History books don’t lie, do they?
Because four different history books give four different places my ancestors are from.
- James Hendrickson of Shelby, IN is a great-grandson of John and Eve Hendrickson: he says Wales.
- Two are great-great grandchildren of John and Eve Hendrickson (one is the nephew of James Hendrickson above) and they say Ireland or England.
- A 5x great-granddaughter of John and Eve Hendrickson says the Hendrickson family was from Denmark.
- My own Hendrickson grandfather always said we were Welsh, but I never knew if he was kidding or not.
My best guess is that the closer the generations to John and Eve, the most likely they’re correct. But family stories are interesting things and they’re not always accurate. FYI, John Hendrickson was born around 1730 — and there ARE Hendrick, Hendricks, Hendrickson and Hendrichsson families in Wales, Ireland, England and Denmark during that time period!
One thing we know for sure: the YDNA of this Hendrickson family does not match ANY of the YDNA from other Hendrickson or Hendricks families in Colonial America. So wherever John Hendrickson came from, it was a unique family line from a unique location.
James Hendrickson of Shelby County, Indiana
James Hendrickson is a great-grandson of John and Eve Hendrickson, and says the Hendrickson family is from Wales.
James is the son of James and Elizabeth Voyles Hendrickson, grandson of William and Nancy Moore Hendrickson, great-grandson of John and Eve Hendrickson.
From: History of Shelby County, Indiana: “Noble Sketches”, pages 728-729 by Brant & Fuller, 1887
“James Hendrickson was born in Mercer County, Kentucky, May 9, 1827. He was the youngest of six children born to James and Elizabeth (Voyles [sic in book]) Hendrickson, natives of Virginia and North Carolina, respectively. His mother was of English and German parentage, his father of Welsh parentage. His father, James Hendrickson, Sr., came to Kentucky when about sixteen years old.”
David D. Little of Marion County, Ohio
David D. Little is a great-great-grandson of John and Eve Hendrickson, and says the Hendrickson family is from England.
David D. Little is the son of Simon Peter Little, grandson of Adam Little and Mary Hendrickson, great-grandson of Simeon and Fanny Hendrickson, great-great-grandson of John and Eve Hendrickson.
From: 1883 History of Marion County, Ohio, pages 929-930.
“Simon Peter Little was born in Maryland in 1807, and was the son of Adam and Mary (Hendrickson) Little, he of New England parentage, and the latter of English origin.”
Alexander Breeding of Adair County, Kentucky and Johnson County, Indiana
Alexander Breeding is a great-great-grandson of John and Eve Hendrickson, and says the Hendrickson family is from Ireland.
Alexander Breeding is the son of Alexander and Mary E “Polly” Hendrickson Breeding. Mary is likely the daughter of James Hendrickson and Elizabeth Voyles (Mary is a sister to James Hendrickson of Shelby, IN above) and a great-granddaughter of John and Eve Hendrickson. That makes Alexander Breeding in this history book the great-great-grandson of John and Eve Hendrickson.
From: History of Johnson County Indiana by David Demaree Banta, (1888 edition) page 401.
“His parents are David and Mary (Hendrickson) Breeding, the former of Scotch, and the latter of Irish, descent.”
Pearl Belton Payne of Enid, Garfield, Oklahoma
Pearl Belton Payne is a 5x great-granddaughter of John and Eve Hendrickson, and says the Hendrickson family is from Denmark.
Cherry Laura Van Deusen Pratt, in “The genealogy of Rev. W. H. Van Deusen” book (page 61) asks her family where they’re from. They say the Hendricksons are Danish.
William Thomas Hendrickson was born in Casey Creek, Adair, Kentucky around 1820 to Isaac Hendrickson III and Mary Knifely. He married Elizabeth “Betsy” Wethington. Eliza Ellen Hendrickson Belton is their daughter; Pearl Belton Payne is Eliza’s daughter and William Thomas Hendrickson’s granddaughter.
When Pearl says “mother” in the first sentence, she means Betsy Wethington Hendrickson (and says the Beltons were from England). When Pearl says “grandfather” in the second sentence, she’s referring to William Thomas Hendrickson and says the Hendrickson family is from Denmark.
Pearl Belton Payne was the great-great-great-great-great (5x) granddaughter of John and Eve Hendrickson.
This doesn’t leave us much real information, does it?
This reveals how our parents and relatives tell us stories that may or may not be true. My grandfather always told us we were Welsh…but I have my doubts!
Kinfolk Journal 