Marty and Karla Grant

[Home] [What’s New?] [Books for Sale] [Christian] [Genealogy] [Search] [Support] [About] [Contact]

Benjamin S. Hensley (c1802-aft 1850) and Lucinda (or Susannah) of Burke (now McDowell) Co., NC, Monroe Co., TN, Habersham, Lumpkin and White Co., GA

Hensley pages [Hensley Home] - [Table of Contents] - [North Carolina], [Tennessee], [Georgia] This page: [Jump to Children’s section]

I believe this Benjamin Hensley is a distant cousin of mine, but can’t prove all the connections.

Benjamin S. Hensley was born ca 1801/02 per his age on the 1850 census (48). He was born in North Carolina per the same source. It is most likely he was born near Tom’s Creek in what was then Burke Co., NC but is now McDowell Co., NC.

I believe that Benjamin S. Hensley is a son of Benjamin Hensley (c1776) and Elizabeth, but I don’t have absolute proof of that. However, if this and several other unproven connections are correct, Benjamin S. Hensley was the seventh Benjamin Hensley in a row directly descended from the first Benjamin Hensley.

My reasoning for placing Benjamin S. as a son of Benjamin (1776) is that in 1830 he was next door to Randal Hensley (1807) who is also believed to be a son of that Benjamin. This isn’t solid proof, but it works.

Benjamin S. Hensley would have been about eight for the 1810 census. His suspected father had two apparent sons at home under age 10, one of whom could be Benjamin S., the other Randal (1807).

Benjamin S. Hensley would have been about eighteen for the 1820 census. Indeed, his suspected father had a son aged 16-25 with him that year

Benjamin (1776) moved his family to Monroe Co., TN in the 1820s, and is listed there on the 1830 census. Benjamin S. Hensley also made the move for he too is there on the 1830 census, but not near his father.

Benjamin S. Hensley married during the 1820s, though whether in Burke Co., NC or Monroe Co., TN isn’t known as no marriage record has been found. His wife is either named Susanna or Lucinda depending on which census record is more accurate. I’m reasonably sure there aren’t two different spouses, one named Susanna (in 1850) and one named Lucinda (in 1870). I think it’s the same woman just listed incorrectly one of those times. I give “Lucinda” the edge for she had three granddaughters named Lucinda, and none named Susannah. Of course her name could be Lucinda Susannah or something along those lines.

She was born ca 1810 in North Carolina. I don’t know her maiden name.

They are listed on the 1830 census in Monroe Co., TN next door to his likely brother Randal Hensley.

1830 Census, Monroe Co., TN, p. 141, Benjamin Hensly age 20-29 (1800/1810)

20001-0001

They moved to Habersham Co., GA in the 1830s, perhaps by 1833 judging by the birth places of their children per the 1850 census.

They are listed on the 1840 census in Habersham.

1840 Census, Habersham Co., GA, p. 146, Mount Yonah District, Benjamin S. Hensley age 30-39 (1800/1810)

120001-21001

They were still in Habersham for the 1850 census. Unfortunately this census taker listed nearly everyone only by their first initial and not their actual name. I suspect this is a hand made copy they made of the original which was more complete. However, it’s all we have. He also had the bad habit of listing the initial of their surname after their first initial which makes it seem like the entire household has an “H” for a middle initial.

1850 census, Habersham Co., GA, 7 Dist, 37 Division, p. 266b, house 30, family 30

I was unable to find them on the 1860 census in Habersham or anywhere else. White County was formed in 1857 from part of Habersham, so they may have lived in that section. They certainly did by 1870, but I didn’t find them there in 1860.

However, there is evidence that they were probably in Lumpkin at the time but not listed on the census for some reason. (Some parts of that census are so dim as to be illegible.)

Their daughter Nancy married in Habersham in 1856. Daughter Martha married in Lumpkin in 1859. Daughter Sarah also married in Lumpkin in 1862. However, son Benjamin married in Fulton Co., GA in 1861.

