William A. Hensley (c1829) and Melvina Coatney of Knox and Hamilton Co., TN

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The author (Marty Grant) is not related to William A. Hensley as far as can be determined. He did live in the same county (Knox Co, TN) as my ancestor Samuel Hensley (1801-1852) though he was born after Samuel left that county.

William A. Hensley was born ca 1828/29 per his age of 21 on the 1850 census. He was born in Tennessee, county unknown. He was in Knox County later on, but I don't know if he was born there or not.

I do not know who William's parents are, but he must be closely related to George W. Barger Hensley (c1816) with whom he was residing in 1850.

It is possible that William is a son of Anthony Hensley (c1791) who was also in Knox County. Anthony did have an unknown son born ca 1825/30 with him in 1830 and 1840 census. This could easily be William.

William could be a brother to John A. Hensley (c1835) who was near him in 1850 Knox, and who also later moved to Hamilton County, Tennessee where William later lived. (John also fits as a possible son of Anthony.)

William was presumably with his parents for the 1830 and 1840 census, but not knowing who his parents were, I can't confirm this. Like I said before, Anthony Hensley (c1791) did have an apparent son this age with him those years in Knox Co, TN. He was the only Hensley listed there in 1830 and 1840. This unknown son could be William A. Hensley.

William was residing with George Hensley in 1850. They are about 13 years apart in age, but could still be brothers, though they could be related some other way. They were five houses from Mary (---) Hensley, possibly the ex-wife of Anthony Hensley (c1791), though that relationship isn't proven.

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 KNOX CO, TN Page 233B  House/Family # 1989/1998  - 15th Subdivision Twp

HENSLY GEORGE         34 M W FARMER                 700 VA                   1815/1816
HENSLY LAURA M        36 F W                            TN                   1813/1814
HENSLY SUSAN E         9 F W                            TN                   1840/1841
HENSLY AUGUSTUS C      7 M W                            TN                   1842/1843
HENSLY CHARITY         6 F W                            TN                   1843/1844
HENSLY BRADFORD D      4 M W                            TN                   1845/1846
HENSLY LUCY A          2 F W                            TN                   1847/1848
HENSLY WILLIAM        21 M W FARMER                     TN                   1828/1829
 

William Hensley married Melvina Coatney on 3 Oct 1850 in Knox Co, TN. Married by John P. Bearden, JP.

Melvina was born ca 1831/32 in Tennessee, county unknown, though probably Knox. The surname is also spelled as Cortney. I don't know which is the proper spelling since both are used on the records.  Melvina is a daughter of John and Nancy (Robison) Cortney. They were not far away from the Hensleys on the 1850 census in Knox Co., TN. John and Nancy married 30 Oct 1822 in Knox County.

William and Melvina left Knox County in the 1850's and moved to southwest to Hamilton County (Chattanooga) where they were listed on the 1860 census. They were the only Hensleys there that year. They were next door to Melvina's parents who also had moved to Hamilton County.

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)

HAMILTON CO, TN Page 4 House/Family # 1965/1967 -- DISTRICT NO 1 Twp  HARRISON P.O.

HENSLEY WILLIAM A     30 M W FARMING                  200 TN                 1829/1830
HENSLEY MELVINA       28 F W                              TN                 1831/1832
HENSLEY JOHN           4 M W                              TN                 1855/1856
HENSLEY MARY           2 F W                              TN                 1857/1858
HENSLEY WILLIAM        0 M W 3/12                         TN                 1859/1860

They were still in Hamilton County for the 1870 census. They were next door to Melvina's now widowed mother.

1870 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)

HAMILTON CO, TN P-H-F 616/24/24--12 DIST 43 SUBDIV Twp LONG SAVANNAH P.O.

HENCELY WILLIAM       41 F W FARMER                2500   975 TN              1828/1829
HENCELY MELVINA       39 F W KEEPING HOUSE                    TN              1830/1831
HENCELY JOHN          14 M W AT HOME                          TN              1855/1856
HENCELY MARY J        12 F W AT HOME                          TN              1857/1858
HENCELY WILLIAM K     10 M W AT HOME                          TN              1859/1860
HENCELY GEORGE C       6 M W AT HOME                          TN              1863/1864
HENCELY JAMES N        4 M W AT HOME                          TN              1865/1866

They were listed in Hamilton for the 1880 census. Melvina's sister Margaret Coatney was residing with them. Their mother Nancy was still alive and a few houses away.

1880 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)

HAMILTON CO, TN Page 110B  House/Family #   409/ 420 -- 12 DISTRICT Twp

HENSLEY WILLIAM                W M  52    M (Illegible)          TN  TN  TN  1827/1828
HENSLEY MALVINA                W F  49 WF M KEEPING HOUSE        TN  TN  VA  1830/1831
HENSLEY RICHARD                W M  18 S  S WORKS ON FARM        TN  TN  TN  1861/1862
HENSLEY GEORGE                 W M  15 S  S WORKS ON FARM        TN  TN  TN  1864/1865
HENSLEY JAMES                  W M  12 S  S WORKS ON FARM        TN  TN  TN  1867/1868
HENSLEY FRANK                  W M   8 S  S                      TN  TN  TN  1871/1872
HENSLEY IDA                    W F   5 D  S                      TN  TN  TN  1874/1875
CORTNEY MARGRET                W F  45 SL S AT HOME              TN  TN  VA  1834/1835

William and Melvina are listed on the 1900 census in Hamilton Co., TN in District 1, however their section of the page (the bottom) is almost totally illegible. Their son George is next door with his family, son James is next to George, and a widow Modena Hensley is next to James. For William and Melvina (just the two of them at home) it appears to show 1828 for William's birth year. The month is illegible. Her birth year seems to show 1834, but with an age of 75 which doesn't add up. Use the listing below with caution for it was very difficult to decipher.

1900 census abstract: (Explanation of this census)

(Note: The birth dates given in 1900 were part of the original census record)

HAMILTON CO, TN Pg: 2 H-F:   24-  24 Twp: CIVIL DISTRICT NO 1

HENSLEY WILLIAM                HD W M ??? 1828  72 M 49       TN  TN  TN  ???
HENSLEY MELVINA                WF W F ??? 1834  75 M 49 12  9 TN  TN  TN

I have no further data on them.

Children of William A. Hensley and Melvina Coatney.

William and Melvina had 12 children per the 1900 census. I don't have much additional data on them.

Researcher List

Persons researching this family (Contact me to add, change or delete your listing here):

• Mary Beth Hensley Buerkle = (William-James-)

Register Report