From "History of Wheeling City and Ohio County, West Virginia and  
Representative Citizens," by Hon. Gibson Lamb Cranmer, 1902. 
 
Typed by Linda Fluharty. 
 
Pages 730-733. 
 
HENRY H. HORNBROOK, after many years of activity in business circles, is
now living a retired life at his sightly home near Elm Grove.  He was a
vice-president of the Wheeling Iron & Nail Company, and later, manager of
the Top Mill department in the Wheeling Steel & Iron Company for several
years and was a very successful business man.  He was born in Wheeling,
West virginia, December 16, 1842, and is a son of Jacob Hornbrook.
     The Hornbrook family is of English extraction, and Jacob Hornbrook
was the third in direct line of descent, bearing the name Jacob. Henry H.
Hornbrook now has in his possession an old paper, mentioning the baptism
of his grandfather.  It is as follows:  "Jacob, son of Jacob and Barbara
Hornbrook, was baptized June 2, 1774, according to the Tavistock Meetings
Register.  Dated at Tavistock, February 6, 1796.  Signed by W. Evans,
Tavistock."  This paper is kept between plates of glass, and is a relic
highly prized, as it is the handwriting of his great-grandfather.
     Dr. Jacob Hornbrook, grandfather of Henry H., is the Dr. Hornbrook
mentioned in on of the poems by Robert Burns.  He came to America, located
in Wheeling, and conducted a store on what is now Fifteenth street, as well
as a copperas factory in the fifth ward until the time of his death.  He
and his faithful wife had five sons and one daughter, as follows:  Thomas,
who owned what is now Wheeling Park; Frank, who was in the ice business;
Bickford, whose son is a noted preacher of New York; Edward, whose chief
work was on the river; Jacob; and Elizabeth (Bier), all of whom are deceased.
     Jacob Hornbrook, father of Henry H., was born near Tavistock, England,
and was a small boy when he accompanied his parents to America.  He began
as a young man on the flatboats, buying and selling produce and engaging
in general traffic; at one time he owned a steamboat.  he later started a
notion store on Twelfth street, Wheeling, was interested in the Union
Steamer Line, and was president of the Gas Company, in which he owned a
controlling interest.  he was interested in the First National Bank, with
Mr. Adams and others.  Just after the Civil War, he was a member of the
legislature and was aide-de-camp to two governors, Pierpont and Boreman
- during the war.  He was a Whig in politics, and later a Republican, and
voted for Fremont and Lincoln.  he was a prominent figure in the early
days of Wheeling and the business and progressive interests always found
in him a willing and powerful supporter.  In 1852, he retired from active
business and moved to the vicinity of Wheeling park, where William Hubbard
now resides,  In 1836, he was joined in marriage with Anna M. Killen, who
was born near Dublin, Ireland, September 7, 1820, and died March 14, 1886.
Four children blessed this union, as follows:  Corinna, born in 1837, who
is the widow of John E. Wilson and travels extensively in this country
and abroad; Henry R., who died at the age of two years; India, who married
John G. Kelley, a son of Gen. B. F. Kelley, one of the first officers shot
in the Civil War; and Henry H., who was with General Kelley when that
officer fell.
     Although not yet of age, Henry H. Hornbrook enlisted in April, 1861,
in Company C,  1st Reg., Va. Vol. Inf., for three months, participated in
the first engagement, after Fort Sumpter was fired upon.  General Kelley
was shot there, and Mr. Hornbrook stood as sentry, unrelieved for forty-
eight hours, where the General lay.  Mr. Hornbrook was mustered out and
re-enlisted in Company H, 1st Reg. Vol. Inf., reformed, and attached to
the Eighth army Corps.  He was made 2nd lieutenant and subsequently 1st
lieutenant of his company, and was largely in detached service as aide-
de-camp and quartermaster with Colonel Thoburn, a physician who later
became colonel of the 1st Virginia regiment; he was killed in the Shen-
andoah Valley, in the engagement in which General Sheridan made his
famous ride.  Mr. Hornbrook was mustered  out in 1865, after more than
four years of faithful service, and returned to Wheeling.  In 1866, he
went to Missouri where he engaged in farming and stock raising for nine
years.  He then sold out and returned to Wheeling, taking up his
residence at his present fine home, which was erected by Samuel Laughlin,
and is known as a part of the old Cruger estate.  He became part owner
of a steamboat, and for several years was actively engaged in that work.
He then went to the Top Mill as clerk, and later was advanced to the
office of vice-president. In that capacity he served until it was merged
into the Wheeling Steel & Iron Company.  He became manager of that de-
partment of the company, and continued as such for several years, but
since July, 1900, has lived in retirement.
     Mr. Hornbrook was first joined in marriage with Abigail Carter, a
daughter of S. H. B. Carter, who died May 11, 1876, leaving four children,
namely: May; June; Jessie; and Percival.  Alice Cracraft, a daughter of
Dr. George Cracraft, became his second wife, and they have one son, Earl,
who is fourteen years of age.  Mr. Hornbrook has a very fine homestead,
including a large barn in which he keeps several blooded horses.  He has
10 acres of land, ornamented with many beautiful trees and devoted to
fruit raising and gardening.  Politically, he has always been a staunch
Republican.