Nathan's early life is very much a mystery. There is a Nathan Hendricks in the 1840 census of Twiggs County, GA which is probably him. I have been unable to find him in the 1850 or 1860 census, although there is a tax document which mentions him in Echols County in this time frame. His first wife is a total mystery. In the 1850 and 1860 censii, his children seem to be "farmed out" to various families in the area. There seems to be a particularly close association with David and Nancy Fenn or Fann. David Fann is listed as a school teacher in Wilkinson County, GA in 1850 and it may very well be that the children were sent as "boarding" students after Nathan's wife died (although Mary S. and Frances D. were 2 y/o in 1850). It may also be that the Fann's were relatives, perhaps of Nathan's wife. Further research on the Fann/Fenn's is needed, but so far has been unproductive.
Elizabeth Hendricks is with William Folsom and his wife, Elizabeth in 1860. She was 22 and may very well have been working as a domesticate. I can't be 100% sure this is the same Elizabeth, but the age and location certainly fit. Elizabeth Folsom is from NC, so again a family relationship is a possibility, but any definite relationship is unknown and I have been unable to find anything further on Elizabeth.
Nathan's travels are again a mystery. In his loyalty statement in 1867, he says he has been in the state for 30 years, which certainly is consistent with Elizabeth being born in GA in 1838, Nathan being in Twiggs County in 1840 and his son, John W. being born in Twiggs County in 1841 (according to John's Bible and pension records). However, his next son, William Henry Clay Hendricks, was born in Oct 1843 and states he was born in Nash County, North Carolina on his pension application. DNA of a descendant of Nathan matches with DNA of Nash County Hendricks. The two prime candidates for Hendricks' of Nathan's generation are brothers Isaac and Tignal Hendricks. For reasons I mentioned in my last post, Tignal seems the most likely suspect for Nathan's father. Tignal apparently died around 1843 and I have speculated that Nathan and his wife may have gone back to Nash County either for a last visit or reading of the will or other business related to Tignal's death and that WHC was born while they were there.
Nathan's wives are obviously another mystery. Nothing is known of his first wife and I can only assume that the first 5 children (Elizabeth, John, WHC, Mary and Frances) are all from the same wife. Death in childbirth during birth of the twins would certainly be a possible explanation and would also help explain a grieving widower getting friends, neighbors or family to take care of his kids. However, this is pure speculation without any supportive evidence. Until and unless I can find Nathan in 1850 and or 1860, his marital status remains mysterious.
His next child, Mary Jane Hendricks was born 12 Sept. 1864. Her death certificate lists her mother as Mary Chitty (and her father as Nathan Hendrix) and that she was born in Howell, Georgia, a small crossroads in western Echols County, Georgia. There is a Mary Chitty, born c1840 in the 1850 census in Barnwell County, SC, daughter of Allen and Diana Chitty. In 1860, apparently the same Mary Chitty is in Bulloch County, Georgia (which is a ways NE of Echols County near SC) is living with A. B. and Diana Chitty.
On 24 June, 1866 his next child, Martha Jane Hendricks was born. It is not known for sure who her mother is. Her death certificate lists her father as Nathan Hendricks and her mother as "don't know"! Then, on 20 March, 1868, Nathan T. Hendricks was born. His mother was Nancy Hughes. This leads to the obvious conclusion that something happened to Mary Chitty Hendricks between Sept. 1864 and sometime in 1867, perhaps as early as 1865. Another childbirth death, perhaps?
In the 1870 Echols County Census, Nathan is listed with Nancy, 40 and children "Marie" 5, Martha 3 and Nathan 1. On 10 July, 1873, Nathan married Rebecca Guthrie in Lowndes County, Georgia. In the 1880 census, Nathan, Rebecca, Mary J. 15, Martha J. 13, and Nathan T. 11.
Nathan died 1 April 1882. He had been declared senile sometime earlier according to some court documents which I will elaborate on later. Regrettably, the courthouse in Echols County burned down in the 1890's and many records were lost. He is assumed to be buried at Wayfare Baptist Church near Howell, where several of his children are buried, but if so, his grave is apparently unmarked.
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