Marty and Karla Grant

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Milton R. Hensley (c1827-aft 1870) and Nancy Dixon and Lucy Goodman of Scott Co., VA, Monroe and Lawrence Co., IN and McLean Co., IL

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Milton R. Hensley is my 2^nd cousin, 5 times removed. His grandfather, Fielding, is a proven brother of my ancestor Larkin Hensley.

Milton R. Hensley was born between ca 1820 and ca 1829. His 1850 and 1860 census entries, as well as his Civil War draft document all give him ages that correspond to a birth of ca 1828/29. You would think that was accurate due to the consistency. However, the 1870 census gave his age as 50, or born ca 1819/20. Normally I’d dismiss the last one and go with the others since they all agree. However, there is a strong chance that this is the same child mentioned in an 1827 court record which would mean he was born prior to then, thus making a birth of ca 1828/29 impossible. There is a chance I’m wrong about the 1827 document referring to Milton, but I don’t think I’m wrong.

The record in question: On 10 May 1827 James Hensley was ordered by the Scott County Court to support his child by Anny Head. Securities for James were Stephen Mac---, Samuel Benham, Isaac Hensley, Benjamin Smith, Samuel Davison and John Hensley.

Anna Head is a daughter of James and Mary (—) Head. She was born 5 Sep 1805 in Washington (now Scott) Co., VA. She may have had at least three children (per 1830 census) born out of wedlock, Milton R. Hensley being one of them.

Although I don’t have absolute proof that Milton R. Hensley is the child of James Hensley named in the 1827 court record, I’m pretty sure that Milton is indeed Anna’s child nonetheless. One, she had an apparent son his age with her in 1830. She married Christopher Peavler ca 1831, who would have become Milton’s stepfather. Milton named his oldest son Christopher, which is the second factor. Third, the families migrated together and lived near each other in other states.

Milton went to Monroe Co., IN and married Nancy Dixon there. I *think* she’s a child of William Dixon and Elizabeth Head (who is Anna’s sister). That further ties him to the Head family. Furthermore, Milton went to Lawrence Co., IN after that, as did his mother. Later, Anna and family went to McLean Co., IL as did Milton. In fact, in 1870 they were just a few houses apart.

I think all the above proves (circumstantially) that Milton R. Hensley is a son of Anna Head and James Hensley. There may be more concrete evidence for or against it, but I’m not aware of it yet.

Milton Hensley seems to be home with his mother in Scott Co., VA for the 1830 census aged under 5 (c1825/1830).

1830 Census, Scott Co., VA, p. 15, Anna Head age 20-29 (1800/1810)

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Anna Head married Christopher Peavler ca 1830/31 in Scott Co., VA. He was born 12 Aug 1812 in either Tennessee or North Carolina.

The Peavler’s, and Milton Hensley presumably, left Virginia for somewhere in Kentucky by 1837. Then sometime between 1839 and 1840 moved to Monroe Co., IN where they are listed on the 1840 census. They are next door to David Minnick who married Celia Hensley (c1794).

1840 Census, Monroe Co., IN, p. 191, Christopher Peaverly age 30-39 (1800/1810)

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On 10 Oct 1847, Milton Hensley married Nancy Dixon in Monroe Co., IN. Nancy was born ca 1826/27 in Virginia, both facts per her 1850 census entry. I don’t know it for certain, but I think she may be a child of William Dixon and Elizabeth Head who married 15 Mar 1824 in Scott Co., VA ad were in Monroe Co., IN by 1840 also. Elizabeth Head was Anna Head’s sister, which would make Milton and Nancy 1^st cousins. William Dixon married 2^nd to Hannah Hensley in 1828 back in Scott Co., VA.

Milton and family were in neighboring Lawrence Co., IN for the 1850 census. His mother and step-father were also in Lawrence in 1850, but not listed nearby. The only other Hensley there was Benjamin Hensley (c1776) son of Joseph Hensley (1750-1832), though not listed nearby. Benjamin would have been Milton’s 1^st cousin, twice removed. I don’t have any reason to think they were acquainted, but certainly could have been.

1850 census, Lawrence Co., IN, Perry Township, p 379B, house 1768, family 1768

Nancy Dixon Hensley died between 1850 and 1852 in Lawrence Co., IN.

On 20 Jan 1852, Milton Hensley obtained a marriage license in Lawrence Co., IN to marry Lucy Goodman. They married the next day, on 21 Jan 1852.

Lucy was born Mar 1818 (per 1900 census) in Kentucky. She is a daughter of Joab and Sally (—) Goodman and was with them on the 1850 census in Lawrence Co., IN as “Lucy” age 28. That age doesn’t quite agree with her 1818 birth date from the 1900 census, but it’s not too far off.

Milton and Lucy and family are on the 1860 census in Lawrence. It would appear that William and Elizabeth Anderson are residing with them. However, they are landowners whereas the Hensleys are not, so this may be a census error where the transcriber forgot to apply a new house and family number for the Andersons, thus making it appear they were in the same house with the Hensleys. I don’t know anything else about the Anderson family.

1860 Census, Lawrence Co., IN, Marshall Township, Guthrie PO, p. 174, house 1378, family 1378

A civil war draft registration document dated 1 Jul 1863 included Milton Hensley, 34, white, farmer, married, born Virginia, in Lawrence Co., IN, Marshall Township. I don’t know if he actually served or not.

The family moved to north central Illinois sometime between 1863 and 1870 for they are on the 1870 census in McLean Co., IL just three houses from his mother and step-father. The two houses that separated them were his half-brothers and their families. George Head (1813) and wife Malinda Hensley (c1819) were about eight houses away. Malinda was a child of Fielding Hensley (Milton’s grandfather), making Malinda his aunt by blood. George Head was also his uncle by blood being a brother of Milton’s mother Anna Head.

1870 Census, McLean Co., IL, Empire Township, LeRoy PO, p. 391, house 49, family 49

I’ve been unable to locate the family on the 1880 census. Milton’s parents had moved to Linn Co., MO by then. They and Milton’s half siblings were all there in 1880. Milton’s son Christopher Hensley was also there, but there was no sign of Milton or Lucy on the census in Linn Co., MO or McLean Co., IL where they’d been back in 1870. I found most of their other children still in McLean in 1880 except for daughter Nancy Jane and sons James and Charles, none of whom were married yet by 1880. That suggests they were still with their parents and thus also not listed for some reason.

Lucy was listed on the 1900 census with her daughter Sarah. She was widowed, so Milton R. Hensley died sometime between 1870 and 1900, which is a 30 year window.

1900 Census, McLean Co., IL, Empire Township, p. 89B, house 81, family 82

I didn’t find Lucy on the 1910 census. She may have been dead by then.

I don’t know where either Milton or Lucy are buried, though most likely in McLean Co., IL.

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Children

Milton R. Hensley and his 1^st wife, Nancy Dixon had one child, Christopher Hensley. He went to Linn Co., MO with his grandparents, then later to Arkansas.

Milton and his 2^nd wife, Lucy Goodman, had five children together. All of them seemed to have remained in Illinois. I found no records on James or Charles after 1870. I don’t know if they died before 1880 or moved away and I just haven’t located them yet.

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Click here for family group sheets of this family. Other notes and sources might be listed there.

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Revised: February 17, 2022

Copyright © 1996-2022 Marvin A. Grant, Jr. All Rights Reserved.

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