Correcting the List of Children of James (Isaac) and Mary Henderson of Onslow Co NC

This seems to be "pick on the Pike County Archives and History Society" week. First, let me point out the obvious -- I've been spending a lot of time on their site, and I'm very, very grateful it's there. Not just the Hendersons, but many families owe the Society an ongoing debt of gratitude for maintaining the work done by late Pike County historian, Morris Myers.

Although Morris was not a Henderson by blood, he invested quite a bit of effort in collecting information on the family. I consider his work on the Arkansas lines of Hendersons to be basically very sound.

However, since his passing, DNA testing has combined with new discoveries and research and some of his work has become outdated. In other words, proven incorrect.

The information I ran across tonight attached to our ancestor "James Isaac Henderson II" is a perfect example. I want to caution researchers of this line that this page on the Pike County Historical Society's website contains a number of critical errors, which, were Morris still with us, he would hastily correct. Unfortunately, his work is in archival status and these errors are out there for God and the world to read, apparently until the end of time.

So let's just run over the biggies.

Let's begin with James (Isaac) Henderson's 1700 birth date. Off by about 10 years. Based on the marriage record of his grandparents (William Henderson and Sarah Bishop m. Aug 1685 in Somerset Co MD), and the known birth dates of at least one (and possibly two) of his uncles, we can estimate his father, James (the Mariner), was born around 1690. We can also make an informed estimate of the date of birth of his son, Argalus Henderson, of about 1627-1630. Realistically, James (Isaac) was probably born no earlier than about 1708 and probably no later than about 1712, so let's go for the middle and say 1710.

Next, he wasn't born in Scotland. We now have sufficient DNA and circumstantial paper evidence to confidently state that the James Hendersons Jr. and Sr. of early Onslow County NC were descendants of the Henderson family of Virginia and Maryland's early Eastern Shore. These Hendersons had been in Virginia since at least 1661, and possibly up to about a decade prior. We cannot yet prove that the family came from Scotland, but I am investigating clues which could possibly point us towards Perthshire.

Morris states that "James Isaac Henderson II" was the son of "James Isaac Henderson I." We have no idea whether father and son had identical names. They were simply called James Henderson Sr. and James Henderson Jr. in Onslow County records when both were in residence in the county. James (Isaac) Henderson is never called "James Isaac" in any record (please read this article) and we should not state as fact that father and son both had the same middle name (though they might have).

Next, he writes that James (Isaac) married Mary Rhodes. We think he did, but we can't prove he did. There's a lot of circumstantial evidence there, but that may be as close as we ever get. We have no marriage record or other "proof positive" documentation, at least not as of this writing.

Moving on...James (Isaac) did not obtain 220 acres from Nathaniel Averitt. It was James (the Mariner) who did that, although the actual grant/deed was lost, probably in the 1752 hurricane that destroyed the courthouse (and may have also destroyed the will of the elder James). We know it was James (the Mariner) who bought the land from Averitt because a late 18th-century Onslow County record references the elder James having left the property he bought from Averitt by will to the younger James (Isaac). This, incidentally, is the single instance where the younger James is referred to as "Isaac."

Morris is correct that James (Isaac) does not mention Mary (his wife), James, Joseph, John or William in his will. He is incorrect in calling the men James (Isaac)'s sons.

Here is the list of "Children of James Isaac Henderson II and Mary Rhodes:" as shown on the PCHAS page. I have bolded the incorrect children in red:

Joseph Henderson 
William Henderson d. before 1772
Lucy Henderson
Elizabeth "Betty" Henderson
Nancy "Nannie" Henderson
James Henderson d. before 1737
Bethany Henderson
Argaleus Hercules Henderson    b. circa 1727, d. between September 6, 1804 and August, 1806
John Henderson b. circa 1741, d. 1825

Let's tackle Joseph first. Absolutely no idea where he got this. He told me that folks sent him pedigrees, which he often took on faith if they seemed reasonable. Perhaps Joseph came from one of those, but I have done quite a bit of work on the Hendersons of Onslow and Chatham Counties and so far, I have never seen the name Joseph associated with Argalus' generation of the Henderson family in either area.

