Appointed: 1889 – 1893
John M. Hensley was born on November 10, 1850, at Cass County, Missouri to John J. and Margaret Murray Hensley.
In 1853, the Hensley family left their farm and came across the plains in wagons drawn by eight cows to California. The family settled in Calaveras County until 1860, when they moved to Tulare County.
After a brief stay in Tulare County, the family moved to Fresno County in the fall of 1861. They settled on the Fresno River, six miles from Raymond.
Hensley helped his father with the family livestock and from the age of nine spent most of his time in a saddle. Hensley started to earn his own livelihood at sixteen by working for various stockmen.
In 1870, Hensley struck out on his own in Tulare County where he owned section of land and a flock of sheep. Eight thousand of his nine thousand sheep died because of the drought, which was in effect in 1877. Hensley sold his ranch in Tulare County and returned to his home on the Fresno River.
Hensley married Harriet Monroe in Woodville, Tulare County in 1877. The Hensley's had five children.
Hensley held several contracts with Fresno County to maintain the road between Buchanan and Coarse Gold Gulch. He was elected Constable of the First Township in Madera in November of 1884 and served until 1888.
John M. Hensley was elected Sheriff of Fresno County on November 6, 1888 and was administered the oath of office on January 8, 1889. Hensley served the people of Fresno County as Sheriff until January 3, 1893.
Sheriff Hensley and his Deputies confronted some of the most significant events in Fresno County law enforcement history. In December of 1890, Frank O. Vincent murdered his wife and would be hung in 1893. Evans and Sontag held up trains and killed three Lawmen in a six-month period. The Dalton's escaped from Tulare County jail and had to be pursued to eastern Fresno County in December of 1891. These events plus the inevitable murders, robberies and the day to day matters that the Sheriff was responsible for made Hensley's term of office one of the busiest.
In those days the sheriff's office brought unusual responsibilities and even perils, for the Daltons were here and the Sontag and Evans gang were committing constant depredations. With no small satisfaction Mr. Hensley succeeded in arresting Grant Dalton in Fresno, but he escaped after having been put in the Tulare county jail. The officers of the law pursued him into the mountains, where, in an exchange of shot between them and the desperado, Mr. Hensley's deputy almost lost his life. The
Daltons were chased out of this county and went to Oklahoma, where they and others of their type were the terrors of that territory until finally they were killed at Coffeyville, Kan.
John M. Hensley who had resided in Fresno while Sheriff, returned to Madera upon leaving office. He resumed his business interest in raising sheep and was quite successful.
Sheriff Hensley died on March 14, 1925 and was buried on March 17, 1925 at Arbor Vitae Cemetery.
Representative Bob Mathias played an important role in the naming of Hensley Lake for the Hensley family. It was while Loy and Maude Scott Cook, after their retirements, were on a trip, including to Washington D. C., that they visited Bob Mathias at his office. This visit verified the recommendation to the Corps of Engineers the builder of the dam and lake, that the Hensley family be honored.
Many of his relatives were buried in the family plot on the Hensley property. When Hidden Dam was built to create Hensley Lake, their remains were moved to a hilltop plot known as the Hensley Cemetery or Noble Ranch Cemetery.
John M. Hensley, Well Known Madera Pioneer, Passed Away Saturday
Death took one of Madera's oldest and most respected pioneers when John M. Hensley, 74. passed to the great beyond at his home on North B street at S; 45 Saturday night, March 14th. The immediate members of the family were present when death occurred. The funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon from the Jay chapel the Rev. A. M. Williams officiating. Burial will be in the family plot in Arbor Vitae cemetery. Surviving relatives are the widow, Mrs. Harriett Monroe Hensley; one daughter. Mrs. A. L. Sayre of Madera: three sons. Walter, Arthur and Rea of Madera; three brothers, Abe H and Tom on the old Hensley homestead on the Fresno river, and G. W. Hensley of Fresno, and three grandchildren. Mr. Hensley was one of the leading Presbyterians in this comnunity and was noted for tho life if service for others which he led. Mr. Hensley was sheriff of Fresno county when it Included what's now the greater part of Madera County. During his terms of office he had to deal with such famous gangs of outlaws as the Dalton, Sontag and Evans bands. The deceased was born in Cass County, Missouri. November 10. 1850. At three years of age he made the trip with his parents across the plains and over the mountains in a prairie schooner to Calaveras county, California. In 1859 the family moved to Tulare County and In 1861 to what, is now known as the Hensley homestead m the Fresno river six miles from Raymond. He began to help his Father on the ranch at eight years
of age. He started out tor himself at 16. finding employment with Jonathan Rae, a sheepraiser. In 1870 he started out in the sheep business for himself on 640 acres at Woodville. Tulare county. The memorable drougth of 1877 killed 8000 of his 9500 head, so great a financial loss as to cause him to I sell out-the remainder of his flock Returning to his old home he received several contracts from Fresno county for keeping up the old Buchanan road, served as constable of Madera township for five years and played an active part in Democratic politics. In 1859 he was the Democratic nominee for sheriff of Fresno county, was elected by about 500 majority, and look the oath of office in January 1889. He was re-elected by a still larger majority and served till 1893. It was during these days that the Dalton, Sontag and Evans gangs of desperadoes were committing their depredations.
