Leticia Hilton Hensley (c1810-1871) of Scott Co., VA

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• 29 Apr 2009 – Updated page by Marty Grant, relationship unknown. Old page had no documentation.

Her birth place varies from census to census also.  She was born in Virginia according to the 1850 and 1860 census. The 1870 record lists her as born in Tennessee.

Her parents are unknown, but her maiden name of Hilton is proven by two sources: her own death record and the death record of her son Addison Hensley. I have no clues about who her parents were. There were no Hiltons or Heltons in Washington Co., VA on the 1810 census or in 1820. However there were some in Scott County in 1820 (Scott having been formed from Washington in 1815): Caty Helton (1775/94), John Helton (1775/94), Samuel Helton (bef 1775), Jonathan Helton (1775/94) and Aaron Helton (1775/94 or before 1775).  If Leticia was about 9 or 10 years old in 1820 she should be home with her parents. John, Samuel, Jonathan and Aaron each had at least one apparent daughter that age with them in 1820.

Leticia Hilton married a Mr. Hensley sometime before ca 1826, either in Scott Co., VA or perhaps in neighboring Hawkins Co., TN. I don't know who her husband was. I didn't find a marriage record for her anywhere. Leticia lived in the section of Scott County that was populated by members of the Isom Hensley (1760/70-1849) family. Her husband (whomever he was) may be related to Isom, perhaps one of his sons. I think William Hensley (1790/1800) of Hawkins Co., TN is her husband but I don't have absolute proof of that. Right now it is a theory based on circumstantial evidence.

Leticia should be on the 1830 census with her husband and children. Unfortunately this census only listed the name of the head of household and we don't know who her husband was. Census analysis helps a little assuming she was in Scott Co., VA or neighboring Hawkins Co., TN at that time. In Scott there were several Hensley households. However each of them are positively identified and none of them are Leticia's husband. There are three Hensley households in Washington Co., VA in 1830. Two of them are positively identified, however, there is an apparent widow Mary who is not identified. Now Mary is too old to be the same person as Leticia, but there is a female in the house age 20-29 (c1800/10) which could be Leticia. There is also a boy and a girl under age 5 (born ca 1825/30) which fits for Leticia's two oldest known children. However, just because it fits doesn't mean this is Leticia and children, but it certainly could be.

Looking in neighboring Hawkins County I see several Hensley households. Only two of them have members who match age-wise to Leticia and her two oldest known children: Isom Hensley (1798) and William Hensley (1790/1800). Isom is not Leticia's husband, so that leaves William as a possibility. In fact he is a strong possibility since he vanishes before 1850. See his page for more on him.

We have the same problem in 1840. Leticia is not listed by name, so presumably she is with her husband somewhere. All of the Hensleys in Scott and Washington in 1840 are identified or don't fit. William Hensley (1790/1800) is the only Hensley listed in Hawkins that year, and his household enumerations line up pretty well with Leticia's family.

Leticia's husband apparently died in the 1840's for she is listed on the 1850 census without him in Scott Co., VA. William Hensley of Hawkins Co., TN is nowhere to be found in 1850 either, so that works in his favor of having been her husband.

Leticia is on the 1850 census in the household of her son William Henry Hensley. They are very near Isom Hensley (c1798) and members of his family.

1850 census abstract: (Explanation of this census)

Leticia is on the 1860 census in Scott County next to Robert Hensley (her probable son) and two houses from son Henry. There is an older Malinda Hensley living with her, age 75. Who is she? I know of no Hensley of this name and age, so perhaps she isn't a Hensley at all. Could she be Leticia's mother? If so she should be a Hilton instead of Hensley. (See below for more on her.)

1860 census abstract: (Explanation of this census)

I searched back on the 1850 census to see if I could find out who Malinda (c1785) is. I found a Malinda Porter and a Malinda McCullah on the 1850 census in Scott who were the right age. Mrs. Porter was born in North Carolina so probably not the one. Mrs. McCullah has the distinct advantage of being next door to Leticia in 1850, so she is probably the one living with her in 1860. She was the wife of Robert McCullah (c1784 NC). He must have died in the 1850's. How are they related to Leticia? I didn't find a marriage record for Robert and Malinda so I don't know what her maiden name is. She may be Leticia's mother (therefore previously married to a Hilton), or perhaps she is an aunt or other relative. There is also the possibility they aren't related at all.

Leticia is on the 1870 census in Scott County in the household of her twice widowed daughter-in-law Frances and her children.

1870 census abstract: (Explanation of this census)

Leticia Hilton Hensley died in 1871 in Scott Co., VA. I haven't seen the death record but it supposedly gives her maiden name, but not her parents' names. I'm not sure why the full date isn't listed. (Anyone have a copy or abstract of this record?)

Children of Mr. Hensley and Leticia Hilton. They had four children per the 1850 and 1860 census. If her husband was William Hensley of Hawkins County, then the 1830 and 1840 census shows a few other children as well. See his page for more on them. Margaret Slagle was with them in 1850 and it isn't certain that she is a child of Leticia. She may have been a hired domestic instead of a widowed daughter. Hard to be sure without other evidence.

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