The Various Colonial Era Hendrickson and Hendricks Families (and their DNA)

Note: this is a work in progress. I’ll update it as I find more information.

Just when you think you’ve never met another Hendrickson besides your closest family members, let me introduce you to the wide world of Hendricksons and Hendricks in the Colonial era in America. These are families that live in America from the 1600s through 1780.

Because migration patterns were similar for early Americans, it’s not uncommon for two families with the same name to be in the same place at the same time — and NOT be related at all. Every time I find “my” Hendricksons in the same place as another Hendrickson family line, I’ll write about them so you can keep track and not be confused about seeing a lot of mismatched Hendricksons in the same place.

Most people used Hendrickson, Hendricks or Hendrick before the Revolutionary War. Occasionally a hurried clerk might shorten it to Hendrix or Hendrixson, but the consistent use of the “x” in the surname came much later, in the 1800s.

In order to find my Colonial Hendricksons, I had to figure out which Hendrickson families we were NOT a part of.

Of course, DNA helps: there are paternal DNA haplogroups and maternal DNA hapolgroups. These haplogroups are passed down, father-to-son and mother-to-daughter.

My Hendrixson haplogroup is R-M256. So, for instance, if another Hendrickson family is I-M253 or I-P37, we’re not related.

But having the same haplogroup is no guarantee that you’re in the same family. R-M256 is one of the most common haplogroups for people of western European descent.

A note about the real origins of immigrants

Before we head into each State, you’ll want a little background information on Colonial immigration patterns, both in America and in Europe.

England and Holland/Netherlands

There was a lot of trading between England and Holland in the 1600s, and many Dutch settlers moved to England. Therefore, we can’t be sure that those Hendricksons coming from England aren’t originally from Holland.

And, of course, you know the story of the Puritans, who did just the opposite: they moved from England to Holland to avoid religious persecution, and eventually made their way to Massachusetts starting in 1620.

Scotland and Ireland

In about 1606, King James VI of Scotland (who was also James I of England) wanted to colonize (and tame) parts of Catholic Ireland. So he sent Protestant Presbyterians from Scotland to colonize Northern Ireland in the Ulster area, and some migrated to Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. The Ulster Scots continued to migrate from Ireland to America (so we call them Scots-Irish in America) throughout the Colonial period.

Sometimes you’ll see a Hendricks or Hendrickson who appears to be from Ireland, but his family was originally from Scotland. This very, very large group of Scots-Irish form a backbone of immigration to America during this time period. They’re adventurous personality trait made the perfect to go into the western frontier at settle the wilderness.

England

There are many records of Hendrickson, Hendricks and Hendrick families in England during the 1600s and 1700s. Some might be native to England, some might be from Holland, Germany, Sweden, or any of the other patronymic-naming cultures.

Germany

There are definitely German Hendricksons (son of Heinrich) that come to America in the 1600s and 1700s. A large group settle in Philadelphia and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and go by the name Hendricks.

Sweden and Finland

There’s a huge population of Hendricksons in Wilmington, Delaware all the way back to the 1600s. They were part of the immigrants who created a “New Sweden” in New Castle County and beyond. Much of their focus is around the Old Swedes Church.

Wales

My grandfather always said we were Welsh. Truthfully, there are hardly any Welsh Hendricksons in old records. Sorry, Grandpa!

There are Welsh migrants to many parts of Colonial America, including the Welsh Tract to the west of Philadelphia in 1684. It’s worth investigating if any of them are Hendrick, Hendricks or Hendrickson.

A note about the well-researched Hendricks Hendrickson lines

Lazy genealogists try to connect their ancestors to whichever Hendricks or Hendrickson line is well-researched. These well-researched lines include:

• Albertus/Tobias Hendrickson/Hendricks line in Chester and Lancaster counties, Pennsylvania (Dutch)
• Hendricksons of Long Island, NY and Monmouth county, NJ lines (Dutch)
• Hendricksons in Wilmington, Delaware line (Swedish and Finnish)

When I was researching all the different lines below, many online trees indicated they were part of the PA, NY or NJ families, without proof.

I understand that it’s more comfortable and easy to simply select a family line because it’s easy to find corresponding trees. But if we’re to be honest and honorable to our ancestors, we need to find records to back up our claims. Copying someone else’s tree isn’t enough. Just because “everyone says so” doesn’t make it true in genealogy!

