William HENSON is said to have married Ann JACOBS in 1786 in Harper's Ferry, Virginia. I have tentatively entered 12 children, all with approximate ages, some with birth locations in North Carolina and Kentucky: Nancy, John, Paul, Christina, Isaac, Susannah, Ellen, William, Mary, Robert, Cristopher and Anne. My 3G grandfather Billy HENSON Jr. was in the middle of the pack, born 1803 in North Carolina. No one lists primary sources, and I am having a lot of trouble finding them myself. Most have resorted to copying from other compilations, including me at this stage. Many uncertainties remain. Proof is still needed.
Details of William's later life and family come from his Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant application files and his widow's pension documents. As a veteran he received a pension of $8.00 per month starting 10 Jan 1828, for 18 months of service as a private in the North Carolina Continental line. A transcript of his application says he served three tours of duty in North Carolina:
- Late in 1780 for 18 months, he enlisted "about 40 days before the Battle of Guilford Court-house at a town by the name of Salisbury (the County forgotten) in the Company commanded by Captain William Lytle in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Joseph Lytle in the line of the State of North Carolina on the Continental establishment" ... and "he was discharged by the said Colonel Lytle at Salisbury". He lost his discharge papers. [the Battle of Guilford NC started 15 Mar 1781]
- Another 9 months, undated - "in Surry County and at the Courthouse of said County in the State of North Carolina he enlisted for the term of nine months in the company commanded by Captain John Jones (his given name is not positive) in the Regiment commanded by Colonel John Armstrong (his given name he believes was John) in the line of the State of North Carolina on the Continental Establishment" ... and "he was discharged by his Captain ( __ Jones) at Surry Courthouse North Carolina." He also lost these discharge papers.
- In 1782 for 18 months. The Secretary of State's office in 1828 certified that " it appears from the musterroll's [sic] of the Continental line of this State in the revolutionary war, that William Henson a private in Captain Brevard's Company of the 10th Regiment, enlisted in 1782, for 18 months ... nothing more is said of him on said rolls."
I find it very interesting that William waited a long time (1828) to apply for his pension, as it was available as early as 1820 for eligible veterans. Here's what he had to say on this matter:
"... the following all [sic - are] the reasons for not making earlier application for a pension. That until within one or two years since he felt himself able to support himself and family and that he always disliked the idea of having it said that he was supported by his government when he had no expectation of it when he fought for liberty but owing to old age & poverty and having been crippled within the last year by the fall of a limb from a tree he has concluded to yield to the pressing solicitation of his friends. And in pursuance of the act of the first of May 1820, I do solemnly swear that I was a resident Citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818 ..."
fn p. 8: Martha May of Newton County Missouri gave a supporting affidavit in which she says she has known Richard Henson since she was 6 years old; that she is the sister of said Henson; that she can remember of going with her father to see the said Richard and 2 of her other brothers start to go against the British in the war of the revolution in Wilkes County North Carolina when she was about 14 years of age; that they were gone for 3 months; and that prior to that her brother had gone into service for a first tour.
fn p. 9: On May 1, 1850, in Clay County Kentucky, Ann Henson, about 90 years of age, made application for a widow's pension under the 1848 act stating that she is the widow of William Henson, a pensioner of the United States for his service in the revolution at the rate of $96 per annum on the Kentucky list; that she married him at Harpers Ferry in the state of Virginia in the year 1786 by publication in a church; that she has no family record of her marriage it having been destroyed some 25 years ago; that she had several children born prior to 1794 whose names are Nancy, William, John, Paul, Christenah, Isaac and after 1794 she had Susannah, Lurean, Mary , Robert, Christessla [?Christopher in another document] and Ann; That her husband died September 20, 1831.
Ann claims that her remaining six children were born after 1794 - undoubtedly so, but I sure wish she had included all their birth dates. According to others, Ann, the youngest, wasn't born until 1817. The distribution of births doesn't seem proportionate. I don't know where most of these birth dates have come from, and there are variations in the children's names and birth order as well. There are still many discrepancies to deal with here.
William's long life of 85 years must not have been an easy one, farming and raising a large family in probably rugged conditions. In the prime of his life, he chose to fight in the Revolutionary War as a patriot after America made its declaration of independence. His contribution to the birth of a nation is something to be proud of.
Descendants of Paul William Sr, by William G Mattheis
Battle of Guilford, North Carolina, 15th March 1781 - British Battles site
The American Revolution in North Carolina - "Carolana" site
Revolutionary North Carolina - Learn NC site
North Caroline in the Revolutionary War - Lost Souls Genealogy site