The Parents of Richard Henderson

NEW Thanks to the diligence of Dennis Henderson, we're able to reveal the first comparison of Y-DNA results between a descendant of Richard Henderson of Troublesome Creek and Samuel Henderson (1700-1783), founder of the "Granville Hendersons". The results indicate a close relationship and the two contributors have been placed in the same "family" group in the Clan Henderson DNA Project. While awaiting deeper results, we can still comfortably affirm that the Hendersons of Troublesome Creek and Granville County shared a common male ancestor either on this continent or shortly before their emigration from Scotland. In order for these findings to be confirmed, additional Y-DNA results from Troublesome Creek male descendants should be tested by Family Tree DNA and submitted to the Clan Henderson DNA Project and this website. If interested, contact me at nancy@nancysdeadrelatives.com.

Supporting the Y-DNA findings are the Christian names appearing in each family.[1] Troublesome Richard, however, was never as affluent as the Granville Hendersons. Nor did there seem to be much association between the families, who were, after all, living in such close proximity. One would expect to see many instances of them witnessing each other's deeds, marriages, and wills, and acting as bondsmen, but there are not. It's true that Thomas Henderson does seem to have witnessed two deeds for land near Richard in 1788 and 1790, but Thomas was court clerk during those years. Had our Richard or his father been disinherited?

In attempting to discover Troublesome Richard's place in the Granville family, several have suggested that Richard's father was Sheriff Samuel's supposed brother, Nathaniel Henderson, born c. 1714 in Goochland County, VA. Nathaniel's wife was Patience Harris or Elizabeth Alexander; perhaps he was married to both. He died in South Carolina in 1789, mentioning son Richard in his will, but without giving any hint regarding Richard's place of residence.[2]

The only family story dealing with Richard's origins came in a letter written by Lorinda C. Henderson, his great-granddaughter, in 1903. Lorinda's information came from father Nathaniel, age 81, who was then residing with Lorinda. Her letter was transcribed and typed in 1933 and 1934 with other fragments of correspondence added in 1941.[3] I've transcribed it exactly, even down to the asterisks, so that I can add my own questions and comments, which appear in red. . . .

I can't add very much information to what I have already given. We have no proofs but my father thinks he remembers things just right.

He says it is all a mistake about his father being disinherited for marrying Lucy Paris. He says Lucy Paris was of a good family and very much liked and that she staid a part, if not all the time during the war with his grandfather Henderson. Father remembers Lucy's brothers but has no recollection of her parents. Thinks possibly they were dead. Lucy was very young [emphasis mine] at that time. He says he knows his father [John] was not disinherited for he took care of his father [Richard] after some of the older children left N. C. and that I can tell you that my grandfather inherited some of the land which his father got from the British Gov't. The "war" must have been the Revolutionary War if Lucy was very young at the time. John and Lucy were married with one child by 1790. John was Richard's eldest child so any reference to older children was incorrect. Land obtained from the Crown would have been before the Revolutionary War, yet the earliest land for Richard - land that we're aware of in any case - was entered in 1778 and granted in 1784. Was this land in Virginia Colony c. 1770?

Now my dear, I have only pleasant memories of your independent ways and bright little face when I visited your grandmother.

John Henderson, born in Scotland, came to this country about 1770. Name of wife forgotten, had seven children. Samuel, Joseph, daughter married Lytle, John married 1st Lucy Paris (mother of Agrippa), 2nd Lelitha Jane Cook (mother of Nathaniel), daughter married Moore, Richard and Williams. The first John Henderson, my father's grandfather was in the Revolution from beginning to end and was once taken prisoner. John's father was actually Richard of Troublesome Creek, who named eleven children in his will.

A letter from Margaret dated Feb. 23, 1934 says "I do not recall now during which war Lucy Paris stayed with her father-in-law".

------- her people [Lelitha Jane Cook's people] were in that war. My father says that both Riley and your grandfather were mistaken.

Agrippa Henderson and my father, Nathaniel Henderson, are half-brothers. Their father's name was John. He was married twice. Agrippa's mother's name was Lucy Paris and father's mother's name was Lelitha Jane Cook of Scotch descent.

Father's grandfather's name was, also, John and perhaps his wife's name was Nancy Webb. Father doesn't remember his grandmother's name. Who was Nancy Webb?

Father, also, thinks you are mistaken about any of his people being in New Jersey or Conn. Father says his grandfather, John H., did not come to this country until about 1770 or perhaps a little later [emphasis mine] and that his father (also called John) was born in 1767 and was the oldest of seven children. When they first came to this country they settled near Richmond, Va., afterward they went either south or west except one of my Father's aunts who married a man named Lytle. None of the family liked him and so she was lost sight of. His other aunt married a man ------------. If his grandfather didn't come to this country until 1770, why did Nathaniel claim in the 1880 Census that his father was born in VA? If John was "the oldest of seven children" why did he relate in the earlier letter that his father John had taken care of his father, i.e. Richard, "after some of the older children left N.C"? John Henderson, husband of Lucy Paris was actually one of eleven children, not seven. "Father's aunt" who married a Lytle would have been Elizabeth, but see also The Heirs of Pleasant Henderson.

The original of the above letter is in the hands of Margaret Henderson Soule and was probably written about 1903. The rest of the letter was lost. Copied from the original Feb. 15, 1934.

Letter from Margaret dated Feb. 23, 1934 says, "That part of Lorinda's letter which says, "her people were in that war" refers to her own grandmother, Lelitha Jane Cook, the second wife of the second John Henderson . . I am hoping I will run across another page of her (Lorinda's) letter."

The glaring error in the above letter was, of course, that John's father was named Richard, but much of the story may be true, simply confused. Was Richard's father named John? Why did the possibility of disinheritance come into the story? Who was Nancy Webb? Several researchers have claimed that Richard's first wife was named Ann, Nancy being a diminutive of Ann. Did Nathaniel confuse tales of maternal ancestors with those of paternal? Once again, if only we had that Y-DNA evidence.

[1] Sheriff Samuel named his children Mary, Richard, Elizabeth, John, Samuel, William, Thomas, Nathaniel, Ann, Susannah, and Pleasant. Troublesome Richard named his children Mary, Richard, Elizabeth, John, Samuel, Williams, Thomas, Sarah, Jean, and Joseph, and may've had a grandson named Pleasant. Sheriff Samuel's wife was Elizabeth Williams. Troublesome Richard named a son "Williams" Henderson.

[2] Interestingly, Nathaniel named a son "Wilson" Henderson. Richard B. Henderson, one of the Heirs of Pleasant Henderson, had a brother named Wilson.

[3] Copy provided by Martha Murphy