Virginia

Cumberland County, VA – John Hendrick is on the 1775 soldier roster from Cumberland County, VA. I don’t know who this John Hendrick is.

Fairfax County, VA

• John Hendricks/Hendrix supposedly is born in 1756 Fairfax according to DAR records. He served in the Revolutionary War from Virginia in 1777. He dies in Wautauga, TN in 1844. The Frontier Hendricks suggest he might be associated with the Albertus/Tobias line. His father, John/Nathan supposedly dies in Frederick County, VA in 1764.
• James Hendricks who serves in the Revolutionary War as a Major, Lieutenant Colonel, then Colonel, in the Virginia Continental Line. Davenport suggests John and James are the sons of John Hendricks and Rebecca Worley, great-grandsons of Albertus Hendrickson. Davenport says he’s from Frederick, VA, too.

Frederick County, VA – James Hendricks is on the rent rolls in Frederick County, VA in 1764. In The Frontier Hendricks, Davenport says he’s the son of John Hendricks and Rebecca Worley, great-grandson of Tobias Hendricks. He might be associated with the Fairfax County, VA family. This area is now Jefferson County, WV.

King William, Caroline and SpotsylvaniaCounties, VA – Hance Hendricks of Pamunkey Neck VA is hapologroup I-M253. Online research differs about whether he was from Holland or England.

Loudoun County, VA – This is my family line. John Hendrickson first appears here on the tax list in 1760. He leases land in 1765, and sells that lease somewhere around 1769.

Orange County, VA – John Hendrick signs the Ten Thousand Names petition for religious tolerance in 1776. This was a petition by non-Anglican citizen (Baptists, Presbyterians, etc.) who did not want pay taxes to support the Anglican Church of England, especially after the Revolutionary War. Actually, many citizens wanted to do away with the Church of England in the States, as Americans were now at war with England. I don’t know who this John Hendrick is.

North Carolina

Perquimans County, NC – There were Hendricks and Hendrickson Quaker families in the Perquimans Monthly Meeting starting in 1776.

Pasquotank County, NC – There is a Hendricks Quaker family living here in the 1742. They are recorded in the Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy. Listed in Pasquotank Monthy Meeting minutes: Abraham Hendrix, Elisabeth Hendricks White, Martha Hendrix Pendleton, Sarah Hendrix.

New Jersey

There are several Hendricks and Hendrickson families in New Jersey in the Colonial era:

I’m not sure what the DNA haplogroup is for some of these NJ Hendrickson lines; if anyone knows, please contact me.

Monmouth and Middlesex Counties, NJ

This is the line of Daniel Hendrickson, who came to Monmouth County from Long Island New York. His father was Hendrick Willemz (his sons would be called “Hendrickson”), born in Barneveld, Gelderland, Netherlands (Dutch family). See the book (online) Early Dutch Settlers of Monmouth County. and Del Leavitt’s article in the “Monmouth Connection” newsletter from January 2011 (PDF). Their haplogroup is R-M269 (same as “our” Hendricksons, but there are many marker differences so possibly not related, or related way back in time.)

Mercer and Hunterdon Counties, NJ

I’m still working on this family and haven’t discovered their original roots.

William Luna Hendrickson built a house in Lawrencville, NJ in 1767. They’re probably Dutch as Guisbert Hendrickson made a will and inventory in 1776 in what was then “Burlington County, West Jersey” which is now Mercer County, NJ. Might be connected to the Monmouth families. I’ll add info as I discover it. More information can be found in Genealogical and Personal Memorial of Mercer County, New Jersey, Volume 2.

Sussex and Warren Counties, NJ

There is a Peter Hendrickson in Sussex County (probably today’s Warren County) New Jersey in 1780. In a Stillwell family genealogy book, it mentions that Nicholas Stillwell died at the home of his son-in-law, Peter Hendrickson, in 1780 Sussex County. Peter Hendrickson married Anna Stillwell in 1756 in New York state (possibly Long Island). Peter’s son, Joseph, stays in the area, eventually dying in Asbury Township, Warren County, NJ around 1850. Warren County was part of Sussex County until 1824, so Hendrickson marriage, census and tax records show Sussex County until the split in 1824.

However, online trees say that Peter’s father, Peter Sr, was from New Castle, Delaware, and is buried in Old Swedes Church in Wilmington, Delaware. So why would Peter Jr marry in New York if his family was from Delaware?

