The life of Peter Hendrix, NC/PA > SC > AL

Even though DNA triangulation has proved my theory that Peter Hendrix and Elizabeth Gibson were the parents of Nancy Ann Hendrix Eddins/Edins, there are still plenty of questions, like:

• When did P & E marry—really? 

• Why wasn't Nancy Ann mentioned as one of their children? 

• Why did Peter & Elizabeth move to Alabama?

There's so much incorrect material floating around the internet. In order to answer the questions above, I feel the need to lay out what can be proved with the material I have access to right now. 

The basics

Let's start with the 1850 US Census:

In the 1850 US Census for AL, Peter Hendrix is living in the household of James Hendrix in Monroe County. Peter is 85, born NC, a farmer, can read and write. Also in the household is (wife) Elizabeth, 78, born SC, can read and write.

http://interactive.ancestry.com/8054/4193064-00502/16285140?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3d1850usfedcenancestry%26gss%3dsfs28_ms_db%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26msT%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26gsln%3dhendri*%26gsln_x%3d1%26msrpn__ftp%3dMonroe%2bCounty%252c%2bAlabama%252c%2bUSA%26msrpn%3d2052%26msrpn_PInfo%3d7-%257c0%257c1652393%257c0%257c2%257c0%257c3%257c0%257c2052%257c0%257c0%257c%26msrpn_x%3d1%26msrpn__ftp_x%3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26uidh%3dwy5&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

If Peter was 85 in 1850, then his birth year was about 1765. Most material about Peter agrees with this, but I wonder if the sole source for the information is the 1850 Census? I haven't been able to find a second primary source to corroborate the exact year. But 1765 falls within the age ranges listed in other censuses, so let's go with it.

Peter's parents

We know that Peter's father was Tobias Hendrix because Tobias's Lexington County, SC, heirs signed a document granting a piece of land to John Hendrix. Date of transfer: April 30, 1807. Recorded February 11, 1815, in Deed Book B, Page 195. "We, Elizabeth Hendrix, Henry Hendrix, Peter Hendrix, Samuel Hendrix, and David Hendrix and Absalom Hendrix. For $300; 93 acres being part of a 250 acre grant originally granted to Henry Lybrand. Situated on a branch of the Saluda River called 20 Mile Branch, part also of a tract originally laid out to Christopher Keithmer and part originally granted to John Gibson. Witnesses: Jacob Rall and John Williams." The source for this information is the Lexington Genealogical Exchange, Volume I, Book 3, Winter 1981, Page 106. 

Tobias Hendrix married Margaret Sprenkels and lived at one time in PA. This we know from the will of Margaret's father William Spinkels, which was probated in York County, PA, in 1772. Tobias Hendricks is listed as the son-in-law of William, married to Margaret. Peter would have been about seven.

http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=yorkwills1749&h=2359&indiv=try&o_cvc=Image:OtherRecord

Peter's birthplace

The 1850 AL Census says Peter was born in NC, but around that time his father was moving between PA and NC. For example:

In 1768, when Peter would have been three, Tobias shows up in the Oyer and Terminez Court Papers for Cumberland County, which is next door to York County, PA: 

http://interactive.ancestry.com/2385/33018_263154-00234?pid=1667&backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3dPACourtPapers%26h%3d1667%26indiv%3dtry%26o_cvc%3dImage%3aOtherRecord&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true

By 1780, when Peer was 15, a Tobias Hendricks was in Cap. Johnson's District in Rowan, NC.  

http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2234&h=171879&ssrc=pt&tid=25172548&pid=1621314532&usePUB=true

Let's just say that Peter Hendricks was born around 1765, probably in NC or PA. His parents were Tobias Hendricks and Margaret Sprinkels.

Peter's military service

I can't find any record of it. Not on Ancestry. Not Fold3.com. Not online. 

Peter was too young for the War of Independence (11). He was 37, farming, married with children by the War of 1812—not prime soldier material. There were other wars during that time period but no record of Peter Hendrix (and other surname variations) from NC or SC or PA taking part. 

