SOME THOUGHTS ON THE ANCESTRY OF THE ELBERT COUNTY,
GEORGIA HENDRI/CK/CKS/X GROUP
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The testing has determined that we belong to the I1A Haplogroup which is
described as being “found most frequently within Viking/Scandinavian
populations in northwest Europe…” If one looks at the charts of Y-DNA
matches, it appears that the most frequent hits are in England, Germany, Norway,
Sweden and Ireland. It appears to me that this represents fairly conclusive
evidence that we are not derived from the Dutch branch of the surname. Instead,
we are directed toward the British Isles and an ethnicity that is Scandinavian
rather than Anglo-Saxon.
Many years ago, I dismissed a story that was generated in my branch of the
surname that our earliest American ancestor was originally from Dublin, Ireland.
My great grandfather’s brother, Henry Hendrix (b. 1900), told me before his death
in 1988 that our Hendrix line had originated in Dublin, Ireland. Other family
members told me that Uncle Henry had researched the family history when he
was younger, but by the time I had an opportunity to interview him on the subject
there wasn’t much he could recall other than the Ireland story. At the time, I
believed this to be so implausible that I attributed it to failing memory – maybe
even a memory of his mother’s people (her maiden name was Ennis).
Nevertheless, Uncle Henry was persistent in his claim, and he was 19 years old
when his grandfather died (William Hendrix, son of my Jesse Levi of Elbert
County, Georgia). Hence, he was old enough to know him and remember his
stories about his family.
Subsequent research on my mother’s family demonstrated that many English
religious dissenters (in this instance, Quakers) settled in Ireland in an attempt to
separate themselves from direct interference from the government and Church of
England. Many of these same individuals and/or their descendants later ended up
in America. When I was confronted with the results of my DNA testing and some
of the first names used among the Georgia group, I realized that this might be a
plausible explanation for the origins of my Hendri/ck/cks/x line.
Quakers were very prone to using Old Testament Biblical first names: Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob, Israel, Jesse, David, Joseph, Ephraim, Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah,
Josiah, Asa, Gideon, etc. I also knew that Quakers were in the habit of keeping
extensive records of their congregations (Monthly Meetings) and decided to start
looking there. As several of our number have speculated about connections to
individuals in Virginia and North Carolina I decided to begin looking there.
However, from researching my mother’s Quaker ancestry, I remembered that
many of her family had originated in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and had later
drifted down through Virginia and North Carolina. In Hinshaw’s Encyclopedia of
American Quaker Genealogy, I found the following references to individuals of
the Hendri/ck/cks/x surname in North Carolina: Solomon (1776, 1779) and Job
Jr. (1783) who married Sophia Garrett – Perquimans Monthly Meeting; Solomon
(1805), Job (1806) and Levi (1811) – Suttons Creek MM; Mary (1765) and
Content (1785) – Cane Creek MM; Catherine (1811) – Deep River MM. In the
Virginia Volume of Encyclopedia, I found a marriage bond for Robert and Lucy
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Mooman Hendricks in Campbell County, Virginia for 1798; and a marriage bond
for Bernard and Lucy Hancock Hendrick in Bedford County, Virginia for 1803.
Likewise, I found both Hendricks and Hendrickson surnames in the Salem
Monthly Meeting Records for 1733 and 1744. Also, records from the
Philadelphia MM for our surname dating 1702, 1704, 1764, 1793, etc. While this
does not demonstrate any tangible connection to our group, it does demonstrate
that there were a large group of people with our surname active in the Colonial
and Early American Quaker community and living in the areas that some of us
have speculated about in terms of our origins.
