This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Henson ONeal McDonald Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/jlB.2ACI/1757 Message Board Post: I am looking for the family of Bertha/Berthiah/Bethia O’Neal who married William Henson - 6 Mar 1855, Lauderdale County, Mississippi. I have seen NO! research representing who she is. I have come up with an educated guess, which I outlined below. If any of these McDonald/Henson/ONeal names are familiar, please email me!!! Thanks, Martha Roberts rocknmon@swbell.net William S.HENSON b. Abt 1826 Louisiana Parents: 1. William Shelby HENSON b. 2 Jul 1791 Arkansas d. 10 Feb 1835, Killed by an escaped slave, Hinds Co, MS 2. Harriett MCDONALD b. 29 Aug 1798 d. 10 Dec 1873 Copiah County, MS Bertha/Berthiah/Bethia O’NEAl b. Abt 1835 Alabama 1880 UNITED STATES CENSUS: Census Place: District 96, Limestone, Texas Household: WILLIAM S. HENSON Self M Male W 55 LA Farmer AR MS BURTHUR O HENSON Wife M Female W 45 AL AL AL WILLIAM M. HENSON Son S Male W 22 MS LA AL JOSEPH G. HENSON Son S Male W 18 MS LA AL SARAH V. HENSON Dau S Female W 15 MS LA AL MINNIE A. HENSON Dau S Female W 13 MS LA AL UNUS M. HENSON Dau S Female W 11 MS LA AL JAMES A. HENSON Son S Male W 8 MS LA AL LUCY J. L. HENSON Dau S Female W 6 LA LA AL ELZA HENSON Dau S Female W 2 TX LA AL 1850 UNITED STATES FEDERAL CENSUS William & Bertha were not married until 1855 – so I have developed a hypothesis based on the following 1850 Census records: LEAKE County, Mississippi FAMILY FOR WILLIAM HENSON – I know this is his family. I guessed at Bertha’s family. HOUSEHOLD #387: 1. HARRIETT HENSON 3g-gm - age 52, Head of Household (This is widow of WILLIAM SHELBY HENSON 3g-gf & mother/father of WILLIAM HENSON 2g-gf 2. WILLIAM HENSON 2g-gf (who married BERTHA O’NEAL 3g-gf)- age 24, Male, Place of Birth- LOUISIANA, Occupation- FARMER 3. JOSEPHINE HENSON - age 20, female, Place of Birth- LOUISIANA Living next door to HARRIET MCDONALD HENSON 3g-gm: HOUSEHOLD #386: D. S. MCDONALD (DAVID SNODGRASS MCDONALD - HARRIET's nephew, son of HARRIET's brother CAPT. THOMAS OWEN MCDONALD 3g-Uncle, 1st cousin of WILLIAM SHELBY HENSON 2g-gf) MARY A. MCDONALD (MARY ANN ELIZABETH JANE POWELL - his wife) MARCUS MCDONALD - age 12 THOMAS MCDONALD - age 10 ANDREW MCDONALD - age 7 SARAH MCDONALD - age 3 MARY MCDONALD (Twin) - age 8 months HARRIET MCDONALD (Twin) - age 8 months HOUSEHOLD #388: 1. ANDREW JACKSON HENSON (HARRIET's son & brother of WILLIAM SHELBY HENSON 2g-gf, #2 above.), Occupation- PHYSICIAN 2. SOPHIA HENSON is his wife (Sophia MCSWENEY) 1850 UNITED STATES FEDERAL CENSUS Home in 1850: Not Stated, Lauderdale, Mississippi Page: 363 Roll: M432_375 My GUESS as to who is the family of BERTHA O’NEAL: WM ONEAL abt 1812 Alabama SARAH ONEAL abt 1814 Alabama GILBERT ONEAL abt 1833 Alabama BETHIAH ONEAL abt 1835 Mississippi GABS ONEAL abt 1837 Mississippi MARY ONEAL abt 1839 Mississippi JAS M ONEAL abt 1840 Mississippi LUCY ONEAL abt 1843 Mississippi HILLYORD C ONEAL abt 1844 Mississippi SARAH ONEAL abt 1846 Mississippi The maiden name of Sarah Oneal, mother of Bertha, is Hearn (according to a LDS record I found) Another key to this puzzle: I did a search for the above family & found one record that LUCY ONEAL married someone with the last name of McDonald. Since McDonald was the maiden name of Harriet Henson – mother of William Henson – it caught my attention. In 1850 Census (outlined above) the family of D. S. MCDONALD is living next door to his Henson relatives. In the 1880 Census above William & Bertha are living in Limestone County, Texas. I did a McDoanld search in Limestone County & came up with a M. L. McDonald, wife Lucy, and children. Lucy’s age, birthplace, and parent’s birthplace matched the 1850 Census above for the O’Neal’s. Upon further research I discovered Marcus, son of D. S. McDonald, age 12, and living next door to his Aunt Harriet McDonald Henson in the 1850 Census was named Marcus Lafayette – matching the initials M. L. Thanks!! Martha