A possible explanation, though it's only a theory as of now, is that Peter and his family were Quakers. There was an active Quaker church in the Dutch Fork (Newbury/Orangeburg/Lexington/Richland Districts) at the time. This deserves more research and an additional blog entry. Till then:

http://lexingtonchronicle.com/the-quakers-of-the-dutch-fork-p15597.htm

Peter's adult life

In the 1790 US Census for SC, Tobias Hendricks is living in Orangeburg District, later Lexington County. In the household are three white males over 16, one white male under 16, one female, and no slaves. Neighbors include Snellgrove, Dreher, Adams, Pickley, Lights(ey) Amick, Michael Oswald, and John Gibson. 

http://interactive.ancestry.com/5058/4185996_00238?pid=389476&backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26db%3d1790usfedcen%26h%3d389476%26tid%3d25172548%26pid%3d1621314532%26usePUB%3dtrue%26rhSource%3d2234&treeid=25172548&personid=1621314532&hintid=&usePUB=true

There was a Peter Hendricks in Cumberland County, PA, in the 1790 Census, but that family had two males over 16, two males under 16, and four females.  No neighbors that we associate with our Hendrixes. Whereas, there are lots of families associate with our Hendrixes in Orangeburg: Amick, Snellgrove, and especially Gibson. It makes more sense to think that Peter, 25, is one of the three white males over 16 in Tobias's household—but there's really no proof. 

Sometime between before 1800 Peter got married. Probably Elizabeth Gibson. Probably. The year most written for their marriage is 1797. Maybe. There's a whole blog entry worth of material about that, so I'll save that for next time. 

The first time Peter really shows up independently is in the 1800 Census. In the 1800 US Census for SC, Peter Hendrick is living in Lexington, Orangeburgh County. In the household are one male under 10, one male 26 - 44 (Peter, 35), two females under 10, and one female 16 - 25 (Elizabeth, 28??). Neighbors include Wingard, Tobias Hendrix, Lyps, Taylor, Lea, Adams, Sea (Seay), Harmon, Fry, Gartman, Benjamin Gibson, Harmon.

http://content.ancestry.com/Browse/view.aspx?dbid=7590&path=South+Carolina.Orangeburg+District.Lexington.17&fn=Peter&ln=Hendrick&st=d&pid=494735&rc=&zp=75

In the 1810 US Census for SC, Peter Hendrex is living in Lexington County, SC. In the household are three males under 10, one male 10 - 15 (Nathan, 10ish), one male 26 - 44 (Peter, 44 to 45). There are also two females under 10, two females 10 - 15, and one female 16 - 25  (Elizabeth, 38. This is in error?). Neighbors include Dickerson, Holman, Lites (Lightsey), Gortman, Hook, Roll (Rall, Rawl), Clark, Keisler, Free (Frey), Clark, Price, Hooker, Strickland, Wim. Hendrix, Elizabeth Hendrix, Oswalt, Samuel Hendrix, Dane, Thyger.

http://interactive.ancestry.com/7613/4433429_00133/582470?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fMS_AdvCB%3d1%26db%3d1810usfedcenancestry%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26so%3d3%26MSAV%3d2%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dms_db%26gsfn%3dpeter%26gsfn_x%3d1%26gsln%3dhen*%26gsln_x%3d1%26msrpn__ftp%3dSouth%2bCarolina%252c%2bUSA%26msrpn%3d43%26msrpn_PInfo%3d5-%257c0%257c1652393%257c0%257c2%257c3245%257c43%257c0%257c0%257c0%257c0%257c%26msrpn_x%3dXO%26msrpn__ftp_x%3d1%26dbOnly%3d_F0005104%257c_F0005104_x%26dbOnly%3d_F0005106%257c_F0005106_x%26dbOnly%3d_F0005107%257c_F0005107_x%26dbOnly%3d_F0005108%257c_F0005108_x%26uidh%3dwy5&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

Brett Holcomb's Memorialized Records of Lexington District, SC, 1814 - 1825 (Historical Press 1978, ISBN: 0-89308-100-0) shows Peter selling Lexington County acreage on the Saluda River to Jacob Lites (Lightsey) in 1818 in two separate transactions. 

