Marty and Karla Grant

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Thomas Hensley (1788-aft 1860) and Nancy — (1784-aft 1850) of Washington Co., VA, Canada, Ohio, Rush and Marion Co., IN

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Thomas Hensley is my 1^st cousin, 6 times removed, but that’s conditional on whether or not his father Samuel is indeed the brother of my ancestor Larkin Hensley, which I haven’t completely proven.

Note: There is a Thomas Hensley bible record that provides birth dates for some members of this family. However, I have not been able to lay my hands on it again. If anyone has a copy or transcription, would you mind sharing it with me? My own copy may turn up again at some point.

Thomas Hensley was born 20 Apr 1788 (per Thomas Hensley Bible Records) in Washington Co., VA. He is a proven son of Samuel Hensley (1754-1841) and Eleanor Elliott, as named in Samuel’s Will.

Thomas would have turned 16 in 1804. He is probably listed with his father on the 1804 tax list. Samuel had three male tithes over 16 that year, one being Samuel himself, and the next one probably Simon, now about 19. The third one is probably Thomas (1788).

Thomas is probably with his father on the 1805 tax list. Samuel had three male tithes over 16 that year, those being Samuel himself, and probably Simon, now 20, and Thomas, now 17.

Thomas is probably still with his father for the 1806 tax list. Samuel had four male tithes over 16 that year, those being Samuel himself, probably Simon, now 21, Thomas, now 18 and one other unidentified male, born ca 1790 or earlier.

Thomas Hensley married someone unidentified ca 1806, presumably in Washington Co., VA. I’ve found no record of her name yet.

Thomas Hensley makes his debut on the personal property tax lists in 1807. He is listed with one white tithe over 16 (himself), and no horses. He would have been about 19 then.

There was no 1808 tax list.

He was not listed on the 1809 or 1810 tax lists.

Thomas does not appear on the 1810 census on his own nor does he seem to be with his father. Where was he?

I believe he was in Canada then, specifically “Upper Canada.” His daughter Elizabeth Hensley was born 1809 per the family bible. The 1850 census lists her birth place as Canada, while the 1860 is a bit more specific with “Upper Canada.”

Upper Canada was mostly a wilderness area then, being the land along the Great Lakes. It covered a huge amount of territory.

Thomas is not on the 1811 through 1813 tax lists in Washington Co., VA. He was probably still in Canada during these years. It is interesting to note that this is the era of the War of 1812 (1812-1815), much of which took place in Canada.

He was back in Washington Co., VA for the 1814 tax list, with one white tithe over 16 (himself) and three horses.

He was on the 1815 tax list, one white tithe (himself), two horses and 7 head of catttle.

He was on the 1816 tax list, one white tithe (himself), three horses.

He was not on the 1817 tax list, nor were any other Hensleys.

Thomas was on the 1818 tax list, one white tithe (himself), three horses.

He was on the 1819 tax list, one white tithe (himself), three horses.

He was on the 1820 tax list, one white tithe (himself), two horses.

Thomas Hensley is listed on the 1820 census in Washington Co., VA. There is no adult woman in the household which suggests that Thomas’s wife had died prior to 1820.

1820 Census, Washington Co., VA, p. 213, Thomas Hensley age 26-44 (1775/1794)

410010-12000-0-0

Thomas Hensley married Nancy —, sometime after 1820 in Washington Co., VA. She was born 23 Aug 1784 (per Thomas Hensley Bible record). I don’t know her maiden name.

The family moved to Rush Co., IN during the 1820s. They are listed on the 1830 census in that county.

1830 Census, Rush Co., IN, p. 262 Thos Hensley age 40-49 (1780/1790)

0212101-0010201

It is possible they moved eastward to Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., OH, for his daughter Elizabeth married there in 1836. It is also possible she went there on her own for she was 26 by then.

They moved to Marion Co., IN before 1840. That is where Indianapolis is. They are listed in that county on the 1840 census.

1840 Census, Marion Co., IN, Lawrence Township, p. 310, Thomas Hensley age 50-59 (1780/1790)

00010001-00000001

They are still in Marion for the 1850 census, next door to son James Hensley and his family. Son William was just a few houses away.

