Michael Hensley (c1785) and Mary --- of Lawrence Co, TN

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I (Marty Grant) am not related to Michael as far as I know.

This family used various spellings of the name, including "Hensley", "Hensly", "Hendsley" and "Hinesley", so I'm not sure what the "correct" spelling of the name is for this family, but for consistency, I'll use "Hensley", except when quoting records.

Michael Hensley was born ca 1784/85 in Georgia (per the 1850 census). I don't know what county he was born in. There were Hensleys in Carroll County, Georgia around that time.

I have no data on who Michael's parents might have been, but there were only a few Hensleys in Georgia around that time, but records are sketchy at best. He was in Lawrence County, Tennessee by 1820, but apparently his parents did not go there with him, for he was the only Hensley there in 1820, though by 1830 an apparent widow Lucinda Hensley (c1781) was there also. Her husband could have been a brother to Michael, but I've seen no proof of that.

Presumably, Michael would have been home with his parents for the 1790, 1800 and 1810 census, but unfortunately, those census records were lost for Georgia and Tennessee.

Michael Hensley moved to Lawrence County, Tennessee sometime prior to 1820, though it isn't know if he moved there on his own, or while still a child.

Michael Hensley married Mary --- sometime prior to 1820, presumably in Tennessee. She was born ca 1783/84 (per 1850 census) or ca 1793/94 (per 1860 census), in North Carolina, county unknown. I don't know her maiden name. I also don't know what county they married in as no marriage record was found, but possibly in Lawrence County.

Lawrence County is surrounded by several counties that were full of Hensleys during this timeframe, so it is possible he is connected with some of them.

Michael Hensley was listed on the 1820 census in Lawrence County, Tennessee. He was the only Hensley household there that year.

1820 census analysis (based on available evidence): (Explanation of this census)

1820 Lawrence Co, TN pg 11 Michael Hensley 200010-00100
Analysis:
1 Male(s) 26-44       (1775-1794)	Michael HENSLEY (1784/85) s/o ?
2 Male(s) 0-9         (1810-1820)	Son? (1810/20) --> gone by 1830
					Son? (1815/20)
1 Female(s) 16-25     (1794-1804)	Mary ___ Hensley (1793/94) wife

They were still there for the 1830 census. Lucinda Hensley (c1781) was a few pages away, and perhaps she was related, perhaps a widowed sister-in-law, or a single mother sister of his, or perhaps not related at all.

1830 census analysis (based on available evidence): (Explanation of this census)

1830 Lawrence Co, TN pg 302 Michael Hensly 0110010000000-2210010000000
Analysis:
1 Male(s) 30-39        (1790-1800)	Michael HENSLEY (1784/85) s/o ?
1 Male(s) 10-14        (1815-1820)	Son? (1815/20)
1 Male(s) 5-9          (1820-1825)	Harwell HENSLEY (1823/24) son
1 Female(s) 30-39      (1790-1800)	Mary ___ Hensley (1793/94) wife
1 Female(s) 10-14      (1815-1820)	Daughter? (1815/20) * Not in 1820
2 Female(s) 5-9        (1820-1825)	Elizabeth HENSLEY (1821/22) daughter
					Daughter?
2 Female(s) 0-4        (1825-1830)	Cynthia HENSLEY (1827/28) daughter
					Mahulda C. HENSLEY (1829/30) daughter

They were still in Lawrence County for the 1840 census, and they were the only ones this year, Lucinda and family having moved to Tishomingo Co, MS and other points south.

1840 census analysis (based on available evidence): (Explanation of this census)

1840 Lawrence Co, TN pg 140 Michael Hindsley 1101000100000-0111101000000
Analysis:
1 Male(s) 50-59        (1780-1790)	Michael HENSLEY (1784/85) s/o ?
1 Male(s) 15-19        (1820-1825)	Harwell HENSLEY (1823/24) son
1 Male(s) 5-9          (1830-1835)	John M. HENSLEY (1834/35) son
1 Male(s) 0-4          (1835-1840)	James T. HENSLEY (1837/38) son
1 Female(s) 40-49      (1790-1800)	Mary () Hensley (1793/94) wife
1 Female(s) 20-29      (1810-1820)	Daughter?
1 Female(s) 15-19      (1820-1825)	Elizabeth HENSLEY (1821/22) daughter
1 Female(s) 10-14      (1825-1830)	Mahulda C. HENSLEY (1829/30) daughter
1 Female(s) 5-9        (1830-1835)	Emily J. HENSLEY (1831/32) daughter
 

Michael Hensley and family were in Lawrence County. Next door was Cynthia Hensley (c1828) in the Bapham Williams (c1820 TN) and Nicy Williams (c1821 TN) household. She is possibly their daughter. A David Hensley (c1834 TN) was a few houses away with the Alexander Dobbin (c1816 TN) and Zilpha Dobbin (c1825 TN) household. David is not likely a son of Michael, but could be a nephew. The William H. Hensley (1821) family was a few pages away. I haven't found any connection between them.

