Benjamin Hensley (1800/10) of Monroe and McMinn Co., TN

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The author (Marty Grant) is not related to Benjamin Hensley as far as can be determined. He did live in the same county (Monroe Co, TN) as my ancestor Samuel Hensley (1801-1852).

This Benjamin may be the same person as Benjamin Hensley (c1805 TN) who was in Bradley Co., TN in 1850 and apparently a brother of Mary Hensley Capp(s) (c1809 TN) and Frances Hensley Copp (c1816 TN). I have no way to know for sure if the two Benjamins are in fact one and the same person.

Benjamin Hensley was born ca 1800-1810 per his age on the 1830 census (aged 20-29). I don't know what state he was born in but Tennessee, North Carolina or Virginia are the most likely places.

That very same census shows Benjamin next door to Randal Hensley (1807). Now Randal is almost certainly a son of  Benjamin Hensley (c1776) and Elizabeth (---). Although it isn't proven 100% that Randal is son of the older Benjamin it does seem highly likely. See his own page for details.

Randal and Benjamin (1800/10) being next door neighbors strongly suggests a close relationship. Brothers seems likely, though of course they could be cousins instead. This census shows an apparent wife and two sons under 5 years old. I don't know who Benjamin's wife was for I found no marriage record in Monroe County or elsewhere.

1830 census analysis (based on available evidence): (Explanation of this census)

1830 Monroe Co, TN pg 140 Benjamin Hensley 2000100000000-0000100000000
Analysis:
1 Male(s) 20-29        (1800-1810)	Benjamin HENSLEY (1804/05)
2 Male(s) 0-4          (1825-1830)	Son? (1825/30)
					Son? (1825/30)
1 Female(s) 20-29      (1800-1810)	Wife?  (1800/10)

This might be the same Benjamin Hensley who obtained a marriage bond on 1 Nov 1832 in neighboring McMinn County to marry Catherine Aiken. They were married on 9 Jan 1833 in that same county. If this is the same Benjamin Hensley, then his first wife must have died between 1830 and late 1832.

The 1830 census only shows one Aiken family in McMinn and he doesn't have any daughters. However, there were several Aikens in Monroe County in 1830. I don't know which of them might have been Catherine's immediate relations.

I could not locate Benjamin Hensley on the 1840 census. There were four Benjamin Hensleys listed in Tennessee on that census but they are all solidly identified as other people. There were several Benjamin Hensleys in other states in 1840.

I could not locate Benjamin Hensley on the 1850 census unless he is the Benjamin, aged 45, living with the Capp(s) family in Bradley Co., TN:

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 BRADLEY CO, TN Page 259   House/Family # 1703/1703  - 26th Subdivision

COPP JOHN             56 M W FARMER                     TN                   1793/1794
COPP MARY             41 F W                            TN                   1808/1809
COPP ELIZABETH        23 F W                            TN                   1826/1827
COPP MARTHA           20 F W                            TN                   1829/1830
COPP BENJAMIN         18 M W                            TN                   1831/1832
COPP JOHN             16 M W                            TN                   1833/1834
COPP FRANCIS          13 F W                            TN                   1836/1837
COPP JOHNATHAN        10 M W                            TN                   1839/1840
COPP MARY              7 F W                            TN                   1842/1843
COPP ANDREW            5 M W                            TN                   1844/1845
COPP LOUISIA           2 F W                            TN                   1847/1848
COPP JACOB             0 M W 1/12                       TN                   1849/1850
HENSLY BENJAMIN       45 M W BLACKSMITH                 TN                   1804/1805

The above Benjamin Hensley (c1805) is most likely a brother to Mary Hensley Capps wife of John Capps. This isn't proven, but they were both Hensleys and they were living together. See their page for more information on them.

Bradley County is not far from Monroe County, and it does border McMinn County, so this could easily be the same Benjamin Hensley of the 1830 Monroe census. If so, what happened to his wife and children?

I was unable to find any other Benjamin Hensley on the 1850 census who could be the same one from the 1830 census.

I couldn't find Benjamin Hensley on the 1860 census either (not the one from Bradley County or any other likely match to the 1830 Benjamin.)

There is a Benjamin Hensley (c1800 NC) listed on the 1850 census in Polk Co., MO. He and his wife Ann (c1807 TN) fit age-wise to the 1830 Monroe County Benjamin. One problem is that they had a son James M. Hensley (c1822 NC) who doesn't fit any of the boys with Benjamin on the 1830 entry. A biography of James says he was raised in east Tennessee so that is fits! Perhaps this is the same family after all and James was just mis-enumerated in 1830. No way to prove that at this point though. See the page for Polk County Benjamin for more on his family.


Children of Benjamin Hensley. At present, I have not been able to positively identify the two children who were with Benjamin in 1830. They were both born ca 1825-30.

Joe Henslee, a descendant of Benjamin Hensley (c1776) believes that one of these boys is Hiram Henslee (c1829 TN) who was living with old Benjamin in 1850. That Hiram had an apparent brother William C. Hensley (1832) who was also with old Benjamin in 1850. That William was definitely born in Monroe County per Civil War records. If these two are sons of Benjamin (1800/10) then that strongly suggests that young Benjamin is a son of old Benjamin.

Assuming that Hiram was one of the two boys that leaves one unaccounted for. Old Benjamin only had two children with him in 1850 (Hiram and William). William was born in 1832 so he wasn't one of the two from 1830. The other one may have died young.

See Benjamin's page for more on Hiram and William.


Researcher List

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

  • Joe Henslee =

Register Report



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