| Notes |
- Thomas “Billy” Babb
Birth 1798
Laurens County, South Carolina, USA
Death unknown
Greenville County, South Carolina, USA
Burial Unknown
Memorial ID 58322677
Thomas "Billy" Babb was one of the sons of Sampson Babb Sr. and Anne Kellett Babb.
He married Nancy Hellams about 1820.
Thomas and Nancy had the following children:
Anne Babb born abt 1821
Caliste Babb Curry born abt 1822 died 25 Jul 1854
Sampson Babb born 1824
William Babb born abt 1827 died bef 1870
Narcissa Babb Bruce born 12 May 1829 died 4 Jul 1894
Martha Babb born abt 1829 died bef 1860
Sallie Sarah Babb Waldrop born abt 1834
Mary (Polly) Babb Curry born 1836 died 1924
Nancy Babb born abt 1838 died bef 1872
Thomas (Tommie) Babb born 7 Mar 1841 died 17 Jul 1916
James Babb born abt 1844 died bef 1872
FURTHER INFORMATION: (From R. E. Babb book, Laurens, Laurens Co., SC library)
Thomas Babb was born around 1798 in Laurens Co., SC, the son of Sampson Babb and his wife Ann Kellett. Thomas had an uncle as well as a first cousin named Thomas Babb who lived in Laurens Co. Discerning which of these Thomas Babbs is being referenced in early records is sometimes a difficult task.
The Thomas Babb who migrated to Greenville Co., SC (and from whom the Sloans are descended) was the husband of Nancy Hellams. She was born around 1799 in Laurens Co.; the daughter of William Hellams and his wife Anne.
The probate records of Sampson Babb (1766-1851) of Laurens Co., SC, show that he had a son Thomas. Proving that Sampson's son Thomas was the Thomas who moved to Greenville Co. is somewhat of a problem.
In the early 1900s, Mrs. R. E. Babb, Sr., wife of a great=grandson of Sampson Babb (1766-1851), recorded the names of the children of Sampson Babb and their spouses (see the section on Sampson Babb). These records were reportedly taken from a Bible. Unfortunately, the origin or source of that Bible is unknown. Mrs. R. E. Babb's records show that Sampson had a son Thomas who married Nancy Hellams. If this reference is accurate (all secondary evidence confirms that it is), then the line is proved. The facts that Nancy Hellams's father William Hellams lived in Laurens County and that Thomas and Nancy had a son named Sampson, also indicates that the Thomas Babb in Greenville Co. was in some way related to the Laurens Co. Babbs. Another strong piece of evidence is that indexes of the 1850 census show that the Thomas Babb in Greenville Co. was the only adult so named in the state at the time. Likewise, Thomas Babb in Laurens Co. was the only adult so named in the 1840 census. Thus, the Greenville Co. Thomas Babb is the only one who could have been referenced in the early 1850s as a legatee in Sampson Babb's estate. Almost beyond any doubt, the Greenville Co. Thomas Babb is the son of Sampson Babb (1766-1851)
Presumably, Thomas and Nancy moved to Greenville Co. between October 1844 and 1847. On 28 October 1844, William Hellams purchased from Alfred Cargill 125 acres on a small branch of McCool's Beaverdam Creek in North Greenville Co., SC. The precise location is unknown but the land is in the present day Mount Lebanon Church Community and later deeds indicate that it spanned both sides of Jordan Road.
On 7 Dec 1853, Thomas Babb purchased additional land from Alfred Cargill, a minimum of 40 acres, described as lying on Thompson's Beaverdam of Middle Tyger River. This land was close to the intersection of the present day Mount Lebanon Church Road and Jordan Road. Thomas Babb's great-grandson, William Pliney Sloan owned at least part of the tract in the Twentieth Century. [FN1]
There are a number of Beaverdam Creeks in North Greenville Co. Identifying precisely McCool's Beaverdam Creek and Thompson's Beaverdam Creek is very difficult because the names of the creeks and their boundaries have changed over time. "The Full Descriptive Map and Sketch of Greenville County 1882" by Paul B. Kyzer shows Thos. Babb, Jas. Few and Rev. R. Whilden (the latter two are known neighbors of Thomas and Nancy Babb) living on a creek, north of Washington Church. The creek paralleled Jordan road and was south and west of it. Thomas Babb and R. Whilden are shown in the Highland Township while James Few is located across the line in O'Neal Township. [FN2]
William Hellams must not have thought much of all his sons-in-law because he assigned his daughters' shares of his estate to their brothers to invest and later distribute to their sisters for their best benefit. Or, at least he gave the land in such a manner to insure that his daughters would be taken care of financially. The bequest for Nancy is as follows...
Fifthly, giving to my son John in part for the sole use and benefit of my daughter, Nancy, wife of Thomas Babb, during the term of her natural life the part of land on which she now lives also for her children at her death but when her youngest child shall have attained the age of 21 years I desire the land to be sold and equally divided between them and the child or children of a deceased child, taking the share which the parent would have taken if living. I also give to my son John in trust such money as may be coming as the distribution share of my property to Nancy Babb to be lent to interest and the interest to be collected annually and paid out by the trustee aforesaid in any way he may think best for the comfort of my said daughter Nancy and in no event to go to the payment of any debt contracted by her husband except he shall call a physician to his wife or family...