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 LAWRENCE CO, TN Page 342B  House/Family #  745/ 745  - 3rd CIVIL DISTRICT

HENSLEY MICHAEL       65 M W FARMER                 300 GA                   1784/1785
HENSLEY MARY          66 F W                            TN                   1783/1784
HENSLEY ELIZABETH     28 F W                            TN                   1821/1822
HENSLEY HARWELL       26 M W NONE (Idiotic)             TN                   1823/1824
HENSLEY MAHULDA C     20 F W                            TN                   1829/1830
HENSLEY EMILY J       18 F W                            TN                   1831/1832
HENSLEY JOHN          15 M W LABORER                    TN                   1834/1835
HENSLEY JAMES         12 M W                            TN                   1837/1838
 

Michael Hensley died between 1850 and 1860 in Lawrence Co, TN.

Widow Mary Hensley was listed on the 1860 census in Lawrence Co, TN in District 3.

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 LAWRENCE CO, TN Page 413   House/Family #  524/ 402 -- DISTRICT 3 Twp

HINESLEY MARY         66 F W FARMING            400   400 NC                   1793/1794
HINESLEY ELIZABETH    39 F W                              TN                   1820/1821
HINESLEY HARVILLE     33 M W Insane                       TN                   1826/1827
HINESLEY JOHN M       26 M W FARMER                    75 TN                   1833/1834
HINESLEY JAMES G      21 M W FARMER             200   150 TN                   1838/1839
 

I didn't find them in 1870 or 1880.


Children

Michael and Mary had numerous children per the various census records. Some are unidentified.

Unknown Son (1810/20)

Unknown Son (1815/20)

Unknown Daughter (1815/20)

Unknown Daughter (1820/25)

Elizabeth Hensley (c1822)

Harwell Hensley (c1824)

Unknown Daughter (1825/30)

Mahulda C. Hensley (c1830)

Emily J. Hensley (c1832)

John M. Hensley (c1835)

James T. Hensley (c1838)


Unknown Son (1810/20). Michael Hensley had an apparent son this age. He was with him for the 1820 census (age "under 10", born ca 1810/20), but gone by 1830, so possibly married or dead by then.

There were two male Hensley marriages recorded in the 1820's in Lawrence County. One was Russell Hensley (c1804) (married Susan Null in 1826) and the other was James Hensley (c1800) who married Elizabeth Weaver in 1823. However, it seems both of them are sons of Lucinda Hensley (c1781) based on various bits of evidence. So that means this supposed son of Michael is still unidentified.


Unknown Son (1815/20). Michael Hensley had an apparent son this age. He was with him for the 1820 census (age "under 10", born ca 1810/20), and still home in 1830 (age 10-14, born ca 1815/20), but gone by 1840, so possibly married or dead by then.

There were two male Hensley marriages recorded in the 1830's in Lawrence County. One of these could be this son of Michael. The first was John Hensley who married Sarah Baker later in 1830. The second was Benjamin Hensley who married Shana Manus in 1839. So far, I've not identified either of these, so I can't tell if one of them was Michael's child. This John Hensley would seem unlikely, since Michael already had an apparent son named John M. Hensley (c1835). That leaves Benjamin as a suspect.


Unknown Daughter (1815/20). Michael Hensley had an apparent daughter this age. She was not home in 1820, but she was with him for the 1830 census (age 10-14, born ca 1815/20), and still home in 1840 (age 20-29, born ca 1810/20), but gone by 1850, so possibly married or dead by then.

There was one female Hensley marriage recorded in the 1840's in Lawrence County, namely Mary V. Hensley who married Jonas Crews on 24 Sep 1844. I found Jonas Crews, widowed, on the 1850 census in Lawrence County, TN. He was born ca 1822 in NC. Since his wife Mary Hensley had died already by 1850, I can't determine when she was born, so it is not clear if she was possibly Michael's daughter.


Unknown Daughter (1820/25). Michael Hensley had an apparent daughter this age. She was home for the 1830 census (age 5-9, born ca 1820/25), but gone by 1840, so possibly married or dead by then.

