George Washington "Wash" Hendry (1838–1914),[1] was an American land developer, writer, and farmer, who was from an early settler family in Southwest Florida.[2][3] Hendry served in the Seminole Wars, and in the American Civil War for the Confederate States Army. He was also known as G.W. Hendry, and Wash Hendry.
George Washington Hendry | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 3, 1838 Thomas County, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | March 2, 1914 (aged 75) Fort Meade, Florida, U.S. |
| Other names | G.W. Hendry, Wash Hendry |
| Occupation(s) | Land developer, writer, farmer, military personnel |
| Known for | Early settler in southwest Florida, namesake of the Wash Hendry Branch of the Peace River |
| Relatives | Francis Asbury "Berry" Hendry (brother) |
Biography
editGeorge Washington Hendry was born on December 3, 1838, in Thomas County, Georgia.[4] The family was of English and Scotch ancestry.[5] He arrived in the Fort Meade area at age fourteen in 1853.[6] The Hendrys were a prominent family in Southwest Florida.[7][8] His older brother was Captain Francis Asbury "Berry" Hendry, one of the founders of the city of Fort Myers and the namesake of Hendry County, Florida.[6][9][10]
Hendry had dealt in land development in Florida.[1] He farmed citrus fruit but lost his crops during a freeze.[1] Hendry is credited with building the first residence in the area, a log cabin used by cattle herders and for hunting and fishing by him and his friends.[11] In 1883, he authored a book on the history of Polk County, Florida.[1][6] Hendry was married three times.[1]
Hendry served in the Seminole Wars from 1855 to 1856.[4] He also served in the American Civil War (1861–1865) for the Confederate States Army, and he held the title of Captain.[4][5][12]
Death and legacy
editHendry died on March 2, 1914, at the Southern Hotel in Fort Meade, Florida after six weeks of an illness.[12] He was buried at the Evergreen Cemetery in Fort Meade.[4]
The Wash Hendry Branch of the Peace River was named for the area that once housed his former cabin and land; and the nearby Berry Hendry Branch of the Peace River was named for his older brothers former cabin and land.[13]
Writings
edit- Hendry, George Washington (1883). Polk County, Florida, its Lands and Products. Jacksonville, Fla.: Ashmead Bros. OCLC 25604428.
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Hawes, Leland (1990-04-15). "New Book Explores Giant Hendry Family". The Tampa Tribune. p. 114. ISSN 1042-3761. Retrieved 2023-10-26 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Grismer, Karl Hiram (1949). The Story of Fort Myers: The History of the Land of the Caloosahatchee and Southwest Florida. St. Petersburg Print. Company. p. 91.
- ^ Stone, Spessard, ed. (1989). John and William, Sons of Robert Hendry. Genie Plus. p. 171.
- ^ a b c d "Florida Loses Pioneer". The Tampa Times. March 4, 1914. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Capt. F.A. Hendry Pioneer of Lee County Is Dead". The News-Press. 1917-02-13. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-10-26 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Brown, Canter (1995). Fort Meade, 1849–1900. University of Alabama Press. p. 17. ISBN 978-0-8173-0763-9.
- ^ "Hon George W Hendry died". The News-Press. March 4, 1914. p. 3. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
- ^ "From Cattle Rustlers to High-Rise Resort". The News-Press. December 28, 1986. page 2, page 3
- ^ National Register of Historic Places Registration Form (Captain Francis A. Hendry House) (PDF) (Report). National Park Service. 2016.
- ^ Amrhein, Saundra (October 23, 2013). "Immokalee Pioneer Museum at Roberts Ranch: A cattle drive into history". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
- ^ Frisbie, Louise (1976). Yesterday's Polk County. E.A. Seemann Pub. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-912458-64-9.
- ^ a b "Captain G. W. Hendry Dead at Fort Meade". The Tampa Tribune. March 4, 1914. p. 12. ISSN 1042-3761 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "United States Land Map of 1855 Lists Many Polk Pioneer Families". The Tampa Tribune. 1958-12-14. ISSN 1042-3761. Retrieved 2023-10-26 – via Newspapers.com.