Henry Massie Rector (May 1, 1816 – August 12, 1899) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the sixth governor of Arkansas from 1860 to 1862.

The constitution of Arkansas was rewritten reducing the term of office for Governor to two years.

At the Arkansas secession convention in March 1861, Rector addressed the convention in an oratory urging the extension of slavery: The area of slavery must be extended correlative with its antagonism, or it will be put speedily in the 'course of ultimate extinction.'

The South wants practical evidence of good faith from the North, not mere paper agreements and compromises.

They believe slavery a sin, we do not, and there lies the trouble.Rector left office in 1862 and served as a private in the state militia for the rest of the war.

His son, Elias, ran for Governor of Arkansas twice and served in the Arkansas House of Representatives for several terms, served as Speaker of the House, and married the daughter of Senator James Alcorn of Mississippi.