Elizabeth (Crow) Hensley (c1821) of Jefferson Co, TN

Elizabeth Hensley was either a single mother or a widow. Lee Zagorski told me that she was a widow, and her maiden name was "Crow". I'm not sure what her source for that is.

Elizabeth Crow was born ca 1820/21 (per 1850 census) in Virginia (per 1850 census). I don't know what county in Virginia she was from. There were several Crows within a few pages of her in 1850 Jefferson County, Tennessee, though none of the nearby ones were old enough to be her parents. There were other Crows in Jefferson County also who were listed further away.

Elizabeth apparently married a Mr. Hensley before ca 1841. His name is unknown. I also don't know what county they married in, though Jefferson is a possibility. The 1850 census shows all the children born in Virginia, but this might be a census error. I strongly suspect that whoever this Mr. Hensley was, that he was a son of Elizabeth Hensley (c1765) of Grainger and Jefferson Co, TN.

I have also considered it possible that this is the same couple as Richard Hensley who married Eliza Rolston in Grainger County, Tennessee on 9 Oct 1838. This fits for various reasons, but I have no solid data to say it is them. Grainger County was next to Jefferson County, the marriage date works, the names "Eliza" and "Elizabeth" are often confused with each other (though generally they are different names, and "Eliza" is not a nickname for "Elizabeth"), and Elizabeth's son John was in Grainger County in 1860. And also all of the other Jefferson County Hensleys were from Grainger County. All of this makes it worth considering. However, this is far from proven, but if accurate, contradicts Lee's claim that Elizabeth was a "Crow". I just thought I'd mention it, just for reference. Perhaps someone can fill in the blanks here and help us sort them out.

There were no Hensleys in Jefferson County in 1840 (or 1830), though there were two earlier Hensley marriages recorded there in 1817 and 1823, and no more until 1859.

Jefferson County was bordered by several counties which had known Hensley residents, so it is possible that Mr. Hensley was from one of these counties: Greene, Hawkins, Grainger or Knox. There were Hensleys in those counties at this time (ca 1841), so Mr. Hensley was probably from one of them. If the 1850 census record is correct in listing all the children born in Virginia, then Mr. Hensley was probably not from one of the neighboring counties just listed.

Mr. Hensley died between ca 1844 and 1850, presumably in Jefferson County, Tennessee. Elizabeth Hensley was listed as head of household on the 1850 census in Jefferson. There were other Hensleys in the county that year, but none listed nearby. As previously stated, there were a couple of Crows nearby, who could be brothers of Elizabeth. The entire family was listed as born in Virginia, as were a considerable number of the neighbors afterwards, so I'm inclined to think this was a census error, but can't be sure. Elizabeth's neighbors were the households of Daniel Noe and William Walls.

I don't have Elizabeth on the 1860 census, so she may have died 1850-60, or remarried someone unknown (no marriage record for her in Jefferson County).

Children

John B. Hensley was born ca 1840/41 in Virginia (per 1850 census), or more likely in Jefferson County, Tennessee (the 1870 and 1880 census gives "TN" for his birth place). He was home with his widowed mother for the 1850 census.

John B. Hensley was in neighboring Grainger County, Tennessee for the 1860 census. He was living with a Carson family, relationship unknown.

John was in neighboring Knox County, Tennessee by 1864, for on 11 Sep 1864 "John Hensley" married Ann Eliza Adams ("Ann E. Adams") there. Eliza was born ca 1841/42 (per 1870 census). I don't know who her parents were.

John and Eliza were listed on the 1870 census in Knox County, Tennessee. The abstract gives: John Hensley-26, Eliza-28, Willie-7, Mary-1, all born TN. (From "Hensley Households" by Laura Schreibman).

John and Eliza were back to Jefferson County, Tennessee for the 1880 census. He was just two houses from William H. Hensley, son of Sarah Hensley (c1812) who is probably his Aunt. ** I don't have this entry typed up yet.

Ellen O. Hensley was born ca 1843/44 in Virginia (per 1850 census), or more likely in Jefferson County, Tennessee. She was home with her widowed mother for the 1850 census.

In 1860 Ellen was still listed in Jefferson County, with the A. F. Poe (c1813 TN) and D. Poe (c1814 TN) family. Relationship to them is unknown. I'm also not totally sure if their name is "Poe" or perhaps "Roe". It was hard to make out.

Researcher List

1. ?¹ Hensley , died 1844/50 in Jefferson Co, TN, son of (---) Hensley and Elizabeth (---) . He married abt 1840 in Jefferson Co, TN Elizabeth Crow , born 1820/21 in VA; died aft 1850 in Jefferson Co, TN.

Children of ? Hensley and Elizabeth Crow were as follows:

+ 2 i John B² Hensley , born 1840/41 in Jefferson Co, TN; died aft 1880 in Jefferson Co, TN. He married Ann Eliza Adams .

3 ii Ellen O² Hensley , born 1843/44 in VA.

Generation 2

2. John B² Hensley (?¹), born 1840/41 in Jefferson Co, TN; died aft 1880 in Jefferson Co, TN. He married on 11 Sep 1864 in Knox Co, TN Ann Eliza Adams , born 1841/42 in TN.

Children of John B Hensley and Ann Eliza Adams were as follows:

4 i William H³ Hensley , born 1862/63 in Knox Co, TN.

5 ii Mary³ Hensley , born 1868/69 in Knox Co, TN.

6 iii Charles³ Hensley , born 1873/74 in Knox Co, TN.

7 iv Frank F³ Hensley , born 1875/76 in Jefferson Co, TN.

8 v Margaret³ Hensley , born 1877/78 in Jefferson Co, TN.