Peter and family seem to have disappeared in the 1820 Census. The next place he shows up is when buying a piece of land in Monroe County in 1825:

http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=0117-572&docClass=CV&sid=gnlb50rg.djp

In the 1830 US Census for Al, Peter Headen (Hendrix) is in Monroe County, AL. In the household are one male 10 - 15, one male 15 - 20, one male 20 - 30 and one male 60 - 70 (Peter). There are also one female 10 - 15, one female 15 - 20, one female 20 - 30, and one female 50 - 60  (Elizabeth). Neighbors include Reuben Headen (Hendrix), William Headen (Hendrix), Craps (Craft?), Boatwright, Henry Hendrix, Jr., Henry Boozer, Frederick Daniel (who married Susanna Hendrix), George Rawl, Rebecca Kennada, Thomas P. Kennada, Aldridge, Harbin, Griffen, Johnson, Partin, McMillian, John Stagener, David Hendrix, Benjamin Gibson.

http://search.ancestry.com/iexec?htx=View&r=an&dbid=8058&iid=4410702_00096&fn=Peter&ln=Headen&st=r&ssrc=&pid=1819695 

Peter bought land in Monroe County, AL, in 1825, 1830, and 1838. The land is mostly located around Monroeville. You can find those documents at 

http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/search/default.aspx

In the 1840 US Census for AL, Peter Hendrix is in Monroe County in an unnamed township. In the household is one male 70 - 80  (Peter). There are also one female 5 - 10, one female 15 - 20, and one female 60 - 70 (Elizabeth). There is one female slave. Neighbors include Rebecca Mitchell, Lawrence Rickard, Edmund Smith, Bozeman, S.M. Kineda (maybe the same as living next to Nancy Eddins in 1860??), Emmons, Harris, William B. Crook, James Lowl, Vinson, Sanders, See or Lee, Low, Hathcock, Newman, Road, Andrew Fry, Daniel. 

http://search.ancestry.com/Browse/view.aspx?dbid=8057&path=Alabama.Monroe.Not%20Stated.55&fn=Peter&ln=Hendria&st=r&pid=1255983&rc=&zp=75

Peter's character

Was he kind? Mean? A drunk? A spendthrift? Who knows, really? 

All we can do is extrapolate from the evidence. 

• He was a businessman and had money. We know this because he bought and sold land. A lotta lots.

Peter Hendrix & wife to Jesse O. Rawls, June 1, 1835, Book A., Page 64.
Peter Hendrix and wife to Susannah Daniel, April 27, 1840, Book A, Page 578
Peter Hendrix and wife to Susannah Daniel, January 15, 1842, Book B, Pages 65-66
Peter Hendrix and wife to Samual J. Cummings or Cunning, October 29, 1846, Book B, Page??

From Monroe County land records at the AL Archives viewed June 2011.

• He was educated and could read and write, as shown by his signature on the 1807 land sale. 

• He had a regard for family. It's pleasant that he usually included his wife on the deeds and donations.

• He was was either generous or rich enough to donate land:

From the history of the First Baptist Church, Monroeville, AL, website:

 “Property on Pineville Road was given by Mr. and Mrs. Peter Hendrix in 1846. The framed, original handwritten deed now hangs below a painting of the church in the library....”

http://www.fbcmonroeville.org/73906

• He was a farmer as shown by the 1850 U.S. Census for AL. 



In conclusion

We've come full circle to the 1850 Census, when Peter and Elizabeth were living in the household of nephew James in Monroe County, AL. 

This is all I know about Peter at the moment. When I find more, you'll be the first to know.  :-)