Thomas and Nancy were enumerated in Greenville Co. in the 1850 census. Both Thomas and Nancy gave their age as 50 years old. Five children were living with them, ranging from 6 to 16 years old. Living close to them was their son, Sampson Babb and his wife Lucy and their children.
In the 1860 census, Thomas and Nancy Babb were enumerated in the Millburgh Division of Greenville Co. Millburgh Division approximately corresponds to the O'Neal Township of later censuses. Thomas stated that he was 62 years old, was a farmer, had real estate valued at $3650, and was born in SC. Nancy's age was given as 61 years. (Robert E. Babb Jr. adds an additional piece of information that Thomas was a Chair Maker.
Thomas and Nancy have not been located in the 1870 census, although both were still living. Nancy Babb died in January 1872. The land she received from her father in 1847 (held in trust by her brother John R. Hellams) was ordered to be sold in August of 1872 by the probate judge of Greenville Co. and the proceeds distributed among her heirs. [FN3] The precise disposition of the land has not been determined. Thomas may have purchased some or all of the land when Nancy died. Oddly, Thomas is not referenced in his wife Nancy's probate records; however, the land was in trust for Nancy and her children and Thomas was not a beneficiary.
On 9 May 1873 Thomas Babb Sr. deeded to his son Thomas Babb, Jr. 40 acres on a small branch of McCool's Beaverdam Creek being part of a larger tract where Thomas Sr. was living at the time--the description of the land is the same as the tract that was held in trust for Nancy.
Sometime between 1873 and 1879, Thomas Sr. married Alamarinda (Burrell) Dunagan. According the 1860 census, Alamarinda was born in 1838, daughter of Jesse Burrell and his wife, Esther, so she would have been in her middle to late thirties while Thomas would have been in his middle to late 70's. Alamarinda was previously married to Jasper Dunagan and had a small child named James A. Dunagan. [FN4] On 2 Oct 1879 when Thomas Sr. deeded 40 acres (part of the tract where Thomas Sr. was living) to his grandson Garvin Waldrop, Alamarinda [the spelling varies by reference] gave up her dower rights to the property. Thomas deeded an additional 13 adjoining acres to Garvin Waldrop on 7 January 1880.
Thomas Babb has not been located in the 1880 census even though he was still living.
The last recorded reference for Thomas Babb Sr. was on 3 Jun 1881 when he deeded his son Thomas Babb, Jr. 30 acres which was part of the tract conveyed by Alfred Cargill in 1853. The deed is very interesting because Thomas had previously given the land to his wife Alamarinda. However, he revoked all conveyances given to her because he gave her the land in exchange for her to take care of him and "she has refused to do so..." So he ended up selling the land to his son Thomas Jr. for $40 and an agreement for Thomas Jr. to support him comfortably. Interestingly, Alamarinda agreed to give up her dower rights to the land. Presumably she didn't want to live with the old man and take care of him. She apparently lived with him for only a short time.
It is not known when Thomas Babb [Sr] died and where he and his first wife Nancy Hellams are buried. alamarinda Babb was enumerated with her son James in the O'Neal Township of Greenville Co. in the 1900 census. Nothing further is known about her.
[FN1] Possession of the land can be traced through deeds in the Greenville Co. Courthouse. The land passed from Thomas Babb to his son Thomas Babb Jr. then to Garvin Waldrop (Thomas Babb Sr's grandson), to J. F. Stokes to Elizabeth Neely, to R. A. and Addie Skinner, to W. T. Henson, to Frank Peahuff, to William Pliney Sloan. Sampy Babb Sloan, William Pliney's brother, probably lived on some of the land--perhaps on either the land purchased by Thomas Babb or the 125 acres purchased by William Hellams.
[FN2] There are a number of Beaverdam Creeks in northern Greenville Co., however, the will specifically mentions McCool's Beaverdam Creek. The 1825 map of Greenville District in Mills Atlas, shows a Beaverdam Creek between the Middle Tyger and Southern Tyger rivers flowing southeast into Spartanburg County. At the head of the creek is a McCool's Shoal Cotton Factory. Presumably this is McCool's Beaverdam Creek. This is consistent with the 1882 Map of Greenville County by Paul Kyzer. The exact location of the Babb/Hellams property is not known but it appears to be between the Washington Baptist Church and Mount Lebanon Baptist Church communities. On 10 Jul 1872 there was a notice in the Greenville Enterprise newspaper of a sheriff's sale in Greenville Co. of land from the estate of Nancy Hellams deceased. The property was described as "all that tract of land, situate in Greenville Co. on waters of Beaverdam Creek, adjoining lands of R. F. Whilden, James Few and others, and containing one hundred and twenty five acres, more or less.
[FN3] After Nancy's death, her brother John Hellams petitioned the Probate Court in Greenville County to sell the land and distribute the proceeds to her heirs. In this petition John listed her children, both surviving and deceased, and furthermore he recorded the children of her deceased children.
[FN4] The information on Alamarinda's maiden name and husband Jasper Dunagan is based on their son James Dunagan's death certificate. The certificate was provided by Daurice (Green) Snow.
|
1798 -
