Joe L. Hensley
Encyclopedia
Joseph Louis "Joe L." Hensley (March 19, 1926 - August 27, 2007) was a lawyer
, prosecuting attorney, member of the Indiana General Assembly
, circuit court
judge
, science fiction fan
, and writer of science fiction
and mysteries
. He was a long-time resident of Madison
, Indiana
and died there of complications of leukemia
.
, Indiana
, and became involved in science fiction fandom
by the time he was 13. He graduated from Bloomington's University High School in 1944, went into the United States Navy
, serving as a Pharmacist's Mate in the Navy Hospital Corps. He got a B.A.
degree in 1950 from Indiana University
, and on June 18, 1950 married Charlotte Ruth Bettinger in her home town of Tell City, Indiana
(she died in 2000). He was again inducted into the Navy during the Korean War
, serving as a Journalist 3rd Class
. He received his L.L.B. degree from Indiana University School of Law
in 1955, and moved to Madison to begin his legal practice.
and Scott
counties. He was then elected prosecuting attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit, serving from 1963 to 1966. In 1975 he was appointed Judge pro tem of the Ripley Circuit Court by the Indiana Supreme Court and was subsequently elected and served two terms as Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit from 1977 through 1988. He served two years as president of the Indiana Judges Association. In 1998, he was named a Sagamore of the Wabash
by then Indiana Governor Frank O'Bannon
.
) as Joe L. Hensley and Louis J. A. Adams. His first fiction sale was the short story "And Not Quite Human," published in the September 1953 issue of Beyond Fantasy Fiction
. http://www.philsp.com/homeville/FMI/s904.htm#A33805 His first published novel was The Color of Hate in 1960. He had 20 more novels and collections published (over half of them in the series featuring Indiana circuit judge Donald Robak, which began with 1971's Deliver Us to Evil) and around 100 short stories. His collaborators in science fiction included Alexei Panshin
and Harlan Ellison
; he co-wrote one mystery novel (Loose Coins) with fellow Indiana prosecuting attorney Guy M. Townsend. His last novel, Snowbird's Blood, was published in February 2008. Many of his mystery novels were set in the fictitious Bington, a place which combined aspects of Madison and Bloomington.
throughout his life; the Hensleys were familiar faces at science fiction conventions such as Rivercon and Midwestcon
http://www.sfwa.org/News/hensley.htm. Hensley was a First Fandom
"Dinosaur" (which meant he had been active in fandom prior to July 4, 1939), and received the First Fandom Hall of Fame Award in 2006.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, prosecuting attorney, member of the Indiana General Assembly
Indiana General Assembly
The Indiana General Assembly is the state legislature, or legislative branch, of the state of Indiana. It is a bicameral legislature that consists of a lower house, the Indiana House of Representatives, and an upper house, the Indiana Senate...
, circuit court
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
, science fiction fan
Science fiction fandom
Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community or "fandom" of people actively interested in science fiction and fantasy and in contact with one another based upon that interest...
, and writer of science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
and mysteries
Mystery fiction
Mystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
. He was a long-time resident of Madison
Madison, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,004 people, 5,092 households, and 3,085 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,402.9 people per square mile . There were 5,597 housing units at an average density of 654.1 per square mile...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
and died there of complications of leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
.
Early life
Hensley was born in BloomingtonBloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, and became involved in science fiction fandom
Science fiction fandom
Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community or "fandom" of people actively interested in science fiction and fantasy and in contact with one another based upon that interest...
by the time he was 13. He graduated from Bloomington's University High School in 1944, went into the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, serving as a Pharmacist's Mate in the Navy Hospital Corps. He got a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1950 from Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, and on June 18, 1950 married Charlotte Ruth Bettinger in her home town of Tell City, Indiana
Tell City, Indiana
Tell City is a city in Troy Township, Perry County, Indiana, along the Ohio River, Indiana's southern border. The population was 7,272 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Perry County.-History:...
(she died in 2000). He was again inducted into the Navy during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, serving as a Journalist 3rd Class
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. He received his L.L.B. degree from Indiana University School of Law
Indiana University School of Law
Indiana University School of Law may refer to either of two independent law schools operated by the Indiana University system, namely:*Indiana University Maurer School of Law , located on the campus of Indiana University Bloomington...
in 1955, and moved to Madison to begin his legal practice.
