John A. Hensley (c1818) and Mary Underwood of White Co, TN

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I (Marty Grant) am not related to John A. Hensley as far as I know.

John A. Hensley was born ca 1817/18 in Tennessee, possibly in White County where he married and resided.

I don't know what his middle initial of "A" stood for.

I don't know who John's parents might be. There were a couple of Hensley's in White Co, TN who could be considered suspects. It is also possible that John was born elsewhere and moved to White County without his family. My strongest suspect at present is Charles Hensley (c1793) of White and Van Buren Co, TN. I have no direct proof that he is John's father, but he does fit there.

Presumably, John would have been home with his parents for the 1820, 1830 and 1840 census.

In 1820, John would have been about 2 years old, so would be in the "under 10" age group (born ca 1810/20). However, the 1820 census was lost for about half of Tennessee, mainly all of Eastern TN, so if John was from Eastern TN, his family would not be listed. In 1820 White County, TN, there was only one Hensley listed, Charles Hensley (c1793), and he did have one son under 10, who is otherwise unknown, so it could be John.

In 1830, John would have been about 12 years old, so should have been enumerated in the age 10-14 group (born ca 1815/20). In 1830 White Co, TN there were two Hensley households, Jeremiah Hensley (c1793) had two sons in that category, one of them known, the other not. Charles Hensley (c1793) had one son in that category, currently unknown. Of these two, I'd put more weight on Charles for being John's father, mainly because Jeremiah moved away before 1840.

In 1840, John would have been about 22 years old, so should have been enumerated in the age 20-29 category (born ca 1810/20). There were three Hensley households in White Co, TN in 1840, Charles Hensley (c1793), Obadiah Hensley (c1786) and Sarah Hensley (c1802). Of these, only Charles had someone age 20-29 with him.

On 6 Jul 1840, "John A. Hensley" married Mary Underwood in White Co, TN. I'm not sure if this date is for the marriage bond, or the actual marriage. Mary was born ca 1818/19 in Tennessee. I don't know who her parents were. There was an apparent widow "Sarah Underwood" in White Co, TN in 1820, and she did have two girls under 10 (born ca 1810/20), so she could be Mary's mother.  In 1850, there was a Thomas Underwood (c1773 VA) and wife Elizabeth (c1790 TN) listed in White Co, TN. They weren't near the Hensleys, but they could be Mary's parents.

John and Mary and their children were listed on the 1850 census in White Co, TN. They were not listed near any other Hensleys. They were in Civil District Number 4, the only Hensleys in that district.

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 WHITE CO, TN Page 42    House/Family #   536/ 536  - District No 4

HENSLEY JOHN          32 M W FARMING                    TN                   1817/1818
HENSLEY MARY          31 F W                            TN                   1818/1819
HENSLEY THOMAS S?      8 M W                            TN                   1841/1842
HENSLEY L              6 F W                            TN                   1843/1844
HENSLEY GARRETT?       4 M W                            TN                   1845/1846
HENSLEY SARAH J?       2 F W                            TN                   1847/1848
 

I don't currently have John and family for the 1860 census. I suspect they were still in White County.

Mary Underwood Hensley apparently died before 1870 in White Co, TN.

John Hensley was listed on the 1870 census in White Co, TN. His youngest child was only 2, so apparently Mary died ca 1868/70: John Hensley-52, Joseph-11, Douglass D-8, William R-5, Sarah E-2, Pink Rhineheart-21. (From "Hensley Households" by Laura Schreibman).

The above listing (1870 census) may not be for this same John Hensley at all. His age is a perfect match, but John (in 1870) was listed on the same page with Elizabeth Hensley (c1800), who had a son named John Hensley also, who, in 1860, had a son named Joseph, age 1. That is a perfect match for this 1870 listing including a Joseph age 11. I'm not sure at all which John this is, though I'm leaning towards the other John, son of Elizabeth.

I have no data on the family beyond this point.

Children

John and Mary had several children per the 1850 census. I don't have their 1860 census entry yet, but in 1870 John had several more, including some very young ones, who could be grandchildren instead of his own children. He had a daughter Sarah J. Hensley, born ca 1848, and in 1870 he had a daughter Sarah E. Hensley born ca 1868. Unless the elder Sarah died, and they used the name again, I'd imagine that the younger one was a grandchild. Since I have no additional data on any of these children, I'll not give them individual sections here.

Researcher List

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Register Report

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