Next is James.  Notice the notation that James died before 1737. This is very likely confusion caused by the fact that James Sr. (the Mariner) returned to Somerset County MD in about 1737. That created the impression that of one of the two Jameses of Onslow had died. In actual fact, James Jr. (Isaac) continued on in the county until his death between August of 1776 and April of 1780, and we know that James Sr. (the Mariner) was still living in Somerset Co MD as late as 1750. I do not know whether Senior made his will in Somerset Co MD or Onslow Co NC, but I suspect Onslow. We know as I explained earlier that there was a will, and that will left Henderson's Landing on the New River (the former Averitt property) to James Jr. (Isaac), but will has ever been found. If my speculation that it was lost in the hurricane is correct, we can infer that James Sr. (the Mariner) probably died between 1750, when he was last "seen" alive in Somerset County MD, and September of 1752, at which time his will would have had to be on file at the courthouse if it were to be destroyed by the storm. So cross "James Henderson d. before 1737" off the list of children of James (Isaac) and Mary Henderson.

Richard (the Quaker) Henderson of Chatham Co NC also had a son named James, but he was about 30 years younger than Argalus Henderson, and too young to have been a child of James (Isaac) and Mary.

Next, let's address John Henderson. Notice that he died in 1825. This is without a doubt a reference to John (of the Misfortunes) Henderson who made his will in 1823 in Chatham County NC. The will was probated in 1825. I strongly suspect that this John Henderson was an immigrant from Scotland, and I just wrote an article explaining why.

Having dispatched with the John who died in 1825, however, I need to point out that there was another John Henderson contemporaneously in Chatham County with Argalus until about 1790. He too was one of the many sons of Richard (the Quaker) Henderson (originally of Hanover County VA) who moved to the Cane Creek area of Chatham County about 1751-1752. Some or all of Richard's family moved to the Bush River Meeting in Newberry Co SC in the late 1780's. According to lists of his children that I have found online, Richard did have a son named John and also a son named William, which probably also accounts for the next alleged "brother" of Argalus...

Moving on to William. As I just mentioned, it is most probable that the William Henderson we find in the records of Chatham County in the latter half of the 18th century was one of several sons of Richard (the Quaker) Henderson. Richard also had adult grandsons named William who could have showed up in the records during the late 18th century.

In 1768 a number of Hendersons, including a William, were among the signers of Regulator Advertisement No. 9. I believe that all the Henderson signers except for our Argalus belonged to the family of Richard (the Quaker). A William is listed on the 1790 Federal Census in Chatham Co (formerly Orange) with two females of unspecified ages, and a male under 16. That is very likely a grandson of Richard (the Quaker).

However, I am keeping a wary eye out for the name William Henderson because it may be of particular interest in our larger narrative. There was an adult William Henderson living in Craven County (north of Onslow) from 1738-1749, but he is too old to be a child of James (Isaac) and Mary. In 1751 a William Henderson made a single appearance in Onslow County to stand security for the will of Samuel Moore (note that a Lucretia Moor[e] witnessed James [Isaac]'s 1770 will), however, there is nothing to indicate any connection between that William and our James (Isaac) other than the common connection to the Moore surname, which was prolific in eastern NC in the 1700's.

One reason I am particularly interested in connections with William Hendersons is that James (the Mariner) was the son of William (the Sawyer) Henderson of Somerset Co MD, and had an older brother, William (the Cordwinder) Henderson Jr., who died young. William (the Cordwinder) Henderson may have had a namesake son, also William, who was closely associated with the Thomas McClammy family who moved to Onslow Co NC in the first half of the 18th century. James --probably James (Isaac), but possibly the Mariner -- was the administrator of the estate of Thomas McClammy in 1744. I have often wondered if the William Henderson in Craven County might not have been William Henderson III of Somerset Co MD, son of William (the Cordwinder) Henderson, associate of the McClammys, and possibly a first cousin to James (Isaac), but I have never found anything to convince me one way or the other.

So there you have it. That is the most correct list of the children of James (Isaac) Henderson and his wife, Mary, of Onslow Co NC that I can assemble based on known documentation. There is no evidence to suggest that any of the four men in red on the list above were brothers to Argalus, and there is evidence to suggest that they weren't.

Revisiting the Rhodes Bible for Henderson Connections

Many years ago I became aware, although now I recall not how, that the Rhodes Family Bible contained references to several birth records that appeared to pertain to our Onslow County NC James "Isaac" Henderson family. Fortuitously, I also learned that the Bible was housed in the document collection of nearby Greensboro College, so I headed over to take a look.

