Hendrick Rodemore: The Man Who Brought the Christmas Tree to New England
By Peter Cameron
December 2025
This is the story of Hendrick Rodemore. I was introduced to it by Sandisfield historian Lorraine German. It is a story that spans two continents, forced conscription in an army, the Revolutionary War, becoming a prisoner of war, servitude in Connecticut, death of a spouse, the loss of property to tax debt, and ends in Norton Cemetery in Otis, Massachusetts. That sounds very dark, but in between these challenges Hendrick introduces New England to a charming German Christmas tradition.
Born in Germany in 1742, Hendrick was, more than likely, forcibly conscripted into the Hessian Army as a teenager, a common occurrence at the time. The Hessians excelled in training crack troops. Using their military prowess as a state business, regiments were then leased as mercenaries to monarchs around Europe. King George III of England hired many Hessian mercenaries, including Rodemore’s brigade, to help put down the American Rebellion.
Rodemore’s brigade was attached to British General Burgoyne’s 1777 offensive. The objective was to cut New England off from the rest of the colonies. Burgoyne’s plan was to march from Canada down the Hudson River Valley and rendezvous with the British navy sailing north from New York City. During the operation Burgoyne’s troops, having been delayed by Continental roadblocks and ambushes, became seriously short of supplies. Burgoyne sent Hendrick’s brigade with other British troops south from Saratoga, New York to Bennington, Vermont to raid supplies from a Continental supply depot. The Continental troops, tipped off to their arrival, were ready for them and defeated Burgoyne’s forces, capturing 700 British troops, including Rodemore.
POW Hendrick Rodemore was taken to Pine Meadow, Connecticut, where he was placed in the custody of Samuel Denlow, a farmer who had lost a son in the Revolution. Denlow was given the prisoner to make up for his son’s lost labor. At the conclusion of the Revolution, Henry, as Hendrick was called, was adopted by the community. Henry married a local African-American girl named Polly and Sam Denlow built him a cabin. Legend has it that during his first Christmas with Sam Denlow, Hendrick cut down a pine tree, brought it into the Denlow home, decorating it as his family had done in his native Germany. This was the first time the Christmas tree had been seen in a very austere, puritanical New England.
Polly died, ironically, on Christmas Day 1790. After her death, Henry and their only child, a son Liba, moved to Windsor, Connecticut where they worked as town shepherds. Shortly thereafter, he remarried Susannah Rockwell, and the couple inherited the Rockwell family farm in Windsor. Things did not go well and in 1800 they lost the property to pay back taxes. Hendrick packed up the family and moved northwest, to Loudon, Massachusetts, forerunner of Otis. The family stayed in Otis, as documented in the 1810 census until Hendrick died in 1814, a forgotten man. Susannah died 5 years later. They are both buried in Norton Cemetery in Otis.
Hendrick Rodemore’s initial introduction of the Christmas tree to New England has been long forgotten. However, the Christmas tradition he and other German immigrants introduced to our fledgling country has become an American holiday institution. Today, it is difficult to find a home in America without a decorated Christmas tree, during the holiday season. Remember Hendrick Rodemore when you are putting up your Christmas tree this year.
Please keep the men and women serving in the armed services and the first responders working Christmas day in your thoughts and prayers. Both will forgo a warm, traditional family Christmas to protect us that day. I wish you all a very merry Christmas.
