Nancy Isabelle (McKinney) Henley (1856 - 1929)

Born Mar 1856 in Chester County, South Carolina

Ancestors

Wife of William George Henley — married 7 Apr 1874 in Drew County, Arkansas

Descendants

Died 16 Apr 1929 at age 73 in Drew County, Arkansas

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Joyce Henley [send private message] and Kelly Greenup [send private message]

Biography

Biography

Nancy Isabelle McKinney Henley was the daughter of William and Rebecca McKinney. Her father, William, was listed in census records as a farmer and carpenter.

Nancy was born in Chester Co. South Carolina. Her family, originally from South Carolina, also lived in Chambers Co. Alabama for a short time, but moved back to Chester Co. before Nancy's birth. By the 1870 Census, the family had moved to Desha Co. Arkansas, but her father had passed away by then. It's unknown if he died before or after that move.

Known siblings of Nancy were Mary E. J., who married William Curry, James H., John, Susannah K., William A., Reuben, Thomas J. A., and David J. Brothers William A. and Reuben apparently died in childhood before the move back to South Carolina - they were listed as small children in the 1850 Census in Chambers Co. AL, but were not in the 1860 Census of Chester Co. SC.

Nancy's family had moved from South Carolina to Chambers Co. AL, ca. 1849-1850 because the youngest child, Reuben, age 1, in the Alabama Census was listed as born in South Carolina. At some point within a year or so, they moved back to Chester Co. SC. because their youngest children in the 1860 Census - Thomas J. A., age 9, David J., age 6, and Nancy, age 4, were all listed as born in South Carolina.

The 1870 Census shows likely widowed Rebecca, David J., and Nancy living in Desha Co. AR, a few miles east of Dumas, AR, with married sister, Mary E. Curry, and her family living next door.

Nancy would marry William George Henley four years later in 1874 in Drew County, AR. The Henley family's property was located in northern Drew County, near what is now the Drew/Lincoln County line. They had the following known children: Rebekah Florence, William F., Joshua, Mary Mattielean, Isaac A., Bettie Maie, and Fannie Lee. The 1900 Census stated that Nancy, then 45, had given birth to 12 children with only 8 living, a testament to the harsh realities of 19th Century life.

Possible Cherokee Heritage

Some family descendants of Nancy Isabelle have long believed that she was Cherokee or part Cherokee. The McKinney family was from Chester, SC, which was once part of Cherokee tribal lands, so it is geographically feasible.

The photo of Nancy, as well as the features of some of her descendants, do seem to agree that she may have been at least part Indian, which has led some family members in search of any records to substantiate this belief. All Census records I've seen have listed the family as "white", though it would not have been unusual for someone of Indian heritage to "pass" as "white" in the 19th Century, considering the Indian removals of the earlier part of that century.

Another hypothesis presented to me by a few family members is that she may have been Choctaw because a record was found of a Nancy J. McKinney of similar age listed in the Dawes Rolls for that tribe, but there are several problems with this idea. Though the McKinney family lived a short time in Alabama, a known historical region of the Choctaws, it needs to be remembered that they were from South Carolina. Also, during the time of the Dawes Rolls, she was not Nancy McKinney, but Nancy Henley-

Married/maiden name usage on the Dawes Rolls:

From: http://www.okhistory.org/research/dawes

Q: "What information do I need before I search?"

A: "Basic information includes the name of a person who was alive and living in the Indian Territory during the enrollment period. If the individual was a married woman, you should look for her under her married name."

Most importantly, and regardless of tribal affiliation, Nancy never lived in Indian Territory.

Records prove that Nancy and her family were NOT a part of the "Trail of Tears" or any other removals. All indications are that if they were part Indian, they were assimilated into American society and living outside of any tribal properties. Though Chester County historically had been within Cherokee lands, it was not at that time in history. Nancy's family was living there in Chester Co. SC, long after the "Trail of Tears" took place. [1] See map

Concerning The Index to the Final Rolls of Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory [2] more commonly called the Dawes Rolls - though it may be desirous of some descendants to find Nancy on those rolls - it is EXTREMELY and HIGHLY UNLIKELY. Note the last 3 words in that title - IN Indian Territory!

The website www.cherokee.org, plainly states [3]:

"If your ancestor did not live in this area during that specific time period (1899-1906), they will NOT be listed on the Dawes Rolls." (emphasis mine) Other such sites concur.

That would in no way invalidate any Indian heritage, if indeed the family was Indian or part Indian.

Notes: This biography and the biography at Find A Grave were both written by Joyce Henley, a spouse and mother to a descendant of Nancy's, and thus no copyright infringements exist.

The 1900 Census has her birth as March 1855. The spelling of her middle name is uncertain. I changed it to Isabelle since it's a proper spelling, but it may have been different. Several records indicate that she went by Belle. -JAH

Sources

• [4] The Index to the Final Rolls of Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory

• [5] Map of Cherokee Lands

• 1850 US Census, 19th District, Chambers Co. AL - Nancy's family's residence before their move back to Chester Co. SC

• [6] 1860 US Census, Chester Co. SC

• 1870 US Census, Jefferson Twp, Desha Co. AR - Nancy's residence with widowed mother, brother, with sister, Mary E. McKinney Curry next door

• 1874 Arkansas Marriages, Drew Co. AR, listed as W. G. Hinly(sic) to Nancy J.(sic) McKinney

• 1880 US Census, Spring Hill Twp, Drew Co. AR

• [7] 1900 US Census, Spring Hill Twp, Drew Co. AR

• [8] 1910 US Census, Spring Hill Twp, Drew Co. AR, Nancy as a widow

• [9] 1920 US Census, Spring Hill Twp, Drew Co. AR

• [10] Find A Grave memorial

• [11] Death,16 Apr 1929, Drew Co. AR