Biography

12/07/1817 - 04/24/1892

First Lieutenant John Paul Morris Hendricks Jr. (Whig28) Schuylkill County 1853-1855

Early Life:

First Lieutenant John Paul Morris Hendricks Jr., born December 7, 1817, Roxborough (near Whitemarsh), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; son of John Hendricks and Hannah Waller Whitefeather White; Lincoln College Missouri; married, Elizabeth Josephene Spooner Erwin, 1839, children, Albert Whittaker Hendricks, Helen Hendricks, Edwin West Hendricks, Mary Anna Hendricks, John Morris Hendricks, Charles Albert Hendricks, William Eugene Hendricks; remaining in Philadelphia briefly, moved, Tamaqua, 1840; co-owner, Sharp Mountain Coal Mine, 1843; read law under George McCabe; lawyer, law practice, Tamaqua; Commissioned, Lieutenant Colonel Aide-Du-Camp, Pennsylvania Militia, 1851; elected, Whig, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1853-1855; returned to Tamaqua, moved, law practice, Norristown, 1859, Philadelphia, 1861; enlisted, Civil War, Corporal, Schuylkill County Pennsylvania Volunteer Militia, 6th Regimental Cavalry, Company H: "Rush's Lancers", 1861; wounded, Gettysburg, 1863; mustered out, Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia, Honorable Discharge, 1865; resumed law practice; died, April 24, 1892, Tamaqua, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania; interment, Odd Fellows Cemetery, Tamaqua, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. 

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships:

Founding member, Hope of Christ Independent Presbyterian Church, 1846.

Military Career:

Commissioned, Lieutenant Colonel Aide-Du-Camp, Pennsylvania Militia, Governor William F Johnston, 1851; Commissioned, 1st Lieutenant, Tamaqua Cavalry, Uniformed Pennsylvania Militia, 1854; Commissioned, Captain, Tamaqua Cavalry, Uniformed Pennsylvania Militia, 1857. 

Enlisted, Corporal, Schuylkill County Pennsylvania Volunteer Militia, 6th Regimental Cavalry, Company H: "Rush's Lancers", 1861; December 4, 1861, Philadelphia Ward 28 District 91, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, State colors were presented by Governor Curtin, during imposing ceremonies. The regiment paraded on the occasion on the streets of Philadelphia, attracted much attention; December 15, 1861, Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia, regiment moved to Camp Barclay, Washington, near Columbia College. It was soon afterwards inspected by General Stoneman, Chief of Cavalry, Army of the Potomac, January 1, 1862, paraded through the Capitol.

May 4,1862, Yorktown, York, Virginia, regiment marched to Yorktown, and upon its arrival Major Morris with a squadron was sent to Mulberry Point on a reconnaissance, leaving Yorktown on May 27, 1862; Hanover Court House, Hanover, Virginia, regiment, which had been for several days acting independently of the brigade, was sent to the extreme right of the line for the purpose of attracting the attention of the enemy, and was under fire during the day; June 19, 1862, Gaines Mill, Richmond, Virginia, Union forces having fallen back to the neighborhood of Gaines Mill, were drawn up in position to meet the enemy's attack. The cavalry, under command of General St. George Cooke, was posted on the left of the line under cover of a hill; July 30, 1862, Malvern Hill, Henrico, Virginia, Civil War Battle; September 17, 1862, Frederick, Frederick, Maryland, Maryland Campaign; October 10, 1862, Emmitsburg, Frederick, Maryland, scouting maneuvers; November 20, 1862, promoted from Corporal Company H to 2nd Lieutenant, Company. E, 6th Regimental Pennsylvania Cavalry "Rush's Lancers" during winter encampment at White Oak Church near Fredericksburg, Virginia (The Union held the north side of the Rappahannock River and the Rebels, the south side); December 14, 1862, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Virginia, exposed to fire all day. 

February 10, 1863, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, during Winter Quarters, White Oak Church, Virginia, promoted from 2nd Lieutenant Company E to 1st Lieutenant, enjoined to Company H, 6th Regimental Pennsylvania Cavalry "Rush's Lancers" of the Union Army; April 6, 1863, Belle Plain Landing, Stafford, Virginia, dress inspection, President Abraham Lincoln; April 13, 1863, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Virginia, move out of winter quarters toward Richmond, Virginia; April 29, 1863, Louisa Court House, Louisa, Virginia, skirmishes and raids on rebel positions; June 9, 1863, Beverly Ford, (Near Brandy Station), Virginia Battle; July 2, 1863, Gettysburg, Adams, Pennsylvania, 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry enjoining the Battle Lines; July 3, 1863, Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania, wounded in action by exploding enemy shell causing concussion of brain. "The air," says Chaplain Samuel L. Gracey, "seemed full of fragments of bursting shell and ball, while the sounds peculiar to the several projectiles told of the determination of the attack. 

February 5, 1864, United States Army General Hospital, Camden Street, Baltimore, Maryland, inadvertently discharged due to error in paperwork, the war department having failed to receive medical disability field reports; September 23, 1864, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, re-enlisted United States Marine Corps; July 11, 1865, Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia, Final General Honorable Discharge. Mustered out.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Whig, Pennsylvania State Senate, 28th district, Schuylkill County, 1853-1855. 

Legacy: 

Historians believe parents are John Hendricks and Hannah Waller Whitefeather White, although unproven. 

Was the first lawyer to practice, Tamaqua, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, 1849. 

Wrote the incorporation charter, Tamaqua Gas Company.

Cited:

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members H". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

John Hendricks (1817-1892) - Find a Grave Memorial