Bergh, Henry definition of Bergh, Henry in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

Bergh, Henry, 1811–88, American philanthropist, b. New York City. He founded (1866) the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. This organization, the first of its kind in the country, was granted the authority to enforce local animal protection laws by the New York state legislature in the same year. In 1875, with Elbridge T. Gerry Gerry, Elbridge Thomas, 1837–1927, American reformer, b. New York City; grandson of Elbridge Gerry. Admitted (1860) to the New York bar, he came to be adviser to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and soon afterward became interested
..... Click the link for more information. and others, he helped form the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

Bibliography

See Z. Steele, Angel in Top Hat (1942).

Bergh, Henry (1811–88) animal protection pioneer; born in New York City. Manager of his father's shipyard (1837–43), he traveled overseas after his father's death and spent one year in St. Petersburg, Russia (1863–64), as secretary of the United States legation. Resigning because of his wife's ill health, and becoming increasingly concerned with the inhumane treatment of animals, he founded the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) after his return (1866). He later assisted in the formation of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (1875). Although he wrote several plays, poetry, and some literary sketches, he is best known for turning the ASPCA into an international movement.