A Babb by Any Other Name
I’ve mentioned that I’ve been working with a number of adoptees to help them locate their birth families. I have had success in identifying the family of one such member and wanted to share the news. Being able to break through the cloud of secrecy surrounding adoption is a major stumbling block to genealogical research. But using the power of DNA testing we are now able to see relationships in an unfiltered way. Such is the case here.
The adoptee gave me the date and place of his birth and I was able to cross reference the information with the Master Babb list. Finding only a single family in this location at that time, made the answer very obvious. His DNA already said he was a Babb, so it was just a matter of finding someone from that branch of the tree to conduct their own test and compare the results. On Christmas Eve the DNA results came in and gave us an early Christmas gift of a positive match. So, we are now able to see exactly where in the tree he belongs without the need to unseal the adoption records (which at times don’t have the information you are seeking anyway.
To protect the parties right to privacy, I won’t be disclosing the names, but I was super excited to have this difficult work come to fruition. I’ve got several more adoptees that I’m working with that aren’t as straight forward as this one so this gives me hope of succeeding with them too.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
One response to “A Babb by Any Other Name”
Bill King
May 14 · Houston, TX
Babb Families of Leake County, Mississippi
James Alford Babb Family
Leake County, MS
14 Jan 2005
THE FAMILIES OF
JAMES ALFORD BABB & MARY AMANDA HENRY
of Leake County, Mississippi
1 James Alford BABB Born: 11 Jan 1814 AL/TN Died: Aft. Jun 1880 Near Carthage, MS
.. +Mary Amanda HENRY Born: 13 May 1817 TN Died: Aft. Jun 1880 MS
TEN CHILDREN:
…. 2 James Babb Born: Unknown MS Died: Unknown
…. 2 Frances Babb Born: 1836 Leake Co, MS Died: Abt. 1876
…….. +Robert Alexander ‘Bob’ Brooks, Jr. Born: 23 May 1833 Georgia Died: Aft. Jun 1900 Good Hope, Leake Co, MS
……….. 3 James ‘Jim’ Robert Brooks Born: 10 Mar 1875 Good Hope, Leake Co, MS Died: 12 Oct 1954 Vicksburg, MS
…………… +Dora Williams Born: 29 Feb 1876 in AL Died: Mar 1920 Anguilla, MS
…. 2 Lucinda Babb Born: Abt. 1839 Leake Co, MS Died: Aft. 1880
…….. +George W. Pigg Born: Abt. 1838 MS Died: Unknown
……….. 3 Elijah Langford Pigg Born: 5 Apr1863 Leake Co, MS Died: 7 May1943 Leake Co, MS
…………… +Amelia ‘Maggie’ Ramsey Born: Abt 1861 Leake Co, MS Died: Bef. 1896
……….. *2nd Wife of Elijah Langford Pigg:
…………… +Emelia Caroline Wren Born: 1863 Died: 1949 Leake Co, MS
……….. 3 Mary F. Pigg Born: Abt. 1867
……….. 3 Annie I. Pigg Born: Abt. 1876 MS
……….. 3 James H. Pigg Born: Abt. 1879 MS
…. *2nd Husband of Lucinda Babb:
…….. +Henry Strickland Born: Abt. 1845 GA Died: Unknown
……….. 3 Jim Strickland Born: Unknown Died: Unknown
…. 2 John Powell Babb Born: May 1844 Leake Co, MS Died: Bet. 1910 – 1920 Unk, MS
…….. +Margarett A. ‘Dinks’ Brewer Born: Jun 1848 MS Died: 04 Mar 1910 Leake CO, MS
……….. 3 Mary Etta ‘Mollie’ Babb Born: 30 Oct 1867 Good Hope, Leake CO, MS
Died: 17 Mar 1951 Pineville, Rapides Parish, LA
…………… +Thomas Griffin Mathis Born: 23 Jan 1857 Atlanta, GA Died: 07 Apr 1901
Selma, Grant Parish, LA
……….. *2nd Husband of Mary E. ‘Mollie’ Babb:
…………… +William Thomas Dillon Born: Abt. 1866 Iowa Died: 03 Nov 1922 New Orleans, LA.
……….. 3 James Alford Babb II Born: 02 Apr 1872 Leake Co, MS Died: 27 Feb 1943 Leake CO, MS
…………… +Myrtle Eloise Lay Born: 24 Jul 1880 Leake CO, MS Died: 05 Jan 1963 Leake CO, MS
……….. 3 Francis Elizabeth ‘Fannie’ Babb Born: 10 Mar 1874 Leake Co, MS Died: 09 Oct
1960 Scott Co, MS
…………… +Thomas Rufus Sones Born:5 Apr 1874 Scott Co, MS Died:2 Jul 1943 Scott Co, MS
……….. 3 John Napoleon Babb Born: 23 May 1878 Leake Co, MS Died: 15 Feb 1949 Lena, Leake Co, MS
…………… +Ammie Brooks Born: 14 Jun 1879 MS Died: 13 Jan 1968 Leake Co, MS
……….. 3 Carrie Gertrude Babb Born: 01 Jun 1883 Leake Co, MS Died: 23 Jun 1969 Leake Co, MS
…………… +Henry Lamar Dumas Born: 08 Mar 1876 Leake Co, MS Died: 23 Feb 1957 Leake Co, MS
……….. 3 Mattie Babb Born: 11 Oct 1886 Leake Co, MS Died: 27 Sep 1968 Buried Cash
Cem, Lena, MS
…………… +W. Melvin Powell Born: 03 Mar 1879 Died: 25 Jan 1954 Miss.
