Lucinda Hensley (c1820) of Buncombe and Madison Co, NC and Washington Co, TN

I don't know if Lucinda was a single mother, or a widow of a Mr. Hensley. She was single with children in 1850, so either unmarried, or widowed. Her youngest child was 2 months old. She had one more child in 1852, so that makes it seem as though she was single, and having children out of wedlock. However, it is possible that only the last child was born out of wedlock. If she were widowed, then the best choice for her husband was John Hensley (c1810/20) of Buncombe Co, NC.

I don't know who Lucinda's parents might have been. There are several possibilities. Assuming she was a Hensley by birth, and not an orphan, then she would probably have been home with her parents for the 1820, 1830 and 1840 census records.

In 1820, Lucinda would have been just a few months old, or not born yet. So it is possible she was listed with her family in the "under 10" age group (born ca 1810/20), or not listed at all. In 1820 Buncombe County, NC there were several Hensley households with a female under 10: Abishai Hensley (c1789), James Hensley (c1780), John Hensley (1794/1800), Benjamin Hensley (c1790), and Berry Hensley (c1783). There is no guarantee that any of these were Lucinda's parents.

In 1833, Yancey County was formed from part of Buncombe, taking most of the Hensleys with it, however, a few Hensleys remained in Buncombe in that area that later became Madison County.

In 1840, Lucinda Hensley would have been about 20 years old, so she would probably be enumerated in the 20-29 age group (c1810/20), or possibly in the 15-19 age group (c1820/25). In 1840 Buncombe, there were only two Hensley households, only one of which had a female age 20-29, though it appears to be the wife: John Hensley (c1810/20). It should be noted that John Hensley was in the exact same location in 1840 that Lucinda was in 1850. They had the same neighbors nearby. This may mean that Lucinda was John's wife, or it could mean she was his sister, or somehow closely related. The only complicating factor is that in 1840, John and his wife had four children (2 sons, 2 daughters) born ca 1835/40, and Lucinda in 1850 had no one this age residing with her. It is entirely possible that all 4 of those kids had died, or that they were living elsewhere in 1850. Anyway, it is not enough (yet) to convince me that John was Lucinda's husband, though it is a good possibility.

In 1840 Yancey, there were only two Hensley households with a female age 20-29 or 15-19, where they are not already positively accounted for: Berry Hensley (c1783), and Levi Hensley (c1816).

Lucinda Hensley began having children, apparently out of wedlock, ca 1846 in Buncombe (now Madison) Co, NC. Their might be records in Buncombe County Court about this. It is possible that she was not a Hensley by birth, but had married a Hensley who died before 1850, but she continued having children after 1850, so it seems unlikely.

Lucinda Hensley was listed on the 1850 census in Buncombe County, clearly in the area that became Madison County in 1851. She was listed next door to H. N. Edwards and Dia Holcombe (Obediah Holcombe). No other Hensleys were nearby, but she was probably not far from several of them over the line in Yancey County. Obediah Holcombe and some of Lucinda's other nearby neighbors (in 1850) were all close neighbors of John Hensley (1810/20) back in 1840. That adds credence to the possibility of him having been Lucinda's husband, or at least close relative.

She was listed there on the 1860 census next to Armstrong Hensley, who could be a brother, or at least a cousin. Several other Hensleys were very close by.

She wasn't listed on the 1870 census in Washington Co, TN. I don't know if she died, or moved. I didn't find any of her children there either. There was a marriage for a Lucinda Hensley and James Jenkins in Washington Co, TN on 3 Jan 1868. I don't know if that was this Lucinda, or some other.

Children

Lucinda had at least four children by 1860. I have little additional data on any of them yet.

Researcher List

1. Lucinda¹ Hensley , born 1819/20 in Buncombe Co, NC (now Madison Co, NC); died aft 1860 in Washington Co, TN. She married Not married ? (---) .

Children of Lucinda Hensley and ? (---) were as follows:

2 i Mary A² Hensley , born 1845/46 in Buncombe Co, NC (now Madison Co, NC).

+ 3 ii Joel² Hensley , born 1846/47 in Buncombe Co, NC (now Madison Co, NC). He married Phinettie Radford .

4 iii John Henry² Hensley , born 1850 in Buncombe Co, NC (now Madison Co, NC).

5 iv Nathan² Hensley , born 1851/52 in Madison Co, NC.

Generation 2

3. Joel² Hensley (Lucinda¹ Hensley), born 1846/47 in Buncombe Co, NC (now Madison Co, NC). He married in 1860/68 in Yancey Co, NC Phinettie Radford , born 1849/50 in NC.

Children of Joel Hensley and Phinettie Radford were as follows:

6 i James Cornelius³ Hensley , born 1867/68 in Yancey Co, NC.

7 ii Clarissa³ Hensley , born 1870 in Yancey Co, NC.

8 iii Serinna³ Hensley , born 1873/74 in Yancey Co, NC.

9 iv Lillie³ Hensley , born 1876/77 in Yancey Co, NC.

10 v Dora³ Hensley , born 1878/79 in Yancey Co, NC.