BY MILES LAYTON
HERTFORD — A few weeks back, Henry House was elected Chairman of the Perquimans County Republican Party at the county’s annual convention.
Wanting to know more about House, the Albemarle Observer caught up with him, a very busy guy.
Why is it important to know more about political party officials? One can better gauge policy and public opinion on local decision-making by getting to know these local leaders.
Go Mountaineers! Love this about Henry’s connection to West Virginia. How did Henry and his wife Gail come to Hertford?
My wife, Gail, and I relocated to our current home in June 2021 in Perquimans County. Our eldest daughter has a daughter who is a freshman at West Virginia University and a son who is a sophomore in high school, both residing with her in Pennsylvania. Our oldest son was transferred for work to Greenville, South Carolina. When he told us about Greenville, we were both excited; sadly, it was the wrong state. Our youngest son lives in Texas and has two daughters.
Gail and I got engaged during our Senior Banquet and tied the knot the following summer; we are approaching our 39th anniversary this summer.
What was Henry’s “day job” before moving to NC and opening the Carolina Moon Bakery in Hertford?
Prior to moving to Perquimans County, I held the position of Director of Food Service at a maximum-security prison. Prior to that, I owned a 3D printing business and worked as the Director of IT for a dairy cooperative that handled nearly a billion pounds of milk annually. Additionally, I served as the CFO and Operations Manager for our family business. My career began as a line cook, and I gradually progressed to the role of Executive Chef, resulting in a diverse professional background.
Bakery — what is your favorite thing to bake?
In our bakery, Gail oversees the sweet creations, while I concentrate on breads and savory dishes. I particularly enjoy the process of making sourdough, which involves working with a live culture that is sensitive to temperature and humidity. For example, our rye bread incorporates our sourdough starter along with various flours and some unconventional ingredients.
Since you are serving a 2-year term, what do you hope to accomplish for the 2026 midterms locally? For the District?
Currently, my focus is on recruiting qualified individuals to serve on the Perquimans County Board of Elections for the upcoming years. If you are following the statewide voter validation issue regarding the last uncertified election seat, I am awaiting the names of local voters whose registrations did not validate from the party.
We need to reach out to them to ensure their votes are counted in this contested race. In the years ahead, there will be many opportunities to elect fiscally responsible candidates who uphold the principles of public service. Engaging in grassroots outreach is crucial to identifying these candidates.
Why does politics matter to you?
Our news media keeps us focused on the hyperbole of national offices. While they get 95% of the coverage, our state and, in particular, local elected officials have far more impact on our daily lives. Years ago, we were informed by print, not a pundit or a recently anointed expert from social media. The column inches mattered to each story, and pertinent facts were conveyed. Over the years, we have focused on the Presidential Candidates without giving much thought to which neighbor will raise our taxes, fix our roads, or lay the cornerstones for a community that our kids would want to live in.
How is Perquimans County’s GOP going to attract/register voters?
The Perquimans GOP needs to continue to build on the fact that we are the working class. If we did not wake up to an alarm clock, we probably did at some point. The issues important to my family are hopefully important to my neighbor (access to quality and affordable healthcare, ability to live in a safe community, quality education available to everyone, opportunities for growth, etc). We need to be successful in our communication. On the surface, it is easy to say the above; in fact, both major parties likely will agree. It is the accountability on reaching the goals where we often differ.
What got you interested in politics?
My first memory of discussing politics was with my great-grandmother during Watergate. The poignant moment was when my mother called me inside to watch the President resign from office. Before moving to Perquimans County, I was a co-panelist discussing politics and local interest stories.
Have you ever held elected office?
I ran for office once, the board of education. I was unsuccessful, but I did learn a lot. Things I thought I would never like, such as door-knocking, were actually fun. I got a chance to talk to strangers one-on-one on issues that impact their families.
What local issues matter most to you?
I am concerned about a couple of issues, including the retention of our youth for those going away to school and opportunities locally for those who are not. The other concern is our infrastructure to accommodate our aging population. All of this centers on the circle of life for a community.
What do you like best about living in Perquimans County?
There are many things to like about living here. On the surface is the weather and local agricultural history; the history aspect is similar to where we moved from. There are a lot of similarities between my former home and Perquimans County. If you promise not to tell, lol, the friendliness of everyone here was the selling point! What I do not want to see here and why we moved was the increase of crime & taxes. I watched a community I loved and raised a family in fall apart. If we work together as good stewards of what we have, we can have a community our kids want to raise their families in.
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