The Henry Glen collection consists of fifteen letters written to Mr. Glen over a period of twenty years by family members and business acquaintances. All but one of the letters was written while Glen was a representative in Congress. Nine of the letters date between February 1795 and February 1796.
The subject matter varies considerably. Two themes, corresponding to the two areas where letters are focused, dominate the letters. Five items, dated March 1795 through September 1795, follow the Jay Treaty from its arrival in Philadelphia through ratification and the ensuing political turmoil. Three letters, dated October 1797 through August 1799, discuss the difficulties involved with supplying troops in northwestern New York.
Three individual letters are interesting for their observations on local politics. Leonard Bronck's, a first term New York State Senator wrote to Mr. Glen in February 1796, describing the activities of the state senate. Joseph Hopkinson's letter (1801 February 15), is the reply to an earlier Glen letter (missing). Hopkinson's letter describes the responses within Philadelphia to Congressional debates over who should be the next president. Mr. Glen's earlier letter was the basis for Philadelphia's knowledge of the Congressional debates at that time. Finally, one letter from Glen's son, John Visscher, (1795 September 5) touches tangentially upon the Jay Treaty, but also provides a description of the political turmoil and suspicions in Philadelphia at the time.
Henry Glen was baptized July 13, 1739 in Schenectady, N.Y. He had one brother, John. The brothers formed a trading company with Jacobus Teller, which they ran for some time before the American Revolution. At the age of 28, Mr. Glen began his political career with an appointment as clerk of Schenectady county, a position in which he served until 1809.
During the Revolution, Mr. Glen was active on the side of the colonists, serving as a member of the first three Provincial Congresses and as a member of the Committee of Safety. He was a captain in the second company of militia for Schenectady County, although he did not serve in that capacity. Mr. Glen's chief position during the War for Independence was deputy quartermaster general. As such, he was in charge of all stores for Schenectady, and communicated with a number of important persons within the young nation, including Governor George Clinton of New York and General George Washington.
After the war, Mr. Glen continued to pursue an active role in state politics, first as a state assembly member (1786-1787, 1810) and later as a representative in the U.S. Congress (1793-1801). While he had no official political party membership, Mr. Glen sided with the Federalists when the Republicans began to grow in strength. Although Mr. Glen's official position of deputy quartermaster general was a wartime appointment, he remained involved with the movements of supplies to troops in New York state throughout his time in Congress.
Much less is known of Henry Glen's personal life. At some point before or during the Revolution, he married. Two children were born of the marriage, John Visscher and Catherine. Mr. Glen was also related to Andrew Cornelius Cuyler, the former royal mayor of Albany, who married Jane Elizabeth (Janetie) Glen, possibly Henry's sister.