1850 census, Marion Co., IN, Washington Township, p. 497B, house 985, family 985

Nancy (—) Hensley apparently died in the 1850s for she wasn’t with Thomas for the 1860 census.

He was still in Marion Co., IN in 1860, with his daughter Elizabeth. He was listed as being blind. It looks like it actually says “Blind Amo” which I don’t quite understand.

1860 Census, Marion Co., IN, Lawrence Township, Lawrence PO, p. 175/175B, house 87, family 86

I wasn’t able to find Thomas Hensley on the 1870 census. He was probably dead by then. His daughter Elizabeth, with whom he was living in 1860, was living with her brother William Hensley in 1870, still in Marion Co., IN.

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Children

Thomas Hensley and his first wife had several children according to the 1820 census. Five of them are named in the family bible record, but not the others. It looks as if Thomas and his second wife Nancy had at least one child together as well.

Those named in the bible record were Abram, Mary, Elizabeth, Samuel and James. Son William, from the second marriage, is more or less proven by his sister Elizabeth living with him in 1870. Daughter Julia Ann, is proven by her marriage record which lists Thomas as her father. I believe she’s from the first marriage. I believe that Isaac Hensley (c1818) is also a son of Thomas for he married into the same family William did, and Thomas did indeed have a son his age per the 1820 and 1830 census.

 

1.         Abram (or Abraham) F. Hensley born 22 Sep 1807 (per bible record), in Washington Co., VA (assumed). He married Ivy Thomas on 22 Mar 1831 in Rush Co., IN. Ivy was born ca 1810 in Kentucky. I believe Abram died between 1838 (birth of last known child) and 1840 as he wasn’t listed on the 1840 census. His widow Ivy Thomas Hensley was listed on the 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880 censuses in Marion Co., IN. She died in that county on 7 Jul 1895. Abram and Ivy had four known children.

 

2.         Elizabeth Hensley was born 30 May 1809 (per bible record) in Upper Canada (per 1850 and 1860 census). She has a twin, Mary. Elizabeth married John W. Linton on 13 Mar 1836 in Hamilton Co., OH (Cincinnati). They were still in that county for the 1850 census. However, by 1860 she and her children joined the rest of the family in Marion Co., IN. I thought Mr. Linton had died, but there is some indication he hadn’t died, but remained in Ohio and married someone else. Either that or there is another John W. Linton in that area. If he did remarry, then that suggests he and Elizabeth were divorced. She is listed on the 1860 census in Marion Co., IN. Her widower father is with her that year. In 1870 she is in the same county, now living with her younger half brother William Hensley and his family. I didn’t find her on the 1880 census, so perhaps dead by then.

 

3.         Mary A. “Polly” Hensley was born 30 May 1809 (per bible record), which would make her a twin to Elizabeth. She was born in Upper Canada. However, her 1850 census entry listed Virginia as her birth place. 1860 listed Upper Canada. She married William S. Thomas on 6 Dec 1831 in Rush Co., IN. They are on the 1840 census in Marion Co., IN next door to her father, Thomas Hensley. They were still in Marion for the 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880 censuses. Mary A. Hensley Thomas died in 1881 and is buried at Spring Valley Cemetery in Lawrence Township, Marion Co., IN. William S. Thomas died 1895 and is buried beside Mary.

 

4.         Samuel F. Hensley was born 29 Jun 1811 (per bible record), presumably in Upper Canada, though I don’t know that for sure. He seems to be home with his parents for the 1820 and 1830 censuses, but gone after that. I was unable to find him on the 1840 or 1850 censuses. He may have died in the 1830s.

 

5.         James S. Hensley was born 24 Sep 1813 (per bible record) in Washington Co., VA. He seems to be with his parents for the 1820 and 1830 censuses. He married Elizabeth Harding (or Hardin) on 25 Mar 1838 in Marion Co., IN. She was born ca 1816 in Indiana. I think she is a child of Phillip Hardin (c1796) who was with her in 1850. They are the 1840 and 1850 censuses in Marion. In 1850 they are next door to his parents. By 1860 they’d moved to Van Buren Co., IA and were listed there on that census. A widow Maria Hardin (c1814) was just a few houses away. Related to Elizabeth? The Hensleys were in Lander Co., NV by the 1870 census. James and Elizabeth were on the 1880 census in Nye Co., NV. He was 66 and listed as a miner. I didn’t find either James nor Elizabeth on the 1900 census, so they probably died between 1880 and 1900, perhaps in Nevada.