Legal career
He served one term in the Indiana General Assembly in 1961-1962, representing JeffersonJefferson County, Indiana
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 32,428. The county seat is Madison.-History:Jefferson County was formed in 1811...
and Scott
Scott County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 22,960 people, 8,832 households, and 6,491 families residing in the county. The population density was 121 people per square mile . There were 9,737 housing units at an average density of 51 per square mile...
counties. He was then elected prosecuting attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit, serving from 1963 to 1966. In 1975 he was appointed Judge pro tem of the Ripley Circuit Court by the Indiana Supreme Court and was subsequently elected and served two terms as Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit from 1977 through 1988. He served two years as president of the Indiana Judges Association. In 1998, he was named a Sagamore of the Wabash
Sagamore of the Wabash
The Sagamore of the Wabash is an honorary award created by the state of Indiana during the term of Governor Ralph F. Gates . A tri-state meeting was to be held in Louisville with officials from Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. Aides to Gates learned that the governor of Kentucky was preparing...
by then Indiana Governor Frank O'Bannon
Frank O'Bannon
Frank Lewis O'Bannon was an American politician who was the 47th Governor of Indiana from 1997 until his death in 2003.-Background:...
.
Writing career
While working as a law student, lawyer, legislator and judge, Hensley wrote science fiction and crime fiction (and at least one auto-racing story for a pulp magazinePulp magazine
Pulp magazines , also collectively known as pulp fiction, refers to inexpensive fiction magazines published from 1896 through the 1950s. The typical pulp magazine was seven inches wide by ten inches high, half an inch thick, and 128 pages long...
) as Joe L. Hensley and Louis J. A. Adams. His first fiction sale was the short story "And Not Quite Human," published in the September 1953 issue of Beyond Fantasy Fiction
Beyond Fantasy Fiction
Beyond Fantasy Fiction was a US fantasy fiction magazine edited by H. L. Gold, with only ten issues published from 1953 to 1955. The last two issues carried the cover title of Beyond Fiction, but the publication's name for copyright purposes remained as before.Although not a commercial success, it...
. http://www.philsp.com/homeville/FMI/s904.htm#A33805 His first published novel was The Color of Hate in 1960. He had 20 more novels and collections published (over half of them in the series featuring Indiana circuit judge Donald Robak, which began with 1971's Deliver Us to Evil) and around 100 short stories. His collaborators in science fiction included Alexei Panshin
Alexei Panshin
Alexis Adams Panshin is an American author and science fiction critic. He has written several critical works and several novels, including the 1968 Nebula Award-winning novel Rite of Passage and the 1990 Hugo Award winning study of science fiction The World Beyond the Hill .-Other works:Panshin...
and Harlan Ellison
Harlan Ellison
Harlan Jay Ellison is an American writer. His principal genre is speculative fiction.His published works include over 1,700 short stories, novellas, screenplays, teleplays, essays, a wide range of criticism covering literature, film, television, and print media...
; he co-wrote one mystery novel (Loose Coins) with fellow Indiana prosecuting attorney Guy M. Townsend. His last novel, Snowbird's Blood, was published in February 2008. Many of his mystery novels were set in the fictitious Bington, a place which combined aspects of Madison and Bloomington.
Science fiction fandom
Hensley remained active in science fiction fandomScience fiction fandom
Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community or "fandom" of people actively interested in science fiction and fantasy and in contact with one another based upon that interest...
throughout his life; the Hensleys were familiar faces at science fiction conventions such as Rivercon and Midwestcon
Midwestcon
Midwestcon is a science fiction convention held annually in the Cincinnati, Ohio area by the Cincinnati Fantasy Group.Midwestcon is an informal type of convention known as a "relaxacon," which means that it has no programming...
http://www.sfwa.org/News/hensley.htm. Hensley was a First Fandom
First Fandom
First Fandom is an association of experienced science fiction fans.In 1958 a number of fans at Midwestcon realized amid table-talk that they all had been active in fandom for more than 20 years. This inspired the creation of an organization for longstanding fans under the initial chairmanship of...
"Dinosaur" (which meant he had been active in fandom prior to July 4, 1939), and received the First Fandom Hall of Fame Award in 2006.