Henry Caspar Hensley's Family on his 50th wedding anniversary
Front row l to r: Amelia L. Bolling, Henry Hensley, Martha Hensley, Laval Hensley
Back row: Medley Ward Hensley, Lucile Westhoff, Henry Hensley, Mattie Westhoff, Blake Hensley
 

Henry Hensley
A Confederate Soldier—an Excellent Citizen

Henry Hensley was born in Germany in 1841. He came to Texas in 1846, landing at Old Indianola. He went with his parents in a wagon to Burns’ Station, DeWitt County, where his parents died with cholera, leaving three boys and a girl as orphans. The children were reared by a Mr. Ingram. The sister married a Mr. Gross of San Antonio. Henry lived with this good lady until her death. His brothers died. B. Q. Ward took young Hensley in 1851 and gave him a home. The 1860 Census shows that Henry Hensley was listed under B. Q. Ward’s household, age 21 years (at that time). The census had him as being born in Calhoun, Texas.

He joined the Confederate Army in 1861 with B. Q. Ward and they both served until the close of the war. He was in Green’s Brigade, Walker’s Battalion, Wm. Blair’s Company D. He was in the battles of Mansfield, Pleasant Hill and many others.

After the war, he returned to Jackson County and married Miss Martha Harriett Dutart, March 15, 1866. To this union were born the following children:

Mrs. Robt. K. Traylor, Charles Tipps Hensley, two infants who are dead, Mrs. Alfred Bolling, L. D. Hensley, H. L. Hensley, Mrs. A. E. Westhoff, M. W. Hensley, Mrs. Fred Westhoff and Blake Hensley, who are the children living.

Mr. Hensley was a member of the Methodist Church for twenty years, and a Mason for a great number of years. He was a good man, thrifty and an excellent citizen.

He died January 21, 1917.

The Cavalcade of Jackson County, Third Edition, pages 391-392
Used by permission of the Jackson County Historical Commission
 

Children of Henry Caspar Hensley & Martha Harriet Dutart Hensley
 

Married
Robert Keith Traylor
January 16, 1856 - November 27, 1945

Robert Keith Traylor
Former Resident Buried In Hillside In Thursday Services

Funeral services for R. K. Traylor of San Antonio, formerly of Cuero, were conducted in Cuero Thursday at 2 p. m., with Rev. Sherwood Davis pastor of the Los Angeles Heights M. E. Church of San Antonio, officiating.

Burial in charge of Porter Loring Funeral Directors of San Antonio was in Hillside cemetery. Pallbearers were L. L. Buttery, S. P. White, F. M. Bass, J. M. Johnson, Oscar Friar and W. O. White.

Mr. Traylor who was a stockman here before moving to San Antonio 25 years ago, died in San Antonio Wednesday morning at the age of 89.

He was born Jan. 16, 1856. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Lula B. Traylor; two daughters, Mrs. D. A. Davidson of Houston and Mrs. R. W. Russell of Bay City; five sons, R. K. Traylor, Jr., of Houston, Alton, Edward and Kenneth Traylor of Louisiana; Allan Traylor of Dalhart; one brother, W. L. Traylor of Port Lavaca.

Cuero Record, November 30, 1945
 

Married
John Alfred Bolling Sr.
May 14 1860 - September 27, 1929

Mrs. Amelia Bolling

Edna, Dec. 26—Services were held at Edna Methodist Church at 2:30 p. m. today for Mrs. Amelia L. Bolling, 82, widow of J. A. Boling, LaWard farmer and rancher, who died at her home in Houston at 7 a. m. Monday after a short illness.

Rev. A. I. Walker and Rev. Pat Marse conducted the services and Settegast-Kopf Co., of Houston directed burial in Edna Cemetery.

Pallbearers were W. T. Westhoff, W. T. Westhoff, Jr., Everard McDowell and Tips Hensley, all of Edna; J. W. Weaver of Port Lavaca and Vernon Hensley of Refugio.

Relatives and old friends were honorary pallbearers.

Mrs. Bolling was born in Jackson County and lived here until she moved to Houston 27 years ago. She was a member of the Methodist Church.

Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. B. I. Curlee and Mrs. Margaret Standard, both of Houston; four sons, J. A. Bolling and Laval Bolling, both of Houston, H. R. Bolling of Liberty and T. J. Bolling of Edna; a brother, Medley W. Hensley of Edna; two sisters, Mrs. A. E. Westhoff and Mrs. Fred Westhoff, both of Edna; 12 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

Victoria Advocate, December 26, 1951

John Alfred Bolling Family History
 

Laval Dutart Hensley
January 3, 1871 - February 6, 1938

Married
Charlotte Lillian Traylor
February 8, 1879 - May 18, 1939

Both buried Memory Gardens of Edna Cemetery

Charlotte Traylor Hensley
Edna Woman Dies Here; Last Rites At Edna Friday

Mrs. Charlotte Hensley, 60, wife of the late L. D. Hensley, well known resident of Jackson County, died at a local hospital this morning at 5:50 o’clock following a heart attack suffered three weeks ago.

Funeral services will be held from the home of her daughter, Mrs. E. M. McDowell, at Edna Friday at 2:30 p. m. Rev. J. C. Young of Edna will officiate and interment will be in the Edna Cemetery. J. E. Ryan and Son of Victoria has charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Hensley was a native of Jackson County, having been born in that county February 8, 1879, a daughter of the late J. C. Hensley [Traylor], a native of Alabama, and Mrs. Charlotte Sheppard Hensley [Traylor], a native of Missouri.

Surviving are one son, H. V. Hensley of Bethany, La.; five daughters, Mrs. M. G. Simons and Mrs. E. M. McDowell of Edna, Mrs. Sam Seale and Mrs. H. S. Woodland of Port Lavaca and Mrs. J. T. Weaver of Herman, La.; one sister, Josephine Brooking of Port Lavaca, and two brothers, W. L. Traylor of Port Lavaca and B. K. Traylor of San Antonio.

Victoria Advocate, May 18, 1939

L. D. Hensley Of Edna Dies Here

L. D. Hensley, 67, a resident of Edna, died at a local hospital last night at 8:45 o’clock following an extended illness.

Victoria Advocate, February 7, 1938
 

Married
Josephine M. LaBauve
August 16, 1875 - June 24, 1942

H. L. Hensley Dies At Houston; Rites To Be Held Today

Funeral services were to be held in Houston today (Thursday) for H. L. Hensley, 78, brother of W. M. Hensley and Mrs. A. E. Westhoff and Mrs. Fred Westhoff of Edna. He died Tuesday afternoon after a lingering illness. He was a painter and paperhanger.

Mr. Hensley was a native of Jackson County, but had been living in Houston for the past 20 years or more.

Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Arnold Sauter; two sons, Hamlin and Homer Hensley, all of Houston; a brother here; and three sisters, Mrs. Amelia L. Bolling of Houston and the Westhoffs of Edna.

Edna Herald, June 7, 1951

Mrs. Henry Hensley

Last week the Herald, omitted mentioning the death of Mrs. Henry Hensley, which occurred at her home in Houston following a long illness. Mrs. Hensley’s maiden name was Josephine LaBauve, a daughter of the Mr. and Mrs. LaBauve, early and prominent Jackson County settlers. She is survived by her husband and three children, Messrs. Hamlin, and Homer Hensley and Mrs. Lee Sautes.

The Herald joins the many other old Edna friends of this family in extending sympathy in their hour of trouble.

Edna Weekly Herald, July 2, 1942
 

August Ernest "Gus" Westhoff
February 14, 1875 - August 28, 1964
 

Married
Minnie Belle Dew Hensley
November 25, 1886 - October 8, 1972

Photo courtesy of Find A Grave volunteer Joey W. Weaver #47700750

Medley Hensley

Edna—Medley Hensley, 94, a native of Jackson County died in a local hospital Sunday night following a short illness.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p. m. Wednesday in the Jackson County Funeral Chapel, with the Rev. Richard Stone and the Rev. Russell Moon officiating. In lieu of flowers the family requests those who desire can make donations to the charity or organization of their choice.

Mr. Hensley was born in this county March 7, 1883, and retired 24 years ago after working more than 20 years for the local post office. He had been a member of the Presbyterian Church since 1910 and was formerly a deacon. He and his wife Minnie, who died in 1972, were the first couple married in the Allen Memorial Presbyterian Church at Edna.

Surviving are two daughters, Mary Ellen Hobson of Edna and Jessie Mae Moody of Robstown; son, Tips Hensley of Edna; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Burial will be in Edna Memory Gardens under direction of the Jackson County Funeral Service. Pallbearers will be James Traylor, Edwin Laval Simons, Milan Simons Jr., Frederick Woodland, Hensley Weaver and Sam Seale.

