CONFLICT: Birth records show 16 March and 6 March of 1736.
The Hinshaw/Henshaw Family Association profile of William HENSHAW does not say how, why, or when the name was changed from HANCHER or HANDCHER to HENSHAW, but it does say, "William was one of the most active agents in having the new county of Berkeley established in 1772, and was prominent in its early civil and judicial history. He was a man of wealth, as evidenced by his being bondsman for General Adam Stephens, the first sheriff of Berkeley County.
On April 5, 1762, at Hopewell Friends Meetinghouse, he was "complained of for having assisted his sister Hannah in her marriage out of unity. Disowned." He later joined the Episcopal Church. Possibly his wife was Episcopalian.
"Having a grist mill on his plantation, William wanted good road access to his mill to encourage local commerece. On May 19, 1772, [he] petitioned the court "Praying that a road may be opened from his mill leading into the road between Campbell's and William Cochraine, passing by the Plantation which formerly belonged to Robert Davis."
Again on June 16, 1772, "Upon the petition of William HENSHAW praying that a road may be opened into the road leading to Watkins Ferry, ordered that David Morgan, Thomas Cowan, Isaac Heaton and Jonathan Seeman, or any three of them, being first sworn, do view the land and report."
From a letter by Nellie A GARD dated 1 Feb 1971:
Daisy AMICK of Winchester wrote that there is a D.A.R. chapter in Berkley
County named for William HANCHER (HENSHAW) who was a Captain in the Revolutionary War.
Among my ancestors accepted by D.A.R. are John HANCHER, Robert PUGH, and James HIETT.
History of West Virginia and It's People by Thomas C Miller and Hugh Maxwell in Handley Library, Winchester, VA Vol-3 p1050 HENSHAW FAMILY: William, son of Nicholas and Rebecca Hanshaw, was born March 16, 1736, at Mill Creek, the family homestead, in Berkeley County, Virginia, died in June, 1799. He was reared on the homestead in affluence, was educated by private tutors, and was a Virginia planter and mill owner. In 1775, when it became known that there must be war with England, Colonel Hugh Stephenson, under resolution of congress raised a company of volunteers in Berkeley County, Virginia, to serve one year in the continental arms. William Henshaw was among the first to offer his services, and was elected one of the lieutenants. This company was ordered to Boston in 1775. On the fourth of October, 1776, it arrived at Bergen Point, opposite New York. On November 12 it was engaged for three successive days in severe skirmishing at King's Bridge. William Henshaw was also in the battle at Point Pleasant. There is a family tradition that he never accepted any pay for his services.
He is listed in the "Patriot Index" of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
In "Jacob's Life of Cresap", "Aler's History of Berkeley County", "West Virginia Hist Magazine" April, 1904, Court records of Frederick (Virginia) and Berkeley (West Virginia) Counties, "Virgil A Lewis' Third Biennial Report of West Virginia," are many references made to William Henshaw and the services he rendered the cause of American Independence. He married, probably, in 1767, Agnes Anderson, familiarly known as Ann and Nancy, a beauty and bell of Colonial Virginia, daughter of William Anderson.
From Issue Six of the 1977 - the Berkeley Journal - Published by The Berkeley
County Historical Society: The Henshaw mills are reached on Mill Creek. This complex included two landed estates (Springfield and Springhill), a grist mill, a saw mill - fulling mill, and a distillery. (Note by HNC: In the article are Photographs of Springfield, the home of Captain William Henshaw as it looks in 1977 and the crumbling remains of Springhouse located to the rear of "Springfield".) A fulling mill was a water-powered mill for cleaning, felting, and shrinking of woolen cloth. Newspaper advertisements regarding the Henshaw lands mention the water-powered distillery.
The Henshaws were of English extraction. They came to Mill Creek area of the colony of Virginia in the mid-18th century. Apparently, Captain William Henshaw and his father, Nicholas Henshaw, built the first mills. As mentioned earlier, by at least 1772 a mill had been erected. It is of interest that William Henshaw and his upstram neighbor, John Gray, were among the first trustees in the formation of the town of Gerrerdstown in 1786. William Henshaw's friendship with General Adam Stephen is shown in the naming of a son Adam Stephen Henshaw.
