Nancy (Hensley) Harris (1817 - 1894)

Born 1817 in Cane River Township, Yancey, North Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Jason Laws Harris — married 17 Oct 1839 in Washington, Tennessee, United States

Descendants

Died 1894 at about age 77 in Flag Pond, Unicoi, Tennessee, United States

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Biography

• BIO by B. Bradford ~ updated 2-5-2020 2G Grandaughter From Find-A-Grave

Nancy Hensley is the proven daughter of Benjamin Hensley and Louisa Shelton born in the Bald Creek area on the Caney River of Buncombe (now Yancey Co.) NC. The proof is a Washington Co, TN Deed dated April 12, 1862, naming "John, William S. and Lewis Hensley and Nancy Harris as heirs of Benjamin, deceased." Her parents were acquainted with the Hugh Harris clan as they lived near each other in the Bald Creek area during the 1820 Buncombe Co. Census. In the early 1820's, her parents and husband's (Jason L. Harris) parents and grandparents relocated to Washington Co., (now Unicoi) Tennessee and acquired land next to each other on the Stamp Fork of Indian Creek in Flag Pond. Nancy married Jason L. Harris on October 17, 1839, in Washington Co., TN and they had 13 children. Jason was a blacksmith, silversmith, gunsmith and a maker of violins. In July 1864, he was captured by the CSA at Marshall, NC and taken to a POW camp in Asheville where he died from disease and starvation 6 months later on January 25, 1865. In 1869 Nancy applied for a Widow's pension and the investigation continued for 22 years and was never awarded a pension. She died sometime after 1893 and gone before 1900 census. It is suspected she is buried in an unmarked grave at the old section of Higgins Chapel Cemetery (top of the hill) where several of her children are buried.

Link to Widow's Pension: http://tngenweb.org/unicoi/widows_pension_jason_harris_nancy_hensley.pdf

June 21, 1869 - Widow’s Claim for Pension Form of “Nancy Harris”. Below are the key details on her application: • Nancy Harris makes a personal appearance on June 21, 1869, before the county clerk of Washington Co., TN. • She swears she was a resident in the 18th District of the county (which is the Flag Pond area of now Unicoi Co., Tennessee) • She is age 46 (placing her birth year 1823) and is the widow of Jason Harris who served as Private in the 3rd NC Mnt Infantry Volunteers. • Her maiden name is Nancy Hensley • She married Jason Harris on October 17, 1839, in Washington Co., TN by Wm T. Ervin, JP. • Jason Harris died on January 25, 1865, in a Prison in Asheville, NC due to disease and exposure. • She remains a widow • C. F. McHill of Washington Co., TN is her attorney • Names of her children with Jason who are alive and under the age of 16 at the time of his death: 1. Patty – born September 23, 1851 2. William F. – born December 16, 1853 3. Minerva – born May 27 185_ (cut off but probably 1855) 4. Jason C. – born May 15, 1857 5. Deadrick A. – born November 3, 1859 6. Nathan D. – born December 22, 1863 • Residence is Flag Pond Post Office, Tennessee • Nancy signs her name by marking an “X” next to her name. • Also personally appearing are Barnett Hensley and Lucinda Hensley of Washington Co., TN serving as witnesses and attesting they personally saw Nancy sign her name.

They had 13 children: -Joseph Franklin / -Lucinda / -Armstrong "Olmstead" / -David /-Mary L. / -Sarah Jane / -John "Jay" Hugh / -Martha Patty / -William Franklin / -Ataceen Manerva / -Jason Carson / -James Dedrick A. / -Nathan Dempsey.