Benjamin S. Hensley was dead before the 1870 census when “Lucinda” Hensley was listed as a widow in White Co., GA. I don’t know where he died, or if it had anything to do with the Civil War (1861-1865). He was too old to be a soldier, but there were plenty of ways to die during the War that didn’t require being a soldier, sickness being the number one killer during that time.

As noted, Mrs. Hensley, listed here as “Lucinda,” is on the 1870 census in White Co., GA. Her widowed daughter Sarah is living with her. Her daughter Martha Davis is next door with her family. Her widowed daughter Nancy was living on the other side of her.

1870 Census, White Co., GA, 135 Subdivision, Cleveland PO, p. 31b

I was unable to find Lucinda (or Susannah) on the 1880 census. She may have died in the 1870s or perhaps remarried and is listed somewhere under her new name. I didn’t find a marriage record in White Co., GA nor elsewhere.

---

Children

Benjamin S. Hensley and Lucinda have seven children per the 1850 census. The 1840 census seems to show two others (sons) who were no longer home by 1850, and the 1830 census shows two more sons who were gone by 1840.

 

1.         Unidentified son ca 1825/30. Benjamin S. Hensley had an apparent son this age with him in 1830. He was gone by 1840 unless listed there as 5-9 (1830/1835). This could be Hiram G. Henslee (1828) who was with Benjamin (1776) in 1850, his presumed grandfather.

2.         Unidentified son ca 1825/30. Benjamin S. Hensley had an apparent son this age with him in 1830. He was gone by 1840 unless listed there as 5-9 (1830/1835). This could be William C. Henslee (1830) who was with Benjamin (1776) in 1850, his presumed grandfather.

3.         Unidentified son ca 1830/35. Benjamin S. Hensley had an apparent son this age with him in 1840. He was gone by 1850. See Hiram G. Henslee above for this could be him.

4.         Unidentified son ca 1830/35. Benjamin S. Hensley had an apparent son this age with him in 1840. He was gone by 1850. See William C. Henslee above for this could be him.

5.         Nancy Evelyn Hensley (1832-1926) was apparently home with her parents in 1850 listed as “A.” Hensley age 16. Ann is a common nickname for Nancy, so this is probably her. She married James Harper McCray on 29 Feb 1856 in Habersham. The marriage record lists her as Mary, but all subsequent records list her as Nancy.

6.         Martha Hensley (c1836-aft 1880) was home in 1850 listed as “M.” Hensley, age 14. She married Samuel Davis on 24 Jul 1859 in Lumpkin Co., GA.

7.         Benjamin F. Hensley (Henslee) (c1838-aft 1880). He was home with his parents in 1850 as “B.” Hensley age 12. He married Lucy Ann Wilson on 3 Mar 1861 in Fulton Co., GA. They moved to Indiana right afterwards. He was the eighth Benjamin Hensley directly descended from the earliest known Benjamin Hensley if I have it all worked out correctly.

8.         Sarah Ann Manerva Hensley (1838-1932). She was with her parents in 1850 as “S.” Hensley age 10. She married Alfred W. Turner on 1 Jul 1862 in Lumpkin.

9.         T. Hensley born ca 1841/42. This son was home in 1850 as “T.” Hensley age 8. I’ve found no further record of him so far. One might assume his name was Thomas, but there were several Theodore’s in the next generation.

10.       B. Hensley born ca 1843/44. This son was home in 1850 as “B.” Hensley age 6. I’ve found no further record of him so far. His name wouldn’t be Benjamin as the older “B” was Benjamin, unless I misidentified that one.

11.       G. A. Hensley born ca 1846/47. This daughter was home in 1850 a “G. A.” Hensley age 3. I’ve found no further records of her. However, I’ll go out on a limb and suggest her name was Georgia Ann. Her sister Sarah named her oldest Georgia Ann.

---

For Family Group Sheet and other notes see my database page for Benjamin S. Hensley

Revised: September 29, 2021

Copyright © 1996-2021 Marvin A. Grant, Jr. All Rights Reserved.

[Home] [What’s New?] [Books for Sale] [Christian] [Genealogy] [Search] [Support] [About] [Contact]