Legacy of forgotten Irish-American railroad tycoon rediscovered through groundbreaking new research
Monday 8 June 2026
The remarkable life and career of James McHenry, an Ulster-born Irish-American railroad tycoon, whose story has largely been lost to history, is set to be revealed through groundbreaking new research.
As part of Larne’s ‘America 250 programme’, historian Dr Barry Henderson will present the findings of his doctoral research from Queen’s University of Belfast, during a special talk at Larne Museum on Saturday 13 June from 1.00pm to 2.30pm.
The event forms part of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s America 250 programme, which explores historic ties between Ulster and the United States ahead of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence approaches.
Dr Henderson’s doctoral dissertation, ‘The Forgotten Tycoon’, shed new light on James McHenry (1817-1891), a Larne-born financier and railroad developer whose influence extended across Britain, Europe and the United State during a pivotal period on American history.
The son of celebrated Ulster-Scots writer and diplomat, Dr James McHenry (1785-1845), McHenry migrated to the United States from Larne as an infant. As an adult, he returned across the Atlantic and established himself in the 1840s as a pioneering transatlantic shipping magnate in Liverpool before turning his attention to American railroad development
He later emerged as one of Victorian London’s most influential financiers, helping channel European investment into American nation-building projects.
Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Thomas Gordon said: “Dr Henderson’s research demonstrates how through McHenry's story Larne is connected to wider historic themes of American development, global finance and the evolution of the 19th century Atlantic economy.
“It is particularly fitting that Larne Museum, in the town where McHenry’s extraordinary story began, is hosting this talk. It is important that we remember the history of our Borough. This event will further highlight the immense global impact of County Antrim's emigrants on major historic developments abroad, particularly in the United States."
The talk is expected to appeal to audiences interested in local history, Ulster-Scots history, American history, Irish-American connections, and transatlantic history.
Dr Henderson said, “McHenry was a powerful figure whose sphere of influence ranged from Victorian Britain to America, and across the courts of Europe. He was a contemporary, competitor and collaborator with the likes of Cornelius Vanderbilt and John D Rockefeller and was particularly close with Napoleon III and the Spanish House of Bourbon dynasty.
“Despite his significance, McHenry has remained a largely forgotten figure. At this talk, I will share the story of a complex man who once rose to be celebrated as a visionary financier, captain of industry, and nation-builder, but then fell from grace, accused of embodying the ruthless cutthroat characteristics of America’s emerging class of Gilded Age industrialists - men dubbed “robber barons” by their critics.
“Until now, McHenry has been something of a shadowy figure in financial history. I am delighted this research will bring his contributions to American development more clearly into view and reconnect Larne with one of the 19th century’s more fascinating and influential figures.”
The event offers a unique opportunity to discover the life of a forgotten tycoon whose story links Larne to some of the most significant political, economic and social development of the 19th century.