This home was the home of Lafayette and Henrietta Tinsley
” Death of Lafayette Tinsley. Died in this city at the residence of his son Walter G. Tinsley, Tuesday morning, 29th instant, at 7:05 o’clock, of typho-malaria fever, Lafayette Tinsley, senior member of the Tinsley Tobacco Company.
Deceased was born near Lynchburg, Virginia, July 2nd, 1814, and consequently was 70 years and 27 days old at his death. Upon reaching manhood he was placed in charge of a large plantation known as the “Cove” near the James River, which he successfully conducted for three years, and afterwards up to 1848 controlled it as lessee, when he purchased a farm on the James River in Bedford county, Virginia, which he occupied until 1849, when he sold out and moved to Missouri. in 1852 he purchased a large farm near Prairieville, and resided upon it until 1864, when he came to Louisiana and associated himself with his brother, Addison Tinsley, in the Manufacture of plug tobacco under the firm name of A. & L. Tinsley, in which business he had engaged nearly ever since, the firm being changed several times, until January 1883, when the present company was formed and incorporated under the name The Tinsley Tobacco Company, of which deceased was made president, a position he held up to his death. ” 1
Lafayette is the son of Rodney and Polly Whitten Tinsley, natives of Virginia. May 13, 1840 Lafayette married Henrietta Elizabeth Robinson. Henrietta was born to Benjamin Robinson in Bedford County, Virginia October 4, 1818. Lafayette and Henrietta had three children while living in Virginia, Edward H., Charles E. Walter G.. Upon their move to Missouri in 1849 they expanded their family with Martha, Cleopatra and Thomas L.. Walter G (1848-1922) and Thomas L (1858-1944) were the only children to achieve adulthood. Walter made his career as the cashier of the Mercantile National Bank, while Thomas L. was the bookkeeper for the Tinsley Tobacco Company. After Lafayette’s death Henrietta lived with her son Walter until her death September 4, 1907 at the age of 88 years, 10 months and 20 days.
