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Leland Boyd Henry Papers

An inventory of his papers at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: EFB
Date: Nov 1970

Biographical History

Leland Boyd Henry (1895-1968) was an American clergyman and social activist.

Born June 3, 1895 in Buffalo, New York, the son of Charles Edward and Eva Boyd Henry, he graduated from Buffalo Central High School in 1914. He then entered Syracuse University where he participated in a variety of activities and was successively reporter, associate editor, managing editor and editor of the campus newspaper, the Daily Orange. In 1918 Henry graduated from Syracuse University and entered the United States Army as a sergeant with the 39th Infantry in France. There he served on the Marne and in the Argonne and was awarded the Purple Heart.

Upon release from military service he entered Drew Theological Seminary, from which he received the Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1922, and spent the following year in further study at Cambridge University. When he returned to the United States he served as a minister at Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church in Buffalo, the church at Newfane and the Corn Hill Methodist Episcopal Church of Rochester, all in New York State. In 1930 Henry and his wife Ruth became members of the Protestant Episcopal Church and Henry sought admission to its priesthood. In September he began work as an educational assistant at St. Paul's Church in Rochester and was ordained to the priesthood in 1931. In 1932 he became rector of St. Luke's Parish in Brockport, New York, and in 1937 was called to serve as assistant to the rector at St. George's Church in New York City, a position he held until 1942 when he entered the military chaplaincy. He spent the early part of the war teaching in chaplains' schools but during its later stages served as chaplain on the hospital ship St. Mihiel in the Atlantic and Pacific.

Upon his return to New York in 1946 Henry was appointed executive secretary of the Social Service Commission of the Diocese of New York, which in the same year was renamed the Christian Social Relations Commission. The National Council of the Protestant Episcopal Church appointed him as its observer at the United Nations beginning in 1949. Henry was a logical choice for this post because of his great concern for problems of world order and his active involvement in seeking creative solutions. In 1955 he was appointed to the Human Rights Commission of New York City. During his tenure he was actively involved in attempts to improve housing for low-income families and his efforts in this direction brought him an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Lincoln University. In 1951 he became rector of St. Mary's Church in Scarborough, New York, where he served until his retirement in 1965. He continued with the diocesan commission on a part-time basis until 1957 when he resigned as executive director. In June 1968 Henry was awarded an honorary Doctor of Sacred Theology degree by Syracuse University. He died shortly thereafter, on August 31, 1968.

Henry was married twice. In 1918 he married Ruth Van Arsdale, a college classmate, who died in 1947. In 1950 he married Beatrice M. Hetzler.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Leland Boyd Henry Papers consist of writings and memorabilia.

Writings include book reviews, sermons, speeches, a study guide, and miscellaneous items. Sermons are dated according to Dr. Henry's own system, by the Sundays of the church year beginning with the Advent season, with the place of delivery noted in each instance. There are also a few sermons specifically for secular holidays (e.g., Memorial Day), and some written for no particular date. There is also a folder of research material. In almost every instance the sermons are original typescripts with Henry's revisions. Speeches, mostly revised transcripts, all originate in the period when Henry was executive director of the Commission on Christian Social Relations of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. The speeches and the study guide especially reflect Dr. Henry's concern for the implications of the Christian faith for social problems. Although the sermons deal with all the major themes and concepts of the Christian faith, they also reflect his particular social concerns.

Memorabilia includes address cards, bulletins, clippings, material from the Commission on Christian Social Relations, confirmation materials, orders of worship, but the bulk of this series consists of eighteen large scrapbooks. These scrapbooks document most of Henry's life, beginning in 1914 when he was still in high school and continuing until 1965, just a few years before his death. The contents includes photographs, newspaper clippings, programs, playbills, invitations, letters, and more.

Arrangement of the Collection

Writings are subdivided by type. Book reviews are in their original order, as received. Sermons are arranged as Henry had them -- in church calendar order and within that chronologically by year. Where a sermon was delivered more than once, it will be found under the Sunday on which it was first delivered. A series of sermons delivered on holidays not included in the church year are arranged chronologically by the date of the holiday and within that order by the dates on which they were first preached. A miscellaneous series of sermons is arranged alphabetically by title. Memorabilia is subdivided by type and within that arranged chronologically.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Subject Headings

Persons

Henry, Leland Boyd, 1895-1968.

Corporate Bodies

Commission on Christian Social Relations.
Episcopal Church -- Clergy.
Methodist Episcopal Church -- Clergy.
St. Mihiel (Hospital ship)

Subjects

Church and social problems.
Church and the world.
Clergy -- United States.
Episcopalians -- United States.
Hospital ships.
Military chaplains.
Sermons, American.

Genres and Forms

Book reviews.
Church bulletins.
Clippings (information artifacts)
Invitations.
Manuscripts for publication.
Military records.
Pamphlets.
Photographs.
Programs (documents)
Scrapbooks.
Sermons.
Speeches (documents)

Occupations

Clergy.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Leland Boyd Henry Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Bulk of collection, gift of Mrs. Leland Boyd Henry, 1969-1970. Two notebooks of sermons, gift of Allen C. Best, 1974. Scrapbooks transferred from University Archives, 1979.

Table of Contents

Writings

Memorabilia

Inventory