Henry M. Heuser Papers 1810-1951

Access and use

Location of collection:
Wytheville Community College
F.B. Kegley Library
Wytheville Community College
Smyth Hall, Room 103
1000 East Main Street
Wytheville, VA 24382
Contact for questions and access:
POC: William A. “Bill” Veselik
Phone: (276) 223-4876
POC: George Mattis
Phone: (276) 223-4744
Fax: (276) 223-4745

Summary

Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

The Papers consist of four series. Series I, Legal Records (1887-1928, undated), contains documents relating to several cases in which Heuser was involved as a legal professional, deeds, legal publications, attorney licenses, and personal docket books from his service as Commonwealth Attorney for Wythe County.

Series II, Education Records (1883-1887, undated) contains compositions and debate speeches written by Heuser as well as a notebook for his natural law course taught by Professor John Randolph Tucker of Washington & Lee Law School. Also included are two certificates from the Peabody Normal Teachers' Institute for Jennie Sehorn Heuser and Dora Heuser and a copy of Centennial Poem for Washington and Lee University, 1995-1885 by Margaret Junkin Preston.

Series III, Genealogical Records (1810, 1951, undated) contains family trees, notes, and correspondence regarding the Heuser, Ruff, Woods, Sehorn and Wallace families. A special component of this folder is an 1810 certification of character for Cathy Sehorn signed by several supporters residing in Dandridge, Jefferson County, Tennessee.

Series IV, Miscellaneous Records (1886-1949, undated) contains a Wytheville (East End) cemetery certificate, notary public certificate, and certificate for Heuser's role as a government appeal agent for the Selective Service System. Also included is a copy of "Report of the Freedom Train Visit to Penns Grove, N. J." dated 1949 by Paul D. Heuser as well as several political broadsheets relating to temperance.

Biographical / historical:

The son of Guido A. Heuser and Jennie Sehorn Heuser, Henry Massillon Heuser was born on 28 February 1867 in Wytheville, Virginia. His father, a prominent merchant in Wytheville, was born in Rodenberg Germany; his mother was the daughter of Rockbridge County sheriff Massillon Sehorn and Sarah Jane Ruff Sehorn. Her mother died after her birth and her father died a year later. Jennie was raised by relatives in Wytheville and she named her son Henry after her father.

Heuser attended schools in Wythe County, graduated from the law school at Washington and Lee University in 1891. He embarked upon private practice in Ivanhoe, Virginia, and later moved his office to Wytheville. He subsequently served as commonwealth attorney, member of town council, and judge. He was a member of the Wytheville Presbyterian Church.

Married to Myra Emily Painter (1870-1925) on 23 February 1893, the couple raised two children, Paul Ernest (b. 1894) and Frederick Randolph (b. 1894). Heuser died at the age of 90 on 7 June 1957 and is buried beside his wife in East End Cemetery in Wytheville, Virginia.

Acquisition information:
Donated by Ruth Ann Chitwood as part of the W. R. Chitwood Collection in 2001.
Physical description:
24 folders.