William H. Henson was born abt. 1751-55 in Virginia. William died November 1816 in Sumner Co. TN. He married abt. 1772 to Elizabeth _____. Elizabeth died after 1816. Some people believe Elizabeth's surname is Holden.

In the 1790 Pendleton Dist., SC Census William H. Henson claims eight sons and one daughter in his family.

In William H Hensons will of Nov. 1816, he gives most all to his wife Elizabeth, then to his beloved son, Josiah, and his beloved son Thomas. Then what property is left and after her death is to be equally divided amongst the children. He chose John and Thomas Henson to settle his affairs. So by this will, I cannot tell what all the names of his children were . . . In the land records there in Sumner Co., TN, I only picked up these Henson names: John 1812; Josiah 1819; Thomas 1819; and William 1826. I believe there were two Johns, an older and a younger one.

Known children of William Henson and Elizabeth:

1. Jesse Henson born abt. 1775. A possible son of William and Elizabeth. The old letters I have from Georgia, say "our old Uncle Jesse Henson has departed this life." Making him born before 1775. He is not mentioned in the will of William Henson.

2. William born ca 1781 in NC/SC. William married Drucilla MOTLOW. William died 13 Nov. 1834 in Benton Co., AR. According to an old letter I have written by William H. Hensons grandson, and the son of William and Drucilla Motlow Henson.

3. Josiah J. Henson born ca 1785 in Pendleton Dist., SC. He is named in his father's will. Josiah married Frances HYDE. And they had a son named Andrew Jackson Henson, who was my ancestor. Josiah died in Missouri.

4. Thomas Henson, born 1786 in SC and died 1853 in Taney Co., Missouri. He was a Baptist Minister. Thomas married Rebecca LANGSTON on 3 July 1806 in Warren Co., KY.

The Hensons and Hendersons are so intermeshed in Sumner Co., TN that sometimes it is hard to tell in the records who is who. In the marriages William Henderson md. Martha Henson on 14 March 1813. There is a Littleton Henderson and a Littleton Henson. Josiah and Littleton Henson were brothers and there was another brother, Thomas. We believe that Littleton had a first name of Joseph. Joseph Littleton Henson, Josiah J. Henson, and William Henson came through Jackson Co., Ark and up the bootheel of Missouri, and settled in St. Francis Co., MO. Thomas came through Tennessee, he became a minister, he settled in Taney Co., MO. and raised a large family there. Josiah and Thomas Henson were in the War of 1812.

Josiah's son, Andrew Jackson Henson was my ancestor, Andrews son Simeon Walker Henson born in January of 1846 in St. Francois Co., Mo. was my gr. grandfather. Simeon's son, Charles William Henson, was my grandfather.

Simeon died in 1908 in Iron County, Missouri. My father, George William, was a son of Charles, he was born in 1906 and has now passed on.

I wish I could give you a more complete picture. These Hensons are very elusive . . . not until a couple of years ago (after 32 years of research) I found that they had gone into Ark, Jackson Co. and two of them got divorces there from their wives they had left back in Sumner Co., TN. and then they came into the bootheel of Mo. in Ripley Co., I believe that may be where the older Josiah died, then they came on up into Madison Co., the part that became Iron Co., and they stopped and stayed.