Monday, January 19, 2026

Gen 1: Mary Jane Beal - Censuses for James Henry

 What are the origins of Johann Nicholas Biehl?

 

We continued our Biehl research project with the end goal of identifying the German origins of Johann Nicholas Biehl. I continued research on the first generation, which is Mary Jane Beal. You can find that post here.

 

More Censuses

 

After Mary Jane (Beal) Henry died in 1876,[1] her husband and now widow James Henry married her sister, Eliza R. (Beal) Dorton.[2] In 1880, James and Eliza resided in Springdale Township in Washington County. In their household was 2-year-old Edward Lee Henry as well as a 25-year-old Harvey Webb. Harvey was noted as James’s nephew though his parentage is unknown at this time.[3]

 

After Eliza died in 1893,[4] he married Alphurnia Peerson in December 1894.[5] In 1900, James Henry still resided in Springdale Township. He and his wife “Allvie” and Luke Henry were in the household. Luke Henry was named as a son and born in March 1870 in Tennessee; however, that is not consistent with James Henry’s information.[6] Luke is probably a son of Allvie Henry and would be James’s stepson. James Henry was living in Arkansas in 1870,[7] not Tennessee, which was Luke’s stated birthplace. Also, there was no Luke Henry in either of James Henry’s 1870 or 1880 households.[8]

 

James and Alverna Henry resided on Holcomb Street in Springdale Township in 1910. Living with the couple was Lena Cardwell. She was noted as a single, 21-year-old servant; however, she was James’s granddaughter and was my great-grandmother.[9]

 

Additional research questions have been posed below based on these enumerations.

 

Future Research

 

Future research will include:

 

·      Search for additional marriage records for James Henry. He married Alphurnia Peerson in 1894.

·      Continue search for all real estate, both local and Federal, that James Henry owned in Washington County, Arkansas. He owned $300 in 1850 and $1,000 in 1870. Start a table showing the land transactions, both in and out, to ensure all transactions are captured.

·      Determine if there are records for Friendship Baptist Church in Springdale, Arkansas. Determine if there are extant records for First Baptist Church of Springdale.

·      Locate the extant applicable agricultural censuses for Arkansas.

·      Identify all of James Henry’s ten children.

·      James Henry served in the Mexican War and his widow, Alphurnia, received a pension. He may have had a pension too since he was feeble and helpless prior to his death. His tombstone notes his service from 1847–1848 in the Ark. Mounted Inf. Vol.

·      Who were the parents of Harvey Webb, nephew, in 1880?

·      Was Luke Henry in 1900 the stepson of James Henry?

 

Next up: Continuing the research on Mary Jane Henry and her husband, James, as noted in “Future Research” above.



[1] Jane M. Henry tombstone, Original Cemetery Section, Friendship Cemetery, Springdale, Arkansas; photographed by Debra A. Hoffman on 26 August 2024.

[2] See obituary attached to memorial. See Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 8 December 2025), memorial 32241713, James Henry (23 Sep 1822–5 Jun 1910), maintained by contributor 46510018, Rosa Cline; citing Friendship Cemetery, Springdale, Washington County, Arkansas, USA; accompanying marker photo from contributor 47287035, Gerry Stanley, added 16 May 2014.

[3] 1880 U.S. census, Washington County, Arkansas, population schedule, Springdale Township, p. 13 (penned), p. 538 (stamped), enumeration district (ED) 205, dwelling 118, family 118, James Henry; digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 December 2025).

[4] Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 1 JA), memorial 44977126, Eliza Henry (15 Jun 1837–16 Jul 1893), maintained by contributor 46510018, Rosa Cline; citing Friendship Cemetery, Springdale, Washington County, Arkansas, USA

[5] See obituary attached to memorial. See Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 8 December 2025), memorial 32241713, James Henry (23 Sep 1822–5 Jun 1910), maintained by contributor 46510018, Rosa Cline; citing Friendship Cemetery, Springdale, Washington County, Arkansas, USA; accompanying marker photo from contributor 47287035, Gerry Stanley, added 16 May 2014.

[6] 1900 U.S. census, Washington County, Arkansas, population schedule, Springdale Township, enumeration district (ED) 116, sheet 24-B, dwelling 502, family 506, James Henry; digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 December 2025).

[7] 1870 U.S. census, Washington County, Arkansas, population schedule, Clear Creek township, Fayetteville post office, pp. 1–3 (penned), dwellings 1-22; digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 October 2025).

[8] 1870 U.S. census, Washington County, Arkansas, population schedule, Clear Creek township, Fayetteville post office, pp. 1–3 (penned), dwellings 1-22; digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 October 2025). 1880 U.S. census, Washington County, Arkansas, population schedule, Springdale Township, p. 13 (penned), p. 538 (stamped), enumeration district (ED) 205, dwelling 118, family 118, James Henry; digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 December 2025).

[9] 1910 U.S. census, Washington County, Arkansas, population schedule, Springdale Township, enumeration district (ED) 149, sheet 5-B, dwelling 107, family 110, James Henry; digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 29 December 2025). Lena’s relationship to James Henry is based on my knowledge and is documented in my files.

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