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Hensley
> John Hensley
The author (Marty Grant) is not related to John Hensley
as far as can be proven. There is certainly a possibility that he is
related to my ancestor Larkin
Hensley (c1761-1806).
Special thanks to Laura Schreibman for data shared on this
family.
John Hensley was born ca 1781/82 (per age of 68 on
1850 census) or ca 1779/80 per age of 80 on 1860 census. These two ages
are pretty close together, so I suspect they are close to his actual age.
John Hensley was born in Albemarle Co., VA as proven by
his marriage record (second) dated 1861 which also proves his parents were
Benjamin Hensley and
Susan ---.
Since "John" is such a common Hensley name, it is most
fortunate that this one is well documented back to his parents and place
of origin.
On 17 Jan 1788 Benjamin Hensley made his Will in Albemarle
County. He named sons John and Samuel and "rest of children" to get
one shilling each, but did not give their names. In the Will, son John got
the tract where Benjamin "now lives" and 30 acres. John was under 10 years
old at this time, though that wasn't mentioned in the will.
John would have come of age (turned 21) around 1801-1803.
John Hensley married Frances Smith on 14 Aug 1809
in neighboring Nelson Co., VA. Frances was born ca 1792/93 (per age of 57
on 1850 census) or born ca 1783/84 per age of 76 on 1860 census. I
don't know who her parents were.
There is only one John Hensley listed on the 1810 census
in Virginia and he is in Nelson County which is where this John had just
married. The problem is that both he and his wife are listed too old. It
may still be them and their ages just listed in error. It is also possible
this is some other John Hensley, but I don't think so. Keep that in mind
though just in case. A Samuel Hensley (bef 1765) was listed next to him,
but the census was alphabetical, so no way to know if they were actually
neighbors. This could be John's brother
Samuel Hensley, but
I'm not sure. See his page for more info.
1810 census analysis (based on
available evidence): (Explanation of
this census)
1810 Nelson Co, VA pg 773 John Hensley 00001-00001
Analysis:
1 Male(s) 45 and up (bef 1765) John Hensley (c1782) s/o Benjamin & Susan
1 Female(s) 45 & up (before 1765) Frances Smith Hensley (c1793) wife, m 1809
For the War of 1812 (1812-1815), John Hensley enlisted as
a Private on 2 Sep 1814 under Capt. David Jacob in the Virginia Militia,
enlisting in Nelson Co., VA. He served until his discharge on 18 Sep 1814.
His pension file gives a lot of useful family data. (War of 1812 Pension
File WO 34995 & WC 28529).
John was back in neighboring Albemarle Co., VA for the
1820 census. Once again the census was
alphabetical, so I can't tell who his neighbors were.
1820 census analysis (based on
available evidence): (Explanation of
this census)
1820 Albemarle Co, VA pg 10 John Hensley 100010-50100
Analysis:
1 Male(s) 26-44 (1775-1794) John Hensley (c1782) s/o Benjamin & Susan
1 Male(s) 0-9 (1810-1820) James Hensley (c1820) son
1 Female(s) 16-25 (1794-1804) Frances Smith Hensley (c1793) wife
5 Female(s) 0-9 (1810-1820) Daughter?
Daughter?
Daughter?
Daughter?
Daughter?
By 1830 John Hensley moved
his family west to Kanawha County, Virginia (now West Virginia). His
brother William Hensley had
moved there about 10 years earlier. Unfortunately, this census was
alphabetical, so I can't tell who his neighbors were. John's nephew
Benjamin Hensley (c1782) was
listed on the same page.
1830 census analysis (based on
available evidence): (Explanation of
this census)
1830 Kanawha Co, VA pg 196 John Hensley 2120001000000-1101001000000
Analysis:
1 Male(s) 40-49 (1780-1790) John Hensley (c1782) s/o Benjamin & Susan
2 Male(s) 10-14 (1815-1820) James Hensley (c1820) son
Son?
1 Male(s) 5-9 (1820-1825) Casanda Hensley (c1824) son
2 Male(s) 0-4 (1825-1830) Son?
Son?
1 Female(s) 40-49 (1780-1790) Frances Smith Hensley (c1793) wife
1 Female(s) 15-19 (1810-1815) Daughter?
1 Female(s) 5-9 (1820-1825) Daughter?
1 Female(s) 0-4 (1825-1830) Frances Hensley (c1826) daughter
I was unable to find John
Hensley on the 1840 census. There were several John Hensleys listed
elsewhere in Virginia and West Virginia, but none seem to be this John.
There is a John Hensley listed in Kanawha County, but there are no male
enumerations, and the females don't match with John's known family. There
was a John in neighboring Cabell County, but he was too young.
In 1848 Putnam County was
created from portions of Kanawha, Mason and Cabell Counties. John either
fell into the new county or moved there for he was listed there on the
1850 census. The last name in the family is at the start of the next page,
but his surname is clearly written as "Henley" (no S), so I don't know if
that is a typo or whether this guy is a Henley and not a Hensley.
- 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)
PUTNAM CO., VA Page 317B H/F # 701/ 725- - 46th DISTRICT Twp
HENSLEY JOHN 68 M W FARMER VA 1781/1782
HENSLEY JAMES 30 M W FARMER VA 1819/1820
HENSLEY CASANDA 26 M W VA 1823/1824
HENSLEY FRANCES 57 F W VA 1792/1793
HENSLEY FRANCES 24 F W VA 1825/1826
HENLEY SHELTON 21 M W LABORER VA 1828/1829
They were still in Putnam for
the 1860 census.
