Hickman Hensley

 I bought six yDNA kits at the FTDNA father's day sale this year.  Suzanne Baird found Jeff for me via a facebook chat group.  Jeff's tree connects him to Hickman Hensley.  Why was Jeff's yDNA of interest to me?  

According to Suzanne's tree, Hickman Hensley was the son of Benjamin Hensley and his wife Elizabeth for whom we have no maiden name.  Hickman was born in Halifax County, Virginia in 1759.  At that time Halifax County was a huge county going as far west as the settlers might move.

It was not until 1767 that Pittsylvania County was formed and then Halifax was finite while it was Pittsylvania that stretched to the west.  Then in 1777 Henry was formed out of the western part of Pittsylvania.  In 1785 Franklin was formed from the northern portion of Henry and the southern portion of Botetourt.   And in 1791 Patrick was formed out of the western part of Henry.  Making the Counties the sizes that they are still today.  In 1759, Hickman's parents could have been living in any part of this area.

I got out my Halifax County books and Dodson does not include any Hensley's in his survey books.

My Ancestor, John Hensley who was married to Milly and is said to be the father of Solomon Hensley in Solomon's death records, is shown in the titheable list of Pittsylvania County in 1767:

https://adkinsmetcalffamily.wordpress.com/2009/02/28/the-history-of-pittsylvania-county-virginia/

I have looked at this list many times, but somehow forgot to record in my brain that this was the FIRST titheable list in Pittsylvania County.  That John and Milly could have been living in Halifax County before this date!  That while somehow I have thought that they moved about this time, the truth is that the county line changed about this time. 

I know where in Pittsylvania County John and Milly lived about the time that Solomon was born.  You can read about this at:

http://marshamoses.blogspot.com/2012/10/hensleyfoster-connections.html

So to answer my above question, Hickman Hensley was born in the area of Virginia where my Solomon was born circa 1776.  He is still living in the area in 1779 (according to tree of Suzanne) when his son Larkin was born in Henry County.  Hickman seems to have moved his family to NC just after the birth of this child.  However in the time period in which my Solomon is born, he is still in Henry County.

So......Hickman is clearly a Hensley.  That is what Jeff's yDNA shows.  Solomon Hensley may have had a Hensley mother, but his paternal line is clearly Foster.  Another of my kits this year (Dewayne Hensley has proven that).  Dewayne descends from Solomon's son Alexander.  I had bought a kit many years ago for John Hensley who descends from Solomon's son, Bird.  These two men match each other and they clearly match a well represented Foster line!...

One other person that I want to mention as living in this area is Phebe Hensley.  Phebe is living in Henry County and has children born between the years (according to Marty Grant's website) of before 1784 to probably about 1790 or later since she has six children documented on Marty's site.  Were Phebe and Hickman siblings?  Was the father of Phebe's children a Foster?  

Was my John Hensley related to Phebe?  Hickman?  Hickman's parents?

Did John and Milly have other children besides Solomon?  Was John's paternal line Hensley?  Foster?  Was Solomon adopted?  Wow....I have enough research to keep me busy for years!

But one thing we do know thanks to Jeff Hensley is that Hickman was clearly a Hensley!