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Nathaniel Hensley (c1801-aft 1870) and Mahala Riley and Matilda Riley of Washington and Scott Co., VA

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Nathaniel Hensley is my 1^st cousin, 6 times removed. His father, Fielding, is a proven brother of my ancestor Larkin Hensley.

Nathaniel Hensley was born ca 1800/1801 per his ages on the 1860 census (59) and 1870 census (69). He was listed as 50 in 1850, or born ca 1799/1800. All three of those can be reconciled if he was born in the latter half of 1800. He was born in Washington (now Scott) Co., VA.

Nathaniel is a proven son of Fielding Hensley and Nancy Cornett as named in a 1833 court case (see Fielding’s page for more on that.) Further proof is his own second marriage record (1860) which lists his parents as Fielding and Nancy.

It seems likely that Nathaniel Hensley was named for his “double” uncle, Nathaniel Cornet. Mr. Cornet was Nancy Cornett Hensley’s brother. Mr. Cornett’s wife, Mildred Hensley, was Fielding Hensley’s sister, thus making him a double uncle to Fielding and Nancy’s children.

Fielding Hensley had two boys aged “under 10” (born ca 1800/1810) with him on the 1810 census. Those are probably James (c1804) and John (c1805). There is also one son aged 10-15 (born ca 1794/1800) with Fielding. That is probably Nathaniel.

Nathaniel Hensley would turned 16 ca 1816/1817. The 1818 tax list entry for Fielding Hensley includes three taxable white males 16 and older. That is probably Fielding, William (c1797) and Nathaniel who would have just come of age. In 1819 Fielding still had three, one of which was likely Nathaniel. By 1820 he was back to just two. That is probably Nathaniel and perhaps James (c1804) who would have just become 16 around then. There is no way to be certain who was who of course.

Nathaniel does not seem to be with his father for the 1820 census, though perhaps he is there listed as the male age 16-25 (born ca 1794/1804), though that could just as easily be James (c1804). Again, no way to be certain, but I suspect that is James for Nathaniel would have been 19 or 20 by then and old enough to be on his own somewhere else, either getting some schooling or working for another family as a laborer perhaps.

Nathaniel Hensley appeared on the Scott Co., VA tax lists for the first time under his own name in 1823, with 1 male over 16 and 2 horses.

Nathaniel Hensley was listed on the 1824 Scott Co., VA tax lists with 1 male over 16 and 3 horses.

Nathaniel Hensley was listed on the 1825 Scott Co., VA tax lists with 1 male over 16 and 2 horses.

Nathaniel Hensley was listed on the 1826 Scott Co., VA tax lists with 1 male over 16 and 3 horses.

Nathaniel Hensley was listed on the 1827 Scott Co., VA tax lists with 1 male over 16 and 3 horses.

Nathaniel Hensley was listed on the 1828 Scott Co., VA tax lists with 1 male over 16 and 1 horse.

Nathaniel Hensley was listed on the 1829 Scott Co., VA tax lists with 1 male over 16 and 2 horses.

Nathaniel Hensley was listed on the 1830 Scott Co., VA tax lists with 1 male over 16 and 2 horses.

In 1830 Nathaniel Hensley was old enough to be on the census on his own, but he wasn't listed. He was probably still home with his parents. His father Fielding had 3 boys with him aged 20-29 (born ca 1800/10). That has to be Nathaniel (c1800/01), James (c1804) and John (c1805).

Nathaniel Hensley was listed on the 1831 Scott Co., VA tax lists with 1 male over 16 and 2 horses.

Nathaniel Hensley was listed on the 1832 Scott Co., VA tax lists with 1 male over 16 and 4 horses.

Nathaniel Hensley was listed on the 1833 Scott Co., VA tax lists with 1 male over 16 and 3 horses.

Nathaniel Hensley was listed on the 1834 Scott Co., VA tax lists with 1 male over 16 and no horses.

Nathaniel Hensley was listed on the 1835 Scott Co., VA tax lists with 1 male over 16 and 1 horse.

Nathaniel Hensley was listed on the 1836 Scott Co., VA tax lists with 1 male over 16 and no horses.

Nathaniel Hensley was listed on the 1837 Scott Co., VA tax lists with 1 male over 16 and no horses.

Nathaniel Hensley was listed on the 1838 Scott Co., VA tax lists with 1 male over 16 and 1 horse.

Nathaniel Hensley was listed on the 1839 Scott Co., VA tax lists with 1 male over 16 and no horses.