Hensley arrested Gratt Dalton in Fresno but Dalton escaped from the Tulare county Jail. The officers pursued him into the mountains, and in an exchange of shots Hensley's deputy almost lost his life The Dalton's then went to Oklahoma where they, and others of their calling, terrorized that territory till they were killed at Coffeyville, Kansas. With the expiration of his second term as sheriff Mr. Hensley again turned his attention to the sheep business. Inlying and selling extensively and traveling widely throughout the west and middle west. He returned to Madera in 1902 and had made his home here since then.
John M. Hensley was born on November 10, 1850, at Cass County, Missouri to John J. and Margaret Murray Hensley.
In 1853, the Hensley family left their farm and came across the plains in wagons drawn by eight cows to California. The family settled in Calaveras County until 1860, when they moved to Tulare County.
After a brief stay in Tulare County, the family moved to Fresno County in the fall of 1861. They settled on the Fresno River, six miles from Raymond.
Hensley helped his father with the family livestock and from the age of nine spent most of his time in a saddle. Hensley started to earn his own livelihood at sixteen by working for various stockmen.
In 1870, Hensley struck out on his own in Tulare County where he owned section of land and a flock of sheep. Eight thousand of his nine thousand sheep died because of the drought, which was in effect in 1877. Hensley sold his ranch in Tulare County and returned to his home on the Fresno River.
Hensley married Harriet Monroe in Woodville, Tulare County in 1877. The Hensley's had five children.
Hensley held several contracts with Fresno County to maintain the road between Buchanan and Coarse Gold Gulch. He was elected Constable of the First Township in Madera in November of 1884 and served until 1888.
John M. Hensley was elected Sheriff of Fresno County on November 6, 1888 and was administered the oath of office on January 8, 1889. Hensley served the people of Fresno County as Sheriff until January 3, 1893.
Sheriff Hensley and his Deputies confronted some of the most significant events in Fresno County law enforcement history. In December of 1890, Frank O. Vincent murdered his wife and would be hung in 1893. Evans and Sontag held up trains and killed three Lawmen in a six-month period. The Dalton's escaped from Tulare County jail and had to be pursued to eastern Fresno County in December of 1891. These events plus the inevitable murders, robberies and the day to day matters that the Sheriff was responsible for made Hensley's term of office one of the busiest.
In those days the sheriff's office brought unusual responsibilities and even perils, for the Daltons were here and the Sontag and Evans gang were committing constant depredations. With no small satisfaction Mr. Hensley succeeded in arresting Grant Dalton in Fresno, but he escaped after having been put in the Tulare county jail. The officers of the law pursued him into the mountains, where, in an exchange of shot between them and the desperado, Mr. Hensley's deputy almost lost his life. The
Daltons were chased out of this county and went to Oklahoma, where they and others of their type were the terrors of that territory until finally they were killed at Coffeyville, Kan.
John M. Hensley who had resided in Fresno while Sheriff, returned to Madera upon leaving office. He resumed his business interest in raising sheep and was quite successful.
Sheriff Hensley died on March 14, 1925 and was buried on March 17, 1925 at Arbor Vitae Cemetery.
Representative Bob Mathias played an important role in the naming of Hensley Lake for the Hensley family. It was while Loy and Maude Scott Cook, after their retirements, were on a trip, including to Washington D. C., that they visited Bob Mathias at his office. This visit verified the recommendation to the Corps of Engineers the builder of the dam and lake, that the Hensley family be honored.
Many of his relatives were buried in the family plot on the Hensley property. When Hidden Dam was built to create Hensley Lake, their remains were moved to a hilltop plot known as the Hensley Cemetery or Noble Ranch Cemetery.
