Person:John Hendricks (1)

ABOUT JOHN HENDRICKS

• John Hendricks was born about 1740,
• probably in York County, Pennsylvania,
• He was one of the leading preachers in the German Baptist Church, known as the Dunkards or The Brethren.
• He was a member of that sect in York County, their church being located on the Little Conewago River.
• About 1761, John's father James moved to settle land he had been granted in Baltimore County, Maryland.
• John Hendricks remained in York County.
• 1762, ten dissenting families of the Little Conewago Congregation left in a dispute over doctrine, going west over the mountains, which they were forbidden to do by English law.
• They settled in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. They resided in what was known as the Brothers Valley and began the Stony Creek Church. This same year,

LAND PURCHASED

1762 John Hendricks purchased land from a John Wright in Berkeley County, Virginia.

ELECTED MINISTER

• 1764 John Hendricks was elected to the ministry of the Stony Creek Church .
• 1765 He was ordained it's 2nd Elder
• Later in 1765, he left the Brothers Valley, move to Berkeley County, Virginia.

MARRIED

• Around this time John went to Frederick County, Maryland (across the Potomac River from Berkeley County) where his father James Hendricks then lived. There he courted and married Frane Welty, daughter of Abraham Welty. Abraham Welty, farmer of Frederick County, Maryland,
• June 20, 1766 purchased land from Gasper Roland. Shortly after John Hendricks moved to the Roanoke settlement in southern Virginia with his bride.
• 1768 John Hendricks moved again, this time to Rowan County, North Carolina. These moves were likely due to him disagreeing with the doctrine of the German Baptist, was the reason for him to leave one congregation after another. Many members followed him when he moved. His brand of preaching was known as "strange doctrine".
• About 1773, he was reunited with his father and brothers , who came to Rowan County from Baltimore County, Maryland.
• November 16, 1773, Abraham Welty sold his land in Frederick County, Maryland and also moved to Rowan County.

COMING TO KENTUCKY

• 1774, John Hendricks startedd making trips into Logan County, Kentucky, preaching to the few settlers living in that frontier wilderness. He continued these trips until 1794.
• 1778, John lived on Pealor's Creek in Rowan County, N.C., in Captain Lyons' District. He was taxed in the amount of 320 lbs. He refused that year to take the Oath of Allegiance to the newly formed United States of America. Five months later, since he was considered a traitor for this refusal, an attempt was made to take his land away from him by the state.

ORDAINED SQUIRE BOONE

• 1780, John Hendricks "of North Carolina" ordained Squire Boone, brother of frontiersman Daniel Boone.

• Around 1782, John Hendricks, Gasper Roland, Joseph Roland, Abraham Welty and many other Brethren signed a petition on behalf of John Crouse, a Dunkard who was slow and ignorant and was about to lose his land on account of it.

==LAND TRANSACTIONS

• • September 4, 1786 Purchased 112 acres on Dutchman's Creek.
  • July 17, 1787 Abraham Welty left 100 acres to John Hendricks. This land was on Dutchman's Creek.

• • February 2, 1788 John Hendricks purchased from the heirs of Abraham Welty, 150 acres on Bear Creek for 200 lbs. Witnesses: Joseph Roland, Daniel Roland.
  • August 8, 1789 John Hendricks inherited 4 town lots in Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina from his father.

• • May 13, 1790 John Hendricks Sr. of Rowan County, N.C. purchased from James McCulloh, 4 acres located on north side of Weaver's Creek in forks of Yadkin.

• • December 5, 1792 John Hendricks granted 286 acres on the south fork of the Yadkin River. It was known as the Bear Garden plantation, being located on the Bear Creek.

• • May 29, 1793 John and Frane Hendricks sell 122 acres located on Dutchman's Creek to Jacob Little.
  • February 4, 1796 John Hendricks sold to Peter Hendricks, 100 acres on Crane Creek for 110 lbs. Witness Joseph Roland.
  • June 2, 1798 " John Hendricks of Montgomery County, Ky." sold 4 lots in the town of Salisbury, N.C. to William Hendricks of Mecklenburg Co. N.C. on August 16, 1799 Proved by oath of Joseph Roland. Witnesses: Daniel Roland, Joseph Roland and John Welty. This deed said that they were "4 lots inherited from his father James, deceased".

• • June 28, 1798 John Hendrix Sr., a planter of Montgomery Co. Ky. Sold to John Fry of Rowan Co. N.C. 4 acres for 3 lbs. Witnesses: John March, Philip Hendrix.

• • June 28, 1798 John Hendricks Sr. of Montgomery Co. Kentucky sold to John Fry of Rowan Co. N.C. 286 acres on Peeler's Creek for 137 lbs. Witnesses: Phillip Hendricks and John March.

• • On June 21, 1792, John Hendricks witnessed the marriage of his son Jacob in Rowan County.

• • In 1794,After the Brethren Annual Meeting Committee, the members of North Carolina disowned him

CAME TO KENTUCKY

Elder John Hendricks was forced to flee to Logan County, Kentucky, due to his "strange doctrine". It was probably a form of Universalism. The members of John Hendricks' church left almost in a body, following him to Kentucky, which was a large setback for the Brethren in North Carolina. 

Also in 1794, John was a partner with Philip Hendricks, Joseph Moler and Jacob Welty in purchasing land in Clark County, Kentucky. These men were all listed together on p.171 of the 1790 Rowan County census. In the next 2 years, John sold all of his land in Rowan County,

June 28, 1798, was the last sale. On the deed he was identified as John Hendricks, planter of Montgomery County, Kentucky and sold 286 acres on Bear Creek to John Fry.

TAX LIST

• 1799-1807 John Hendricks is listed in the Montgomery County, Kentucky tax lists. In records of Montgomery County, John always identified himself as "John of Berkeley". His wife was listed as being named Catherine Hendricks on an 1803 deed.

In 1804 he gave his farm there to his son Philip, but Philip gave it back the following year. He served as minister of the East Union Church in what is now Nicholas County, Kentucky. In 1808, his son John Hendricks Jr. began going by the title of John Hendricks Sr. and Elder John Hendricks was no longer found on the tax rolls.

This is strong evidence that the pioneer preacher had passed away about 1807. His widow was still alive in 1806, signing her name to a deed that year.