his father james came from georgia and fought in the war of 1812. his brother edward tatnall "tat" kendrick commanded a company in the third seminole war, served as sheriff of hillsborough county, and sheriff of polk county during the civil war. he died in the war. "tat"'s son william was a contractor who laid the first brick in tampa, and constructed the old hillsborough county courthouse. his sister emily married william spencer, who was hillsborough county sheriff during the civil war, and the father-in-law of w. b. henderson and henry l. mitchell.