Nathaniel Hensley married Mahala Riley sometime before ca 1840 in Scott Co., VA. She was born ca 1819/20 in North Carolina, probably Wilkes County. I have not seen proof of her maiden name, but others say she is a sister to Nathaniel's second wife Matilda Riley. That would make her a daughter of George and Pheraby (---) Riley. I found George Riley on the 1820 census in Wilkes Co., NC and in neighboring Ashe Co., NC in 1830 and 1840. Both and he and wife Pheraby seem to have died in the 1840s for I didn’t find them on the 1850 census.

Nathaniel Hensley was not listed on the 1840 census, but his widowed mother Nancy had a male aged 30-39 (born ca 1800/10) living with her. That is probably Nathaniel. There is also a female aged 20-29 (1810/20) which may be Nathaniel's wife Mahala, assuming they had married by 1840. It certainly fits well. However, I initially assumed that female was their daughter Barbara Hensley (c1813) who was single. If it’s Barbara, not Mahala, then perhaps Nathaniel and Mahala didn’t marry until ca 1840/1844. Since her parents resided in Ashe Co., NC, it makes more sense for them to have married there. There are extant marriage records for Ashe in the 1840s, but none for Nathaniel and Mahala, nor any Rileys at all, for that matter.

Nathaniel and wife Mahala, and two young children, are living with his widowed mother on the 1850 census. This census entry has confused researchers a little over the years because Nathaniel also had a sister named Mahala Hensley who we know nothing about other than that she existed. Some have wondered if this woman in 1850 is his sister instead of his wife. However, her age is far too young to be his sister in my opinion.

1850 Census, Scott Co., VA p. 366B, house 228, family 228, Western District

Mahala Riley Hensley died sometime between April 1852 (when she was a purchaser at her mother-in-law’s estate sale) and 1860 for on 21 Jun 1860 Nathaniel Hensley married Matilda Riley in Scott Co., VA. The marriage record gave much data: Nathaniel, aged 54, widowed, born Washington Co., VA, son of Fielding and Nancy Hensley; to Matilda Riley, 39, single, born Wilkes Co., NC, daughter of George and Faraby Riley. Married by D. M. Barker.

Matilda Riley was born ca 1817/18 per her age (32) on the 1850 census, or ca 1820/21 per her ages of 39 and 49 on the 1860 and 1870 census records. Since those latter two agree with each other, I’ll use them.

They were listed on the 1860 census in Scott Co., VA. Neither of Nathaniel's children from 1850 were with them nor found elsewhere. I suppose they died young. Either that, or they weren’t actually his children, thus not Hensleys and could still be alive and somewhere in 1860.

1860 Census, Scott Co., VA, Estillville PO, p. 40, House 255, family 255

They were listed on the 1870 census in Scott County next to brother Ichabod Hensley.

1870 Census, Scott Co., VA, Estillville PO, p. 54, House 364, family 358

I was unable to locate either of them on the 1880 census. While it seems likely that Nathaniel would have died by then, Matilda was much younger and maybe could still be living. However, I didn’t find her anywhere.

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Children

Nathaniel and his first wife, Mahala, seem to have only two children per the 1850 census. It does not seem he and his second wife, Matilda, had any together.

 

1.         Lavenia F. Hensley was born ca 1843/44 (per age on 1850 census), presumably in Scott Co., VA. She was with her parents in 1850, but not found in 1860, so perhaps married or dead by then. I wasn’t able to find a marriage record in her name in Scott Co., VA.

 

2.         Joseph N. Hensley was born ca 1844/45 (per age on 1850 census), presumably in Scott Co., VA. He was with his parents in 1850, but not found in 1860, so perhaps dead by then. It’s unlikely he would have moved away at age 14 or 15, though it’s certainly possible he was off at school somewhere.

 

3.         Pheraby Riley was born ca 1837/38 (per age on 1850 census), presumably in Ashe Co., NC. She was with Matilda Riley (Nathaniel Hensley’s 2^nd wife) in 1850. Their ages are compatible to be mother and daughter. It’s also possible she was Matilda’s younger sister instead. However, on the chance she’s her daughter, I’m including her here for that would make her Nathaniel Hensley’s step-daughter. I was unable to find her in 1860, nor did I find a marriage record for her in Ashe Co., NC or Scott Co., VA.

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Click here for family group sheets of this family. Other notes and sources might be listed there.

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Revised: February 8, 2022

Copyright © 1996-2022 Marvin A. Grant, Jr. All Rights Reserved.

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