Victoria Advocate, November 8 & 9, 1977

Minnie Dew Hensley
Mrs. Hensley

Edna—Funeral services for Mrs. Minnie D. Hensley, 85, of Edna will be held at 10:30 a. m. Tuesday from the Jackson County Funeral Chapel. The Rev. George Crofoot of Edna will officiate, assisted by the Rev. John Newton of Victoria.

Burial will be in the Edna Cemetery, under direction of Jackson County Funeral Home.

Mrs. Hensley was born Nov. 25, 1886 at Sweet Home, and had lived here most of her life. The former Minnie Dew, she and her husband were the first couple to be married in the Allen Memorial Presbyterian Church, on March 23, 1910, and observed their 50^th wedding service there. She was a member of the Women of the Church of the Edna Presbyterian Church. She died at 1:45 a. m. Sunday in a Ganado hospital.

Surviving are her husband M. W. Hensley of Edna; two daughters, Mrs. Mary Ellen Hobson of Edna and Mrs. Jessie Mac Moody of Robstown; a son, Tips Hensley of Edna; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Burial will be in Edna Cemetery under the direction of Jackson County Funeral Service. Pallbearers will be Sam Seale, Hensley Weaver, Milam G. Simons Jr., Everard McDowell, James L. Traylor and John T. Correll.

Victoria Advocate, October 9 & 10, 1972
 

Lucile Dulin Hensley
October 1885 - February 4, 1969

Married
Frederick Carl "Fred" Westhoff
July 20, 1876 - August 5, 1951

Both are buried at Memory Gardens of Edna Cemetery, Edna, Jackson County, Texas

Fred Westhoff Services Are Largely Attended

Numerous relatives and friends from Edna and this area and many other Texas towns and cities were here Monday afternoon at 5 o’clock to attend the funeral services of Fred C. Westhoff, 75, prominent cattleman, who died at his home at 314 West Gayle St. Sunday at 4:30 a. m. after an extended illness.

Rev. John Newton of Victoria, former pastor of the Allen Memorial Presbyterian Church of Edna, and Rev. John J. Marse, present pastor, conducted the rites at the church and at the Edna Cemetery.

Pallbearers were six nephews, including Tips Westhoff, Tips Westhoff, Jr., Frederick Hasdorff, Tips Hensley, John Bolling and Duval Davidson, Jr. Included in the honorary list of pallbearers were other nephews, relatives and intimate friends.

Mr. Westhoff suffered a heart attack several weeks ago and had been in the Mauritz Memorial-Jackson County Hospital for some time. He had been dismissed and had been at home in recent weeks. He was a familiar site in his khaki ranch clothes and cowboy boots on the streets of Edna.

Born in the ill-fated port of Indianola on July 20, 1876, Mr. Westhoff was reared in Cuero. He was the youngest son of William Westhoff and Mrs. Rosa Buchel Westhoff, pioneer Cuero citizens. He came to Edna in 1896 to manage the Westhoff Ranch and had been a Jackson County resident since that date.

He was a typical South Texas cattleman, a man possessed of a great sense of humor and popular with all classes of people. He was admired for his rugged honesty. He married Miss Lucille Hensley on October 4, 1904, at Edna.

He is survived by his wife; a brother, A. E. Westhoff of Edna; four sisters, Miss Frances Westhoff, Mrs. Otis Baker and Mrs. Lula Sartain of San Antonio and Mrs. Bertha Hasdorff of Edna.

Edna Herald, August 9, 1951
 

Married
Nina Lawless

Blake Hensley
Mr. Blake Hensley Died Last Week.

After many months of illness and suffering, Mr. SAMUEL BLAKE HENSLEY, a member of a prominent pioneer Jackson County family, passed away at his home in this city (Edna, Texas) Thursday evening, July 4^th.

The funeral service was held last Friday afternoon at 5:00 o’clock at the Edna Baptist Church, and was conducted by his pastor, Rev. L. E. Barrett, assisted by Rev. E. C. Young of the Edna Methodist Church and Rev. John Newton of the Edna Presbyterian church.  Interment was made in the Edna Cemetery.

The pallbearers were: VERNON HENSLEY, TIPS HENSLEY, ROBERT BOLLING, TOM BOLLING, LAVAL BOLLING, TIPS WESTHOFF, SR., RUDOLPH BOLLING, JOHN BOLLING, and DUVAL DAVIDSON, JR.

