Ida Elizabeth Zimmerman was married to John William Hendricks on 11 Jul 1885 in Christian County, Illinois. John William Hendricks worked in any number of occupations, from coal miner to cook to hobo to cowboy, and would disappear for long periods of time. We know that Ida worked as a "tailoress" in her father's shop in Taylorville, but may also have been engaged in other work to support her family. For those involved in genealogy, you will note that the following wire story, though widely circulated, is incorrect. Critical inconsistencies are noted.
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The Blue Mound Leader
Blue Mound, Illinois
Thursday, July 5, 1928
HUSBAND DESERTER LEAVES WIFE $10,000
Taylorville, Ill., June. – Thirty one years ago Thomas Hendricks left Taylorville to follow the gold trail to Alaska. He left his wife, who now resides on West Adams Street and her four children. A few years ago she received a short letter from Alaska, and that was followed two years later by another letter, mailed from Washington state. Nothing had been heard from him in the last twenty years.
[Everything in this paragraph is true, as to John William Hendricks, NOT THOMAS.]
Last January, a stranger died in a small room shack in Oklahoma. He appeared to be penniless and friendless. He related a short tale, to a passerby, who stopped at his door, one day before he died, that a brother was at the county farm in Christian county, Illinois. When the man died, no relatives or even friends could be found, who could shed any light upon him. But the stranger related the story that the hermit had told him. A search of the man’s shack revealed stock certificates in various concerns, including public utilities and building and loan stock, valued at $10,000.
[There is a grave in Oklahoma City, identified as that of "Thomas Hendricks." It is unknown whether this individual was really named Hendricks, or who he was, as he is not known to have been a relative. Correspondence at the time, addressed the "poor farm," was returned, as no one was there by that name. ]
An attorney for the public administrator of the man’s estate came to this city to follow up the
blind clue, in hopes of finding the dead man’s brother in the county poor farm here. The matter was reported to Sheriff D. L. Dunbar and he interviewed scores of persons before he ran into Mrs. Hendricks. The attorney obtained depositions from Gale [Gabriel] Darwin, W. E. Garrison and Jordan Dunbar, who had known the older Hendricks. His wife identified a photograph, said to be the only picture ever taken of her dead husband.
[The photograph presented to Mrs. Hendricks was provided to the attorney by the children in Arkansas, so of course Mrs. Hendricks was able to identify the image as being her husband, John William Hendricks (NOT "Thomas.") ]
Armed with this information, the attorney returned to Oklahoma. The courts have decided that Mrs. Hendricks is the heir to her husband’s estate. She will receive the widow’s portion, one-third; while her four children, Herschel Hendricks, Delbert Hendricks, Ray Hendricks and Mrs. Barney Schulte, of this city; and two daughters by a former marriage will receive the remainder.
[Probate records from Oklahoma City verify that the estate of Thomas Hendricks was distributed to the relatives of John William Hendricks. The two older daughters were Hannah Elizabeth Hendricks (Dillingham) and Winnie Hendricks (Gray). At some time after distribution of assets in the Thomas Hendricks estate, John William Hendricks appeared on the doorstep of his family in Arkansas, much to everyone's surprise. In some accounts of this same, flawed story, it is implied that JWH disappeared because he had both a wife and ex-wife to support. In fact, Alice Austin Hendricks died before he married Ida Zimmerman. This information is included here to guide your research, in that JWH's death information is as scarce as he was in life. He died and was buried in a pauper's grave in Boone County, Arkansas. Thank you, MistySea for posting the original article quoted above.] D. Hendricks Lewis 2019
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The Blue Mound Leader
Blue Mound, Illinois
Thursday, July 5, 1928
HUSBAND DESERTER LEAVES WIFE $10,000
Taylorville, Ill., June. – Thirty one years ago Thomas Hendricks left Taylorville to follow the gold trail to Alaska. He left his wife, who now resides on West Adams Street and her four children. A few years ago she received a short letter from Alaska, and that was followed two years later by another letter, mailed from Washington state. Nothing had been heard from him in the last twenty years.
[Everything in this paragraph is true, as to John William Hendricks, NOT THOMAS.]
Last January, a stranger died in a small room shack in Oklahoma. He appeared to be penniless and friendless. He related a short tale, to a passerby, who stopped at his door, one day before he died, that a brother was at the county farm in Christian county, Illinois. When the man died, no relatives or even friends could be found, who could shed any light upon him. But the stranger related the story that the hermit had told him. A search of the man’s shack revealed stock certificates in various concerns, including public utilities and building and loan stock, valued at $10,000.