- 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)
PUTNAM CO, VA Page 850 House/Family # 208/ 188 -- DISTRICT NO 2 Twp SYCAMORE GROVE P.O.
HENSLEY J 80 M W FARMER 1000 308 VA 1779/1780
HENSLEY F 76 F W VA 1783/1784
HENSLEY F 30 F W VA 1829/1830
Frances Smith Hensley died in
Putnam Co., VA on 17 Dec 1860. (War of 1812 Pension File WO 34995 &
WC 28529).
On 23 Oct 1861, John Hensley married widow Lydia Smith
Bailey in Putnam Co., VA. (War of 1812 Pension File WO 34995 & WC 28529).
Lydia was born ca 1792/93 (per age on 1870 census), in Nelson Co., VA (per
Pension File). Her first husband was William Bailey who died in Putnam in
1853.
Lydia was a daughter of Joseph and Pacunt (---) Smith, per
the Pension file. Lydia could be a sister of John's first wife Frances
Smith, but that is just an assumption, I have no proof of it.
The marriage record (which was included in the War of 1812
Pension File) shows that John Hensley was 82 at the time, and that she was
65. He was born in Albemarle Co., VA and she in Nelson Co., VA. His
parents were listed as Benjamin and Susan Hensley and hers as Joseph and
Pacunt Smith.
West Virginia became a state in 1863.
John Hensley died in Putnam
Co., WV on 7 Feb 1870 (per pension file).
Widow Lydia was listed on the
1870 census in Putnam with her son Edward Bailey.
- 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)
PUTNAM CO., WV Page 286B House/Family # 69/ 69--GRANT Twp WINFIELD P.O.
BAILEY E C 51 M W FARMER 530 300 VA 1818/1819
BAILEY MARTHA J 35 F W KEEPING HOUSE 100 VA 1834/1835
BAILEY MARETTA 15 F W AT HOME VA 1854/1855
BAILEY WILLIAM B 10 M W AT HOME VA 1859/1860
BAILEY SAMANTHA J 2 F W WV 1867/1868
HENSLEY LYDIA 77 F W DOMESTIC SERVANT VA 1792/1793
She was still with son Edward
for the 1880 census. She wasn't listed as a Hensley here, but it is the
same person.
- 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)
PUTNAM CO., WV Page 194 House/Family # 199/ 199 -- TEAYSES VALLEY Twp
BAILEY EDWARD W M 65 M FARMER VA VA VA 1814/1815
BAILEY EGINIA W F 43 WF M KEEPING HOUSE VA VA VA 1836/1837
BAILEY WILLIAM B W M 21 S S LABORER WV VA VA 1858/1859
BAILEY SAMANTHA W F 10 D S AT HOME WV VA VA 1869/1870
BAILEY LUCY W F 8 D S WV VA VA 1871/1872
BAILEY LYDIA W F 93 MO W AT HOME VA VA VA 1786/1787
BAILEY GEORGE A W M 5 S S WV VA VA 1874/1875
Lydia Smith Bailey Hensley
died on 17 Mar 1883 (per pension file) in Putnam Co., WV.
Children: John Hensley and first wife
Frances Smith had several children, but unfortunately they aren't all
identified. It does not appear that John and second wife Lydia Smith had
any children, though she had some with her first husband William Bailey.
Unknown Son (1815/20) * With parents in 1820 and 1830.
James A. Hensley (c1820) * With parents in 1830 and 1850
Unknown Daughter (1810/15) * With parents in 1820 and
1830.
Unknown Daughter (1810/20) * With parents in 1820.
Unknown Daughter (1810/20) * With parents in 1820.
Unknown Daughter (1810/20) * With parents in 1820.
Unknown Daughter (1810/20) * With parents in 1820.
Unknown Daughter (1820/25) * With parents in 1830.
Casanda Hensley (c1824) * With parents in 1830 and 1850
Unknown Son (1825/30) * With parents in 1830.
Unknown Son (1825/30) * With parents in 1830.
Frances Hensley (c1826) * With parents in 1830, 1850,
1860.
Researcher List
Persons researching this family (contact me to
add, change or delete your listing here):
Register Report
1. John1
Hensley
, born 1779/80 in Albemarle Co,
VA; died 7 Feb 1870 in Putnam Co, WV, son of Benjamin Hensley
and Susannah (---)
. He married (1) on 14 Aug
1809 in Nelson Co, VA Frances Smith
, born 1783/84 in VA; died 17
Dec 1860 in Putnam Co, VA (WV); (2) on 23 Oct 1861 in Putnam Co, VA
(WV) Lydia Smith
, born 1792/93 in Nelson Co, VA;
died 17 Mar 1883 in Putnam Co, WV, daughter of Joseph Smith
and Pacunt (---)
.
Children
of John Hensley and Frances Smith were as follows:
2
i James A2
Hensley
, born 1819/20 in Kanawha Co, VA
(WV); died aft 1860 in Putnam Co, VA (now WV).
3
ii Casanda2
Hensley
, born 1823/24 in Kanawha Co, VA
(WV); died aft 1850 in Putnam Co, VA (now WV).
4
iii Frances2
Hensley
, born 1825/26 in Kanawha Co, VA
(WV); died aft 1860 in Putnam Co, VA (now WV).
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