After reviewing a number of postings at RootsWeb, it appears to me that the
Hendri/ck/cks/x surname is and has been well established in Ireland. Researcher
Erica De Coursey lists a Mary Hendricks Kushman of Cleveland, Ohio born in
1835 in County Wexford, Ireland. Linda Kelly lists a Hannah Hendricks Gray as
being born in Cork, Ireland (would have been about 1760 – my estimate). Jeanne
Ross lists a James Hendricks born about 1756 in Kildare, Leinster, Ireland and
had children: Jacob, James, Isaac and Daniel. Carl Gage lists another James
Hendricks who was born in 1803 in County Wexford, Ireland (died 1904
Louisville, Kentucky). Sue Dorn lists a Miles Hendricks as being born in County
Wexford in 1796 and settled in E. Winfield, New York. Once again, although this
does not demonstrate any tangible connection of these individuals to our group, it
does prove that an Irish connection is plausible. Moreover, in his Immigration of
the Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania 1682-1750, Meyers notes the marriage of
Alice Wright (daughter of John and Elizabeth Wright of Castleshane, County
Managhan, Ireland) in 1766 to Samuel Hendricks at Menallen Meeting in
Pennsylvania (p.396). The same book also mentions Jacob Hendricks “a Swede”
living in Burlington, New Jersey (p.192).
Linda Fortson and others have pursued a brilliant strategy in trying to track down
our origins by zeroing in on Whitehead Hendrick of Elbert County, Georgia. It
appears to me to be a sound line of reasoning to assume that Whitehead has some
familial connection to our group. It also appears to me to be a sound line of
reasoning to assume that the name “Whitehead” could very well be his mother’s
maiden name – this practice was not uncommon in times past as a way to preserve
the memory of the mother’s family (since her children would naturally all carry
their father’s surname). Along these lines, it is interesting to note that a female of
the Whitehead family of Virginia and South Carolina apparently married into the
Hendri/ck/cks/x clan. We know for certain that the Whitehead family was firmly
established in both places as we find them in the records and census data for both
locations. At RootsWeb, Susan Brenner asserts that one Hillary Hendricks (b. 20
Oct 1754 in Edgecombe County, North Carolina and d. 13 Jun 1844 in Yalobusha
County, Mississippi) married one Elizabeth Whitehead of South Carolina.
Moreover, it is apparent that the couple spent time in Elbert County, Georgia as
several of their children were born there. She (Brenner) lists children: Elizabeth
(b.1788), Jeremiah (b. 1789), Hillary and Henry. Another researcher (Don
Raney) lists the following children for Hillary Jr.: Jeremiah, Lindsey, Francis,
Cy<n>thia, Violet, Ann, Willis, Alfred, Louis, William, David, Martha, Lavina,
Harrison. Do any of these names sound familiar? Some of them do for my line.
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John Hendrix lists Luke Hendrix as another son of Hillary and lists children:
Jesse, Susannah, Prather, Russell, William, Mary, John Chappell and Sarah
Adeline. At Family Search, I found the following children listed for Henry
Hendrix (son of Hillary 1754): James, Mary, Nancy, Eliza, Elizabeth, Anna,
Viney, Ephraim, John, Elisha, Winnie, Meredith. Also, is it possible that Hillary
Hendricks was connected to the Elias Hendrick and Molly Whitehead of Virginia
mentioned by Linda Fortson as a possibility in her lineage? It was not uncommon
for cousins to marry in this period. I think this is fertile ground for more research.
The deed record from Chatham County, North Carolina of 13 May 1784
demonstrates that Elias and Molly Hendrick were there before coming to Georgia,
and that Elias was the “eldest son and heir of Jesse Hendrick, late of the sd. Co.,
dec’d”.
The Estate sale for Abijah Hendricks (1810) in Elbert County lists Elias and Anna
Hendrick as co-administrators. Also listed in the document are “Cammel”,
Jeremiah and William Hendricks. Isaac Coker is also mentioned within the
document (brother of Abraham Coker, father of Cloey Coker, who married our
Jesse Levi Hendricks). Moreover, the Bond Indentures to Elias Hendricks (son of
Abijah) document (1812) lists Jacob Coker (brother of Isaac and Abraham Coker,
mentioned above). The subject of the indenture, Nelson Hendricks, could be the
son of Jeremiah Hendricks, the son of Hillary Hendricks.
After reviewing census records and my correspondence with other researchers, I
think it is also worthwhile for all of us to be looking at the Hendrick/s individuals
in Hall, Madison and Wilkes County Georgia. It is apparent from my own line
that this group branched out from Elbert County very quickly. My own Jesse
Levi had settled in Coweta County by the time of the 1830 census, and there is a
Jesse Hendrick listed in Hall County in the same census.
Lonnie Hendrix
cerdic@comcast.net