Henry Jeffrey

Henry Jeffrey (my great-grandfather) was born January 12, 1860 in Cobourg, in what is now called Ontario, Canada. At the time of his birth, Cobourg was a city in “Upper Canada.” It is situated on the north shore of Lake Ontario. His parents were Andrew Jeffrey and Agnes (Moscrip) Jeffrey, Andrew’s second wife. Henry had 12 brothers and sisters, 9 children from Andrew’s first marriage, and 3 more from his marriage to Agnes. When Henry was 3 years old, his father died, and his mother passed away when Henry was 16.
Henry was also known as “Harry” throughout his life. After the death of his mother, Henry left Cobourg in 1876 to live with his oldest brother William, in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, who was 45 years old at the time. He became involved in his brother’s hardware business in Stratford, as well as later running a pleasure steamboat enterprise on the River Avon. He also was a staff sergeant in the Stratford Drill Association.
After Henry’s marriage in 1887 to Jenny Mac Fadden, they immigrated to New York in the United States, and along with working in the hardware business, Henry worked at the Pan-American Exposition in 1901. This fair featured the latest technologies, including electricity, and attracted nearly 8 million people. The Electric Tower was illuminated nightly by thousands of colored bulbs and floodlights. On September 6, President William McKinley was shot outside the Temple of Music at the Exposition. He died eight days later. Theodore Roosevelt was inaugurated President after McKinley’s death. Henry Jeffrey became an American citizen in 1904.
Henry and Jenny had two children, Keith McLean and James Leonard (My grandfather). They moved to Detroit, Michigan in approximately 1909-1910, where Henry worked as the manager of the Pratt & Cady Hardware Co. Henry and Jenny were active in the Presbyterian Church, whose members also included the Henry Fords and the Dodges, famous automobile families in Detroit. In 1929 or 1930, Henry and Jenny moved to Seattle, Washington, and a few years later to southern California, to be close to their grandchildren through their son James. They settled in Santa Monica, CA, and lived for many years close to the Pacific Ocean. They were active in the Hollywood Presbyterian Church while they lived in Santa Monica.
Henry is remembered as a kind, sweet-hearted man. He loved the ocean. My father, James Warren Jeffrey, remembers spending summers with his grandfather, and they spent much time at the beach. Henry was also an avid baseball fan. It is a tradition that he became so while following the Detroit Tigers and their famous outfielder, Ty Cobb. My father remembers, while spending summers with his grandfather, that nightly after dinner, Henry would retire to the living room, and listen to the Los Angeles Angels (Pacific Coast minor league team) on the radio.
Henry died June 26, 1952 in Pasadena, CA of prostate cancer.