[There is a grave in Oklahoma City, identified as that of "Thomas Hendricks." It is unknown whether this individual was really named Hendricks, or who he was, as he is not known to have been a relative. Correspondence at the time, addressed the "poor farm," was returned, as no one was there by that name. ]
An attorney for the public administrator of the man’s estate came to this city to follow up the
blind clue, in hopes of finding the dead man’s brother in the county poor farm here. The matter was reported to Sheriff D. L. Dunbar and he interviewed scores of persons before he ran into Mrs. Hendricks. The attorney obtained depositions from Gale [Gabriel] Darwin, W. E. Garrison and Jordan Dunbar, who had known the older Hendricks. His wife identified a photograph, said to be the only picture ever taken of her dead husband.
[The photograph presented to Mrs. Hendricks was provided to the attorney by the children in Arkansas, so of course Mrs. Hendricks was able to identify the image as being her husband, John William Hendricks (NOT "Thomas.") ]
Armed with this information, the attorney returned to Oklahoma. The courts have decided that Mrs. Hendricks is the heir to her husband’s estate. She will receive the widow’s portion, one-third; while her four children, Herschel Hendricks, Delbert Hendricks, Ray Hendricks and Mrs. Barney Schulte, of this city; and two daughters by a former marriage will receive the remainder.
[Probate records from Oklahoma City verify that the estate of Thomas Hendricks was distributed to the relatives of John William Hendricks. The two older daughters were Hannah Elizabeth Hendricks (Dillingham) and Winnie Hendricks (Gray). At some time after distribution of assets in the Thomas Hendricks estate, John William Hendricks appeared on the doorstep of his family in Arkansas, much to everyone's surprise. In some accounts of this same, flawed story, it is implied that JWH disappeared because he had both a wife and ex-wife to support. In fact, Alice Austin Hendricks died before he married Ida Zimmerman. This information is included here to guide your research, in that JWH's death information is as scarce as he was in life. He died and was buried in a pauper's grave in Boone County, Arkansas. Thank you, MistySea for posting the original article quoted above.] D. Hendricks Lewis 2019
---------------------------------------------------
Ida Elizabeth Zimmerman was married to John William Hendricks on 11 Jul 1885 in Christian County, Illinois. John William Hendricks worked in any number of occupations, from coal miner to cook to hobo to cowboy, and would disappear for long periods of time. We know that Ida worked as a "tailoress" in her father's shop in Taylorville, but may also have been engaged in other work to support her family. For those involved in genealogy, you will note that the following wire story, though widely circulated, is incorrect. Critical inconsistencies are noted.
----------------------------------------------------
The Blue Mound Leader
Blue Mound, Illinois
Thursday, July 5, 1928
HUSBAND DESERTER LEAVES WIFE $10,000
Taylorville, Ill., June. – Thirty one years ago Thomas Hendricks left Taylorville to follow the gold trail to Alaska. He left his wife, who now resides on West Adams Street and her four children. A few years ago she received a short letter from Alaska, and that was followed two years later by another letter, mailed from Washington state. Nothing had been heard from him in the last twenty years.
[Everything in this paragraph is true, as to John William Hendricks, NOT THOMAS.]
Last January, a stranger died in a small room shack in Oklahoma. He appeared to be penniless and friendless. He related a short tale, to a passerby, who stopped at his door, one day before he died, that a brother was at the county farm in Christian county, Illinois. When the man died, no relatives or even friends could be found, who could shed any light upon him. But the stranger related the story that the hermit had told him. A search of the man’s shack revealed stock certificates in various concerns, including public utilities and building and loan stock, valued at $10,000.
[There is a grave in Oklahoma City, identified as that of "Thomas Hendricks." It is unknown whether this individual was really named Hendricks, or who he was, as he is not known to have been a relative. Correspondence at the time, addressed the "poor farm," was returned, as no one was there by that name. ]
An attorney for the public administrator of the man’s estate came to this city to follow up the
blind clue, in hopes of finding the dead man’s brother in the county poor farm here. The matter was reported to Sheriff D. L. Dunbar and he interviewed scores of persons before he ran into Mrs. Hendricks. The attorney obtained depositions from Gale [Gabriel] Darwin, W. E. Garrison and Jordan Dunbar, who had known the older Hendricks. His wife identified a photograph, said to be the only picture ever taken of her dead husband.
[The photograph presented to Mrs. Hendricks was provided to the attorney by the children in Arkansas, so of course Mrs. Hendricks was able to identify the image as being her husband, John William Hendricks (NOT "Thomas.") ]
Armed with this information, the attorney returned to Oklahoma. The courts have decided that Mrs. Hendricks is the heir to her husband’s estate. She will receive the widow’s portion, one-third; while her four children, Herschel Hendricks, Delbert Hendricks, Ray Hendricks and Mrs. Barney Schulte, of this city; and two daughters by a former marriage will receive the remainder.
