Robert Henley
Robert H. Henley (born 1843 in Demopolis, Marengo County; died April 22, 1873 in Savannah, Georgia) was the first mayor of Birmingham taking office on December 19, 1871, the day of Birmingham’s incorporation.
Henley was the son of attorney John Woodson Henley and the former Evaline F. Harwell. He married Amelia Peters, daughter of cotton trader and mineral speculator Thomas Peters. He worked as an attorney and moved to Elyton in Jones Valley before 1869, when his infant daughter was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery.
Though he had previously worked as an attorney, Henley pursued journalism by founding the weekly Elyton Sun, which he renamed the Birmingham Sun in 1871, thereby launching the new city's first newspaper. Since the developers of the new city did not wish to entrust the largely itinerent population with electing a worthy candidate, they asked Governor Robert Lindsay to appoint the first mayor.
As Mayor, Henley also presided over all municipal court cases, imposing fines and sentences for violations of city ordinances without appeal. He reportedly conducted his office with "great vigor, good judgment, and decision", overcoming the doubts of those who opposed his appointment.1
Henly contracted tuberculosis early in 1872 and travelled to Florida to seek a cure. He appointed W. J. McDonald, then serving on the Birminghaarticlem Board of Aldermen, to act as mayor in his absence. Thomas Tate was appointed to serve the remainder of his term, through December 31, 1872. James Powell, the city's first elected mayor, succeeded him in 1873.
Henley was 30 when he succumbed to his tuberculosis in April 1873. He is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery with the epitaph he chose, "Here lies the first mayor of Birmingham." The Henley School on 6th Avenue North at 17th Street was named in his honor.
| Preceded by: none |
Mayor of Birmingham 1871 - 1872 |
Succeeded by: W. J. McDonald (acting) |
| Preceded by: Thomas Tate (acting) |
Mayor of Birmingham 1872 - 1873 |
Succeeded by: James R. Powell |
Notes
- DuBose-1877
References
- Template:DuBose-1877
- Vick, Mary-Helen (1965) A Survey of the Governing Body of Birmingham, Alabama, 1910-1964. Master's thesis. Alabama College.
- Birmingham Area Chamber of Commerce (1976) Century Plus: A Bicentennial Portrait of Birmingham, Alabama 1976 Birmingham: Oxmoor Press, p. 16.
- Oak Hill Cemetery. 13 Jul 2006 [1].