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The following document was prepared by Tom Hensley (Thomas Richardson Hensley) based on his research and shared research of Laura Schreibman and Carolyn Jett). It is meant to be a guide to these early Hensley's and an attempt to try to figure out how or if all of the early Hensley's were related. Tom is of the line from Samuel (d 1735) via son George (d 1775) via his son Richardson Hensley. Let me (Marty Grant) know or Tom know if you have any early records to add to this time line.
1627 John Hinsley, mariner, will proved James City 9 Feb., 1627/8. (Virginia Magazine of History and Biography Vol.29 p298)
1649 Robert Hinsley of London, merchant age 34, 5 July, 1649, deposed re articles of agreement (The complete Book of Immigrants 1607-1660 by Peter Wilson Coldham, p. 243 Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, Baltimore 1988)
1640 John and his wife Mary Hinchley transported to Accomack Co. by Henry Pendenden (Pennington), County Court Records of Accomack Co. 1640-1645 folio 21, edited by Susie M. Ames, published for The Virginia Historical Society
1642 William Hensley, made agreement with William Stevens on 31 march 1642 to sharecrop the Stevens land. County Court Records Accomack 1640-1645 page 96 edited by Susie M. Ames, published for The Virginia Historical Society (Note related entry 1654 below)
1652 Francis Hemsley transported into Northumberland Co. in 1652 by William Debnam( Cavaliers and Pioneers Vol One 1623-1666 p. 258, by Nell Marion Nugent, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.)
1654 Robert Hensly transported by into Lancaster Co. in 1654 by John Sharpe(Early Virginia Immigrants by George Cabell Greer, p. 157, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore 1982,)
1654 Wm. Hemsley transported into Westmoreland Co. in 1654 by John Walton and John Bagnall(Cavaliers and Pioneers by Nell Marion Nugent, Vol One 1623-1666, p. 290, Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc., Baltimore 1983)
1654 Will filed by William Hinsley 4 January, 1654/55(Deeds and Wills Book No. 5 Northampton Co.1654-1655, p. 67 and 81.) The will left the estate to Ann Stevens and her children Ann and William with no mention of any of his children
1660 Wm. Hemseley (or Hensseley) transported into Northampton Co. in 1660 by John Ellsey(Cavaliers and Pioneers Vol One 1623-1666 p. 405, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, Baltimore 1983)
1677 Thomas Hinsley of London, tobacco cutter age 52 was deposed on 3 November, 1677 concerning debts of others(The Complete Books of Emigrants 1661-1699, p. 302, by Peter Wilson Coldham, Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc., Baltimore 1988)
1677 Old Rappahannock County Deeds & Wills 1677- 1682 ;original page 61; Know all men by these presents that I John Waight of ye County of Rappaedoe for me my heires for a valuable consideration of Seaben hundred pounds of tobacco & cask to me in hand paid before ye signing sealing hereof sell from me & my heires unto Benja:Hansley his heires & assignes wih allrights of Hawking,Hunting fishing & fowling wih all woods waters free in gress egress & regress for ever,ye said land being bounded as followeth (vixt)lying on ye lower side of ye GoldenVale Creek beginning at a red Oak neare to ye land of Roger Richardson running along a line of marked trees that divides ye land of Roger Richardson & ye land of me ye said John Waight neare my fence, then to ye Creek side to ye head of a Cove below my landing,thence down ye Creek to ye place where it began,warranting ye same from me ye said Jno Waight my heires &Executors unto ye said Benjamin Hansley his heires & assignes for ever,&from ye just clay me of all & any person or persons whatsoever making any cayne thereunto by from or undr.me my heires or Executors or either of us by any meanes or procurent:Witness my hand & Sealte this 6tj dau pf <arcj 1677 Signed Recognitr in Cur Com Rappae 6 die Martii Ano:1677\8
(Note that Golden Vale Creek is in St Marys Parish in what is now Caroline Co.)
