Jim Henson's Parents

[SwedishTech]

Hi there! New guy here, but definately not new to the Muppets and all that Henson has done!

I've been doing a lot of detective work lately. I live 12 minutes from the town of Ahoskie, N.C., where Jim's father and stepmother lived (And where he would visit often). It's a very small town, lucky it even has a Wal-Mart.

I was wondering if anybody on here knew any information on his parents, if they are still alive, any help at all. I'm still searching locally, and will post any updates as I find them.

 

[Hubert]

I pretty much only know a few common things, like from the Jim Henson: The Works book, but I might as well post them here anyway:

Jim's father, Paul Henson was an agricultural research biologist for the US Department of Agriculture. Around 1946, he got a new job around Hyattsville, MD, near Washington, D.C. Jim's mother, Betty Henson, stayed at home with Jim and his brother Paul Jr.

That's pretty much all I know (you probably already knew that stuff anyway), but I'll check around a bit and see what I can find out.

Welcome to the forum, by the way!

 

[Collgoff]

Well I know what this is going and they unknown things about it.
But I think Betty Henson died sometime during Jim Henson's life and then his father married again years later.
Plus Mr Paul Henson might had died not so long after Jim died!

 

[SwedishTech]

I think he may have passed away, I found out somewhere that if he was alive, he'd be 107. Not impossible, but it's probably wishful thinking on my part. Haha.

Maybe he has a widow? I also found out today actually that Jim's cousin was a Dr. in MY area, who also moved to Ahoskie, and he spent a lot of time with Jim as well.

Thanks for the welcome btw!

 

[Collgoff]

Wow that's cool!

 

[King Jim]

According to this website Jim's mother passed away in 1992 and his dad in 1994: http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=tcbjammon&id=P4820

 

[Muppet fan 123]

Hmm..even Muppet Wiki doesn't have anything on his parents. Which kinda makes sense, but I thought they might have something.

I remember there being a small chapter about his early life in Jim Henson: The Works, which I have upstairs in my house. Will go do some research...
*gets detective coat on*

 

[BobThePizzaBoy]

I think bobhopesite basically found the most information we'll ever find on them.

I do have to say, though for any parent, it has to be horrible to outlive both your sons...

 

[SwedishTech]

Glad everyone has their detective coats on now! Lol. Thanks for all the info, that's way more than I have ever been able to get, and I even paid a site to find something. Haha.

 

[MrBloogarFoobly]

It's very interesting that most of Jim Henson's life is shrouded in mystery. The only biographies currently available don't really cover his early life, skim over his college career, and then jump into his work in advertising and beyond. In fact, for all we know about his personality, there's still so much that hasn't been discussed. I hope Brian Jay Jones' Henson biography sheds some light on these subjects so that we might better understand him.