My Genealogy Hound

Thomas C. Hennessee is a son of G. C. and Sallie (Smith) Hennessee, of Warren County, Tenn., who emigrated to Wright County, Mo., in 1842, where Thomas was born March 20, 1844. In 1863 the family moved to Arkansas and located in Lawrence County, where the father died in 1880. He served in the Confederate army through the war, and was one of the raiders under Price during that general’s daring exploits. The family consisted of four sons and three daughters, who grew to mature years, of whom two brothers and three sisters are yet living. Thomas C. Hennessee remained with his father on the farm until the latter joined the Confederate army, in 1861. In 1862 he enlisted in the Second Missouri Battalion of Cavalry, and served in that company until the close of the war. He was paroled and discharged at Shreveport, La., on May 10, 1865, and returned to his home in Lawrence County. During his career in the army Mr. Hennessee has, no doubt, seen about as much fighting, and also done fully as much as any soldier at that period. He took part in the fights at Poison Springs, Marks’ Mill, Jenkins’ Ferry, and a great many skirmishes and fights of lesser note, but equally as hot as their predecessors. When he first joined the army, the battalion of which he was a member was composed of 476 men, and out of that number only seventy-four lived through the horrors of war to be paroled at its close. Mr. Hennessee received a gun-shot wound in one of his limbs, which disabled him for a time; and, on another occasion, was wounded by one of the guards, after being taken a prisoner, while walking over a log to cross a creek. On December 21, 1865, he was married to Miss Levira Bagley, of Arkansas, and then settled to a farm life with his bride. He came on his present place in December, 1870, and has cleared up about 160 acres, and built a fair house, out-buildings and all necessary adjuncts, besides a small orchard of well-selected fruits. He also owns another farm of 187 acres, with about sixty acres cleared up and a comfortable house built upon it, owning altogether some 400 acres of rich bottom land, situated about five miles northwest of Walnut Ridge. Mr. Hennessee was elected justice of Cache Township in 1874, and held the office continuously for twelve years. He is a Democrat in politics, and a strong adherent to the principles and doctrines of his party. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and Mr. Hennessee is also a member of the Knights and Ladies of Honor. They have had five children born to them, all living. Their names are Martha, wife of J. S. Childers; Laura, wife of W. G. Duty; Joseph G., John H. and Sallie Anna. Mr. Hennessee started in life, after the war, without a dollar, and has accumulated his fine property by industry, economy and good management, and is now one of Lawrence County’s solid men and enterprising citizens.