On May 6, 2023, Emory & Henry celebrated its 175th commencement ceremony and the Class of 2023. Squire Miller Henry, a former porter and furnace stoker for the College, was among those celebrated, but with an honorary posthumous Doctorate of Divinity.
Posted July 06, 2023
“Awarding Squire Henry an honorary degree posthumously at commencement was a true honor. His dedication and loyalty to Emory & Henry, coupled with his decades of service to this institution, are part of the very foundation of the College,” said President Wells. “His impact was profound on the everyday life of students, faculty and staff members. In celebration of his life and legacy, we are grateful to work with his family to honor Henry in this way. Squire Henry’s legacy will not be forgotten, and we are indeed grateful for all he did as an extraordinary employee of Emory & Henry College.”
Henry was born into slavery in 1848 in Rockbridge County, Virginia, to Woodrow and Francis Henry. In 1868, he went to Washington County to work as a farm laborer for John Buchanan, who was teaching at the College. He soon came to work for the College as a porter and laborer and continued to work at Emory & Henry for 50 years. Henry also may have been one of the first individuals from the College who interacted with first-year students stepping off a train at the Emory Depot. In 1871, Henry married Mary Ann Brown. The college president, E.E. Wiley, performed the wedding at the time. Together they had 14 children and resided in the Blacksburg, Virginia community.
“Squire Miller Henry worked at Emory & Henry most of his adult life and was dedicated to the people there,” said Mary Lampkins ’88, ’09, Henry’s great-great-grandaughter and a two-time graduate of Emory & Henry. “It means the world to me to have my great-great-grandfather receive his degree from Emory & Henry College in 2023. I am grateful to everyone that made this happen,” said Lampkins.
In his later life, Henry was honored with multiple citations and recognitions from the Emory & Henry community. Henry died in his Blacksburg home in December 1923. Today, his legacy continues to live on throughout the College and his descendants, many of whom have worked at or graduated from Emory & Henry. This year’s commencement ceremony also observed 100 years since the passing of Henry.
Henry’s descendants and others rooted in the Blacksburg community share stories of his integrity, commitment to the church and hard work for his family. Henry was instrumental in establishing the Mt. Zion Baptist Church, which still meets in Blacksburg.
More than 70 descendants of Henry attended the 2023 commencement ceremony, and the eldest living descendant, Marie Lampkins, 90, accepted the degree on his behalf.
Members of the Emory & Henry College Board of Trustees and current students in the School of Business gathered at Carriger Hall to celebrate the naming of its new boardroom in honor of the 21st President, Jake B. Schrum. This was the first public preview of the building since renovations started in the fall of 2021. The building was used as a men’s dormitory and built in two phases in 1904 and 1908. A grand opening ceremony will be held in August 2023, when students return to campus and construction is completed. A feature in the new Jake B. Schrum Boardroom is a wooden boardroom table designed and handcrafted by Schrum’s oldest daughter and artist, Libby Schrum (second from right) of Camden, Maine.
Progress is strumming along at the new apartment complex off Hillman Highway near the Emory campus. Returning upperclass students will experience independence like never before in the 96-bed unit fully equipped with a kitchen/dining area, laundry room, and a patio or balcony. “We’re thrilled about the progress being made to see our students move in at the beginning of August for the fall term,” said Mark Graham, ’85, vice president for administration and legal counsel, who has served as project manager with a team of vendors and staff.
