Supposedly, there is an original Richard Hendee/Hendy who fled to America to escape the Huegenot persecution. Below are some family lines that I haven't proven myself. Some have been taken from genserv.com and others from the LDS site (familysearch.org). However, I should point out that these lines keep coming up through different people. Just recently I have come across two more researchers and have included their information.
The first thing that made me suspicious of the original line was the fact that an older branch of the Hendee family contained a Caleb Hendee and his wife, Caroline Ellsworth. My Charles Hendee named one of his (and Adeline Davis's) sons, George Ellsworth Hendee. It is a well known fact that the Hendees had a penchant for using surnames for middle names. It was a tradition. Through correspondence with another researcher who is a Hendee descendant I learned that she had a diary written by Caleb Hendee, jr. In the diary it says that his son, Charles Jefferson Hendee married _____ Davis in Boston. Adeline was born in Roxbury, Suffolk, MA. Charles was widowed after his first wife produced my ancestor, Samuel Charles Hendee. He married Adeline Davis in 1836. They had four children. That information can be found on the original page. Descendents of my Samuel Hendee can be found by clicking here.
For information on the Ellsworth family, click here.
As I continue to search for this family I feel that perhaps the Hendee family was here long before the original Charles Hendee was supposed to have arrived. For one thing, I recently found a family line beginning with Jonathan Hendy and Martha Millington. Their son, Caleb Hendee who was born August 30, 1745 in Coventry CT married Caroline Ellsworth. They had a son, Samuel b. April 23, 1791 in Pittsford, VT who married Abigail Paine. Caleb's son was Edward Hendee b. 8 Mar 1817, Pittsford, VT who married Mary Anne Cook. Edward's son was Charles Hendee. Besides the name Charles being a coincidence, you will note above that George Hendee carries the name Ellsworth for his middle name. It has always been Hendee family tradition to carry family surnames for middle names. Thanks to two individuals who have sent me their Hendee information I have the following to add. I have put in parenthesis the alternate dates suggested by other people.
Generation 1
Sir Richard Hendee, Captain, b. abt 1673, Killingworth, Middlesex, CT (abt 1611 in France or England and abt 1638 in Norwich, New London, CT both of which are better dates than 1673!) m. Hannah Elderkin b. 17 May 1634/44 in Dedham, Norfolk, MA, (d. 20 Jan 1741/42 or 17 May 1634/44 Dedham, Norfolk, MA) . Hannah's parents were John Elderkin b. abt 1601 (1616-abt 1659) and Abigail Perkin Kingsland (or Kingslane) b. abt 1605 Lynn, Essex, MA. Richard's surname was probably originally Handy. Their children:
Jonathan Hendee b, abt 1663 Wethersfield, Hartford, CT, d. 1688 Wethersfield.
Hannah Hendee b. January 14, 1665 New London, New London, CT m. Samuel Belden January 14, 1685 in Wethersfield, d. January 20, 1742/43 Wethersfield.
Richard Hendee, "Ensign" b. 1665/67 Windham, Windham, CT m. October 17, 1695 Windham, CT to Elizabeth Conant, d. February 6, 1742 in Windham.
Cornelius b. 1669 Sandwich, Barnstable, MA
Zaccheus b. 1671 Sandwich, Barnstable, MA
These children are also listed as children of Richard and Hannah but it doesn't make sense:
Richard Hendy (?) b. May 21, 1672 Sandwich, Barnstable, MA, m. 1734 to Anna Parmelee, d. 1759
Jonathan Hendy b. November 3, 1675 in Sandwich
John Hendy b. 1677 in Sandwich, m. November 14, 1704 in Sandwich to Keziah Oseah Wing
Hannibal Handy b. October 31, 1685 in Sandwich
Isaac Hendy b. May 20, 1688 in Sandwich
Desire Handy b. abt 1690 in Sandwich, d. January 29, 1753 in Sandwich
The above information was taken from several sources including genserv.com, genforum.com, and the LDS site, familysearch.org. Individuals whose information was on these sites were:
(Holliday) Tracye Nachelle Brewer
(Hendee) George Walter Gildersleeve
(Ellsworth/Hendee) Paul Ellison
(Hendee) David and Jane Sencer
(Hendee) Robert Reynolds
(Hendee) Janis De Lay
