John Hensley (c1820) and Nancy Whitlock of Sullivan, Greene and Washington Co, TN and Russell Co, VA

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• 6 May 2009 – Updated page by Marty Grant, relationship unknown. Reformatted, new register report.

John Hensley was born ca 1819/20 in Tennessee, presumably in Greene County, or perhaps Sullivan County. He lived in both those counties later on, and also Washington County, so it is hard to say exactly what county he was born in.

John is most likely a son of Samuel Hensley (c1790) and Catherine McDavid. This is seemingly proven by his widowed mother residing with him for the 1860 census.

John was probably home with his parents for the 1820 census, if he was born yet when the census taker came around. However, that doesn't matter, since the 1820 census is lost for eastern Tennessee.

He did seem to be home with his parents for the 1830 census in Greene County, Tennessee in the age 10-14 (born ca 1815/20).

John seemed to be home with his parents for the 1840 census in Greene County (age 15-19, born ca 1820/25). He also seemed to be with the family for their other listing in 1840 in Russell County, Virginia (age 20-29, born ca 1810/20).

John married Nancy --- between 1840 and ca 1843. Nancy was born ca 1825/26 in Tennessee, county unknown. I'm not sure what her maiden name is, but someone told me it was "Whitlock", but I don't know the proof of that. I also don't know what county they married in. It may be Greene County, but no record was found in Greene. They could have married in Sullivan, for which the marriage records from that timeframe are lost. They could also have married in Russell County, Virginia.

John and Nancy were in Russell County, Virginia for the 1850 census, listed next to brothers Samuel Hensley (c1826) and Isham Hensley (c1830).

1850 census abstract: (Explanation of this census)

John and family left Russell Co, VA and were in Sullivan County, Tennessee for the 1860 census. John's widowed mother Catherine was living with them, as was his widower brother Isham Hensley and his child. Their family was next door to Isham Hensley (c1820) (John's 1st cousin) and two houses from Benjamin Hensley (c1795), John's Uncle. They all lived in the multi-county corner area which includes the junctions of Greene, Washington, Hawkins and Sullivan County.

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 SULLIVAN CO, TN Page 125   House/Family #    5/   5 -- CIVIL DISTRICT 5

HENSLEY JOHN          40 M W FARMER                   120 TN                   1819/1820
HENSLEY NANCY         34 F W DOMESTIC                     TN                   1825/1826
HENSLEY UNICY         17 F W DOMESTIC                     TN                   1842/1843
HENSLEY DICY          13 F W                              TN                   1846/1847
HENSLEY CATHERINE     60 F W                              TN                   1789/1790
HENSLEY ISHAM         34 M W FARM LABOR                   TN                   1825/1826
HENSLEY MATHIAS        8 M W                              TN                   1851/1852
 

In 1870, the family was in neighboring Washington County, Tennessee near many other Hensleys: John Hensley-51, Nancy-47, William-21 VA, Dicey-24 TN, John-3, Mary C-2. (From "Hensley Households" by Laura Schreibman).

They were still in Washington County for the 1880 census next door to cousin Isham Hensley (c1820).

Children of John Hensley and Nancy Whitlock. John and Nancy had 3 known children, as shown by the various census records.

1. Eunice Hensley (c1843)
2. Catherine Hensley (c1844)
3. Dicy Hensley (c1846)

Eunice Hensley was born 1842/43 in Greene County, Tennessee. She also went by the nickname "Nicy". Eunice was home with her parents for the 1850 census ("Eunice" age 7), and home in 1860 ("Unicy", age 17), but not home in 1870.

She apparently married William Moseley sometime before 1880. I did not find a marriage record for them, but they were both living with her parents in 1880, but with no apparent children yet. William was born ca 1834/35 in Tennessee. I don't know who his parents were.

Catherine Hensley was born 1843/44 in Greene County, Tennessee. Catherine was home with her parents for the 1850 census ("Catharine" age 6), but not home in 1860, so possibly married or dead by then.

I did not find a marriage record for her.

Dicy Hensley was born 1845/46 in Greene County, Tennessee. She was home with her parents for the 1850 census ("Dicy" age 4), and home in 1860 ("Dicy", age 13), but not home in 1870.

On 13 Aug 1866, Dicy Hensley married William W. Hensley in Greene County, Tennessee. William was born ca 1848/49 in Scott County, Virginia, and son of Michael "Black Mike" Hensley (c1823) and Mary Arnold. William and Dicy were 1st cousins once removed.

For the 1870 census, Dicy and husband were residing with her parents in Washington County, Tennessee. ** I don't have this entry typed up yet.

For the 1880 census, they were still in Washington County, just two houses from her parents. ** I don't have this entry typed up yet.

For this family, I have several full names and dates, most are thanks to Jim Brown.

To contact someone on the list, cut and paste their email address into your email program and then manually remove the spaces which are there for a little bit of spam protection.

• See page for parents Samuel Hensley and Catherine McDavid
• Marty Grant, relationship unknown.