Honorary pallbearers (relatives): MILAM LOYLESS, HENDON LOYLESS, BURLESON, HAMILIN HENSLEY, HOMER HENSLEY, Houston, DUTART MCDOWELL, W. T. WESTHOFF, JR.; THOS. W. HOBSON, H. E. MOODY, B. B. HAYES, EVERARD MCDOWELL, ARNOLD SAUNTER, Houston, MILAM SIMONS, J. T. WEAVER, H. S. WOODLAND, SAM SEALE, JACK STAND and BURT CURLEE, Houston, RICHMOND LEE BRONAUGH Waco.

Honorary pallbearers (Friends): DR. R. D. ZIPP, DR. R. W. WELLS, DR. W. E. WHITFIELD, DAVENPORT WHITE, VIRGIL MILLER, H. K. STAPLES, E. L. FAIRES, S. W. SIMONS, GEORGE BUHLER, LEA GAYLE, WALLACE SIMONS, STOCKDALE MITCHELL, LOLITA; JIMMIE PORTER, FRANK VOLKMER, DR. R. E. LEE, ERNEST MENEFEE, A. A. EGG, JOE EGG, BURNDETT TROUSDALE, M. D. PUMPHREY, F. D. RAY, D. H. ALLEN, CHARLIE CALHOUN, ALDOLPH NOVOSAD, BURRELL JONES, Victoria; R.J. KLUGE, B. B. WELLS, LUTHER HAMILTON, LATHY JETTON, GRADY KELTON, JOHN WOOTEN, ALBERT EGG, SR., OTTO LOCHAUSEN, JIM FENNER, MR. WALLACE CLEMENT, MR. FRANK HOBSON, EUGENE MCDOWELL, CHARLES GEORGE AND ALFRED WARD.

BLAKE HENSLEY was born in Jackson County June 11^th, 1899, being the youngest child of the late Mr. and Mrs. HENRY HENSLEY, early Jackson County settlers.  He was reared in Edna, and with the exception of a few years spent in Burleson, his entire life was spent here.  Blake was a friendly man; his friendly disposition made him easy to know and his sincerity made him lasting friends.  It has been the pleasure of the writer to know Blake since babyhood.  We knew him when he was a lad; always cheerful and fun-loving; fair at playing and always ready to take his turn in the rough spots of life.  In manhood we knew his as a regular fellow; retaining that cheerful disposition; that friendly way, and that characteristic to share the other fellow’s burden.  Because of this attitude toward life and his fellowman, Blake had few if any enemies.

In 1913 he was united in marriage to MISS NINA LAWLESS, a member of a well known South Texas family, who survives him.  Blake entered the cleaning, pressing and tailoring business was conducted at Burleson and Edna.  Later he was identified with the tick eradication work in Jackson County, holding this postion up to the time his health failed.

Besides his wife he is survived by three sisters, Mesdames AMELIA BOLLING of Houston, and Mrs. A.E. WESTHOFF and Mrs. FRED WESTHOFF of Edna and two brothers, Messrs. HENRY HENSLEY of Houston and M.W. HENSLEY of Edna.

To these bereaved ones the Herald in common with a great host of other friends, extends sympathy in their hour of sorrow.

The following people from out-of-town attended the funeral of Mr. Blake Hensley in Edna Friday afternoon:

H. I. HENSLEY, Mrs. J. A. BOLLING, JOHN BOLLING, LAVAL BOLLING, Mrs. J. A. STANDARD, Miss MARGARET STANDARD and Mrs. B. I. CURLEE, Houston; ROBERT BOLLING, Humble; RUDOLPH BOLLING, Liberty; Mr. and Mrs. DUVAL DAVIDSON and family, Dickinson; Mr. and Mrs. D. A. DAVIDSON, San Antonio; Mr. and Mrs. VERNON HENSLEY, Refugio; Mr. and Mrs. W. L. TRAYLOR and CARROL TRAYLOR, Port Lavaca; Mr. and Mrs. H. S. WOODLAND, Mr. and Mrs. MILAM SIMONS and family, Mr. and Mrs. SAM SEALE and family, Midway; Mr. and Mrs. W. G. GAYLE and A. J. STAYTON, LaWard; Mr. and Mrs. W. O. HOPPER, San Antonio; JUDGE JIM RAGSDALE, Mr. and Mrs. BURRELL JONES, Mr. and Mrs. HARRY RATHBONE, Victoria; Mr. and Mrs. C. S. MITCHELL, Midway; MILAM LOYLESS, Burleson.  

Staples, H. K. Edna Weekly Herald (Edna, Tex.), Vol. 39, No. 35, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 11, 1946, newspaper, July 11, 1946, page 1. 

