My Genealogy Hound

William H. Hendrix, is a farmer, stock dealer, and prominent citizen of the Eighth District, and is the son of James and Martha (King) Hendrix, and was born in Dickson County, 1835, being one of a family of nine children, six of whom survive. His father was born in Humphreys County in 1808. His grandfather, Abner Hendrix, was a native of North Carolina, and afterward settled in Humphreys County, Tenn., where he spent the remainder of his days. He was one of the earliest settlers of that county, there being at one time but few others there. James Hendrix, our subject’s father, received a limited education, followed farming, and when twenty-two years of age married Miss Martha King, and immediately after removed to Dickson County, remaining there until 1847, when he moved to Dyer County, where he remained until his death, in 1852. Mr. Hendrix was a native of Humphreys County, born in 1810, and died in September, 1882. Our subject was raised at home, but never attended school but a few months, but being a close observer, and persevering and ambitious, he obtained sufficient education to make a good business man of himself. March, 1858, he married Miss Minerva J. O’Neal, by whom he had ten children, eight of whom are living; Sarah Alice, wife of L. H. Chitwood; Idora F., wife of I. W. Sawyer; Emma J., wife of W. J. Sawyer; James H., Martha Belle, Minnie Beulah, George T. and Mollie Etta. The first year after his marriage he spent as an overseer, then bought a tract of fifty acres and commenced farming for himself. In 1884 he moved to his present farm of 221 acres of good land, located six miles southeast of Newbern, on the Dyersburg and Trenton road; he also owns 664 acres in three other tracts in the same district, besides 167 acres in the Fourteenth District. Mr. Hendrix commenced life without anything, and acquired the large estate by his own efforts. Mrs. Hendrix died September, 1876, and April, 1879, he married Mrs. Lucy A. Doak, daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth Smith, by whom he has one child, Marcenas B. Mrs. Hendrix is a prominent Methodist, and was born in Dyer County about 1841. Mr. Hendrix is a Democrat; his first presidential vote was for James Buchanan; he is a member of the Masonic fraternity and the K. of H. In 1866 he was elected magistrate in the Eighth District, and has since held the place, giving satisfaction to all.