Few of the sons of Norwich have made a more lasting impression upon its material and moral interests than Henry Bill. Born in May, 1824, Henry was the second-born of Burdon and Lucy Bill in the northern part of Groton, now the town of Ledyard. He attended the academy in Plainfield, then one of the most celebrated schools in the country. Following graduation, he taught in the towns of Plainfield and Groton until the age of twenty. Henry accepted an offer by a relative, Hon, James A. Bill of Lyme, who owned a book publishing company in Philadelphia, to come work for him. He learned the publishing business and traveled often throughout the western states selling books door to door, which was a typical sales method at that time. After three years he returned to Norwich in 1847 to open his own book publishing company. He was encouraged by the elder Harper Bros., of New York, who recognized Henry's skills and who provided him with unlimited credit. Henry's company located at Water and Shetucket Street produced hundreds of thousands of books primarily having to do with travel or religious themes such as Alvan Bond's "History of the Bible". Henry Bill's publishing company grew and prospered over the next twenty five years. In 1865 the Norwich Board of Trade listed Henry as one of the sixty wealthiest people in Norwich with an annual income of $6,923. With ample prosperity and failing health, Henry embraced retirement. He converted his large publishing business into a joint-stock corporation which continued to flourish as the Henry Bill Publishing Company.

Henry continued to add to his wealth through wise real estate investments. He was one of the first investors to develop the Laurel Hill section of Norwich where he moved his family (River Ave. and Center Street). He donated the adjacent property to the city of Norwich now called Laurel Hill Park. As a gift to the people of his native town of Ledyard, Henry established the Bill Library and donated the Congregational parsonage. Henry was one of the founders of the Chelsea Savings Bank in 1858 and served as its first vice president until 1882.

Henry was a Congregationalist and a member of the Broadway Congregational Church here in Norwich. He was an active member of the Democratic party and represented the town of Norwich in the State Senate in 1853, receiving in the election a large portion of the votes of his opponents. In 1856, when the party spilt, he cast his lot with the anti-slavery group, and remained an active member of the Republican Party.

Henry was married to Julia O. Chapman of Groton on February 10, 1847. They had seven children. A daughter, Julia F. Bill married Joseph H. Selden; minister and chairman of the Norwich Chapter of the Red Cross.