Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., was a well-known member of the Boston literati and friend of
Emerson, Longfellow, etc.
Wendell had been his mother's maiden name.
Perhaps the name
Wendell became popular in the Boston area in his honor. Or do your examples predate his influence (say, before 1830 or so?)
This message was edited 1/14/2019, 6:49 AM