Curtis (Curt) Allen Hendrix

Curtis (Curt) Allen Hendrix

Notes of interest:

Son of John Hendrix, Prophet of Oak Ridge
Father of nine children

Murdered at age 35 before seeing his last child born
Strong enough to lift his car out of the ditch
Broad shouldered and very strong for his size - once struck a man cold with an upper cut while seated in a chair. Had to throw ice water on the man to wake him.
Was beaten, shot in the armpit with the bullet exiting his body at the hip and hit in the head with a claw hammer causing his death. The three men known to have murdered him were never arrested or tried for his murder. (Read the details of this awful and unpunished murder by clicking here.)
Wrote a poem expressing his frustration at being forced off his land and stating that he was "skeered of Elinor" (Read Curt's unusual poem by clicking here.)

Curtis (Curt) Allen Hendrix
September 4, 1909 - July 9, 1944

The son of John and Martha Jane Whitehead(Gregory) Hendrix

John Hendrix was born in 1865 in Bear Creek Valley - present location of the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Around 1900 his first family was broken up by the death of his infant daughter (Ethel Perrgold) causing his wife, Julia Ann Griffith Hendrix, to take the rest of the children (Jessee, Elzora Elizabeth and Lela) and go to Arkansas. John was devastated and went through a terrible emotional struggle trying to understand. He heard a voice telling him to sleep on the ground which he did and the visions he had while doing have caused him to come to be known as the "Prophet of Oak Ridge."

John told anyone who would listen of his visions of the future. He said, "A city will be built on Black Oak Ridge; a huge factory will be built in Bear Creek Valley that will help win the greatest war the world will ever know; the seat of power will be between Pyatt's place and Tadlock's farm; and a railroad spur will be built right along my property line."

All these visions were to be realized more than 27 years after his death when the Manhattan Project was located in East Tennessee. The city of Oak Ridge was built on Black Oak Ridge; the Y-12 Plant was built in Bear Creek Valley where the uranium 235 for Little Boy, the first atomic bomb used in warfare indeed helped win World War II; the Federal Office Building is located on the site that lies between the two farms mentioned in John's vision; and that railroad spur runs along the edge of John's property line which is now Hendrix's Creek Subdivision in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

John married Martha Jane Whitehead Gregory and they had one son. Curtis Allen Hendrix was born September 4, 1909. As a young boy, he had to deal with his father's illness that kept him separated from the rest of the family. John Hendrix had tuberculosis and for fear of passing the disease on to their young son, Martha Jane insisted that John had to leave the house. Martha Jane's daughter, Paralee, agreed to keep John and take care of him. In exchange, John deeded her the 15 acres he had worked long and hard to pay for.

When Curt would visit his father, John would always give him a nickel, some brown sugar and some cane seed to feed his pet goose. John, Curt's father, died in 1915.

Curt grew up and married Thelma Lee (Linda) Haney February 9, 1930. They eventually had nine children: Leon Allen - died at six months of age; Faye Lee Hendrix Childs; Bruce Delano - named for Franklin Delano Roosevelt; Tina Christine (Tiny) Hendrix Lindsay Leazier; Hazel Mae Hendrix Smith; Connie Laverne Hendrix Phillips; Elizabeth Hope Hendrix Aslinger; Billy Joe and Shollie Jane Hendrix Cabral (second married name unknown).

Shollie Jane was born after Curt was murdered on July 9, 1944 and was the only child born after Curt was forced off his farm by the Manhattan Project in December 1942. Curt was very frustrated by the circumstances that forced him to have to move from his "flatwoods" home.

Curt owned 60 acres in 1942 and was making a living for his large family and helping his mother who lived nearby. The war suddenly had a major and direct impact on his life when the government gave notice that his land was needed for the war effort. While Curt did not understand what was happening, he knew it must be necessary and proceeded to move to Union County where he only lived a little about a year and a half before being murdered. That story is told in the biography written by his grandson, Dennis Aslinger. You may read it in full by clicking here.

Site Index

Dennis Aslinger's biography of his grandfather - Curt Hendrix

Dennis Aslinger's biography of Curt Hendrix - Word Document

Photographs of Curt Hendrix's farm buildings pre-Oak Ridge

Murder of Curt Hendrix

Poem - Planned and Organized Society (sponsored by Elinoir)

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