He studied law in the office of his uncle Whitman G. Ferrin of Johnson, was admitted to the bar in 1855, and commenced practice in Morrisville, Vermont.

[2] Hendee served as State's Attorney for Lamoille County in 1858 and 1859, and as member of the Vermont House of Representatives from 1861 to 1863.

(Provost marshals were appointed for each state and Congressional district by the federal government, and were responsible for supervising conscription and recruiting activities.)

On February 7, 1870, Governor Peter T. Washburn died; Hendee succeeded to the governorship, and his oath of office was administered by Justice Benjamin H. Steele of the Vermont Supreme Court.

Republicans, who had won all statewide elections in Vermont since the founding of the party (and would continue to do so until the late 1950s), debated whether Hendee should be a candidate for a full term in 1870.

Republicans resolved these questions by deciding that the nomination should go to someone from the west, in keeping with their regular rotation policy, but that it should go to someone other than Hendee, in order to ensure that no Governor exceeded the two-year limit.

As a result, the nomination went to John W. Stewart, who easily won the general election and went on to serve the first two-year term.