Obediah Hensley (c1820) and Jane Spurgin and Mary Ann Simmons and Martha Jones of Greene Co, TN

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I (Marty Grant) am not related to Obediah Hensley as far as I know.

Obediah Hensley was born ca 1819/20 in TN, possibly in Greene County (where he lived later on). Although the 1850 census gives "TN" as his birthplace, it should be noted that the 1870 census lists his birthplace as North Carolina. If he was born in NC, then Buncombe County (now Yancey County) is the most likely birth place, but not the only choice.

I don't know who Obediah's parents were. There are numerous suspects in North Carolina, but only a few in Tennessee.  There was an older Obediah Hensley (c1786), but I have found no connection between the two. They never lived in the same place, as far as I've found.

Presumably, Obediah was home with his parents for the 1820 census. If he was born in Tennessee, then this record is lost with all the rest of Eastern Tennessee (lost for the 1820 census).

The 1830 and 1840 Greene Co, TN census records don't show us any Hensley family were Obediah may have been, though there were Hensley's there. Samuel Hensley was there in 1830 and 1840, but I'm fairly sure he isn't Obediah's father. Isom Hensley Sr was in Greene Co, TN for the 1840 census, but he had no one Obediah's age with him. Benjamin Hensley was also there in 1840, he was a son of Isom Sr, but I don't think Ben was Obediah's father either.

It should be noted that Isom Hensley Sr did have someone about Obediah's age with him in the 1830 census (Sullivan Co, TN). This could be Obediah, but I have no proof that it is him. Much more research will be need to determine Obediah's parents.

Wherever Obediah was prior, he was in Greene County, Tennessee by 1841, when on 26 Jan 1841, he obtained a marriage bond to marry Jane Spurgin. They married two days later on 28 Jan 1841. I have no additional data on her yet.

Jane must have died sometime prior to 12 Sep 1844 for on that he date he obtained another marriage bond, to marry Mary Ann Simmons, also in Greene County. They married on 17 Sep 1844. She is probably a daughter of James Simmons (c1780) who was residing with them in 1850 in Greene Co, TN. Mary Ann was born ca 1818/19 in Tennessee, possibly in Greene County.

For the 1850 census, Obediah and family were in Greene Co, TN, along with several other Hensley families, but none listed close by.

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 GREENE CO, TN Page 203   House/Family #  963/ 963 9th Division

HENSLY OBED           30 M W LABORER                    TN                   1819/1820
HENSLY MARY A         31 F W                            TN                   1818/1819
HENSLY MARGARET        6 F W                            TN                   1843/1844
HENSLY SARAH A         4 F W                            TN                   1845/1846
HENSLY JAMES           1 M W TWIN                       TN                   1848/1849
HENSLY GEORGE          1 M W TWIN                       TN                   1848/1849
SIMMONS JAMES         70 M W LABORER                    TN                   1779/1780

Apparently, Mary Ann Simmons died before 31 Mar 1851, for on that date, Obediah obtained a marriage bond to marry Martha A. Jones, also in Greene Co, TN. They married on 6 Apr 1851. Martha was born ca 1832/33 in Tennessee. I did not find her on the 1850 census of Greene County, so I don't know who her parents were. I did find several "Martha Jones", but none matched her age, or were close enough in age to consider.

I didn't locate Obediah Hensley on the 1860 census, at least not yet. He may have been missed by the census taker, or else I just haven't found him yet. ** There is a "Debiah" on the 1860 index, and that might be him. I haven't checked yet.

However, for the 1870 census, Obediah Hensley was listed in Greene Co, TN. The abstract shows: Obadiah Hensley-51, NC, Martha A-37 TN, Mary-18 TN, Caroline-16 TN, John-11 TN, Penelope-10, Nancy J-6, Lorena Slagle-58 SC, James Hensley-23 TN. (From "Hensley Households" by Laura Schreibman).

I did not find Obediah nor Martha Hensley on the 1880 census in Greene County.

Children

Obediah and his three wives seem to have several children per the 1850 and 1870 census records. See the Register Report below for what little data I have on them so far.

Researcher List

Persons researching this family (click here for data on how to get on or off of this list):

Register Report

1. Obediah1 Hensley , born 1819/20 in TN; died aft 1870 in Greene Co, TN.  He married (1) on 28 Jan 1841 in Greene Co, TN Jane Spurgin , died 1841/44 in Greene Co, TN; (2) on 17 Sep 1844 in Greene Co, TN Mary Ann Simmons , born 1818/19 in TN; died 1850/51 in Greene Co, TN, daughter of James Simmons ; (3) on 6 Apr 1851 in Greene Co, TN Martha A Jones , born 1832/33 in Greene Co, TN.

 

      Children of Obediah Hensley and Jane Spurgin were as follows:

      2          i      Margaret2 Hensley , born 1843/44 in Greene Co, TN.

 

      Children of Obediah Hensley and Mary Ann Simmons were as follows:

      3          i      Sarah A2 Hensley , born 1845/46 in Greene Co, TN.

      4          ii      James2 Hensley , born 1848/49 in Greene Co, TN.

      5          iii      George2 Hensley , born 1848/49 in Greene Co, TN.

 

      Children of Obediah Hensley and Martha A Jones were as follows:

      6          i      Mary2 Hensley , born 1851/52 in Greene Co, TN.

      7          ii      Caroline2 Hensley , born 1853/54 in Greene Co, TN.

      8          iii      John2 Hensley , born 1858/59 in Greene Co, TN.

      9          iv      Penelope2 Hensley , born 1859/60 in Greene Co, TN.

      10         v      Nancy J2 Hensley , born 1863/64 in Greene Co, TN.

 

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