Out of the case came a voluminous tome of archaic binding and musty, brittle pages. I went through that Bible with a fine-toothed comb, and although I did find many Rhodes notations, I couldn't find a single reference to a Henderson. I must have turned every page of that Bible, to no avail. Puzzled and disappointed, I photographed the Bible and returned it to the archivist.

I recently learned that there was a second copy of the Bible in the Cullen Hatch Collection in Kinston, NC (the Hatch family intermarried with that of Rhodes). It is this version of the Bible that contained the references to children and/or grandchildren of James "Isaac" Henderson.

Now that so much more documentation has become available online, I need to revisit this link, review the transcription of this alternate version of the Bible, and compare it to the one I reviewed over two decades ago. In the mean time, I would like to share this transcription by North Carolina historical and genealogical researcher Sloan Mason. All editorial comments are Mr. Mason's, but the red emphasis is mine.

I will follow up with a separate post of commentary.

The Rhodes Bible of the Cullen Hatch Collection - Transcribed by Sloan Mason

The New Testament

Of our Lord and Saviour

Jesus Christ

Oxford

Printed by Thomas BASKETT

Printer to the University

MDCCLVII

1757

An Acct. of the Ages of all the Children Belonging to Henry RHODES & Mary His Wife

Sarah RHODES was bornd March 22 1755.

Elizabeth RHODES was bornd Febr. 24th, 1756

Woodhouse RHODES borned Jany. 19th, 1759.

Oliff RHODES was bornd Febr. 16th, 1762.

Mary RHODES was bornd Aug. 20, 1766.

Henry RHODES & Eliz. WARD was married Aug. 5, 1770.

(there are 3 lines of written material circled out, unable to read,

but does have a date of 1771 on the 2nd line)

Henry RHODES son of Henry & Eliz RHODES bornd on Monday abt. 11 O'clock

in morning the 22nd of November 1773 & the 8thd day of the moons age.

Henneritta RHODES daughter to Henry & Eliz RHODES was bornd on Friday

the 4th Day of April 1777 & the days age of the moon.

(under the word April there is an arrow pointing to April, then the

word married? Than another arrow pointing to Eliz's name in line above)

Mary RHODES wife to Henry RHODES, 18 years departed this life on Monday morning about 3 O'clock the 5th day of June in the year of Our Lord 1769 in the 38th year of her age.

(page 2)

(The 2nd page of this bible is impossible to read-it may be slave records-but is impossible to know there are only a few words I can make out.)

(mid way down page)

son bornd

26th? Day of June -- Bot Him & His mother 1th May 1774

--- was bornd

in the Evening 1770

(page 3)

An Acct. of all the children Belonging to Woodhs. RHODES & Elizabeth his wife with the Ages of them.

1) Exilina RHODES was borne the 29 Day of May 1782.

2) John Hatch RHODES was bornd the 16 Day of March 1784 on

the 25 Day of the Moons Age.

3) Mary RHODES was bornd the 14 Day of September 1785

about one O'clock in the after hour?

4) Woodhs RHODES Jun. To Woodhs RHODES & Elizabeth his wife was borned

the 24 Day of Jany 1788 And the 16 Day of the Moons age about 2 O'clock

in the morning.

5) Asa Hatch RHODES was bornd the 6th Day of Jany 1790.

6) Lemuel Hatch RHODES was bornd the 19th of Febuary 1792.

7) Henry RHODES was born 25 Day of Jany 1794 Died Oct. 8th, 1849 in

the 56th year of his age.

8) Durant Hatch RHODES was bornd 9 Day of April 1797

9) Narsisey Hatch RHODES was bornd the 25 Day of December 1798.

10) Anthony Hatch RHODES was bornd the 9 Day of April 1801

11) Edmon Hatch RHODES was bornd 18th Day of Jany 1806

12) Margaret RHODES was bornd 17 Day of Feby. 1808.

(page 4)

(At bottom of page)

Zilpha FRANCK Daughter of Edward FRANCK and Elizabeth his wife, was born November 28 in the year of our Lord 1798 and was married to Henr. RHODES April 5th Day 1821.

(page 5)

(at bottom of page)

My Dear beloved Father Woodhouse RHODES departed this life on Wednesday 9th of May 1827 Just before sun down his age then was sixty eight years three months and twenty days.

