Hartwell Hendrickson, Civil War veteran, clerk of the circuit court, alderman, postmaster and native of the county was born December 2, 1848, the son of Jesse Hendrickson (1822-1898) and Martha Ann Lewis (1823-1895), both natives of Tennessee. Jesse and Martha came to Franklin County, Illinois about 1830 where he served for many years as a Methodist preacher.
Hartwell’s father, Jessie, died in 1898 leaving his sons William and Hartwell and his daughter, Mrs. C.T. Cunningham. He died at the old homestead near Halfway. Grandma Hendrickson at 77 was struck with paralysis suffering two strokes and died in July 1895. She and Jesse were living with their son Hartwell and his family.
The census records for 1850 and 1870 for Hartwell have not been found. However, in 1860 he was living with his parents, 3 sisters and a brother. Another little boy, John P. Lewis, was living with them. They lived north of Pittsburg. Hartwell was reared on the farm and secured a limited education.
In January, 1865 he enlisted in Co E. of the 60th Illinois Infantry and served until the close of the war as a private. He was mustered out July 31, 1865 at Louisville, Kentucky.
Hartwell was reared on the farm and secured a limited education. In 1870 he engaged in the mercantile business in Marion as clerk, and a year later began a business of his own, continuing it until 1876. He then engaged in buying and shipping stock until November, 1884, when he was elected circuit clerk, and filled the office in a faithful and efficient manner till 1884.
On March 6, 1872, Hartwell married Nannie (Allen) Goddard. Their children were Gussie A. Willis H, Jessie L. and Stella M. His wife had three children by her former marriage: Elizabeth W. (wife of H. C. Purdy), Harriett A., and Pauline. She has the distinction of being the first girl born in Marion, Illinois, where she resided till her death. Nannie Allen was the daughter of Willis Allen. She was born October 6, 1843 and was twice a widow. She married J. Monroe Goddard January 6, 1843 by which she had three children Mrs. H.C. Purdy, Mrs. D.F. Kiser and Mrs. D.G. Fitzgerald. He died June 27, 1870. Her second marriage took place March 6, 1873 to Hartwell Hendrickson who died December 29, 1899. They built a home at 201 W. College Street at the corner of S. Van Buren and W. College where she lived for many years. By him she had four children, Mrs. W. B. Lemaster, Willis H. Hendrickson, Stella, who died in childhood, and Mrs. George Nance, wife of a grocer on North Market St.
In 1874, the year that Marion was given a charter as a city, the first in the county, Hartwell was elected as one of the first alderman for the city of Marion. Also serving that year as aldermen were R.M. Allen, John M. Young, Charles M. Edwards, and Augustus N. Lodge. Joseph W. Hartwell was mayor; Milo Erwin was city clerk.
In 1875, he served as alderman with James C. Jackson, C.M. Edwards, William Hendrickson (his brother), J.M. Young, R.M. Allen. W.R. Hall was mayor.
In 1880, the Hartwell Hendrickson’s were living in Marion with their two children, Gussie and Willis. He was a livestock dealer. Nannie’s three teen-aged daughters (Bettie, Hattie, and Pauline) were living next door.
An item in the Marion Monitor in November 1, 1883 said that last Thursday Albert Dunaway walked into the store where L.D. Hartwell, Jas. Ralls, Hartwell Hendrickson and other were seated around a stove and without a word started firing, hitting Hendrickson in the shoulder. Dunaway failed to meet bond and was taken to jail in Pinckneyville. The November 22, 1883, paper said that he had been sentenced to 6 years for assault to murder Hartwell Hendrickson.
Hartwell also served as county clerk in 1884-1888 and postmaster in 1889-1892.
In 1890, Hartwell applied for an invalid pension for his service in the Civil War. Nannie applied for his pension in 1899 after he died.
A news item in the Marion paper noted that Postmaster Hendrickson had the Springfield rifle that he had carried in the War for the Union 17 years past. It had been loaned out, but was then returned to the hands of its owner with its leather strap, the one used in swinging the faithful gun over the shoulder in the long ago days.
Another news item in the Marion paper in August of 1897 said that he had gone to Carterville to accept a position as clerk under the receiver of the Centralia and Chester Railroad. His salary was $50 per month plus expenses.
He was a staunch Republican, a member of the G.A.R. Marion Post 319, and one of the reliable citizens and officials of the county. His wife’s father, Willis Allen, was an early pioneer of the county and a circuit judge, in which capacity he died.
Hartwell died on Friday, December 29, 1899 and was buried in the new City Cemetery (Rose Hill) on Sunday. Leroy D. Goddard of Chicago returned to Marion to attend the funeral and stayed over with his sister, Mrs. J.B. Bainbridge.
Children of Hartwell Hendrickson and Nannie Allen Goddard are:
Jessie L. Hendrickson.
Gussie A. Hendrickson, b. 1873, Marion, Williamson Co., IL; married W. B. Lamaster.
Stella M. Hendrickson, d. Bef. 1887.
Willis H. Hendrickson, b. October 09, 1874, Williamson Co., IL; married Clara Davis, November 02, 1907; d. September 2, 1956, burial in Maplewood.
(Extracted from History of Gallatin, Saline, Hamilton, Franklin and Williamson Counties; The Leader; The Egyptian Press; Marion Monitor; U.S. Federal Census Records; Appointment of U.S. Postmasters (1832-1971); Civil War Pension Index; Civil War Soldier Records; compiled by Colleen Norman)