Born on April 15, 1825 in Dearborn County, Indiana, and died on November 29, 1894 in Bidwell, Iowa. He married Charlotte J Chisman on October 12, 1845. They had eleven children. On February 4, 1864, Henry was enrolled as a First Lieutenant of the 9th Regiment Indiana Cavalry during the Civil War. After the War the family moved to Wapello County, Iowa. On April 14, 1879, Henry Canfield applied for and received a pension, in Wapello County, Iowa, due to disability from head wound suffered in Civil War. Henry was nominated for the legislature by the democrats of Wapello county and was elected and served as a representative in the 20th General Assembly (1884-1886). In Henry's later years he ran a small grocery store located at Bidwell, Iowa.