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132    HENSLEY, SPIVEY FAMILY CEMETERY (ABT 1860)

Location - In north central Cedar Grove Township not far south of the Caswell County line, in a field north of the intersection of Allison Road (SR #1501 and #1500 - east of NC Rte 86) and Hensley Road (SR #1500). Private property.

Coordinates: 36d 14m 20.0s N; 79d 10m 02.0s W Click here for Online Maps

Survey - This cemetery was surveyed on October 31, 1974. Milton Forsyth visited and photographed the site in February 2005 through the courtesy of the landowner, Mr. Willie Clayton. (See a 1974 rough plat of the cemetery.)

Status [2005] - The approximately 40 ft by 40 ft densely-treed cemetery site is visible from the road and lies 360 ft NNE from the intersection. The site is totally unkempt and covered by dense vegetation. Mr. Clayton said Mr. Joe F. Hensley, who never married and lived in a mobile home on the opposite corner, had maintained the cemetery until he died at age 87 in 1991. Since then it has been allowed to grow up (see photo from inside). No engraved stones were seen, but there were several fieldstones (view of fieldstone) and an old rusty metal grave marker. No grave depressions were obvious, probably due to the heavy vegetation. Basic information on the burials almost certainly came from Joe F. Hensley during the 1974 survey.

Comments - According to an Internet posting by Marty Grant, Spivey Hensley was the son of Richard Hensley (b. c. 1774, Caswell Co., NC) and Sarah Johnson (b. c. 1787). The parents moved to Putnam Co., GA after 1850. Spivey married Artelia Anderson by bond dated 5 Oct 1847 (O. C. Marriage Bonds G-H 0736). In 1850 they were living in Person Co., but he received land in Orange Co. from his father and he is enumerated in the 1860 census living in Orange Co. Although a record of the devise of the land of Spivey Hensley was not found, several portions of land were divided in 1963 as part of the Joseph Hensley estate. Property ownerships were in the Hensley family name into the late-20th century.

Artelia's entry in the 1900 Census indicates they had "8" children with "8" living - but the number as written is questionable as to what it is and that many children do not appear in the census. Margaret and Joseph E., buried here, and John F. are accounted for in the family in several census years. William (Bill), buried here, is noted only in the 1900 Census, but with Artelia and Margaret living in his household. John is single, age 69, and living with his brother Joseph in 1920, but is not thereafter located and his burial is not found.

Joseph E. Hensley, who died in 1939, is apparently the last family member to have been buried in the cemetery. His wife, Lula Glendora Hooper Hensley (1891-1969) and their son Joseph Franklin Hensley (1904-1991, mentioned above) and daughter Molly Buna Hensley (1908-1964) are buried NE of Burlington in Caswell County in the Bethel United Church of Christ Cemetery (#028 - formerly Bethel Christian Church). Joseph and Lula had two other children: Clarabelle (b. 1896) and Robert E. (1898-1972; buried O. C. Cem #010 - Cedar Grove UMC). Probably the two burials in the cemetery of persons who died in the early 1890s - "Jalily" and "Pete" - were also their children, as Lula is recorded in the 1900 Census as having had 4 children with 2 living and shown in the family - Clarabelle and Robert. [Research by Milton Forsyth, 2008, that led to a revision of the cemetery description and entries.]

1. Hensley, ??   (b. - d. )
A Revolutionary War soldier. (A family tradition that this person was buried here, but no other information has been found regarding it.)
2. Hensley, Artelia (Teely) Anderson   (b. Feb 1830 - d. aft 1900)
Wife of Spivey Hensley.
3. Hensley, Jalily   (b. - d. abt 1892)
Possibly a child of Joseph Hensley and Lulu Hooper.
4. Hensley, Joseph E.   (b. 12 Feb 1853 - d. 1 Aug 1939)
Son of Spivey and Artelia Anderson Hensley. Husband of Lula Hooper. O. C. Death Cert. D22-109. Buried in "Hensley Fam. Cem."
5. Hensley, Margaret   (b. Dec 1848 - d. 14 Nov 1917)
Dau. of Spivey and Artelia Anderson Hensley. Unmarried. O. C. Death Cert. D3-331. Age 69; 1900 Census says born Dec 1848. Buried in "Hensley Graveyard."
6. Hensley, Pete (Little Pete)   (b. - d. abt 1891)
Possibly a child of Joseph Hensley and Lulu Hooper.
7. Hensley, Spivey   (b. Abt 1813 - d. aft 1880)
Husband of Artelia Anderson.
8. Hensley, William (Bill)   (b. Dec 1850 - d. 14 Feb 1929)
Son of Spivey and Artelia Anderson Hensley. Unmarried. O. C. Death Cert. D14-44, age 78 yrs, 3 "dys" but 1900 census says Dec 1850 (no burial location listed).
9. Pierce, Nat   (b. - d. abt 1864)
According to a family story, he was an unruly slave and was worked to death and was buried in this cemetery - this story is apparently in historical notes by Mary Claire Engstrom which have not been located.