author
Henry A. (Henry Anson) Castle
1841–1916
Best known for his sweeping histories of St. Paul and Minnesota, this 19th-century writer also lived an unusually varied public life—as a Civil War officer, lawyer, journalist, legislator, and civic promoter. His books reflect a deep investment in the people and growth of Minnesota.
1 Audiobook
The Army Mule, and Other War Sketches
by Henry A. (Henry Anson) Castle
About the author
Born in Illinois in 1841, Henry A. Castle built a career that reached far beyond writing. Reliable biographical sources describe him as a Civil War veteran, lawyer, newspaper proprietor, politician, and founder of North St. Paul, Minnesota.
As an author, he is chiefly remembered for large-scale historical works including History of St. Paul and Vicinity (1912) and Minnesota, Its Story and Biography (1915). His writing centered on Minnesota's development, local institutions, and prominent citizens, making his books useful windows into how the region understood its own past in the early 20th century.
Castle died in 1916. For listeners interested in regional history, his work offers both a detailed chronicle of Minnesota life and a glimpse of the ambitions, memory, and civic pride of his era.