Henry S. Huidekoper 1839-1918

Henry Huidekoper was a Civil War veteran where he had attained the ranks of captain, lieutenant-colonel and colonel, and commanded a regiment in the Battle of Gettiesburg. Prior to his Civil War service he had graduated from Harvard University in 1862. On July 1, 1863, in command of his regiment, at the Battle of Gettiesburg, Huidekoper was wounded twice losing his right arm. He later would be awarded the Medal of Honor for the action on that day.

In 1870, Huidekoper was appointed a major general in the Pennsylvania National Guard by Governor John W. Geary. During that time he was active as commander of the 7th Division in the suppression of the railroad strike at Scranton, Pennsylvania, in 1877. Two years later he complied and published a Manual of Service, which became an accepted authority on military matters.

From 1880 to 1886, Huidekoper was postmaster of Philadelphia, and later became involved with several telephone and telegraph companies. From 1887 until 1913, he was an executive in the Bell Telephone Company.

Henry Huidekoper’s grandfather was Harm Jan Huidekoper, who was born in Hoogeveen, the Netherlands in 1776. From 1776 until 1780, he lived in the town of Olden Barnevelt, now Trenton, New York. He later moved to Western Pennsylvania, and became the founder of the Unitarian Church in Meadville, Pennsylvania. He also became a major donor to the Meadville Theological Seminary.