In my newly-appointed capacity of co-admin for Group R-B3 within the Clan Henderson DNA Project, I've been intending to create a repository of documents which may become useful to testers within that group in the future. It occurred to me that one document in particular, an article which has been printed and reprinted in Clan Henderson newsletter An Canach, should be shared with a wider audience in hopes that it will begin to help researchers correct misinformation which has been perpetuated for decades.
This article concerns the persistent myth of a Thomas Henderson who supposedly emigrated from Dumfries and arrived in Jamestown in April of 1607 (or shortly thereafter). This mythical ancestor comes complete with connections to the Fordell family line (a good example of which can be seen in the work of Lucy Henderson Horton), but that's the case with many early genealogies and loosely-documented Henderson histories both in print and online.
Now. Pay attention to this part. No documentation in support of the existence of a Thomas Henderson of Dumfries or his presence in Jamestown in 1607, or of any actual documented descendants, has ever been found. Ever. In spite of the utter and complete lack of evidence, this pernicious Henderson "founding father" has even penetrated the sacrosanct records of the DAR. It's time to bury this one so that serious researchers who have been led to believe that they descend from Thomas Henderson of Jamestown can begin searching for their actual ancestors. As long as Henderson researchers are distracted by Thomas, their real ancestors -- the ones who sacrificed and braved the wilds of the New World so that we could play on Ancestry.com today -- will never receive the recognition and acknowledgement they deserve.
To help people past the erroneous Thomas, James Henderson III (dec'd) wrote The True Thomas Henderson, an article which was originally published in An Canach in 1990, and was reprinted in 1999 and 2003. The article mentions Thomas's supposed son or grandson, Richard, who married Mary, the daughter of an Ensign Washer,* and delves into clues about an actual Thomas Henderson upon whom the mythical Thomas may have been based.
I am providing links to two versions of the article: a truncated version with editorial comments and an expanded version with full details. I recommend interested parties read both to gain the fullest understanding of the origins of the myth of Thomas Henderson. These articles are posted with permission from Russ Henderson, former editor of An Canach.
Note: In the expanded version of the article the author mentions a "proven lineage" from Gilbert Henderson of Virginia's early Eastern Shore and implies that Gilbert was connected with the early Tidewater Virginia Hendersons. Recent DNA test results indicate that Gilbert Henderson was probably unrelated to the Hendersons of the Tidewater area. The DNA signature of a tester whom we believe may trace back to Gilbert Henderson of Accomack Co VA is a nearly identical match to the DNA results of numerous descendants of James Henderson of early Somerset Co MD. Based on this, we believe that Gilbert and James, who were contemporaries in 1660's Accomack & Northampton Counties, VA, may have been brothers or cousins.
*Ensign is a military designation, not a first name.
Friday, October 30, 2015
Friday, October 16, 2015
Photos and Video from Visits to the New River (Onslow Co NC) and the Pocomoke River (Somerset Co MD)
I have just uploaded a number of photos and videos of interest to the Hendersons of Somerset County, MD and Onslow County, NC.
Last month during a trip to Onslow County, Tom and I visited Sneads Ferry so that I could finally see the New River property where mariner ancestor James Henderson Sr. settled in the early 18th century. Henderson's original deed from Nathaniel Averitt was lost in the 1752 hurricane that destroyed the county courthouse, but we know that he was a neighbor to Edmond Ennett (who operated Ennett's Ferry, now known as Sneads Ferry). I believe Everett's Creek was the dividing line between the Henderson and Ennett properties. The mouth of creek can be seen in this video, and James Henderson's property is to the right (north) side. The property is now part of Camp Lejeune and access to the area is restricted due to blasting.
I took a number of photos of the New River, and also of Stump Sound, where the property of the allied Nixon family was located.
Just this past week I met with fellow-researcher Robin Henderson at the Nabb Research Center in Somerset County, Maryland. After the library closed we drove down to the ruins of Coventry Parish in Rehobeth, Maryland. Across the street is Old Rehoboth Church, the oldest Presbyterian Church in America. Both churches are located just a few hundred yards from banks of the Pocomoke River. This river, which flows through the Great Cypress Swamp, has the distinction of being the deepest river for its width in the world. The eerily still, black water served to act as a mirror in my photos and video.
Across the river is the Hickory Point Natural Area. As best we can tell from original plats and land grant records, James Henderson Senior (the original immigrant bef 1661 and progenitor of our line) probably owned property somewhere along the river in the Hickory Point Natural Area, and therefore his land is likely within range of the camera as we pan past the area. His son, John Henderson Sr., operated a ferry across the river, which likely landed near the docks where we are filming, as it would have been convenient to the church and village.
Last month during a trip to Onslow County, Tom and I visited Sneads Ferry so that I could finally see the New River property where mariner ancestor James Henderson Sr. settled in the early 18th century. Henderson's original deed from Nathaniel Averitt was lost in the 1752 hurricane that destroyed the county courthouse, but we know that he was a neighbor to Edmond Ennett (who operated Ennett's Ferry, now known as Sneads Ferry). I believe Everett's Creek was the dividing line between the Henderson and Ennett properties. The mouth of creek can be seen in this video, and James Henderson's property is to the right (north) side. The property is now part of Camp Lejeune and access to the area is restricted due to blasting.
I took a number of photos of the New River, and also of Stump Sound, where the property of the allied Nixon family was located.
Just this past week I met with fellow-researcher Robin Henderson at the Nabb Research Center in Somerset County, Maryland. After the library closed we drove down to the ruins of Coventry Parish in Rehobeth, Maryland. Across the street is Old Rehoboth Church, the oldest Presbyterian Church in America. Both churches are located just a few hundred yards from banks of the Pocomoke River. This river, which flows through the Great Cypress Swamp, has the distinction of being the deepest river for its width in the world. The eerily still, black water served to act as a mirror in my photos and video.
Across the river is the Hickory Point Natural Area. As best we can tell from original plats and land grant records, James Henderson Senior (the original immigrant bef 1661 and progenitor of our line) probably owned property somewhere along the river in the Hickory Point Natural Area, and therefore his land is likely within range of the camera as we pan past the area. His son, John Henderson Sr., operated a ferry across the river, which likely landed near the docks where we are filming, as it would have been convenient to the church and village.
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