Henry was living with his parents in 1850 in Vernon, CT at age 15.
In 1860 he is listed as a farmer (25, CT) in Michigan with a Fenton family consisting of Horace S. Fenton (30, VT), wife Phebe C. (29, NY) and dau Elma (6. MI) plus a Geo W. Fenton (17, MI).
When Henry entered the 2nd Ohio Cavalry as Private on 8 Oct 1861, he was married, but separated from Augusta Ainsworth.
Charles and Henry Fenton enlisted together in Co H, 2nd Ohio Vol. Cavalry; the regiment was organized in Cleveland, 9 Sept 1861. In Dec they were ordered to Camp Dennison, about 16 miles from Cincinnati. In Jan, 1862 they were ordered to report at Fort Leavenworth, that being on the Western Frontier then. While stationed there, went on an expedition thru indian territory, fighting both the whites and indians. Many of the men were sick, some died, others were discharged, so that by 1 Dec, 1862 they were reduced from 1300 to 150 men. In Dec they returned and went to winter quarters at Camp Chase, Ohio. In April, 1863 they were ordered to Kentucky, where they were in active service raiding, squirmishing, and fighting some battles. In June they started on the noted Morgan raid, and after 4 weeks of hard marching, succeeded in capturing one of the greatest raiding commanders of the South. In Aug went to eastern Tennessee where they saw hard service in fighting Gen. Longstreet's troops, and the siege of Knoxville. In Jan 1864 they re-enlisted as veterans at Mosey Creek, TN and returned to Camp Chase where they had a furlough for 30 days. He returned to Huntington, Ohio and heard that his wife had died. He then married Nancy J. Hott on 24 Feb 1864. In March 1864 they went to Annapolis, MD and joined the Army of the Potomac; going from there to Washington and then into Virginia. On 1 June, at Ashland Station, VA a short and sharp encounter took place when Henry was wounded by a minnie ball passing thru his foot. He was taken to York, PA and on Aug 8 had a furlough home to Huntington, OH. In Jan 1865 he joined his regiment then in winter quarters at Winchester, VA. Soon after his return he was with others detailed to make a raid of about 50 miles away. He and 2 of his comrades were surrounded and taken prisoner at Wardensville on 4 Feb 1865, then sent to "Libby prison". In 13 days he was exchanged on parole and sent to Camp Chase, then mustered out of the service 19 June 1865.
After the war, he resumed his marriage with Nancy Hott. After 6 years of marriage to Nancy, Henry received a letter from his first wife, Augusta, revealing that she had not died, but had run off with another man, a Mr. Andrews, in New Haven, CT. Henry separated from Nancy until he could obtain a divorce, and she went with his parents when they moved to Iowa. His divorce from Augusta was granted in Cuyahoga Co, OH on 11 Jan 1870 on the grounds of adultery. Henry and Nancy were then legally married in Wright Co, Iowa on April 20, 1870 by Rev. S. D. Stone, husband of Henry's sister Marietta. They are listed in the 1870 census for Hardin Co, with him as a carpenter (35, CT) his wife Jennie (25, OH) and dau Ada (4, OH) - indexed as Trenton.
From Iowa City, IA Henry applied for a veterans invalid pension in 1875 and the Examining Surgeon's Certificate indicates a one half incapacitation. The pension was approved at $4 per month. Henry's pension file contains numerous applications and medical examination certificates to increase his pension which did increase to $12/mo. in 1890.
In 1880 Henry is listed in Clay Center, KS as age 45, and a carpenter. He is noted as being disabled and unemployed 2 months that year. With him is his wife and daughter, Addie, their only surviving child at the time. In 1885 they were living in Cleveland, OH; and by 1890 they had moved to Richmond Hill, Queens, NY. They lived in Port Jefferson, NY from about 1892 to 1900 and Henry is listed as a builder (65, CT) married 36 yrs in the 1900 census for Brookhaven, NY. With him is his wife, Jennie (54, OH) and daughter Florence Ethel Valentine (17, KS) married 0 yrs, but her husband is not with her.
Henry died in Bridgeport, CT in 1906 and is buried in Mountain Grove Cemetery. Nancy Fenton applied for a widow's pension after his death.