John M. Hensley, Well Known Madera Pioneer, Passed Away Saturday
Death took one of Madera's oldest and most respected pioneers when John M. Hensley, 74. passed to the great beyond at his home on North B street at S; 45 Saturday night, March 14th. The immediate members of the family were present when death occurred. The funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon from the Jay chapel the Rev. A. M. Williams officiating. Burial will be in the family plot in Arbor Vitae cemetery. Surviving relatives are the widow, Mrs. Harriett Monroe Hensley; one daughter. Mrs. A. L. Sayre of Madera: three sons. Walter, Arthur and Rea of Madera; three brothers, Abe H and Tom on the old Hensley homestead on the Fresno river, and G. W. Hensley of Fresno, and three grandchildren. Mr. Hensley was one of the leading Presbyterians in this comnunity and was noted for tho life if service for others which he led. Mr. Hensley was sheriff of Fresno county when it Included what's now the greater part of Madera County. During his terms of office he had to deal with such famous gangs of outlaws as the Dalton, Sontag and Evans bands. The deceased was born in Cass County, Missouri. November 10. 1850. At three years of age he made the trip with his parents across the plains and over the mountains in a prairie schooner to Calaveras county, California. In 1859 the family moved to Tulare County and In 1861 to what, is now known as the Hensley homestead m the Fresno river six miles from Raymond. He began to help his Father on the ranch at eight years
of age. He started out tor himself at 16. finding employment with Jonathan Rae, a sheepraiser. In 1870 he started out in the sheep business for himself on 640 acres at Woodville. Tulare county. The memorable drougth of 1877 killed 8000 of his 9500 head, so great a financial loss as to cause him to I sell out-the remainder of his flock Returning to his old home he received several contracts from Fresno county for keeping up the old Buchanan road, served as constable of Madera township for five years and played an active part in Democratic politics. In 1859 he was the Democratic nominee for sheriff of Fresno county, was elected by about 500 majority, and look the oath of office in January 1889. He was re-elected by a still larger majority and served till 1893. It was during these days that the Dalton, Sontag and Evans gangs of desperadoes were committing their depredations.
Hensley arrested Gratt Dalton in Fresno but Dalton escaped from the Tulare county Jail. The officers pursued him into the mountains, and in an exchange of shots Hensley's deputy almost lost his life The Dalton's then went to Oklahoma where they, and others of their calling, terrorized that territory till they were killed at Coffeyville, Kansas. With the expiration of his second term as sheriff Mr. Hensley again turned his attention to the sheep business. Inlying and selling extensively and traveling widely throughout the west and middle west. He returned to Madera in 1902 and had made his home here since then.
Appointed: 1889 – 1893
John M. Hensley was born on November 10, 1850, at Cass County, Missouri to John J. and Margaret Murray Hensley.
In 1853, the Hensley family left their farm and came across the plains in wagons drawn by eight cows to California. The family settled in Calaveras County until 1860, when they moved to Tulare County.
After a brief stay in Tulare County, the family moved to Fresno County in the fall of 1861. They settled on the Fresno River, six miles from Raymond.
Hensley helped his father with the family livestock and from the age of nine spent most of his time in a saddle. Hensley started to earn his own livelihood at sixteen by working for various stockmen.
In 1870, Hensley struck out on his own in Tulare County where he owned section of land and a flock of sheep. Eight thousand of his nine thousand sheep died because of the drought, which was in effect in 1877. Hensley sold his ranch in Tulare County and returned to his home on the Fresno River.
Hensley married Harriet Monroe in Woodville, Tulare County in 1877. The Hensley's had five children.
Hensley held several contracts with Fresno County to maintain the road between Buchanan and Coarse Gold Gulch. He was elected Constable of the First Township in Madera in November of 1884 and served until 1888.
John M. Hensley was elected Sheriff of Fresno County on November 6, 1888 and was administered the oath of office on January 8, 1889. Hensley served the people of Fresno County as Sheriff until January 3, 1893.
Sheriff Hensley and his Deputies confronted some of the most significant events in Fresno County law enforcement history. In December of 1890, Frank O. Vincent murdered his wife and would be hung in 1893. Evans and Sontag held up trains and killed three Lawmen in a six-month period. The Dalton's escaped from Tulare County jail and had to be pursued to eastern Fresno County in December of 1891. These events plus the inevitable murders, robberies and the day to day matters that the Sheriff was responsible for made Hensley's term of office one of the busiest.
In those days the sheriff's office brought unusual responsibilities and even perils, for the Daltons were here and the Sontag and Evans gang were committing constant depredations. With no small satisfaction Mr. Hensley succeeded in arresting Grant Dalton in Fresno, but he escaped after having been put in the Tulare county jail. The officers of the law pursued him into the mountains, where, in an exchange of shot between them and the desperado, Mr. Hensley's deputy almost lost his life. The
Daltons were chased out of this county and went to Oklahoma, where they and others of their type were the terrors of that territory until finally they were killed at Coffeyville, Kan.
