Marty and Karla Grant

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John Hensley (1824-1902) and Amanda Cuthbert of Scott Co., VA, Decatur Co., IA, Putnam and Marion Co., IN

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John Hensley is my 2^nd cousin, 5 times removed. His grandfather, Fielding, is a proven brother of my ancestor Larkin Hensley.

John Hensley was born 16 Oct 1824 (per his US Passport) in Scott Co., VA. I strongly believe that John Hensley is a son of Anna Peters (1800-1855), born out of wedlock with James Hensley (c1804-1866). The evidence for this isn’t 100% conclusive, but compelling, I think.

On 11 Jan 1825 James Hensley was brought into court and charged with fathering a male bastard child with Anny Peters a single woman “about three months ago.” He was ordered to support the child until age 7. Security was James Head and Wood Osborn. (Scott Co., VA Minute Book 3 page 96). It should be noted that Oct 1824, when John was born, is “about three months” prior to Jan 1825 just as stated in the court record.

Anna Peters is a daughter of John and Catherine (---) Peters. Anna Peters apparently had several children out of wedlock and never married. Anna had a child, William K. Hensley, ten years older than John, fathered by Ichabod C. Hensley (c1794-1845), who was James Hensley’s first cousin. I mention that, because William is the key to why I believe John is the child Anna had with James Hensley. John and William both moved to Decatur Co., IA together and were neighbors there awhile. Makes sense if they were half brothers, same mother, different fathers.

John Hensley seems to be home with his mother for the 1830 census aged 5-9 (c1820/1825), but not with her in 1840. He would have been about 15 then, so he was probably in someone else’s home as a live-in hired laborer which was very common then.

John made his way north to Putnam Co., IN in the 1840s where he married Amanda M. Cuthbert on 4 Jun 1846. Amanda was born ca 1830/31 in Indiana, location unknown, and parents unknown. An Eliza Cuthbert (c1833) was living with them in 1850. I suspect that’s her sister.

1850 census, Putnam Co., IN, Greencastle, p. 497B, house 46, family 47

Around 1855 or 1856, they moved north west to Decatur Co., IA, joining John’s older half-brother, William K. Hensley. The two brothers were on the 1856 Iowa State census just two houses apart.

1856 State Census, Decatur Co., IA, Franklin Township, p. 36, house 6, family 6

John and family returned to Putnam Co., IN by 1860. His brother William remained in Decatur.

1860 Census, Putnam Co., IN, 5^th Ward, Town of Greencastle, p. 414, house 572, family 563

They’d moved a little to the north and east to Indianapolis, Marion Co., IN by 1870.

1870 Census, Marion Co., IN, Third War Indianapolis, p. 149b, house 637, family 647

They are on the 1880 census in Indianapolis. All the children were gone from home by then. It’s notable that Martha Smith Hensley (1830-1905) moved from Scott Co., VA to Indianapolis just before 1880. She was very recently widowed from John’s half brother Wilburn J. Hensley. Martha didn’t live near John as far as I can tell, but they were buried in the same cemetery.

1880 Census, Marion Co., IN, Indianapolis, p. 368, 277 West Tennessee Street, house 69, family 107

* Broken Arm

Amanda M. Cuthbert Hensley died in 1885. She’s buried at the Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis.

On 9 Jul 1891, John Hensley left the United States for Europe. He applied for a return passport in Berlin (Germany) on 7 Aug 1891 in which he gave some important family information. He gave his birth date as 16 Oct 1824, that he was born near Estillville, VA and that he resided in Indianapolis and was a carpenter. His descriptive data: Age 66 years 9 months. 5' 5 ½ inches tall, high forehead, grey eyes, normal nose, had a moustache and beard, grey hair, fair complexion and oval face.

He departed Germany on 23 Oct 1891 on the ship Furst Bismarck bound for New York.

I was unable to find him on the 1900 census.

He died on 7 Apr 1902 and is buried at the Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis.

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Children

John and Amanda had five known children, all but the youngest born in Putnam Co., IN. Agnes was born in Decatur Co, IA before the family went back to Indiana.

One of the children, Mary, married John W. Hahn, a naturalized citizen. In 1894 they went to Germany. Did they remain there or did they return? I don’t know the answer.

The oldest son, William Albert Hensley, later went to neighboring Owen Co., IN and lived amongst members of the Jesse Hensley (1786-1858) family. Albert’s father John Hensley was a nephew of Jesse Hensley by marriage, as Jesse’s wife Susanna Peters was a sister to John’s mother Anna Peters. I’m sure Jesse and John Hensley were blood kin as well, but I don’t know how exactly.

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Click here for family group sheets of this family. Other notes and sources might be listed there.

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Revised: February 16, 2022

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