Courtesy of Heather Jennings
 

August Ernest "Gus" Westhoff
February 14, 1875 - August 28, 1964

Mrs. Westhoff, 86, Native of County Buried on Friday

Funeral services were held Friday, July 24, at 4 p. m. in Allen Memorial Presbyterian Church for Mrs. A. E. “Mattie” Westhoff, 86, a native and lifelong resident of Jackson County. Rev. James Carter of the church officiated.

Burial was in Edna Cemetery under direction of Slavik Funeral Home. Pallbearers were Callaway Vance, Dr. C. M. Dugger, James Garner, Dr. Bud Lee, W. M. Farquhar and R. T. Baker.

Mrs. Westhoff was born in Jackson County April 7, 1872, and in 1899 was married to A. E. “Gus” Westhoff, pioneer lumber dealer here. She was a longtime member of the Presbyterian Church Mrs. Westhoff died at her home in Edna, on July 23.

She is survived by her husband; a brother, Medley W. Hensley, a sister, Mrs. Fred Westhoff; and by one grandson and four grandchildren, all of Edna.

Edna Herald, July 30, 1964

August Ernest “Gus” Westhoff
Many Attend Westhoff Rites

The funeral services for A. E. “Gus” Westhoff, 89, prominent Edna lumberman, rancher and oilman, were largely attended and there was a huge outpouring of floral tributes.

Rites were held Saturday at 4 o’clock at Allen Memorial Presbyterian Church under the direction of Slavik Funeral Home. Rev. Jim Carter, pastor, officiated and burial was in Edna Cemetery. Pallbearers were James Garner, Laddie Matusek, Weldon Bonnot, R. T. Baker, Dr. C. M. Dugger and Callaway Vance.

Mr. Westhoff died Friday, Aug. 28, at his home at 213 East Brackenridge St. following an illness of several years.

His wife, Mrs. Mattie Hensley Westhoff, greatly beloved Ednaite, preceded her husband in death July 23. They had been married 65 years, being united on January 18, 1899. Both had been in declining health in recent years.

Mr. Westhoff was born in the ill-fated port city of Indianola in Calhoun County on Lavaca and Matagorda Bays on February 14, 1875. As a matter of fact, he was only a seven-month old baby when the first disastrous hurricane swept over Indianola on September 16, 1875.

His parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Westhoff, survived both this first hurricane and the second one in 1886 that completely wiped out the city, causing the survivors to scatter to other cities to make their homes. The William Westhoff family went to Cuero to reside.

Mr. Gus Westhoff often recalled the dark days of the 1886 storm. As a boy of eleven, he remembered well “the men chopping big holes in the floors of two-story buildings to let the water come up and prevent the buildings from floating away in the wind.”

Mr. Westhoff’s father was a lumberman in Indianola and also at Texana. He had hauled cotton overland from the interior of the state to the port of Texana for shipment down the river. He at one time is reported to have traded a fine horse and saddle for some land in the Edna area. Of course, horses and saddles in those early days were valuable pieces of merchandise and land was cheap. The town of Westhoff in DeWitt County was named for William Westhoff.

When Mr. Gus, as he was known generally, grew to young manhood his father sent him from Cuero to New York to attend business school. He returned to take over management of the W. Westhoff Company lumber yard in Edna that was moved from Texana. The firm then became known as A. E. Westhoff Company.

The company was reorganized in 1911 and Mr. Westhoff took in as partners H. F. Stierling, who lives at 510 West Church St., and the late Judge W. W. McCrory and Fred Westhoff. The name was changed once again to its present name, Westhoff Mercantile Co. In later years Mr. Westhoff and Mr. Stierling became the only owners. Mr. Stierling retired 12 years ago.

The Westhoff firm is one of the oldest business institutions in Jackson County and this area, for that matter. It was originally established in 1889.

The Westhoff family is one of the most respected in South Texas. Mr. Westhoff himself was a man of great integrity and highly admired. He was a charter member of the Edna Rotary Club that was organized February 3, 1932. Incidentally, it was Mr. Westhoff who brought the first automobile to Edna in the summer of 1908.

Surviving Mr. Westhoff are a sister, Mrs. Bertha Hasdorff of Edna; a grandson, W. T. “Bebe” Westhoff Jr., also of Edna and four great grandchildren, Mrs. Buddy Lee of Austin and Gus Westhoff II, Fred Westhoff and Cindy Westhoff of Edna. Their son, W. Tips Westhoff, died November 5, 1958.

Edna Herald, September 3, 1964

A. E. Westhoff House - 213 Brackenridge

April 22, 2018