John M. Hensley who had resided in Fresno while Sheriff, returned to Madera upon leaving office. He resumed his business interest in raising sheep and was quite successful.
Sheriff Hensley died on March 14, 1925 and was buried on March 17, 1925 at Arbor Vitae Cemetery.
Representative Bob Mathias played an important role in the naming of Hensley Lake for the Hensley family. It was while Loy and Maude Scott Cook, after their retirements, were on a trip, including to Washington D. C., that they visited Bob Mathias at his office. This visit verified the recommendation to the Corps of Engineers the builder of the dam and lake, that the Hensley family be honored.
Many of his relatives were buried in the family plot on the Hensley property. When Hidden Dam was built to create Hensley Lake, their remains were moved to a hilltop plot known as the Hensley Cemetery or Noble Ranch Cemetery.
John M. Hensley, Well Known Madera Pioneer, Passed Away Saturday
Death took one of Madera's oldest and most respected pioneers when John M. Hensley, 74. passed to the great beyond at his home on North B street at S; 45 Saturday night, March 14th. The immediate members of the family were present when death occurred. The funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon from the Jay chapel the Rev. A. M. Williams officiating. Burial will be in the family plot in Arbor Vitae cemetery. Surviving relatives are the widow, Mrs. Harriett Monroe Hensley; one daughter. Mrs. A. L. Sayre of Madera: three sons. Walter, Arthur and Rea of Madera; three brothers, Abe H and Tom on the old Hensley homestead on the Fresno river, and G. W. Hensley of Fresno, and three grandchildren. Mr. Hensley was one of the leading Presbyterians in this comnunity and was noted for tho life if service for others which he led. Mr. Hensley was sheriff of Fresno county when it Included what's now the greater part of Madera County. During his terms of office he had to deal with such famous gangs of outlaws as the Dalton, Sontag and Evans bands. The deceased was born in Cass County, Missouri. November 10. 1850. At three years of age he made the trip with his parents across the plains and over the mountains in a prairie schooner to Calaveras county, California. In 1859 the family moved to Tulare County and In 1861 to what, is now known as the Hensley homestead m the Fresno river six miles from Raymond. He began to help his Father on the ranch at eight years
of age. He started out tor himself at 16. finding employment with Jonathan Rae, a sheepraiser. In 1870 he started out in the sheep business for himself on 640 acres at Woodville. Tulare county. The memorable drougth of 1877 killed 8000 of his 9500 head, so great a financial loss as to cause him to I sell out-the remainder of his flock Returning to his old home he received several contracts from Fresno county for keeping up the old Buchanan road, served as constable of Madera township for five years and played an active part in Democratic politics. In 1859 he was the Democratic nominee for sheriff of Fresno county, was elected by about 500 majority, and look the oath of office in January 1889. He was re-elected by a still larger majority and served till 1893. It was during these days that the Dalton, Sontag and Evans gangs of desperadoes were committing their depredations.
Hensley arrested Gratt Dalton in Fresno but Dalton escaped from the Tulare county Jail. The officers pursued him into the mountains, and in an exchange of shots Hensley's deputy almost lost his life The Dalton's then went to Oklahoma where they, and others of their calling, terrorized that territory till they were killed at Coffeyville, Kansas. With the expiration of his second term as sheriff Mr. Hensley again turned his attention to the sheep business. Inlying and selling extensively and traveling widely throughout the west and middle west. He returned to Madera in 1902 and had made his home here since then.
John M. Hensley was born on November 10, 1850, at Cass County, Missouri to John J. and Margaret Murray Hensley.
In 1853, the Hensley family left their farm and came across the plains in wagons drawn by eight cows to California. The family settled in Calaveras County until 1860, when they moved to Tulare County.
After a brief stay in Tulare County, the family moved to Fresno County in the fall of 1861. They settled on the Fresno River, six miles from Raymond.
Hensley helped his father with the family livestock and from the age of nine spent most of his time in a saddle. Hensley started to earn his own livelihood at sixteen by working for various stockmen.
In 1870, Hensley struck out on his own in Tulare County where he owned section of land and a flock of sheep. Eight thousand of his nine thousand sheep died because of the drought, which was in effect in 1877. Hensley sold his ranch in Tulare County and returned to his home on the Fresno River.
Hensley married Harriet Monroe in Woodville, Tulare County in 1877. The Hensley's had five children.
Hensley held several contracts with Fresno County to maintain the road between Buchanan and Coarse Gold Gulch. He was elected Constable of the First Township in Madera in November of 1884 and served until 1888.
