William Chester Henry

William Chester ("Chester") Henry
Born	November 22, 1885(1885-11-22) Putnam, Tennessee, USA
Died	January 17, 1934 (aged 48) Monterey, Putnam County, Tennessee
Resting place	Sand Springs Cemetery, Monterey, Putnam County, Tennessee
Spouse	Crissey Roberson (m. 1907) «Did not recognize date. Try slightly modifying the date in the first parameter.»"Marriage: Crissey Roberson to William Chester Henry" Location: (linkback:http://jimlindstrom.com/mediawiki/index.php/William_Chester_Henry)
Children	Nora Ethel Henry (b. c. 1908) William Carol Henry (b. c. 1909) Haskell T Henry (b. c. 1913) Dorothy L Henry (b. c. 1914)
Parents	John Morgan Henry Olive "Ollie" Howard

Overview

William Chester Henry, known as Chester, was born in 1885 in Putnam County, Tennessee. He was the oldest child in a large family of 8-10 children. In 1900, at age 15, he is listed as a farm laborer, presumably on his father John Morgan's farm.

On January 30, 1907, at age 22, Chester married Cressie Roberson. By 1910, Chester and Cressie had their first two children, Nora Ethel and William Carol. Chester, then 25 years old, owned his own home and is farming on his own.

Around 1912, Chester and Cressie moved to Oklahoma. By 1920, Chester (age 25) and Cressie (age 23) were living in Pontotoc, Chickasaw County, Oklahoma. In addition to Ethel Nora Henry (age 11), and William Carol (now known as Carol W Henry, age 10), Chester and Cressie now had two more children, born in Oklahoma: Haskell T Henry (age 8) and Dorothy L Henry (age 6).

Between 1920 and 1930, Chester and wife Cressie seem to have separated. At this point, the family seems to have scattered. In 1930, Chester (age 45) moved from Oklahoma back to his parents' home in Tennessee. He worked there as a highway laborer. His oldest daughter Ethel (age 21) was, by 1930, married to William Schneider (age 23). They lived in Bristow, Creek County, Oklahoma, and had one son, Eugene (age 4). With them lived two of Chester's other children, Dorothy Henry (age 16) and Haskell Henry (age 17). Carol did not live with them, and may have been married and living with his own family by this point.

Four years later, in 1934, Chester died at age 48, survived by both parents and most of his children. He is buried in Monterrey, Tennessee.

Rumored Native American Heritage

Ethel Schneider made strong claims of Native American heritage. Little is currently known of her mother (Chester's wife), Cerise, so it is impossible to ascertain whether she was the source of the native american heritage. This section explores whether Chester may have been the source of Ethel's claimed native american heritage:

Arguments for:

• The Henrys did live in the historically Cherokee area of Putnam County, TN is near the start of the Trail of Tears.
• The Henrys later moved to Oklahoma, less than 10 years after it had been Indian Territory. (And their move was not isolated--they appear to have been accompanied by other Henry and related families (Roberson, Farley), as judged by the burials in Wanette Cemetery in Pottawatomie, OK.)
• Members of the Henry family and Howard-Farley family have distinctive physical characteristics and bear some resemblance to known Cherokee (such as Elizabeth Stephens).
• The Henrys fought for the Confederates in the Civil War. This doesn't specifically argue for/against Native Americanness, but if we assume that Chester was Native American, this would support the claim that he is Cherokee, as they were one of few tribes to have fought for the south
• Claims by subsequent family members:
  • Peggy Jeanette Schneider: The book "Trail of Tears" tells how some of the Cherokee were driven out of Tenn. From what I have found there are 7 clans of Cherokee and I am not sure yet which clan would refer to our relatives.
  • Randall Eugene Lindstrom: The Cherokee family would have moved [...] to Oklahoma, courtesy the US government (User:Jim.lindstrom: According to census records below, the family did move from Putnam County, Tennessee to Chickasaw County, Oklahoma between 1910 and 1920, shortly after what was then known as "Indian Territory" became the 46th state, Oklahoma.)

Arguments against:

• There are a number of census records of the Henry family. Several identify the individuals as white. None indicate "Indian"
• Although the Henrys live in historically Cherokee areas (Putnam County, TN is near the start of the Trail of Tears), they live there well after the Cherokee Removal timeline.
• When the Henrys moved to Oklahoma, they appear to have moved to former Chickasaw/Creek/Seminole land, which seems at odds with the presumed Cherokee heritage.

Historical Records

• Chester is in his father's household in Putnam County, Tennessee in the 1900 Tennessee Census.
• Chester and Crissey were married on January 30, 1907, in Putnam County, TN, according to their marriage certificate
• Nora is in William's and Crysie's household in the 1910 Tennessee census, in Putnam County, Tennessee. Mother Crysie is listed as born in Texas, and both maternal grandparents are listed as being born in Tennessee. Father William C is listed as born in Tennessee, along with both paternal grandparents. William C is an infant (< 1 year old). William is listed as a farmer and owns his home.
• Chester (age 35) is in the 1920 Oklahoma census, in Pontotoc, Chickasaw County, along with wife Cerise L Henry (age 23), Ethel Nora Henry (age 11), Carol W Henry (age 10), Haskel T Henry (age 8) and Dortha L Henry (age 6)
• Chester (age 45) has moved back in with his parents (J Morgan and Oliva H, both age 67) in Putnam County, Tennessee, in the 1930 Federal Census. Chester is listed as a laborer, on highways. He is listed as having been widowed. (Note: The "widowed" piece is inconsistent with evidence that Crissey Roberson remained living, possibly remarked, and did not pass away until 1954.)
• Chester is buried in Sand Springs Cemetery in Putnam County, TN. His gravestone inscription reads "We will meet again".