Dallas Firefighter Stricken Battling Fire
John Wolsey Hendrix

Firefighter John Wolsey Hendrix collapsed and died of a heart attack on return to Fire Station #6, located on Forest Avenue, after fighting a one-alarm fire at 3526 Dunbar.  Hendrix, aged 48, had complained of feeling ill at the fire and was told by his captain to rest; but Firefighter Hendrix attempted to assist in replacing hose on the truck and collapsed shortly thereafter.

This last fire for John W. Hendrix was the first structure fire response for future Fire Chief M.C. Hendrix, the son of John W. Hendrix.

The Dallas Times Herald Account:
Wednesday, June 26, 1935
 

 

The Dallas Morning News Account
Thursday, June 27, 1935
 


ATTACK FATAL FOR FIREMAN

J.W. HENDRIX, 48, SUCCUMBS
AT STATION AFTER
ANSWERING ALARM

     Shortly after returning to the fire station at Central and Forest Avenues early Wednesday, after going to an alarm in the 3500 block of Dunbar Street, J.W. Hendrix, 48, died of a heart attack.  He had been a member of the Dallas Fire Department for eleven years.
     When the alarm sounded at 2:18 o'clock, Hendrix took his usual place on the apparatus.  At the fire, however, he told fellow firemen he was ill and his captain told him to sit on the apparatus for a time.
     He became ill again after reaching the station, and doctors from the Emergency Hospital were called.  Firemen gave him artificial respiration, but were unable to save his life.
   Hendrix's youngest son, Merrell Hendrix, who joined the fire department three weeks ago, went to the fire whth his father and was at the station at the time of his death.
     Surviving are his widow, Mrs Johnnie Hendrix; three sons, Merrell and Adrian Hendrix, all of Dalllas and Aubrey Hendrix of Brenham; three brothers and two sisters.
     Funeral arrangements were not complete Wednesday.  The body is at the Willand Funeral Home.  Pallbearers will be members of the Fire Department, mostly from the detail upon which Hendrix served.
     He was a member of the Ervay Street Mtthodist Church and the Odd Fellows.  The residence is at 1415 Metropolitan Avenue.

 

FIREMAN STRICKEN
 AT BLAZE AS SON
 MAKES FIRST TRIP

     Stricken with a heart attack on duty at an early morning fire to which his son also came from another station, answering his first alarm since joining the fire department, John Wolsey Hendrix, 48, fireman of 1415 Metropolitan, died at 4:10 a.m. Wednesday at Station 6, 2802 Forest.
     Merrell Hendrix, 22, the son, answered the alarm from Station 24, Waldron and Poplar.  His father went with equipment of the Forest Avenue Station.  At the fire the father complained of being ill and his captain told him to rest for a time.  He attempted to aid in replacing hose on the truck, insisting that he felt better, but collapsed as the returning truck reached the station.  The son was summoned.  He arrived about the time his father died.
     The fire destroyed a garage and automoile at the home of Elma Gardner, 3526 Dunbar.
     Rites for Mr. Hendrix will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday at the Welland Funeral Church.  Firemen will be pallbearers.  Burial will be at Restland Memorial Park.
     Surviving Mr. Hendrix are his wife, three sons, Merrell and A.L. Hendrix, both of Dallas and A.E. Hendrix of Brenham; three brothers, W.A. Hendrix of Pecos, George Hendrix of Huntington and J.M. Hendrix of Hew Orleans, and two sisters, Mrs. Fannie Jonesof Akron, Ohio and Mrs. Essie McIndale of Birmingham, Ala.