William Rily Hendrix


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William Rily Hendrix was born in 1830 in Giles County, Tennessee, US. The date of his death is not known and the location of his grave is not known.

His first wife was Geminia Annie Russell. They married on 04 Aug 1861 in Lawrence County, Tennessee, US. She was born in 1833 in Tennessee, US.

His second wife was Sarah Elizabeth Walker. They married about 1849 in Giles County, Tennessee, US. She was born in 1832 in Giles County, Tennessee, US.


Note on William Rily Hendrix from a letter to Harold Edward "Ed" Hendrix written by Linda Jo (Hendrix) Dean

Here is the little ditty I received from Kay Hendrix Neely {a Hendrix descendant] about this William Riley Hendrix. Kay said her grandfather, who she called Papa, told her this story several times. Papa told me that Uncle Rile {Riley} was going with this married lady, and her husband was supposed to be gone. Uncle Rile rode his horse over to her house. When he got there, she was standing in the yard as was her husband. Instead of riding on by, Uncle Rile rode up and while still on his horse, asked the man if he could have a drink of water. The man said "sure" and brought him a gourd of water. As he handed the gourd up to uncle Rile, his other hand came up with a knife and cut open Uncle Rile's stomach. Uncle Rile rode off fast. The pounding of the horse caused his intestines, etc. to come out. He held them in with his hand until he came to a creek, and he stopped to get down and wash everything off and put them back in his stomach. He got back on his horse and rode to his house where a doctor was called. He was sewn up and lived. My grandfather would die laughing when he finished the story. He would slap his knee and say, "Baby, do you know what finally killed that old man?" I would say "No, Papa. What?" He would then say, while heartily laughing, "He nicked his finger on a rusty saw and died from blood poisoning!!" More riotous laughter… The thought of someone living through the pain this man must have endured and then dying from a nick on the finger really amused him.

William Riley Hendrix was married several times and was said to have been a lady's man.

He was also said to have been a carpenter.


William Rily Hendrix and Geminia Annie Russell had the following children:
  • Jasper N. Hendrix born in 1862 in Giles County, Tennessee, US.
  • John R. Hendrix born in 1864 in Giles County, Tennessee, US.

NOTE: There were two (2) Sarah Elizabeth Walker women that married into the Hendrix family.

  • Sarah Elizabeth Walker born in 1832 and passed in unknown year was the 1st wife of William Rily Hendrix.
  • Sarah Elizabeth Walker born in 1854 and passed in Nov. 1908 was the 2nd wife of George Washington Hendrix.

William Rily Hendrix and Sarah Elizabeth Walker had the following children:

  • Robert H. Hendrix born in 1850 in Giles County, Tennessee, US. He married Lucy Lovell on 03 Jul 1870 in Giles County, Tennessee, US. She was born in 1855 in Alabama, US.

  • Elizabeth Jane Hendrix born on 25 Jan 1852 in Giles County, Tennessee, US. She died on 15 Mar 1895 in Lawrence County, Tennessee, US. She married William Clinton Sills on 07 Mar 1886 in Lawrence County, Tennessee, US. He was born on 16 Mar 1835 in North Carolina, US. He died on 23 May 1911 in Tennessee, US (Age: 75).

Notes for Elizabeth Jane Hendrix: According to the 1860 USA Federal Census, Tennessee, Giles County, Lynnville (Conersville), Jane Hendrix was born in 1852 (not 1854) and her sister, Mary, was born in 1854.

  • Mary Hendrix born in 1854 in Giles County, Tennessee, US.

  • George Hendrix was born in 1856 in Giles County, Tennessee, US.

  • Thomas John Hendrix born in 1858 in Giles County, Tennessee, US.

  • George Frank Hendrix born on 08 Feb 1858 in Grant County, Kentucky, US. He died on 24 Mar 1948 in Burlington, Boone County, Kentucky, US (Age: 90). He married Margaret Elizabeth Butler (daughter of Sylvanus Wayne Butler and Margaret Ann Fletcher) in 1879 in Kentucky, US. She was born on 29 Jul 1860 in Grant County, Kentucky, US. She died on 31 Mar 1941 in Pendleton County, Kentucky, US (Age: 80). His Death Certificate indicates that his wife was deceased at the time of his death.

Revised: (none)

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