1690 Elizabeth Henseley witnessed the appointment of an attorney for Elizabeth Boulware on October 19, 1690. Another witness was Samll. Cox. This man, sometimes named as Sim or Sem, shows up many times with the Hensles as does Doughty, Berry, and Richardson.(Old Rappahannock Co. Deed Book 8 1688-1692, pgs 193-194)
1691 On Feb 1, 1692/3 Benjamin Henslee and Sim Cox were witness to the proof of the will of Francis Doughty, Wm. Berry Executr.( Richmond Co. Orders 1692- 1694, I forgot to write down the page number close to p 65 though,)
1695 On Oct. 2, 1695 Benjamin Hensloe was ordered to inventory and appraise the estate of Edward Price.(Richmond Co. Orders 1694-1697, Richmond Co. Court Oct 2, 1695, p86)
1698 On June 1, 1698, Sem Cox and Benjamin Henslow and William Berry were ordered to inventory and appraise the estate of Saml. Daw.(Richmond Co. Orders 1697-1699, Richmond Co. Court June 1, 1698 p 294)
1699 On Jan. 28, 1699/1700 Benjamin Hensle filed his will, naming Beatrice his wife and Benjamin his son witnessed by Sem Cox and Joseph L. Wright.(Richmond Co. Wills and Inventories p10)
This is the will:
...County Virginia, planter, being sick......of sound & perfect memory do constitute this my last will & testament revoking all former...in manner & form following Imprimus - I do give & bequeath my Soule into the hands of Almighty...my mercyfull father & my Body to be buryed in a convenient place on the plantation I now dwell upon in expectation...Joyfull Resurrection through the meritts of my Lord & Sav...Jesus Christ
Item - I do appoint my deare wife Biatrice Hensley sole ex...of this my last will & testamt and give & bequeath un...the whole of my personal estate, she paying what...owe & my funerall charges.
Item - I do give & bequeath unto my son Benja the land I live on...as by patent fifty acres
Item - I do order my said executor to remitt & freight to England...hogheads of tobacco now being ready on my plantation...the paying of some money due from me to Elizabeth Toby......ving at the blew bell neere St. Thomas Hospital in So......wark.
Item - In witness hereof I have here unto sett my hand & afixed my seale... 28th day of January 1699
Benjamin Hensle
Signed, Sealed & published in the presence of us
Joseph L. Wright
Sem Cox
1700 On March 6, 1699/1700 Sem Cox and Joseph Wright proved the will of Benjamin Henslow.(Richmond Co. Orders 1699-1700, Richmond Co. Court March 6, 1699/1700 p 14)
1712 I believe that the Hensley land mentioned here is the land that Benjamin Jr. inherited.The description doesn't have similar references, but it is in St Marys Parish. On Feb 4, 1712/13 Benja. Henslee witnessed a deed between Thomas Pannell in the Parish of St.Mary in Richmond Co. and John England. Part of the description says that the line divides the land of Benjamin Hensley from the land being sold. The deed was witnessed by Benj. Henslee.(Richmond Co. Deeds 1711-1714, p113-114)
1720 On April 6,1720, William Berry sold land to Benjamin Hensle in the Parish of Hanover, Richmond Co.(Richmond Co. Deeds 1714-1720 Richmond Co. Court April 6, 1720, p 494-497)
I wonder what happened to the land in St Marys Parish?
Description: One hundred and fifty acres more or less but with Warranty for the sd. quantity of Land, bounding, Beginning att a Maple tree standing in the dividing line between HENERY BERRY & ROBT. PECK & running along the dividing line to the line of ROBRT RICHARDS thence along the sd. line to a corner red Oake standing on the South side of a Cart Path, thence along ye line of my Uncle, WM. BERRY, to a black Oak being his corner, thence along the main Branch of the HUCKLEBERRY SWAMP being ye imputed bounds of my Brother, JOHN BERRYs land, to a corner white Oak standing in the sd. Swamp plainly mentioned in my Fathers Last Will, and from thence along the Old line of HENERY BERRY to the place it began, together with all houses tobacco houses orchards trees likely to become Timber comodies and appurtenances belonging.
