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Over the years, I have had numerous people share data with me on this
particular family. Somewhere in my disorganized notes are the names of
those I should thank, and when I can find them, I'll list them here.
There is also a couple of articles in "The Heritage of Cherokee County"
Volume II which contains a great deal of data about this family, most of
which I am not including here, mainly since they are undocumented
family stories. They may be entirely true, but I'll leave that for
others to decide. Check out the articles if you can find the book.
Several of Ralzamore's children filed Indian Claims in 1907 (Gurion
Index) based on their mother being part Indian. These claims contain a
wealth of genealogical information.
"Ralzamore Markham Hensley" was born ca 1813/14 (per 1850,
1860, and 1870 census) in Burke Co, NC (per 1860 census), probably in
the section that later became McDowell County.
As far as his name goes, I have no direct proof of his middle name,
which was shared with me by another researcher. Some researchers also
give his middle name as "Marcus" instead. I don't know which is correct.
Various records do show his middle initial was "M". Also, his first name
is spelled different ways each time it appears on a record. It looks
like "Ralzy" or "Ralzey" might be a shortened (nickname) version of his
name that he used.
Ralzamore is a proven son of
Benjamin Hensley (c1776) and Elizabeth --- as shown by Gurion Index
(1907) Indian applications by Ralzy's son Fielden and siblings showing
their grandfather was "Benjamin" of Monroe Co, TN. Circumstantial
evidence also supports Ralzy being a son of Benjamin.
Ralzy would have been about 6 years old by the time of 1820 census,
so if home with his parents that year he should be enumerated in the
"under 10" age group (born ca 1810/20). Benjamin Hensley did have an
apparent son that age with him in Burke County, North Carolina.
Ralzy would have been about 16 years old by the time of the 1830
census, so he ought to be in the age 15-19 category (born ca 1810/15).
His parents had moved to Monroe Co, TN by then, but had no son that age,
but did have one close enough in the 10-14 age group (born ca 1815/20).
Benjamin moved his family to Union County, Georgia (now Towns County,
Georgia) before 1840, and it appears Ralzy went also, for on 29 Jan
1840, he married Sarah Morgan there. (The marriage record
gave "R. Henslee" and "Sary Morgain"). Sarah was born ca 1816/17 (per
1850 census) in either Georgia (per 1850 census) or in North Carolina
(per 1870 and 1880 census). Her father was George W. Morgan, per the
1907 Gurion Indian claims filed by her various children and
grandchildren. I don't know who her mother was.
Although they married prior to the taking of the 1840 census, they
did not appear to be listed in their own household. However, it seems
that they may be at home with Ralzy's parents in Union Co, GA, for they
did have "extra" people of the approximate ages to match Ralzy and his
new wife Sarah.
They remained in Union County, Georgia until sometime after 1846 when
they moved to neighboring Cherokee County, North Carolina, where they
were listed on the 1850 census. No other Hensleys were in Cherokee
County at that time, except for two known Hensley females who were
married and with new surnames by then. They were not nearby, but both
are probably cousins to Ralzy. Ralzamore and family lived in the region
of the Valley River (Valleytown Township). This put them a good distance
from his parents still in Union County, Georgia at this time, though the
counties border each other.
1850 census abstract: (Explanation
of this census)
(Note: The dates at the end of each line are not
part of the original census, but are approximate birth years based on
age)
1850 CHEROKEE CO, NC Page 63B House/Family # 819/ 819 - Twp
HENSLEY RALZIMORE 36 M W FARMER NC 1813/1814
HENSLEY SARAH 33 F W GA 1816/1817
HENSLEY ELIZABETH 8 F W GA 1841/1842
HENSLEY HAMPTON 7 M W GA 1842/1843
HENSLEY JAMES 5 M W GA 1844/1845
HENSLEY JOHN 4 M W GA 1845/1846
HENSLEY BENJAMIN 0 M W 3/12 NC 1849/1850
They were still in Cherokee County for the 1860 census. The census
taker this year did a wonderful thing and included everyone's birth
place down to the county (only state was required), so this is very
helpful to researchers. Unfortunately, Sarah's birth place was
illegible, though I can say with certainty it begins with an "M" and is
5 or 6 letters in length. It might say "Monroe", which if it
does, is obviously referring to Monroe Co, TN. Honestly, it looks like
it says: Mamol " (with the ditto mark meaning "NC"). It may be reference
to a town and not a county.
1860 census abstract: (Explanation
of this census)
(Note: The dates at the end of each line are not
part of the original census, but are approximate birth years based on
age)
1860 CHEROKEE CO, NC Page 469 House/Family # 899/ 899 -- VALLEYTOWN Twp
HENSLEY R M 46 M W FARMER 300 BURKE NC 1813/1814
HENSLEY SARAH 40 F W ILLEG 1819/1820
HENSLEY ELIZABETH J 16 F W UNION CO, GA 1843/1844
HENSLEY FIELDIN H 14 M W UNION CO, GA 1845/1846
HENSLEY JAMES 13 M W UNION CO, GA 1846/1847
HENSLEY BENJAMIN 12 M W UNION CO, GA 1847/1848
HENSLEY MARY C 10 F W CHEROKEE 1849/1850
HENSLEY MARGARET A 7 F W CHEROKEE 1852/1853
HENSLEY WILLIAM 4 M W CHEROKEE 1855/1856
HENSLEY LAURA 0 F W 7/12 CHEROKEE 1859/1860
They were still in Cherokee County for the 1870 census.
1870 census abstract: (Explanation
of this census)
(Note: The dates at the end of each line are not
part of the original census, but are approximate birth years based on
age)
1870 CHEROKEE CO, NC Page 346 House/Family # 53/ 53--VALLEYTOWN Twp
HENSLY RALZY 56 M W FARMER NC 1813/1814
HENSLY SARAH 52 F W KEEPING HOUSE NC 1817/1818
HENSLY BENJAMIN 19 M W FARM LABORER NC 1850/1851
HENSLY MARY 17 F W AT HOME NC 1852/1853
HENSLY MARGRET 15 F W AT HOME NC 1854/1855
HENSLY WILLIAM 13 M W FARM LABORER NC 1856/1857
HENSLY LAURA 11 F W AT HOME NC 1858/1859
By 1880 they had moved to neighboring Towns County, Georgia, possibly
in the same area they had lived many years before when it was still part
of Union County. They were next door to son William Hensley and his
wife.
1880 census abstract: (Explanation
of this census)
(Note: The dates at the end of each line are not
part of the original census, but are approximate birth years based on
age)
1880 TOWNS CO, GA Page House/Family # 38/ 40 -- DIST 990 Twp
HENSLEY RILEY M W M 63 M FARMER NC NC NC 1816/1817
HENSLEY SARAH W F 63 WF M KEEPING HOUSE NC NC NC 1816/1817
HENSLEY MARGRET A W F 21 D S AT HOME NC NC NC 1858/1859
HENSLEY LAURA H W F 19 D S AT HOME NC NC NC 1860/1861
The family apparently went back to Cherokee County, North Carolina
sometime after 1880.
According to other researchers, Sarah Morgan Hensley died on 6 Jul
1884 in Cherokee Co, NC. I don't know what the source of that death date
is.
I did not find Ralzy on the 1900 census in Cherokee County, so he may
have been in Georgia that year.
He died on 28 Jun 1900, though where I don't know, nor do I know the
source for his date of death. |
