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 veryupset. 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 twoyears, 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.