[Probate records from Oklahoma City verify that the estate of Thomas Hendricks was distributed to the relatives of John William Hendricks. The two older daughters were Hannah Elizabeth Hendricks (Dillingham) and Winnie Hendricks (Gray). At some time after distribution of assets in the Thomas Hendricks estate, John William Hendricks appeared on the doorstep of his family in Arkansas, much to everyone's surprise. In some accounts of this same, flawed story, it is implied that JWH disappeared because he had both a wife and ex-wife to support. In fact, Alice Austin Hendricks died before he married Ida Zimmerman. This information is included here to guide your research, in that JWH's death information is as scarce as he was in life. He died and was buried in a pauper's grave in Boone County, Arkansas. Thank you, MistySea for posting the original article quoted above.] D. Hendricks Lewis 2019
---------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------
The Blue Mound Leader
Blue Mound, Illinois
Thursday, July 5, 1928
HUSBAND DESERTER LEAVES WIFE $10,000
Taylorville, Ill., June. – Thirty one years ago Thomas Hendricks left Taylorville to follow the gold trail to Alaska. He left his wife, who now resides on West Adams Street and her four children. A few years ago she received a short letter from Alaska, and that was followed two years later by another letter, mailed from Washington state. Nothing had been heard from him in the last twenty years.
[Everything in this paragraph is true, as to John William Hendricks, NOT THOMAS.]
Last January, a stranger died in a small room shack in Oklahoma. He appeared to be penniless and friendless. He related a short tale, to a passerby, who stopped at his door, one day before he died, that a brother was at the county farm in Christian county, Illinois. When the man died, no relatives or even friends could be found, who could shed any light upon him. But the stranger related the story that the hermit had told him. A search of the man’s shack revealed stock certificates in various concerns, including public utilities and building and loan stock, valued at $10,000.
[There is a grave in Oklahoma City, identified as that of "Thomas Hendricks." It is unknown whether this individual was really named Hendricks, or who he was, as he is not known to have been a relative. Correspondence at the time, addressed the "poor farm," was returned, as no one was there by that name. ]
An attorney for the public administrator of the man’s estate came to this city to follow up the
blind clue, in hopes of finding the dead man’s brother in the county poor farm here. The matter was reported to Sheriff D. L. Dunbar and he interviewed scores of persons before he ran into Mrs. Hendricks. The attorney obtained depositions from Gale [Gabriel] Darwin, W. E. Garrison and Jordan Dunbar, who had known the older Hendricks. His wife identified a photograph, said to be the only picture ever taken of her dead husband.
[The photograph presented to Mrs. Hendricks was provided to the attorney by the children in Arkansas, so of course Mrs. Hendricks was able to identify the image as being her husband, John William Hendricks (NOT "Thomas.") ]
Armed with this information, the attorney returned to Oklahoma. The courts have decided that Mrs. Hendricks is the heir to her husband’s estate. She will receive the widow’s portion, one-third; while her four children, Herschel Hendricks, Delbert Hendricks, Ray Hendricks and Mrs. Barney Schulte, of this city; and two daughters by a former marriage will receive the remainder.
[Probate records from Oklahoma City verify that the estate of Thomas Hendricks was distributed to the relatives of John William Hendricks. The two older daughters were Hannah Elizabeth Hendricks (Dillingham) and Winnie Hendricks (Gray). At some time after distribution of assets in the Thomas Hendricks estate, John William Hendricks appeared on the doorstep of his family in Arkansas, much to everyone's surprise. In some accounts of this same, flawed story, it is implied that JWH disappeared because he had both a wife and ex-wife to support. In fact, Alice Austin Hendricks died before he married Ida Zimmerman. This information is included here to guide your research, in that JWH's death information is as scarce as he was in life. He died and was buried in a pauper's grave in Boone County, Arkansas. Thank you, MistySea for posting the original article quoted above.] D. Hendricks Lewis 2019
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Family Members
Siblings
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Albert R[andolph] Zimmerman
1854–1930
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![]()
Maggie Jane Zimmerman Clemons
1856–1933
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Wynona May "Nona" Zimmerman Mills
1863–1935
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Frank Albert "Zim" Zimmerman
1865–1935
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Caroline E. "Carrie" Zimmerman Bedwell
1867–1946
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George Zimmerman
1869–1931
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Daniel D. Zimmerman
1871–1880
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Mattie Lulicia "Momo" Zimmerman McCurdy
1873–1948
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![]()
Walter H. Zimmerman
1877–1893
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