 

6.         Isaac Hensley is not a proven child of Thomas and Nancy. However, it seems almost certain he belongs to them. First, they did have an unidentified son his age with them on the 1820 and 1830 census. Second, Isaac married and lived in Marion Co., IN. Third, he married a Hartsock, as did William Hensley who is a proven son. Isaac Hensley was born ca 1817/18 (per age on 1850 census), in Washington Co., VA. He seems to be with his parents for the 1820 and 1830 censuses. He doesn’t seem to be with them in 1840 though. Isaac Hensley married Eliza Hartsock on 3 Jul 1842 in Marion Co., IN. She was born ca 1823 in Kentucky, a daughter of an unknown Mr. Hartsock and Susan —, born ca 1789 with whom she was living in 1850. It seems that perhaps both Isaac and wife Eliza died in the 1850s for I was unable to find them on the 1860 census. I found four of their five known children still in Marion in 1860, but spread out among other families.

 

7.         Julia Ann Hensley was born ca 1819/20 (per age on 1860 census), in Washington Co., VA. Her marriage record lists her as a child of Thomas Hensley. She married Joseph Ruark on 24 Dec 1837 in Marion Co., IN. He was born 29 Nov 1812 (per tombstone) in Kentucky. They are listed on the 1840 census in Marion on the same page with her brother James Hensley, and near a Thomas Ruark. I was unable to find Joseph or Julia Ann on the 1850 census. However, by 1860 they were in Van Buren Co., IA and still there for the 1870 census. He died on 14 Apr 1874 and is buried at the Christy Cemetery in Clark Co., MO. I don’t when or where Julia Ann died. I didn’t find her on the 1880 census.

 

8.         William K. Hensley was born 1822 (per tombstone) in Washington Co., VA. He seems to be with his parents in 1830 and 1840. He married Emily Hartsock on 26 Jul 1845 in Marion Co., IN. She was born 1828 (per tombstone) in Kentucky. She is probably closely related to Eliza Hartsock that his brother Isaac Hensley married in 1842. William and family are on the 1850 census in Marion Co., IN three houses from his parents. They are still in Marion for the 1860 census, not far from his widowed father. They are still in Marion for the 1870 census. Older sister Elizabeth Linton is living with them. They are also listed on the 1880 census in Marion Co., IN. Both William and wife Emily died in 1888 per their tombstones at Spring Valley Cemetery in Marion Co., IN.

Other Potential Children:

 

9.         Joshua Hensley married Phebe Morrow in Marion Co., IN on 11 Dec 1836. I didn’t find Joshua Hensley on the 1840 census, but I did find his widow Phoebe Hensley (c1797 OH) on the 1850 census in neighboring Boone Co., IN. She had two Hensley children: Sarah W (c1837 IN) and James (c1841 IN) and two Morrow children: Susan J. (c1828 KY) and Elizabeth (c1830 KY). By 1860 Phoebe had moved to Carver Co., MN. Considering Phoebe’s age (born ca 1797), one would suspect her husband Joshua Hensley would be of similar age, thus probably too old to be a child of Thomas Hensley. However, it is still within the realm of possibility. They did have an unidentified son born ca 1810/20 with them on the 1820 census.

 

10.       Sarah Hensley married John O. Conner in Marion Co., IN on 26 Apr 1840. She was born ca 1810/20 per her age on the 1840 census (in Marion). He was born ca 1813/14 in Ireland. She apparently died between 1842 and 1850, for on 3 Jan 1850 he married Margaret Murphy in Marion Co., IN. They are listed on the 1850 census there, listed as married within the census year. He has older children from his marriage to Sarah. Margaret’s parents are residing with them. On this census (and on the second marriage), they are listed as Oconner, as in O’Conner instead of “O” being a middle initial as it seemed from the 1840 marriage and census record. Thus, with no additional data on Sarah Hensley, I can’t say if she’s Thomas Hensley’s child or not. There doesn’t seem to be any unidentified daughters for him on the 1820 or 1830 census, so perhaps she isn’t his at all.

I’ve researched Thomas’s children as far as I could.

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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: January 26, 2022

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

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