NYSTLAWR-L Archives

From: Shirley Farone <>
Subject: Willis P. Hendrick
Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 08:40:51 -0800

Posted on: St Lawrence County, NY Obits
Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/NY/StLawrenceObits/574

Surname: Hendrick, Palmer
-------------------------

The Standard - February 2, 1900
(probably a Watertown, N. Y. newspaper)

WILLIS P. HENDRICKS

(Special to the Standard.)

Richville, Feb. 2. -- A severe shock to the community was the announcement
of the death of Willis P. Hendricks, a prominent citizen and editor of
the Richville Recorder, which occurred at 10 o'clock today. The cause was
capillary bronchitis, and he was ill only five days. The loss will be severely
felt throughout this section of St. Lawrence county, where he was a man
of much influence and usefulness.

Willis P. Hendricks was aged 44 years. He was born December 7, 1855, and
always resided in Dekalb township. For years he was a correspondent of
Gouverneur papers and in December 18, '97, began the publication of the
Richville Recorder and Dekalb Township Telegram. His bright and pithy writings
from the villages of that town soon gained for him an unusually large circulation
and at present the paper is in good condition, having won friends and made
few enemies during its publication.

Mr. Hendricks was a fraternal man, member of many societies and popular
in all. Among other organizations he was prominent in the Richville lodges
of Good Templars, Foresters, Maccabees and Masons.

There are sore hearts in Richville today wherever Brother Hendricks was
known and his smiling countenance will be missed more because his death
was so unexpected. In their sudden and sad sorrow the bereaved wife and
children of the deceased have the sympathy of all. There are left to mourn
his loss, a wife and the following children: Helen, Rachel, Carl Stephen
and Joseph.

-----------------------------

A second obit was found, unknown newspaper, date not specified, and this
time the last name is Hendrick, without the "s" found in the first obit.
After reading the text, it became evident that the newspaper was "The Recorder"
out of Richfield, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y.

Richville is in mourning. Seldom, if ever in her history, has the village
and the community surrounding been so shocked and grieved as on Friday,
February 2, when the announcement went from lip to lip that Willis P. Hendrick,
the worthy citizen, the conscientious worker, the versatile writer, the
fraternal brother and the genial friend was no more with us. His sickness
was of but a few days' duration, and no apprehension was felt by his friends
or by himself up to a few hours of the sad end. The trouble, as pronounced
by Dr. F. D. Allen, who was in attendance, was capilliary bronchitis, and
death came painlessly about 10 a.m. His father and mother, his wife and
children, were all with him. Although the press of the county have already
published sketches of his useful life, it is fitting that his own paper
should pay just tribute; but in attempting to perform this service we feel
most impressivly (sic) the truth of the lines:

"Words are weak and most to seek,
When wanted fifty fold."

Willis P. Hendrick, one of twin sons, of Stephen V. R. and Helen Lynde
Hendrick, was born in Richville, December 2, 1856. HIs boyhood, his youth
and his manhood, have been spent in his native village. He has been identifed
with its every social interest almost from babyhood, for many are there
yet whose memory can look back over 40 years, who can recall the infant
efforts of "the boys" upon the rostrum. The hearts he then won he has never
lost, but his list of friends has grown larger day by day. After a full
course in the home school, he went with 11 other young men in 1875 from
this village to Oberlin, O., where he remained for three years, his health
not being sufficient to continue study. A year was spent in company with
his brother in business in Easthampton, Mass., and a health trip made the
next year to Colorado Springs, in hopes lowing to Colorado Springs, (typed
as shown)), in hopes to find freedom from the distressing disease of asthma,
which ever hampered his life. The effort was unsuccessful. He was married
October 9, 1881, to Miss Ida R. Palmer at Springfield, Mass., and the union
has been a most happy one. Seven children have been born to them, Helen,
Isabel, Stephen, Carl, Joel, Rachel and an infant daughter born two days
after her father's death. All are living except Isabel, whom they buried
at the age of 6 years in 1891. Mr. Hendrick has for two terms of four years
each held the position of postmaster in Richville, and for six years been
a justice of the peace, and was at the last election chosen to the office
for the third full term. He has been (incomplete sentence).

He was widely known throughout the county and state as an active Good Templar,
being for many years a familiar figure on the grand lodge floor and several
times, representing the state in the councils of the international supreme
body. He was also a prominent Mason and, later closely identified with
the Order of Foresters and Maccabees. His funeral, held from the Congregational
church, of which he has been a loyal member since the age of 14, and ever
closely identified with its social and spiritual interests, was more largely
attended than any funeral within the recollection of our people.

Rev. L. M. Smith, pastor of the Richville M. E. church, read the Scripture.
Rev. F. A. Hassold, a close friend of his brother, offered prayer and his
pastor, J. F. Forsythe, spoke words of hope and consolation.

The brethren of the orders which he loved paid him deserved tribute and
hundreds of life long friends followed the body to its last resting place,
where with Masonic honors it was consigned to earth.

His whole life was an effort to please and serve others. Not a day passed
that he did not suffer physically, yet in the severest paroxysms of the
asthma which was his life long companion, he was thoughtful of others and
cheerful to all. The effort he has put into the Recorder, and the success
he has made of it, is testimony of his ability and his interest in his
town's enterprise and prosperity. "Upon whom shall his mantle fall?" is
the question of the hour, yet in our grief we are glad because of the memory
of his friendship and rejoice with him in victory at the close of his bravely
fought battle.

"Well to suffer is divine;
Pass the watchword down the line---
Pass the countersign---'Endure,'
Not to him who rashly dares,
But to him who nobly bears,
Is the victor's garland sure."

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• Willis P. Hendrick by Shirley Farone <>