acquired directly from Mildred Renalds Wittig in May 2019. This accession comprised mostly books from the family's collection and were cataloged separately. A second copy of the August 1835 letter from Siram Henkel to Margaret Henkel regarding a large group of enslaved persons being marched through the Shenandoah Valley was included and interfiled. An arithmetic book belonging to Samuel A. Henkel, 1854, was also interfiled. Materials that comprise the 2023-0329 accession were purchased from ZH Books in March 2023.
Appraisal information:

A representative sample of course materials, comprising parctice invoices, checks, ledgers, day books, cash books, etc., created by Lillian Henkel and Harry S. Henkel were retained. Excessive duplicates, brittle and highly acidic documents, and materials with negligible research value were weeded from the 2023-0329 accession.

Custodial history:

Material was property of a Henkel family descendant, presumably Mildred Renalds Wittig, great-granddaughter of Siram and Margaret Koiner Henkel.

Materials in the 2023-0329 accession, purchased from ZH Books, share provenance with the rest of the collection in that they descended through the Henkel family to Mildred Renalds Wittig before being sold at Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates' March 2, 2022 Winter Americana sale.

Processing information:

Much of the collection was received in three-ring binders with the manuscripts in plastic sleeves. The correspondence was generally arranged in chronological order. The documents were removed from the binders and plastic sleeves and placed in Mylar when necessary.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged in five series:

  1. Correspondence, 1827-1913
  2. Personal Papers, 1801-1881
  3. Financial Files, 1832-1894
  4. Genealogy and Research Files, 1890-2008
  5. 2023-0329 Accession, 1864-1923
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard