Abram W. Hendricks (October 12, 1822 - January 4, 1887) was an American attorney and politician. He represented Jefferson County, Indiana, in the Indiana House of Representatives for one term and was president of the Indiana State Bar Association.

Early life

Hendricks was born in

Ligonier, Pennsylvania Ligonier is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,513 at the 2020 census. Ligonier was settled in the 1760s. The borough is well known for nearby Idlewild Park, one of the oldest amusement parks in t ...

on October 12, 1822. His father was Abram Hendricks, a contractor involved in the building of the

Jeffersonville, Madison and Indianapolis Railroad The Jeffersonville, Madison and Indianapolis Railroad (JM&I) was formed in 1866 as a merger between the Indianapolis and Madison Railroad and the Jeffersonville Railroad. Genealogy The JM&I predecessors were as follows: *Jeffersonville, Madison ...

. Hendricks' mother was Eliza Henderson.

Education

Hendricks attended Hanover College. In 1840, he transfer from Hanover to Jefferson College in Pennsylvania. In 1843, Hendricks earned a law degree from Jefferson College. Hendricks returned to Indiana and studied law at the law office of his uncle William Hendricks. He was admitted to the bar in 1844. In 1845, Hendricks earned a degree in law from

Transylvania University Transylvania University is a private university in Lexington, Kentucky. It was founded in 1780 and was the first university in Kentucky. It offers 46 major programs, as well as dual-degree engineering programs, and is accredited by the Southern ...

Career

In 1845, Hendricks began practicing law in Rising Sun, Indiana, where here founded a law office. In January 1847, he moved to Madison, Indiana, where he operated a law office with George Sheets. That partnership did not last long. Within months Hendricks was law partner with

William McKee Dunn William McKee Dunn (December 12, 1814 – July 24, 1887) was a U.S. Representative from Indiana and the Judge Advocate General of the United States Army. Early life and career William McKee Dunn was born December 12, 1814, in Hanover in the Terr ...

. The partnership would continue to the end of the American Civil War. From 1852 until 1853, he served in the

Indiana House of Representatives The Indiana House of Representatives is the lower house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The House is composed of 100 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. House memb ...

, representing Jefferson County, Indiana. He married Sally Butler, who was from Madison, on December 2, 1856. In 1858, he unsuccessfully ran for

Indiana Supreme Court The Indiana Supreme Court, established by Article 7 of the Indiana Constitution, is the highest judicial authority in the state of Indiana. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, Indianapolis, the Court's chambers are in the north wing of the Indiana ...

. At the start of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, Hendricks co-organized the Jefferson County Cavalry, in which he served as captain. Eventually, the cavalry became part of the Third Indiana Cavalry. When the cavalry was called into the war, Hendricks was appointed paymaster in the Quartermaster's Department of the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

. He was honorably discharged with the rank lieutenant-colonel in November 1865. He returned to Madison. In January 1866, Hendricks co-founded the law firm Hendricks, Hord, and Hendricks in

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

alongside his cousin

Thomas A. Hendricks Thomas Andrews Hendricks (September 7, 1819November 25, 1885) was an American politician and lawyer from Indiana who served as the 16th governor of Indiana from 1873 to 1877 and the 21st vice president of the United States from March until his ...

and former

Indiana Attorney General The Indiana Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Indiana in the United States. Attorneys General are chosen by a statewide general election to serve for a four-year term. The forty-fourth and Attorney General is Todd Roki ...

Oscar B. Hord Oscar B. Hord (August 31, 1829 – January 15, 1888) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the sixth Indiana Attorney General from November 3, 1862 to November 3, 1864. Biography Hord was born in 1829 in Maysville, Kentucky. He wa ...

. When Hendricks became governor of Indiana in 1872,

Conrad Baker Conrad Baker (February 12, 1817 – April 28, 1885) was an American attorney, military officer, and politician who served as state representative, 15th lieutenant governor, and the 15th governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1867 to 1873. B ...

took his place in the firm. He was governor and organizer of the Indianapolis Board of Trade. Hendricks served as secretary of the Committee of Safety during the Indianapolis portion of the Great Railroad Strike of 1877. Hendricks' law firm in Indianapolis continued to operate until all the partners died, with Hendricks being the final partner to die. At the time of his death, he was president of the

Indiana State Bar Association The Indiana State Bar Association (ISBA) is a voluntary bar association for the state of Indiana. Unlike some state bar associations, in which membership is mandatory, ISBA membership is not required of lawyers licensed to practice in Indiana. Th ...

Personal life

In 1836 or 1838, he moved to Madison, Indiana. In 1866, Hendricks moved to

, Indiana. Hendricks died in Indianapolis on November 25, 1887. He is buried at

Crown Hill Cemetery Crown Hill Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery located at 700 West 38th Street in Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana. The privately owned cemetery was established in 1863 at Strawberry Hill, whose summit was renamed "The Crown", a high poi ...

Legacy

Hendricks' papers are held in the collection of the Indiana State Library.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hendricks, Abram W. 1822 births Members of the Indiana House of Representatives 1887 deaths People from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania Politicians from Indianapolis Indiana lawyers Transylvania University alumni People from Madison, Indiana Washington & Jefferson College alumni People of Indiana in the American Civil War Union Army soldiers 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American lawyers