William Henderson Helsley/Hensley (c1828) and Nancy S. Howell, Elizabeth M. Fox, and Martha J. Broome of Knox Co., TN

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The author (Marty Grant) is not related to Henderson Hensley as far as can be determined. He did live in the same county (Knox Co, TN) as my ancestor Samuel Hensley (1801-1852) though several years after Samuel left there.

William Henderson Hensley or Helsley was born ca 1827/28 per his age of 22 on the 1850 census. He was born in Tennessee, county unknown. He lived in Knox County later on, but it is not known if he was born there.

His surname was listed as Hensley on a couple of records, but most show him as Helsley or similar. I can only assume that the Hensley records (1850 and 1860 census) were errors and that his surname is actually Helsley. It is also possible that he used both surnames. I've seen it before, refer to Peter Hensley (c1812-1850) of TN, AL and MO, for example.

I do not know who Henderson's parents were. It is possible that he is a son of Anthony Hensley (c1791) who lived in Knox County, and had an apparent son Henderson's age per the 1830 and 1840 census. However, I have no additional data to connect them to each other. By 1850 there were other Hensleys in Knox County, though mostly about his own age, who could possibly be siblings, though no evidence there either. It is also possible that Henderson moved to Knox County from a neighboring county in Eastern Tennessee. If his surname is Helsley instead, then he probably isn't even related to the Hensley families of Knox County.

Presumably, Henderson would have been home with his parents for the 1830 and 1840 census. Anthony Hensley (c1791) was the only Hensley in Knox County those years, and in both census records, he did have a son the same age group as Henderson. This doesn't prove anything though except that Anthony might be Henderson's father. There were no Helsley or similar in Knox County those years.

For the 1850 census, Henderson Hensly was in Knox County residing with the Andrew Knott (c1807 VA) family. Andrew's wife was Sarah Lones (c1809 TN), married in Knox County in 1830. I don't know if Henderson is related to this family, or was just a hired laborer. They were not listed near any of the other Hensleys in 1850. There were no Helsley (or similar) in Knox in 1850.

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 KNOX CO, TN Page 133B  House/Family #  543/ 551  - 15th Subdivision Twp

KNOTT ANDREW          43 M W FARMER                4000 VA                   1806/1807
KNOTT SARAH           41 F W                            TN                   1808/1809
KNOTT ELIZABETH       18 F W                            VA                   1831/1832
KNOTT NANCY J         16 F W                            TN                   1833/1834
KNOTT JAMES H         14 M W                            TN                   1835/1836
KNOTT MARGARET        12 F W                            TN                   1837/1838
KNOTT ISABELLA         9 F W                            TN                   1840/1841
KNOTT LATHENY?         7 F W                            TN                   1842/1843
KNOTT BARBARY H        5 F W                            TN                   1844/1845
KNOTT SAMUEL L         1 M W                            TN                   1848/1849
HENSLY HENDERSON      22 M W FARMER                     TN                   1827/1828
 

There was a marriage record dated 19 Jan 1853 in Knox between Henderson Helsley & Nancy S. Howell. This was 9 months before the marriage to E. M. Fox, so both marriages could be for this same person. I believe they are the same person. Nancy S. Howell must have died before December 1853 when he remarried. I looked for her on the 1850 census but was unable to find her in Knox County. She may have been from a nearby county.

William H. Helsley and E. M. Fox married  on 21 Dec 1853 in Knox County. Elizabeth M. Fox was born ca 1837/38 in Knox Co., TN, a daughter of  Samuel and Mary (---) Fox.

Henderson and family were listed on the 1860 census in Knox County in District 11. (The Fox family was in District 8 in 1860.) Henderson and family were listed as Hensleys this time.

1860 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)

1860 KNOX CO, TN Page 222   House/Family #    8/   8 -- DISTRICT 11 Twp

HENSLEY HENDERSON     33 M W CARPENTER         2000   465 TN                   1826/1827
HENSLEY ELIZABETH M   22 F W                              TN                   1837/1838
HENSLEY MARGARET R     5 F W                              TN                   1854/1855
HENSLEY SAMUEL         3 M W                              TN                   1856/1857
HENSLEY MARY S         1 F W                              TN                   1858/1859
BROWN CANICK          11 M W                              TN                   1848/1849
 

I did not find Henderson Hensley / Helsley or any of his family members on the 1870 census in Tennessee or elsewhere. Samuel Fox was dead but his widow Mary was still in Knox County in 1870, still in District 8. No sign of any Hensleys or Helsleys in that district. (No Helsleys at all in Knox in 1870.)

There is a Henderson Helsley who served during the Civil War (1861-1865) as a Private in Company D of the 6 Tennessee Infantry (USA). I don't know if it is this same man though. I have not seen the actual service records.

Elizabeth M. Fox Hensley / Helsley must have died prior to 1872 for on 30 May 1872 H. Helsley married Martha J. Broome in Knox County. She was born Feb 1854 in Union Co., NC, daughter of Levi and Arminda (---) Broome. Her family moved to Knox in the 1860's.

I found Henderson Hesley in Knox in 1880 in District 12.

1880 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)

KNOX CO, TN Page 479   House/Family #     8/   8 -- 12th CIVIL DISTRICT Twp

HESLEY HENDERSON               W M  55    M FARMER               TN  PA  VA  1824/1825
HESLEY MARTHA                  W F  25 WF M KEEPING HOUSE        NC  NC  NC  1854/1855
HESLEY JOSEPH                  W M  13 S  S WORKS ON FARM        TN  TN  TN  1866/1867
HESLEY ALBERT                  W M   7 S  S                      TN  TN  TN  1872/1873
HESLEY CHARLES                 W M   5 S  S                      TN  TN  NC  1874/1875
HESLEY ORA                     W F   3 D  S                      TN  TN  TN  1876/1877
HESLEY EMMA                    W F   2 D  S                      TN  TN  TN  1877/1878
HESLEY LIZIE                   W F   0 D  S 2/12                 TN  TN  TN  1879/1880

This same Henderson Helsey was still in Knox for the 1900 census.

1900 census abstract: (Explanation of this census)

(Note: The birth dates given in 1900 were part of the original census record)

KNOX CO, TN Pg: 194B Sh:  SD:  H-F:  187- 189 Twp: 19th DISTRICT

HELSEY HENDERSON               HD W M MAR 1820  80 M 31       TN  TN  TN  FARMER
HELSEY MARTHA J                WF W F FEB 1854  46 M 31 12 11 NC  NC  NC
HELSEY NELLIE J                D  W F MAR 1881  18 S          TN  TN  NC  AT SCHOOL
HELSEY FRED G                  S  W M APR 1885  15 S          TN  TN  NC  FARM LABORER
HELSEY SIBBIE G                D  W F APR 1889  11 S          TN  TN  NC  AT SCHOOL
HELSEY ABBERTA                 D  W F JUN 1892   7 S          TN  TN  NC  AT SCHOOL
HELSEY ROSA E                  D  W F AUG 1896   4 S          TN  TN  NC
HELSEY CHARLES H               S  W M DEC 1875  24 S          TN  TN  NC  STONE MASON  

I couldn't find them in 1910, though sons Charles and Albert were still in Knox Co., TN that year.

Children of Henderson Hensley/Helsley. Henderson and his first wife Nancy S. Howell seem to have no children. He and second wife Elizabeth M. Fox had at least four, and he and third wife Martha Broome had 12 (per 1900 census). As far as I can tell, all the children used the HELSLEY surname and not Hensley.

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