John A. Hensley (c1805) and Jane Bruce and Sarena Bishop of Pittsylvania, Campbell and Scott Co., VA

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The author (Marty Grant) is not related to John A. Hensley as far as can be proven. He did live in the same county (Scott Co., VA) as my ancestor Larkin Hensley (c1761-1806). 

Special Thanks to Ruthe Muench and Laura Schreibman for information shared on this family.

John A. Hensley was born ca 1804/05 per his age of 45 on the 1850 census. He was born in Virginia per the same source. He may have been born in the part of Washington that later became Scott County which is where he lived later on. It is also possible that he is not native to the Scott County area since he left there and went to Pittsylvania and Campbell Co., VA for a few years before returning to Scott.

I don't know what his "A" middle initial stands for.

I have not been able to determine who John's parents were. Researchers going back several decades thought he might be a son of Fielding Hensley (c1761), but the evidence is lacking. I've found nothing to prove they are closely related other than them living in the same general area.

There is another John Hensley (c1798) in the area, but fortunately this younger John (c1805) almost always used his "A" middle initial to distinguish himself from his older cousin (presumed cousin.)

John A. Hensley would have been about 5 years old by the time of the 1810 census There were only two Hensley households in Washington County at that time with sons in that age range: William Hensley (1765/84) and Fielding Hensley (1761). William Hensley had two boys aged under 10 (born ca 1800/10). One of those could easily be John A. Hensley (c1805). Fielding Hensley had two son in that same age group. One of them could be John instead. There is no way to know who these boys were based only on census analysis, but assuming that John was in the area at the time, that means that either William or Fielding are the most likely fathers for him. Unfortunately the 1810 census is lost for several other Virginia counties including Pittsylvania. There were no Hensleys in Campbell County in 1810.

In 1814 Scott County was formed from the western part of Washington, taking several of the Hensleys into the new county, and apparently including John or at least he lived in Scott later on.

John A. Hensley would have been about 15 years old for the 1820 census.  There were several Hensleys in Scott and Washington Counties that year but only two with sons aged 10-15 (born ca 1804/10): In Scott County there was Fielding Hensley (c1761) with one boy that age; in Washington County there was Thomas Hensley (1788) with one boy that age. This suggest that either Fielding or Thomas was John's father. There is a fragmentary Thomas Hensley bible record naming children but John isn't one of them. He did have a son Abram F. Hensley (1807), and he fits that age group, so that leaves only Fielding as a suspect. Of course John could have been living anywhere and with anyone at this time, so this doesn't prove Fielding is his father. There were no Hensleys in either Campbell or Pittsylvania County for the 1820 census.

John A. Hensley would have turned 16 around 1821 or so but he did not appear on the personal property tax lists until 1827 when he was about 22. His cousin (presumed) John Hensley (c1798) was on the Scott County tax lists for a few years before that listed simply as "John Hensley" and also after this for a few years before he moved over the line to Washington Co., VA.

John A. Hensley was listed on the 1827 Scott County tax list 1 white male over 16, and no horses. This is the first year that he appeared on any record as far as I've found. John Hensley (c1798) was also listed this year.

John Hensley was listed on the 1828 Scott County tax list 1 white male over 16, and no horses. This is one of the few times his middle initial wasn't used. John Hensley (c1798) was also listed this year.

John A. Hensley was listed on the 1829 Scott County tax list 1 white male over 16, and no horses. John Hensley (c1798) was not listed in 1829 or after as he had moved across the line into Washington County about this time. However, John A. continued to use his middle initial on most public records.

For the 1830 census, John A. Hensley would have been about 25 years old. He was not listed as head of household, so he must have been living with parents or someone else at this time. Fielding Hensley (c1761) had three men aged 20-29 (born ca 1800-10) with him in 1830. One of them could be John A. Hensley (c1805). None of the other Hensleys households in Scott or Washington County had males that age. There were no Hensleys in Campbell or Pittsylvania County in 1830.

John A. Hensley was not listed on the 1830 through 1839 tax lists in Scott Co., VA. This would be the time period when he moved several miles east to Pittsylvania County, Virginia. I don't know what drew him there. Pittsylvania had been home to several Hensleys in that county in the 1700's, but none were still there in during the period John went there.

On 18 Aug 1834 John A. Hensley married Coley Bruce in Pittsylvania Co., VA. Jane Coley Bruce was born ca 1817/18 (per age of 32 on the 1850 census), in Pittsylvania Co., VA.  Her birth place is proven by her death certificate which also names her parents as Coalman and Jane Bruce.  Coleman H. Bruce married Jane Roach on 22 Apr 1816 in Pittsylvania Co., VA. He apparently died for on 27 Aug 1827 Jane married George Hedrick in the same county.

Shortly after marriage, John and family moved into neighboring Campbell County, Virginia. In a deed dated 1837 John A. Hensley of Campbell Co., VA sold his interest in the estate of John Bruce to Daniel Berger of Pittsylvania Co., VA. The land was his in right of his wife Jane Hensley, formerly Jane Bruce. (Pittsylvania Co., VA Deed Book 41 page 105).

I suppose John Bruce was an unmarried brother to Jane Bruce Hensley if she was an heir.

They were back in Pittsylvania County for the 1840 census. They were the only Hensleys in that county that year.

