At the age of 14, Connell left home to work at steam driving in northern Maine.
[1] Connell returned to British North America and worked as an engineer on the steamship John Waring.
He was unhappy with the drudgery and small pay of his job and decided to leave the county to find employment.
He and his brothers, Charles and William, invested in the Vulcan Foundry, which became Connell Bros. Henry was the head and manager of the company.
[1] From October 22, 1892, to January 17, 1895, he was a member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick for Carleton County.