1723 There is an Indenture dated July 30 & 31 1723 by Benjamin Henslee and Elizabeth to Thomas Reilly and Elizabeth his wife for 160 acres of land in King George Co. being a part of a tract given by Will to William Berry and his sister Martha Berry by their father John Berry and bought of William Berry by Benj. Henslee.(King George Deeds 1721-1729, Deed Book 1 folio 155-156)
1724 In the same Deed Book , folio 324-325 there is an Indenture dated 27 & 28 December, 1725 by Benjamin Henslee and Elizabeth his wife of King George Co. to John Holdsworth. It goes on to say that this is the remaining part that Benjamin Henslee had bought from Wm. Berry on April 5, 1723.
This is Benjamin #2. I wonder what happened to him?
1731 Samuel Hensley files his will in Orange Co. saying that he is from King George Co.(Orange Co. Will Book 1 p. 10)
1734 On August 6, 1734 in St Marks Parish, Spotsylvania Co. Benj. Henslee witnessed a sale of land to Lazarus Tilly from John Red( Spotsylvania Co. Deed Book C1 734-1743)
Is this the same Benjamin Henslee that I have been following? I don't know.
1735 On March 16, 1735/36 James Cox, Andrew Harrison, and Henry Rice returned an appraisal of Samuel Hansley's estate.( Orange Co. Will Book 1 p. 14)
1736 On June 15th, 1736 James Cox and Andrew Harrison returned an additional inventory of Samuel Hensley's will (Orange Co. Will Book 1 p. 17)
1737 On 1 Feby. 1738 Patent to Benjamin Henslee for 385 acres, on both sides Wolf Trap Branch in Hanover Co., adjoining Smith, Carr, Henry. (Patents 18, p157) I think that this is Benjamin Hensley 3.
Did Benjamin Henslee sell all his land and move to Hanover Co. (a different direction from Spotsylvania) or was he in Spotsylvania Co. before moving to Hanover Co.?
1746 John Askew, 400acs. Orange Co. on the N side of a Br. of Pritty's Cr., on falling Ground, in a valley, ona level & on levelGround: adj. Benj. Henslee, William Howard & Ripon: 25 jul 1746 Patent book 25 p. 147. (I'm not sure what Benj. Henslee's name signifies here.)
1761 William Richardson files his will on Feb. 14, 1761, leaving his grandson Richardson Hensley and his daughter Sarah Hensley part of his estate.(Spotsylvania Co. Will Book D 1761-1772 P. 27)
1761 George and Sarah Hensley sell 200 acres of land to Robert Shore on November 16,1761 in the Parish of St Thomas Orange Co.(Orange Co. Deed Book 13 PP.207- 211)
1775 George Hensley files his will on Feb. 7, 1775 in Spotsylvania Co. mentioning his wife Sarah, his son Richardson, his sons George and William, and his daughters Susanna and Sarah, wife of James Carter.(Spotsylvania Co. Manuscript Loose Wills E-L)
There are other records, mostly pertaining to children of the main characters, but these are the ones that establish my line to Samuel #1.
I've traced Benjamin Henslee trying to find a link to Samuel with no success. Samuel was in Hanover Parish, King George Co. at the same time as Benjamin, but there is no link that I have found. Without this link it's hard to prove that Benjamin Hensle of Old Rappahannock was Samuel's father.
Going back to Benjamin Sr.'s will. Note that he provided for payment of a debt to Elizabeth Toby living at the "blew bell" near StThomas Hospital in Southwark in England. Would this suggest that he had come directly from England? Incidently, the StThomas Hospital building is still standing in Southwark.
Tom Hensley