Henry G. Connor
Henry Groves Connor (July 3, 1852 – November 23, 1924) was a United States district judge for the Eastern District of North Carolina. He was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, and read law in 1871. Connor began private practice in Wilson, North Carolina, from 1871 to 1885.
He served in public office in North Carolina, including:
- North Carolina Senate in 1885
- Judge of the North Carolina Superior Court from 1885 to 1893
- Private practice in Wilson again from 1893 to 1903
- North Carolina House of Representatives from 1899 to 1901, as Speaker in 1901
- Associate justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court from 1903 to 1909
Connor married Bessie Hadley in 1894, and they had four children.
On May 10, 1909, President William Howard Taft nominated him to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, to fill the seat vacated by Thomas Richard Purnell. He was confirmed by the Senate on May 25, 1909, and served until his death on November 23, 1924, in Wilson, North Carolina. He was succeeded by Isaac Melson Meekins.
Connor was also an author, writing biographies of John Archibald Campbell, James Iredell, and William Gaston.
In April 1911, Connor gave the dedication speech for a Confederate monument to George Davis in Wilmington. His remarks reflected Lost Cause revisionist views, praising Davis as patriotic and portraying secession as moderation.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 09:23 (CET).