John M. Hensley was elected Sheriff of Fresno County on November 6, 1888 and was administered the oath of office on January 8, 1889. Hensley served the people of Fresno County as Sheriff until January 3, 1893.
Sheriff Hensley and his Deputies confronted some of the most significant events in Fresno County law enforcement history. In December of 1890, Frank O. Vincent murdered his wife and would be hung in 1893. Evans and Sontag held up trains and killed three Lawmen in a six-month period. The Dalton's escaped from Tulare County jail and had to be pursued to eastern Fresno County in December of 1891. These events plus the inevitable murders, robberies and the day to day matters that the Sheriff was responsible for made Hensley's term of office one of the busiest.
In those days the sheriff's office brought unusual responsibilities and even perils, for the Daltons were here and the Sontag and Evans gang were committing constant depredations. With no small satisfaction Mr. Hensley succeeded in arresting Grant Dalton in Fresno, but he escaped after having been put in the Tulare county jail. The officers of the law pursued him into the mountains, where, in an exchange of shot between them and the desperado, Mr. Hensley's deputy almost lost his life. The
Daltons were chased out of this county and went to Oklahoma, where they and others of their type were the terrors of that territory until finally they were killed at Coffeyville, Kan.
John M. Hensley who had resided in Fresno while Sheriff, returned to Madera upon leaving office. He resumed his business interest in raising sheep and was quite successful.
Sheriff Hensley died on March 14, 1925 and was buried on March 17, 1925 at Arbor Vitae Cemetery.
Representative Bob Mathias played an important role in the naming of Hensley Lake for the Hensley family. It was while Loy and Maude Scott Cook, after their retirements, were on a trip, including to Washington D. C., that they visited Bob Mathias at his office. This visit verified the recommendation to the Corps of Engineers the builder of the dam and lake, that the Hensley family be honored.
Many of his relatives were buried in the family plot on the Hensley property. When Hidden Dam was built to create Hensley Lake, their remains were moved to a hilltop plot known as the Hensley Cemetery or Noble Ranch Cemetery.
John M. Hensley, Well Known Madera Pioneer, Passed Away Saturday
Death took one of Madera's oldest and most respected pioneers when John M. Hensley, 74. passed to the great beyond at his home on North B street at S; 45 Saturday night, March 14th. The immediate members of the family were present when death occurred. The funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon from the Jay chapel the Rev. A. M. Williams officiating. Burial will be in the family plot in Arbor Vitae cemetery. Surviving relatives are the widow, Mrs. Harriett Monroe Hensley; one daughter. Mrs. A. L. Sayre of Madera: three sons. Walter, Arthur and Rea of Madera; three brothers, Abe H and Tom on the old Hensley homestead on the Fresno river, and G. W. Hensley of Fresno, and three grandchildren. Mr. Hensley was one of the leading Presbyterians in this comnunity and was noted for tho life if service for others which he led. Mr. Hensley was sheriff of Fresno county when it Included what's now the greater part of Madera County. During his terms of office he had to deal with such famous gangs of outlaws as the Dalton, Sontag and Evans bands. The deceased was born in Cass County, Missouri. November 10. 1850. At three years of age he made the trip with his parents across the plains and over the mountains in a prairie schooner to Calaveras county, California. In 1859 the family moved to Tulare County and In 1861 to what, is now known as the Hensley homestead m the Fresno river six miles from Raymond. He began to help his Father on the ranch at eight years
of age. He started out tor himself at 16. finding employment with Jonathan Rae, a sheepraiser. In 1870 he started out in the sheep business for himself on 640 acres at Woodville. Tulare county. The memorable drougth of 1877 killed 8000 of his 9500 head, so great a financial loss as to cause him to I sell out-the remainder of his flock Returning to his old home he received several contracts from Fresno county for keeping up the old Buchanan road, served as constable of Madera township for five years and played an active part in Democratic politics. In 1859 he was the Democratic nominee for sheriff of Fresno county, was elected by about 500 majority, and look the oath of office in January 1889. He was re-elected by a still larger majority and served till 1893. It was during these days that the Dalton, Sontag and Evans gangs of desperadoes were committing their depredations.
Hensley arrested Gratt Dalton in Fresno but Dalton escaped from the Tulare county Jail. The officers pursued him into the mountains, and in an exchange of shots Hensley's deputy almost lost his life The Dalton's then went to Oklahoma where they, and others of their calling, terrorized that territory till they were killed at Coffeyville, Kansas. With the expiration of his second term as sheriff Mr. Hensley again turned his attention to the sheep business. Inlying and selling extensively and traveling widely throughout the west and middle west. He returned to Madera in 1902 and had made his home here since then.
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