Nancy Hendricks vs. Nancy Hendricks vs. Nancy Hendricks

One of the best things that my aunt drilled into me as a genealogist is to PROVE IT, PROVE IT, PROVE IT!


Several family trees out there list Nancy Ann Hendricks Eddins as having died in 1870 in Monroe County. There IS a Nancy Hendricks (maybe even a Nancy Ann) who died on June 12, 1870, in Monroe County. There is also apparently a Nancy Hendricks who married James Corley and died in Mobile about 1840. However, the NH of this blog--wife to James A. Eddins, mother of Blakely and Ann Susannah Eddins--lived until at least 1880. Indeed, she shows up in the Census!!!

For the sake of clarity, let's call the wife of James A. Eddins NH#1 and the other versions NH#2. 

The basics: NAH#1 is probably the daughter of Peter Hendricks and Elizabeth Gibson. She was born between 1796 and 1800 (various censuses). See my earlier blog for my theory on her parents. 


NAH#2 was definitely born in SC, the daughter of Henry Hendricks, granddaughter of Tobias Hendrix and Margaret Sprenkels.  Those are the major facts in agreement. 


And there are lots of similarities between the two (three?). They were born in the 1790's in South Carolina, probably in the Lexington/Orangeburgh area, and maybe in the Saluda area where the many descendants of Albertus Hendrickson settled. They were undoubtedly cousins and probably knew each other. 


After that, there is disagreement as to birth year (1788, 1791, 1792, or 1805?) and mother (Hannah MNU or Isabel Luckey) and husband (Jacob Corley or Michael/Andrew Frye). 


We can easily discount the Nancy Hendricks who married Jacob Corley and died in 1840 as Nancy Ann Hendricks Eddins. NH#1 shows up in the 1850 US Census for AL with James A. Eddins in Tallapoosa County as Ann Eddins. 


Let's look at the other Nancy Hendricks, whose mother has been listed as either Isabel Luckey or Hannah.  Some show her birth as early as 1792, and some as late as 1805. Some say she married first Michael Frye at age 10 and second Andrew Frye at age 15. 


Stipulating that she married Michael, then Andrew Frye, consider this: the 1850 US Census for AL shows Andrew and Nancy Frye in Monroe County near sister Rosannah and (maybe) mother Hannah. Nancy is 57, born SC, giving a birth year of 1793. Her presence here and (Nancy) Ann's presence in the household of  James A. Eddins in Tallapoosa County are enough proof that they are two separate people.  


The same thing applies in 1860: 


The 1860 US Census for AL shows Nancy Frye in Burnt Corn, Monroe County. She is 69, which would make her birth year 1791 in SC. The 1860 shows Ann Eddings, 64, in the household of James F. Eddings of Tallapoosa.


So neither the Nancy Hendricks who married Jacob Corley nor the Nancy Hendricks who married Michael/Andrew Frye/Frey is the same person as Nancy Ann Hendricks who married James A. Eddins. 


As final proof, in the 1870 US Census for AL, Nancy Eddins is listed in the household of grandson F(rancis) M(arion) Pope in Oak Bowery, Chambers County, AL, along with daughter Z(ilpha) E(leanor) Freeman. Please see my earlier post for the proof of Zilpha as Pope's mother and Nancy Ann's daughter. The census date is September 2, 1870, and the Nancy Hendricks who died in Monroe County died on June 12, 1870.



Nancy also shows up in the 1880 US Census for AL as N. Edins in the household of daughter Z. A. Freeman on Beat 2, Opelika, Lee County.


So there you have it: Nancy Ann Hendricks Eddins lived until at least 1880. With proof.