Note that Nicholas Hendrickson (“of Sussex County”) marries Catherine Mershon (“of Amwell, Hunterdon”) in 1783 Amwell, Hunterdon, NJ. It’s possible that Nicholas is the son of Peter and Anna Stillwell Hendrickson, since her father is also named Nicholas. Nicholas Hendrickson is born before 1762, which would fit with the Peter/Anna marriage in 1756. Mansfield Township, Sussex County (now Warren County) is about 35 miles from Amwell, Hunterdon, so it’s not impossible to think there’s a relationship between Nicholas and Peter.

In 1773, there is a John Hendrickson in Oxford Township, Sussex (now Warren) county on the tax list. He’s too old to be a son of Peter. I wonder if he’s Peter’s brother? But that John lives and dies in Wilmington, Delaware. So who is this John Hendrickson who is living near Peter in 1773?

Definitely, more research needs to be done on all the Hendricksons in Sussex and Warren counties in NJ — who they marry, where they’re from, and where they go to. They might be connected to the Long Island NY and Monmouth County NJ Hendricksons.

Gloucester, Burlington, and Salem Counties, NJ

• One line of Hendricks/Hendrickson from these counties is from the Swedish and Finnish Hendrickson family in Delaware. Some members used Hendricks. There is an account from 1679 of a log house built by Jacob Hendricks in “the Swedish mode.”

• There is a Quaker Hendrickson family in Salem County, NJ in the mid-1700s. John who left the Salem Monthly Meeting to join another society in 1744. (The record doesn’t say which society he moved to, but the actual record says “outgoing from Friends” which implies he’s leaving the Quakers. He asks for more time to think about it.) Mary Hendrickson was “disowned”‘ from the Salem Monthly Meeting because she joined the Baptists in 1744. These two might be the John Hendricks who marries Mary Barber at the Salem Monthly Meeting in 1733/John Hendrickson who married Marcy Barber in 1733. This also might be the same John Hendrickson whose mother is Elizabeth (Unknown maiden) Hendrickson Manering “Maneran” (she marries John Manering in 1727 in a Methodist Church) who signs the consent for his marriage to “Marcy” Barber in 1733. I don’t know who Elizabeth Hendrickson Manering’s first Hendrickson husband is. These might be part of the Swedish Hendricksons from Delaware, as many of them migrated to southern NJ. (There are Hendricksons in Salem in the 1600s.)

Pennsylvania

There are at least four different DNA haplogroups for the Pennsylvania Hendricks and Hendrickson families – see my blog post about it.

Bedford County, PA

Andrew Hendrickson died in Bedford County, PA in 1779. In tax records, his name is sometimes Hendrix or Hendricks, and is in Bedford County as early as 1773. This family is in Brothers Valley Township in the 1770s. This may be the family that moves to Elk Lick Township, Bedford, in the 1780s.

Online trees say Andrew is born in New Castle, Delaware, but I’ve not seen any proof of that.

In his will, Andrew names his children: John, James, Andrew, Ephraim, and Mary (married to William Tissue), and wife Jane.

Note that part of Bedford County, PA became Somerset County, so records are in both places.

There’s only one listing for Andrew of Bedford in FamilyTreeDNA, and that haplogroup is I-P109/I-M253.

If that’s true, Andrew Hendrickson is not from the Albertus/Tobias line because the Albertus line is haplogroup I-M223. (In the Frontier Hendricks research, author Davenport says he’s not sure where Andrew is from.)

However, the Daniel Hendrick line from Haverhill, MA is I-M253, as is the Hance Hendricks line. That doesn’t mean they’re related: I-M253 might be a very common haplogroup.

Bucks County, PA

Several of the Bucks County Hendrickson families are related to the Presbyterian church:

Nancy Hendrickson, aged 8, died in February 1784 and is buried at Deep Run Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Bedminister Township, Bucks County. She shares a gravestone with Nicholas Hendrickson (below). Note that the gravestone might say 48, not 8, in which case she may be Ann Mains. “Nancy” is a derivative of “Ann” like “Maggie” is for “Margaret” or “Polly” is for “Mary.”

Nicholas Hendrickson, died February 1788, aged 37 (born 1751). He is buried at Deep Run Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Bedminster Township, Bucks County. Per the Deep Run website, many of the original congregants were Scots-Irish Presybyterians. Nicholas’s grave has a Revolutionary War medallion on the grave, but Ancestry and Fold3 have no information on a soldier named Nicholas Hendrickson fighting in the Revolutionary War.