Family Members Parents Benjamin Hensley 1793–1862

Louisa (Shelton ?) Hensley 1787–1863

Spouse Photo Jason Laws Harris 1815–1865 (m. 1839)

Children Photo Joseph Franklin Harris 1840–1918

Photo Lucinda Harris Lawing 1843–1920

Photo Armstrong Harris 1843–1924

David Harris 1844–1908

Photo Sarah Jane Harris Ledford 1847–1936

Photo Martha Patty Harris 1851–1921

Photo William Franklin Harris 1853–1900

Photo Jason Carson Harris 1857–1933

Photo James Dedrick Harris 1859–1933

Photo Nathan Dempsey Harris 1864–1937

• Fact: Residence (1850) Washington county, Washington, Tennessee, United States
• Fact: Residence (1860) 18th District, Washington, Tennessee, United States
• Fact: Residence (1870) Washington, Tennessee, United States
• Fact: Residence (1880) Flagpond, Unicoi, Tennessee, United States
• Fact: Burial (1894) Flag Pond, Unicoi, Tennessee, United States
• Fact: http://familysearch.org/v1/LifeSketch BIO by B. Bradford ~ updated 2-5-2020

Nancy Hensley is the proven daughter of Benjamin Hensley and Louisa Shelton born in the Bald Creek area on the Caney River of Buncombe (now Yancey Co.) NC. The proof is a Washington Co, TN Deed dated April 12, 1862, naming "John, William S. and Lewis Hensley and Nancy Harris as heirs of Benjamin, deceased." Her parents were acquainted with the Hugh Harris clan as they lived near each other in the Bald Creek area during the 1820 Buncombe Co. Census. In the early 1820's, her parents and husband's (Jason L. Harris) parents and grandparents relocated to Washington Co., (now Unicoi) Tennessee and acquired land next to each other on the Stamp Fork of Indian Creek in Flag Pond. Nancy married Jason L. Harris on October 17, 1839, in Washington Co., TN and they had 13 children. Jason was a blacksmith, silversmith, gunsmith and a maker of violins. In July 1864, he was captured by the CSA at Marshall, NC and taken to a POW camp in Asheville where he died from disease and starvation 6 months later on January 25, 1865. In 1869 Nancy applied for a Widow's pension and the investigation continued for 22 years and was never awarded a pension. She died sometime after 1893 and gone before 1900 census.

Link to Widow's Pension: http://tngenweb.org/unicoi/widows_pension_jason_harris_nancy_hensley.pdf

June 21, 1869 - Widow’s Claim for Pension Form of “Nancy Harris”. Below are the key details on her application: • Nancy Harris makes a personal appearance on June 21, 1869, before the county clerk of Washington Co., TN. • She swears she was a resident in the 18th District of the county (which is the Flag Pond area of now Unicoi Co., Tennessee) • She is age 46 (placing her birth year 1823) and is the widow of Jason Harris who served as Private in the 3rd NC Mnt Infantry Volunteers. • Her maiden name is Nancy Hensley • She married Jason Harris on October 17, 1839, in Washington Co., TN by Wm T. Ervin, JP. • Jason Harris died on January 25, 1865, in a Prison in Asheville, NC due to disease and exposure. • She remains a widow • C. F. McHill of Washington Co., TN is her attorney • Names of her children with Jason who are alive and under the age of 16 at the time of his death: 1. Patty – born September 23, 1851 2. William F. – born December 16, 1853 3. Minerva – born May 27 185_ (cut off but probably 1855) 4. Jason C. – born May 15, 1857 5. Deadrick A. – born November 3, 1859 6. Nathan D. – born December 22, 1863 • Residence is Flag Pond Post Office, Tennessee • Nancy signs her name by marking an “X” next to her name. • Also personally appearing are Barnett Hensley and Lucinda Hensley of Washington Co., TN serving as witnesses and attesting they personally saw Nancy sign her name.

They had 13 children: -Joseph Franklin / -Lucinda / -Armstrong "Olmstead" / -David /-Mary L. / -Sarah Jane / -John "Jay" Hugh / -Martha Patty / -William Franklin / -Ataceen Manerva / -Jason Carson / -James Dedrick A. / -Nathan Dempsey.

Sources

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 20 November 2021, 20:27), entry for Nancy Hensley (PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:GQSN-461 ); contributed by various users.
• *FAG https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/199068004/nancy-harris