HENSLEY: Of Walton.

The first of this family name to settle in Walton part of Roane County, was Doctor Benjamin Morris Hensley, born on the Great Kanawha twelve miles above Charleston, August 4, 1828, son of Samuel Hensley; first practiced medicine from his office at Clendenin. In the year 1856, Doctor B. M. Hensley married Sauna M. Geary, daughter of Mathew Geary, of the farms on Big Sandy in what became Geary district; continued to practice out from Clendenin until the year 1872, at which time the doctor and his family purchased property and established their home at Walton, and there remained throughout the remainder of their lives, both having been dead ten years or more at the time of this writing.

To Dr. B. M. and Salina (Geary) Hensley were born the following named children: Wilfred Howard, died in childhood; William Walter, 1863; Wilton Blakey, 1866; Charles Olin, 1874, and Cynthia Mary, 1859, died in youth.

William Walter Hensley of the above family, married Mary C. Jones, daughter of Isaac Jones, builder of the first improved mill at Walton; they have three children. Wilton Blakely, in the year 1913, married Minnie, daughter of Jacob Helper of the Johnson Creek section of Walton or Smithfield District; Wilton B. and Minnie Hensley have one son, whose name is William Burnard Hensley. Both William W. and Wilton B., are merchants at Walton, also have farms and are general traders.


Source: History of Roane County, West Virginia, 1774-1927 William H. Bishop, Esq. p 547-548
Submitter: Sandy Spradling, November 28, 1999