This Nicholas is in Philadelphia (Germantown) for several years after his marriage, per tax records, then moves to Bucks County around 1778. Because of this, I suspect he is the Nicholas Hendrickson who marries Ann Mains.

He may be associated with the Hendricksons in Chester County, PA, as some of them also married in Christ Church, Philadelphia — or perhaps the Burlington, NJ Hendricksons, who were Quaker.

(Note: There is some confusion about two Nicholas Hendrickson marriages from this timeframe: one to Ann Mains in Philadelphia (1773) and one to Catherine Mershon in Amwell, Hunterdon County, NJ (1783). I believe they are two different Nicholas Hendrickson men, not one person. The Mershons are Presbyterian and Amwell is nearby. It’s possible this Nicholas is attached to one of those marriages, and the other is the Nicholas who dies circa 1815 in Adams County, Ohio. Also note that Bedminster, Bucks, PA is just across the river from Amwell, Hunterdon, NJ, so he may be related to those Hendricksons.)

On January 14, 1791, at Neshaminy Presbyterian Church (south of Doylestown, Bucks County, in Hartsville, PA), Susanna Hendricks of Moreland, Montgomery County, PA married John Hubbs. Is this the widow of Nicholas? Or one of the Towamencin, Montgomery County Hendricks?

John Hendrickson, born 1762, is buried in Bensalem Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Bucks County, PA in 1846. There’s a Alghy Marie Hendrickson buried in the same churchyard, died 24 Sep 1855. 20-30 years old. There’s a Tobias Hendrickson born about 1788 who is listed in Bensalem, Bucks from 1832-1863. He appears to be living with his brother John (and John’s wife, Gertrude) and sister Mary Hendrickson. Brother John dies in Monmouth County, NJ so perhaps that’s a clue to this Bensalem family.

I’m not sure how any of these people are related to bigger families, but the Presbyterian Church references might give researchers a clue.

Chester and Lancaster Counties, PA – This is the line of Albertus Hendricks, who was born 1641 in Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands. He was an indentured servant who originally came to Philadelphia/Delaware, and after his indentured time was up, moved to Chester County, PA. Many of these early Hendricks were Quaker in the beginning, less so after the 1740s. Some moved to the eastern side of the Susquehanna River to what is now Lancaster County, PA.

John Scott Davenport deeply researched this family line and wrote an analysis with records in the two-volume report, The Frontier Hendricks. Note that Davenport had to make some educated guesses in his work, as it was done pre-DNA. But as we now know, there are several different Hendricks and Hendrickson families living in close proximity to each other in PA and VA, but that doesn’t mean they’re related. Too bad Davenport is dead; he would have loved to make the final connections to all the records he found and the DNA results we now have! Their haplogroup is I-M223.

Note: The Frontier Hendricks PDF is no longer available online at FamilySearch. Good thing I downloaded a copy when I could! A good reminder to us all: the record you see online today might be gone tomorrow. Download it and indicate where it came from.

Montgomery County, PA – this line originates from Germany with Willem Hendricks. He signs an affidavit of fidelity to William Penn when he arrives in Germantown, PA (Philadelphia area) with his family in 1685. The family mostly stays in the Towamencin and Abington, Montgomery County, PA area until after the war, and many of them are Mennonite.

Westmoreland County, PA – Daniel Hendricks, and his sons Abraham, Daniel and Absolom are in Ligonier, Westmoreland County beginning around 1780 or earlier. Online trees have tried to connect this family with the Albertus/Tobias line, however Martin Hendrix, administrator of the Hendricks DNA Project on FamilyTreeDNA confirmed to me in 2018 that the Springhill, Fayette Hendricks family DNA matches the Daniel Hendricks of Haverhill, MA family.

York County, PA – Adam Miller Hendricks supposedly was born in 1721 in Baltimore, though I have never seen a record that proves this. He dies in Shrewsbury, York County, PA. Online trees have tried to connect him to the Albertus/Tobias Hendricks line, but his DNA hapologroup is R-M269 and the Albertus line haplogroup is I-M223.

New York

Long Island and Albany – originally from the Netherlands, some of these Dutch Hendricksons eventually move into Monmouth and Middlesex counties in New Jersey. I’m not sure if it’s the same family that goes into Mercer and Hunterdon counties in NJ, and I’m not sure if all NY Hendrickson families have the same DNA hapologroup.