1840 census analysis (based on available evidence): (Explanation of this census)

1840 Pittsylvania Co, VA pg 90 John A. Hensley 2000010000000-0000100000000
Analysis:
1 Male(s) 30-39		(1800-1810)	John A. Hensley (1804/05)
2 Male(s) 0-4		(1835-1840)	James H. Hensley (1836/37) Son
					William D. Hensley (1839) Son
1 Female(s) 20-29	(1810-1820)	Jane C. Bruce Hensley (1817/18) Wife

At some point in the 1840's John A. Hensley and family returned to Scott Co., VA.

They were listed on the 1850 census in Scott Co., VA just three houses from Nancy, widow of Fielding Hensley (c1761).

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)

SCOTT CO, VA Page 366B  H/F #  225/ 225- - WESTERN DISTRICT Twp

HENSLEY JOHN A        45 M W FARMER                     VA                   1804/1805
HENSLEY JANE C        32 F W                            VA                   1817/1818
HENSLEY JAMES H       13 M W                            VA                   1836/1837
HENSLEY WILLIAM D     10 M W                            VA                   1839/1840
HENSLEY JOHN T         8 M W                            VA                   1841/1842
HENSLEY MARY J         6 F W                            VA                   1843/1844
HENSLEY MALISSA A      4 F W                            VA                   1845/1846
HENSLEY SAMUEL W       2 M W                            VA                   1847/1848
HENSLEY BRUCE          0 M W 1/12                       VA                   1849/1850

John and family were listed on the 1860 census in Scott Co., VA.

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)

SCOTT CO, VA Page 383   House/Family #  998/ 998 --  Twp  ESTILLVILLE P.O.

HENSLEY JOHN A        54 M W FARMER                    40 VA                   1805/1806
HENSLEY JANE          41 F W SPINSTER                     VA                   1818/1819
HENSLEY SAMUEL        11 M W                              VA                   1848/1849
HENSLEY BRUCE          9 M W                              VA                   1850/1851
HENSLEY ROBERT         8 M W                              VA                   1851/1852
HENSLEY NANCY E        5 F W                              VA                   1854/1855
HENSLEY VIRGINIA F     3 F W                              VA                   1856/1857

On 29 Nov 1866 Jane Coley Bruce Hensley died in Scott Co., VA of fever. (Per Death Certificate).

On 12 Dec 1869 John A. Hensley married Sarena Bishop in Scott Co., VA. Unfortunately the marriage record did not list John's parents. Sarena was listed as "Irena Hill" though both she and John were listed as single. It was apparent both were widows for her parents were listed as Jess and Jane Bishop.  His birth place was listed as Sullivan Co., TN (which is wrong) and hers as Scott Co., VA. They were married by James P. Carter.

Sarena Bishop was born ca 1842/43 in Scott Co., VA. She was with her parents for the 1850 and 1860 census. She married John Hill on 13 Aug 1863. He died sometime before Dec 1869.

John A. Hensley and family were listed on the 1870 census in Scott County.

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)

SCOTT CO, VA Page 611B  House/Family #  216/ 217--TAYLOR Twp DUNCANS MILL P.O.

HENSLEY JOHN A        65 M W FARM LABORER                 135 VA              1804/1805
HENSLEY SARENA        27 F W KEEPING HOUSE                    VA              1842/1843
HENSLEY ROBERT        18 M W FARM LABORER                     VA              1851/1852
HENSLEY JEMIMA        14 F W AT HOME                          VA              1855/1856
HENSLEY JEFFERSON     10 M W AT HOME                          VA              1859/1860
HENSLEY POLLY J        4 F W AT HOME                          VA              1865/1866

John and family were listed on the 1880 census in Scott County.

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)

SCOTT CO, VA Page 161B  House/Family #   262/ 281 -- DE KALB Twp

HENSLEY JOHN                   W M  72    M FARM LABORER         VA  VA  VA  1807/1808
HENSLEY SYRENA                 W F  36 WF M KEEPING HOUSE        VA  VA  VA  1843/1844
HENSLEY MARGARET               W F   9 D  S                      VA  VA  VA  1870/1871
HENSLEY LAURA                  W F   7 D  S                      VA  VA  VA  1872/1873
HENSLEY SALLY                  W F   5 D  S                      VA  VA  VA  1874/1875
HENSLEY MARTHA                 W F   4 D  S                      VA  VA  VA  1875/1876
HENSLEY ELISABETH              W F   3 D  S                      VA  VA  VA  1876/1877
HENSLEY JESSE                  W M   0 S  S 8/12 Oct             VA  VA  VA  1879/1880

I didn't find either John or Sarena on the 1900 census in Scott Co., VA. I have a death year of 1885 for John, but I do not know the source for that.

Children of John A. Hensley. John A. Hensley and first wife Jane Bruce had 12 known children; and John and second wife Sarena Bishop had 7 known children (the last one Charles born 1881, I don't have an original source for him being part of this family.)

Researcher List

Persons researching this family (contact me to add, change or delete your listing here):

• F. Carl Hensley = (John A-)
• Gary Hensley = (John A-)
• Wilbur Sharp = (John A-William D-George W-)
• Donna Warmuth = (John A-)
• Debra Wilson = (John A-William D-George W-)

Register Report