According to genealogical records, Ira B. Hendee was born October 5, 1862, married first Nora Phelps November 29, 1880 and who died May 5, 1903. Later he married Susan Whitman. His parents were William Briggs Hendee and Sophia Potter Hendee. Ira had seven brothers and sisters. (1) Leora born in 1838 and died in infancy; then Oscar Potter, 1839; Dexter, 1841; Edna, 1844, Judson, 1847; Ida, 1855, and Lena, 1862. 
 

I assume that the family lived near Portland, MI until about 1886 when they moved to a farm near Shepherd, MI. After 1895, they were in Portland again, probably on one of Uncle Judson's farms. This is where my parents, John White and Clara met and married. 
 

Because mom and dad were married in 1906, Ira was very upset. Grandma Nora had died in 1903, (my mother was 16 yrs old, the only girl at home with seven brothers to care for.) So he felt that she should stay home and care for the family. Afterward, he had to put the two youngest, Oscar and Bernard, in an orphanage near Shepherd. I never heard where the older boys lived, but grandpa seemed to have disappeared. Mom did not know where he was until she discovered him in the summer of 1916 or 1917 in Hurle Hospital in Flint, seriously ill with pneumonia which he often had in his later life. He had been working as a caddy on a Flint golf course. 
 

One day mom and we girls went to Jackson where mom visited grandpa in the jail there. We were told he was there two years, allegedly accused of child molestation. There was strong evidence of his being framed and I have always been inclined to think so because of his short incarceration and the fact that he never showed any signs of tendency toward such activities. 
 

He found a wrist watch on the golf course which no one claimed, so it was repaired and I got it on my graduation. I offered to take it because I knew my parents could not afford one for both Merva and I-(we graduated the same year-she from Chesaning and I from Owosso). The folks had always promised us wrist watches for graduation. 
 

His later years were spent with Uncle Myrle in Comstock Park, MI, I have no record of the date of his death, but assume it was in the late 30s or early 40s. I give him credit for keeping his family together as long as he could. 
 
 

Aunt Myrtle was born in 1881. She was raised by Henry and Edna (sister to Ira). She was married in their home (3 miles west of Bancroft, MI) May 18, 1904. When I remember Aunt Myrtle and Ed Kirker. they lived on a farm 4 miles north and a mile and one half west of Holt, MI. 

We girls spent at least a week each summer at their home playing with their only child, Marguerite, and picking cherries. Sometimes Marguerite would drive their horse and buggy to town for groceries and a treat. We had lots of fun because Marguerite was always conjuring up fun things to do like "make-up" games, playing in the horse tank, gagging a cat, etc. etc. We often giggled into the wee night hours. This brought Aunt Myrtle to our bedroom with threats that she never carried out. Also it caused Merva to be very unhappy because she would rather sleep than giggle. Marguerite and I always created our own giggle spells. 

She went to Michigan State College and married Harold Throup before she had a career. Aunt Myrtle, much to her own unhappiness, never became a grandmother, because Marguerite decided she never wanted children. 

After Aunt Myrtle and Uncle Ed died, the Throup's turned the homestead into a convalescent home-a very sophisticated one called "The Holt Home". Before the Throup's died they sold it to, I think, a Reformed Church. It still is a home for older people. 

Aunt Myrtle was a good Presbyterian, a Sunday School teacher and active in community affairs. She was on her way to one of these activities, stopped at a stoplight when she came to the highway and, not seeing the coming car drove right into it. The impact threw her from the driver's seat onto the highway (no seatbelts then) and her neck was broken. I missed her, she was my favorite aunt. 

The genealogy spelled his name with two "n"s but his daughter, Laurell, has given me some information. She spelled it Glen, so I assume that is right. 

He was born near Portland, MI. I knew little about his early life. I assume he was a big help to his father on the farm and when the boys were left to shift for themselves. 

He married Maude Cramer on September 17, 1908. They had three children, Nora LaVerne, June 21,1909-January 21,1969; Bertha Mae, July 2, 1913; and Glen Ernest Jr. January 11, 1916-1945. He was killed in the battle of Iwo Jima in WWII. Maude died during the flu epidemic, November 10, 1918. We had been celebrating Armistice day and when we got home from the revelry, mom was crying. She had received word that Aunt Maude had succumbed to the "Spanish Influenza". They lived in Grand Rapids at the time. On April 2, 1921 he married Alice Laurell, June 20, 1890-June 18, 1969, a sister to Myrle Hendee's wife Ruby. 

On December 7, 1925, Rhoda Emmaline Laurell was born. (Known always as Laurell) She has a great deal of the genealogy of the family that I don't have but did write this about her and her folks. (Older children grown and married.) When we lived in the Caledonia area we went back and forth with the Bowens at Burnips and I think it was Hopkins. I think I remember us going by horse and buggy, but I'm not sure. I know one of our neighbors had a horse and buggy and I went with her when she delivered baked goods to people at Green Lake. We lived in that area from about 1932-1938 when we got Uncle Hal's Woodland, MI farm in exchange for the family portion at Portland, MI, I lived there from 2nd grade until about December of the year I was in 8th grade. 

The "exchange" she meant can be explained by the fact that the farm 3 miles north of Portland belonged to Judson (Ira's brother) who willed it equally to the 6 sons of Ira Hendee. Glen exchanged his portion for the farm on Martin Rd near Woodland which was owned by Hal Hendee. Glen also lived at this address until he died in 1964. Alice died in 1969 and the place was sold. 

Glen and Alice visited our family in Chesaning a weekend when Laurell was only a few month old, but we didn't see them much until they moved onto the Woodland farm. During that time we lived in Lake Odessa for a while and then in Hastings. Mom and they visited each other and attended church and family gatherings and Hendee reunions. Laurell was married in the Woodland United Brethren Church in 1950 when we lived in Lake Odessa and was not at home after that so we didn't get very well acquainted. 

Alice was a diabetic and, before she died, had lost both legs because of infection. So, in their later lives, they suffered a great deal. Glen passed away in 1969 at their home on Martin Rd, Woodland. 

He was a kind, gentle, patient man, an ordinary farmer and his life was exemplary. 

I know so little about Royal. He did marry Eva Litchfield, June 24, 1907. They had 3 children, Dale, 1909; Lyle, 1914; and Dorothy, 1919-1965. according to Laurell's genealogy. As I remember, they did attend frequent Hendee family reunions, and lived on a farm near a small town southeast of Lansing, but that is the extent of information I have. They were never close to the family.