----------------------------------------------------------------

(the next insertion was not in [the original] bible record, but it was in another copy

from the Cullen Hatch collection - view photocopy of record here)

Ezekiel HENDERSON and Arglus HENDERSON and Sary [Sucey?] his wife was bornd April

the 15 Day --- ---1751 177--

(page 7)

Bedence JENKIN daughter of William JENKINS and Bety his wife was bornd March the 18th day in the year of our Lord God 1771?

Charity JENKINS daughter of William JENKINS and Bety his wife was born Septem 21st day in the year of our Lord 1777 (or 1772?)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(page 6)

An account of the childrens ages Belonging to Henr. RHODES and Zilpha his wife.

1) Asa Franck RHODES was bornd the 17th of February in the year of our Lord 1822.

2) Durant Woodhs. RHODES was bornd the 1st of October in the year of our Lord 1823. No. 2 Departed Septr. 8th 1830.

3) Mary Elizabeth RHODES was bornd the 21st of September in the year of our Lord 1825.

4) Henry Emanuel RHODES was born the 7th of October in the year of our Lord 1827.

5) John Martin Franck RHODES was bornd the 2nd of July in the year of our Lord 1829.

6) Edward Haines RHODES was bornd 7th of March in the year of our Lord 1831.

7) Anthony Edmond RHODES was bornd December 13th in the year of our Lord 1832.

8) Bryan Shine RHODES was born January 12th A.D. this date 1836.

(page 7)

Hannah Rebecca RHODES was born 19th of June in the year of our Lord 1838.

Elizabeth R. HERRITAGE daughter of F. G. HERRITAGE and Penelope his wife was born Feb. 6th 1830. Was married to H. E. RHODES Nov. 9th 1848 Died Oct. 8th 1849 in the twentieth year of her age.

Henry Elizabeth (Koonce crossed out) RHODES child of the above couple was born Oct. 6th 1849. Died Nov. 7th 1849 aged one month.

Mary E. Hatch consort of Richard J. R. HATCH and daughter of Henry RHODES departed this life on the 27 Oct. 1851 in the 27th year of her age.

Henry E. RHODES & Martha PEARSALL was married April 10th 1851 being my second wife, her age being 18 years old, 3rd Day of March before,

James Henry Pearsall RHODES child of the above couple was born June 5th 1852 at 3 O'clock.

(page 8)

Benjamin Franklin RHODES was born June 15th 1854.

Martha Elizabeth RHODES was born Jan. 8th, 1856.

(page 9)

Elvy Daughter of Sam and Mehaley, his wife was born August 31st in the year of our Lord 1827.

Grace Daughter of the above was born July 24th in the year of our Lord 1829.

Daniel son of the above was born July 14th in the year of our Lord 1831.

Lear daughter of the above was born June 18th in the year of our Lord 1834.

Rilla Daughter of the above was Born June 28th in the year of our Lord 1838.

Alfred son of the above was born November 10th in the year of our Lord 1840.

Lewarer? Son of the above was born April 24th Day A.D. 1843.

Simon son of the above was born August 30th A.D. 1845.

Lucy Daughter of the above was born Nov. 5th 1848.

Jane Daughter of Elvy was born Jan. 1st A.D. 1854.

Becky daughter of Rilly was born March 19th A.D. 1857

Maria daughter of Elvy was born Aug. 11th A.D. 1857 died 1859.

Lewis on of Rilly was born April 1858.

(page 10)

Will, son of Charlot was born in November the day in the year of our Lord 1830 (day of the month forgotten)

Rose was born in September (the day forgotten) in the year of our Lord 1835 - Daughter of the above.

Thomas son of the above was born September 2nd in the year of our Lord 1839.

Hard son of the above was born May 6th A.D. 1842

Elizaan daughter of the above ws born December 3rd A.D. 1844.

Mary daughter of the above was born May 25th A.D. 1847.

(page 11)

Children of Harriet born since I bought her

Ann was born in May 1850

Venus? Was born 30th of May 1853

Lewis son of the above was born Aug. 2nd 1856.

Alfred was born in the spring 1847.

George was born in the summer 1844.

(page 12)

York son of Mitilda and York (her husband written above)

was borne A.D. October 5th 1843

Marthy daughter of the above was born June 27th A.D. 1845.

Carolina was born November 7th A.D. 1846 dead 47.

Calvin child of the above was born in the Spring 1850.

Maryann Child of Harriet was born in the Spring 1850.

END OF BIBLE RECORD

(This was in the Cullen Hatch collection, this bible was one record, several different hand writings)