Delaware

Wilmington, DE – Swedish and Finnish people migrated to Delaware in the early 1600s, some of the earliest inhabitants of America. They created “New Sweden” in the Delaware Bay area.

Hendrick Jacobson (“Jacob’s son”) arrived in America in 1654 from either Sweden or Finland. He died in New Castle, Delaware. Because people from the Scandinavian countries use a patronymic naming system, his sons take on the Hendricksson surname (yes, two “ss”); his daughters take on the Hendricksdotter surname. Later the men begin to use Hendrickson.

The Swedish Colonial Society in Philadelphia has much information on these immigrants who created New Sweden in America. There are also many records in the Old Swedes Church.

One of the oldest houses in America that still stands is the Hendrickson House in Wilmington, Delaware. Looks cozy, doesn’t it?

Maryland

Cecil County, MD – Hendrick Hendricksson, son of Hendrick Jacobson (of New Castle, DE) moved to Cecil County, MD, along with is brother Bartil. These Hendricksson men are originally from Delaware. Their children use the surname Hendrickson.

Kent County, MD

• John Hendrickson was born before 1701 in Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands, is on the tax levy books here in 1722, and naturalized as an English citizen in 1730. He may be the son or grandson of one of the Cecil County Hendrickssons, as Kent and Cecil counties are next to each other. Or he may be completed unrelated to them!
• There is also a 1719 court case with Henry Hendrickson. I don’t know if it’s the same family as John.

Baltimore County, MD

• 1668 – August 3, 1668: Hendrick Hendrickson, planter, and wife Juniber conv. [conveys] to William Howard, planter, the tracts Hendrick and Hendrickson, each 50 a., on the south side and at the mouth of Elk River. Also, 4 March 1668/9: Bartlett Hendrickson, planter, conv. to John Cocks 200 a. (These are probably Hendrick and Bartil of Cecil County, MD, see above.)
• 1748 – John Hendrickson marries Ruth Sing in St. John’s Parish, Baltimore City, Maryland. Ruth was christened at the Saint Paul Protestant Episcopal Church, Baltimore (City), Maryland. They appear to live in Baltimore County, Maryland.
• 1755 – Moses Hendrickson, possibly born in Baltimore County, Maryland in 1755. Fights in Revolutionary War from Maryland (sea service, which indicates he was possibly from one of the coastal Maryland counties). Dies in Dearborn, Indiana in 1842. His War pension application and letters indicates he has a sister in Baltimore circa 1833, but isn’t sure if she’s still living. He may be the son of John and Ruth Sing Hendrickson, above.
• 1760s – There are several Hendrickson/Hendrixson marriages in Baltimore County starting from 1760s. I’m not sure who all these Hendricksons are.
• 1770s – a Hendricks marriage in 1778, a James Hendrickson serving in the military in 1779 – Revolutionary War, and a McHendrich (really!) serving in the War in 1778.
• I haven’t discovered yet which families these individuals belong to.

Talbot County, MD

1733, Henry Hendricks on tax records. 1740, Henry Hendrix marries Esther Eubanks.

Frederick County, MD

• 1765 – Hendrick Hendrickson is mentioned in the Maryland Gazette as being from Frederick, MD
• 1775 – Henrick (sic), William and John Hendrickson on the Revolutionary War muster rolls from Frederick, MD. William’s pension application says he was born in New Jersey. I can’t place the other men, and they might not be related to one another.
• 1778 – Frederick Hendricks, Sr was supposedly born in 1778 in Frederick County, MD per his FindAGrave profile and his 1850 census record from Green County, Indiana. I include him here, but haven’t researched him yet.

Massachusetts

Haverhill, Essex County, MA – Daniel Hendrick of Haverhill, MA. His descendants include a Hendricks family in Fayette County, Pennsylvania at the same time our Hendrickson family was there. See the online book, The Hendrick Genealogy: Daniel Hendrick of Haverhill, Massachusetts and His Descendants. Their haplogroup is I-M253.

Connectictut

Fairfield County, CT – Hendrick Hendricksen family, unknown if they’re related to the Haverhill Hendrick family. He was in Fairfield, CT as early as 1655. Children and grandchildren shortened it to Hendrick. (The Hendrick Genealogy book indicates that they don’t know if there’s a relationship between the CT and MA Hendrick families.)

There may be more Hendrick, Hendricks and Hendrickson families in Colonial America. I’ll add them here as I discover them.