There were two female Hensley marriages recorded in the 1830's for Lawrence County. One of them could be this unknown daughter of Michael. The first was Lucinda Hensley who married James Moody in 1831, and the second was Barbary Hensley who married John Lewis in 1836. I didn't find either of these families on the 1850 census in Lawrence County, Tennessee, so I can't determine if one or the other is part of this family.


Elizabeth Hensley was born ca 1821/22 in Lawrence Co, TN. She was apparently home with her parents for the 1830 census (age 5-9, born ca 1820/25), and still home in 1840 (age 15-19, born ca 1820/25), and still home in 1850 ("Elizabeth" age 28), and still home in 1860 ("Elizabeth" age 39). I have no record of her after 1860.

This may be the same person as "E. M." wife of "B. Griffin" who, in 1880, had Harwell Hensley living with them listed as "brother-in-law". If so, then she married B. Griffin sometime before 1868 in Lawrence Co, TN.


Harwell Hensley was born ca 1823/24 in Lawrence Co, TN. The 1850 census listed him as "Idiotic". He was apparently home with his parents for the 1830 census (age 5-9, born ca 1820/25), and still home in 1840 (age 15-19, born ca 1820/25), and still home in 1850 ("Harwell" age 26), and still home in 1860 ("Harveille" age 33).

I don't have him in 1870, but in 1880 he was listed with "B. Griffin" and "E. M. Griffin" (probably sister Elizabeth) and listed as brother-in-law, "Harve Hindsley" age 58. ** I don't have this entry typed up yet.


Unknown Daughter (1825/30). Michael Hensley had an apparent daughter this age. She was home for the 1830 census (age "under 5", born ca 1825/30), but gone by 1840, so possibly married or dead by then.

This could very easily by Cynthia Hensley (c1828) who was next door to Michael in 1850. If she is not his daughter, she is at least somehow related.

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 LAWRENCE CO, TN Page 342B  House/Family #  744/ 744  - 3rd CIVIL DISTRICT

WILLIAMS BAPHAM       30 M W FARMER                 200 TN                   1819/1820
WILLIAMS NICY         29 F W                            TN                   1820/1821
WILLIAMS LYCURGUS      9 M W                            TN                   1840/1841
WILLIAMS JASPER N      9 M W                            TN                   1840/1841
WILLIAMS MARY E        5 F W                            TN                   1844/1845
WILLIAMS SOLOMON J     3 M W                            TN                   1846/1847
WILLIAMS CYNTHA F      1 F W                            TN                   1848/1849
HENSLEY CYNTHA        22 F W                            TN                   1827/1828
 

I have no additional data on Cynthia Hensley.


Mahulda C. Hensley was born ca 1829/30 in Lawrence Co, TN. She was apparently home with her parents for the 1830 census (age "under 5",  born ca 1825/30), and still home in 1840 (age 10-14, born ca 1825/30), and still home in 1850 ("Mahulda C." age 20), but gone by 1860, so possibly married or dead by then.


Emily J. Hensley was born ca 1831/32 in Lawrence Co, TN. She was apparently home with her parents for the 1840 census (age 5-9, born ca 1830/35), and still home in 1850 ("Emily J" age 18), but gone by 1860, so probably married or dead by then.


John M. Hensley was born ca 1834/35 in Lawrence Co, TN. He was apparently home with his parents for the 1840 census (age 5-9, born ca 1830/35), and still home in 1850 ("John" age 15), and still home in 1860 ("John M.", age 26).


James T. Hensley was born ca 1837/38 in Lawrence Co, TN. He was apparently home with his parents for the 1840 census (age "under 5", born ca 1835/40), and still home in 1850 ("James" age 12), and still home in 1860 ("James T.", age 21).


Researcher List

Persons researching this family (click here for data on how to get on or off of this list):


Register Report


1. Michael1 Hensley , born 1784/85 in GA; died 1850/60 in Lawrence Co, TN.  He married bef 1820 in Lawrence Co, TN Mary (---) , born 1783/84 in NC; died aft 1860 in Lawrence Co, TN.

 

      Children of Michael Hensley and Mary (---) were as follows:

      2          i      Elizabeth2 Hensley , born 1821/22 in Lawrence Co, TN.

      3          ii      Harwell2 Hensley , born 1823/24 in Lawrence Co, TN.

      4          iii      Cynthia2 Hensley , born 1827/28 in Lawrence Co, TN.

      5          iv      Mahulda C2 Hensley , born 1829/30 in Lawrence Co, TN.

      6          v      Emily J2 Hensley , born 1831/32 in Lawrence Co, TN.

      7          vi      John M2 Hensley , born 1834/35 in Lawrence Co, TN.

      8          vii      James T2 Hensley , born 1837/38 in Lawrence Co, TN.


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