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Henry's family connections with politics were certainly not distant. For the years that the New York government met in Poughkeepsie, Aunt Joanna and Uncle Pierre were right in town. Brother Gilbert was elected to the legislature, as was sister Helena's husband, later an unsuccessful candidate for Governor. Henry's niece Sarah, Gilbert's daughter, was married to another politician, Smith Thompson. In 1800, Thompson was elected to the New York State Legislature, and one year later he served as a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention. In 1802, Thompson was appointed State District Attorney for the Middle District of New York, but before assuming his duties he was appointed to the New York Supreme Ct. He served there as an Associate Justice for twelve years and was named Chief Justice in 1814. Thompson resigned from the New York Supreme Court in 1818 to accept an appointment as Secretary of the Navy from President James Monroe. He served in the cabinet until 1823 when, on December 8, President Monroe nominated him to the Supreme Court of the United States. Thompson gave up plans to run for President in 1824 and accepted the Supreme Court appointment. The Senate confirmed the appointment on December 19, 1823. Thompson served on the Supreme Court for twenty years. Henry died early in 1828, the year that Justice Thompson ran unsuccessfully for New York Governor. Eight years later, after the death of his first wife Sarah, Justice Thompson married her first cousin, Henry's daughter Eliza.