Lt. William HENSHAW served in Col. Hugh Stephenson's company of volunteers which was raised in June 1775 under a resolution of Congress. The company marched to Boston in July, 1775. On the 12th of November, they were engaged for three successive days in seven skirmishes at King's Bridge.
William HENSHAW also served the colonies by fighting Indians with Lord Dunmore's expedition (the Virginia Continental Army). He rose to the rank of Captain, or at least was addressed as Captain for the rest of his life.
On April 5, 1780 at Middle Creek Meeting House/Hopewell, Virginia, William HANCHER witnessed and signed the marriage certificate of Stephen Thatcher and Ruth Forknere.
On November 15, 1792 at Hopewell Friends Meeting House/Hopewell, Virginia, William HANCHER, Ruhamah HANSHAW and Hiram HANSHAW all witnessed and signed the marriage certificate of David GRIFFETH and Ruth BUTTERFIELD.
In 1793 William HANCHAW purchased two thousand acres of land in Kentucky as an investment. This land was later deeded by William and Ann to their two oldest sons, Levi and Hiram, in equal portions.
FamilySearch' Ancestral File NSCF-Z8 lists William's death as 9 Apr 1799
(Submitter: Ed Arntzen - 1086 Broken Wagon Trail, Dewey, AZ 68327)
Information from Ed Arntzen (3 Mar 1993) shows William: b. 6 Mar 1736 m. 30 Jan 1768 d. 8 Jul 1799.
William HENSHAW died in 1799, and is buried in the old graveyard of Christ's Church, Bunker Hill, Berkeley, West Virginia. The Reverend Alexander Balmain, who read the sermon at his funeral, was a chaplain in the Continental Army, and was married to a relative of President James Madison. [The local (Martinsburg) chapter of the D.A.R. is named for William HENSHAW,and they have covered the front of his tombstone with a bronze tablet.] A copy of William's will follows:
THE WILL OF WILLIAM HENSHAW
I William Henshaw of sound Mind and Memory as the Almighty God has blessed me with some property in this World and as all men are mortal and I being some what advanced in years and having a large family of children some of which I have provided for as for my fortune would admit the other part of my Estate I wish to devise as followeth. First that I should be buried in the earth decently and all my just debts paid then I devise my Estate as followesth the whole of my Estate both real and personal to be sold as soon as convenient after my Death, five hundred pounds of which I will and bequeath to my beloved wife Nancy for her proper use, likewise one feather bed, bed and bedding fornortore,[sic] horse and saddle with thirty pounds. The other part of my estate to be equili devide between my seven sons to wit, Levi, Hiram, A. Stephan, Jnomon,[sic] Washinton, Wm. Slough, & Uriah Henshaw. My reason is this as I have given my son Nicholas a tract of land in Readstone Settlement some years ago, I now will him Five Shillings. Also my three daughters Rachel, Rebecca & Rhuomey having Given them what my Circumstances would admit of, I will and bequeath unto each of them Five Pounds each, the Movable Estate will be brought forth by my Execu'rs my negroes except obliged to be Sold to pay my Debts, Easter & Patrick to Serve no person by their Mistress. I now wish to give a detail of my real property my Lands on Mill Creek containing two Surveys and parts of three. Also one entire tract on Readstone called Mount Tonner and part of another purchased from one McIntyre but this is business.
The will was proved April 2, 1800 At a Superior Court continued and held for the District comprising the Counties of Frederick, Berkeley & Shenandoah at Winchester the 2nd day of April 1800. This instrument of Writing purporting to b e the last Will and Testament of William Henshaw was produced to the Court and there being no subscribing witnesses thereto the same was proved to be in the hand writing of the Testator by the oaths of Samuel Boyd, Alexander Anderson and William Askew and ordered to be recorded.