…. 2 Napolian Bonaparte Babb Born: 15 Mar 1847 Walnut Grove, Leake CO, MS Died: 15 Jan 1912 Walnut Grove, Leake CO, MS
…….. +Mary Elizabeth Croswell Born: 03 Apr 1855 Probably GA Died: 05 Oct 1930 Leake Co, MS
……….. 3 Wiley Babb Born: 1871 Leake Co, MS Died: 1873 Leake Co, MS
……….. 3 Emma Magdaline Babb Born: 9 Jan 1873 Leake Co, MS. Died: 12 May 1954 Tuscola, Leake Co, MS
…………… +William Braxton Rives Born: 20 Feb 1868 Georgia Died: 23 Mar 1954 Lena, Leake Co, MS
……….. 3 Bertha Omega Babb Born: 09 Apr 1877 Leake Co, MS Died: 22 Jan 1918 Carthage, Leake Co, MS
…………… +William Hendrix Weems Born: 30 Nov 1874 Leake Co, MS Died: 23 Feb 1948 Forest, West Carroll Parish, LA
……….. 3 Tempie Jane Babb Born: 30 Nov 1878 Died: 14 Mar 1918 Leake County, MS
…………… +Samuel Ben Weems Born: 07 Jul 1878 Died: 30 Nov 1948
……….. 3 Walter Lloyd Babb Born: 22 Sep 1880 MS Died: 26 Jan 1946
…………… +Myrtle Halford Born: 20 May 1884 MS Died: 14 Aug 1986
……….. 3 Mary Etta Babb Born: 10 Dec 1884 Died: 02 Jan 1940
…………… +Walter Raleigh Barrett Born: 14 Feb 1865 Died: 16 Nov 1927
……….. 3 Elijah Alford Babb Born: 30 Sep 1885 Died: Oct 1939
…………… +Trudie Lucille Anderson Born: Unknown MS Died: 28 Feb 1965 Ludlow, MS
……….. 3 Lomie Viola Babb Born: 07 Oct 1887 Died: 31 May 1958
…………… +Louis ‘Lou’ Taylor Born: 12 Aug 1884 Died: 11 Aug 1963
……….. 3 Norma Babb Born: 3 Oct 1889 Died: 7 May 1978 Buried Pleasant Hill Cem, MS.
…………… +Preston P. Davidson Born: Unknown Died: Unknown Buried Golden Grove Cemetery, MS
…. 2 Mancil Monroe Babb Born: 16 Dec 1849 Good Hope, Leake Co, MS Died: 16 Sep 1929 Lone Oak, Hunt Co, TX
…….. +Sarah Anne Greenlee Born: 08 Oct 1855 Good Hope, Leake Co, MS Died: 03 Nov 1940 Lone Oak, Hunt Co, TX
……….. 3 Elmira Hazeltine Babb Born: 08 Jan 1872 Leake Co, MS Died: 13 Jun 1907 Gorman, TX
…………… +James A. Johnson Born: 17 May 1865 Died: 10 Mar 1905 Gorman, TX
……….. 3 Myrtle Viola Babb Born: 03 Jan 1875 Good Hope, Leake Co, MS Died: 01 Sep 1956 Del Rio, TX
…………… +Henry Walter Dockery Born: 17 Aug 1857 Moulton, LaVaca Co, TX Died: 31 Oct 1915 Del Rio, TX
……….. 3 Leona Babb Born: 27 Aug 1877 Rankin CO, MS Died: 08 Aug 1957 Waco, TX
…………… +Ellis Dockery Born: 29 Nov 1875 Moulton, LaVaca CO, TX Died: Jan 1946 Waco, TX
……….. 3 Prentiss Alford Babb Born: 05 Dec 1879 Lone Oak, Hunt Co, TX Died: 20 Jan
1965 Lone Oak, Hunt Co, TX
…………… +Evie Lynch Born: 1883 Lone Oak, Hunt Co, TX Died: 1965 TX
……….. 3 Mancil Andrew Babb Born: 05 May 1882 Good Hope, Leake CO, MS Died: 02 Aug 1981 Campbell, Hunt CO, TX Source: Vital Records of Hunt Co, TX, 1981 Deaths
…………… +Edna Smith Born: 23 May 1891 Florence, Rankin CO, MS Died: 18 Dec 1972 Campbell, Hunt CO, TX
……….. 3 Wiley Greenlee Babb Born: 15 Oct 1884 Moulton, Lavaca CO, TX Died: Unknown
…………… +Q.B. Brown Born: Unknown Died: Unknown
……….. 3 Mary Clare Hope Babb Born: 4 May 1887 Moulton, LaVaca CO, TX Died: 26 Jan 1988 Monahans, TX
…………… +Lewis Lamkin Born: Unknown Died: 03 Dec 1924 Monahans, TX
……….. 3 Vonnie Iva Babb Born: 15 Nov 1893 Moulton, LaVaca CO, TX
Died:1956 Dallas, TX
…………… +Ferman T. Quesenberry Born: Unknown Died: Unknown
…. 2 Charles Alford Babb Born: Mar 1852 MS Died: Aft. Jan 1920
…….. +Mary Belle ‘Sis’ Pigg Born: Aug 1857 MS Died: Aft. 1920
……….. 3 Charles Henry Babb Born: 05 Dec 1877 MS Died: Unknown
…………… +Tamer Babb Born: Mar 1877 MS Died: 17 Jul 1962 MS
……….. 3 Emily ‘Nuck’ Babb Born: Bet. 1878 – 1879
……….. 3 Fred Babb Born: 10 Jul 1881 Leake CO, MS Died: 03 Apr 1972 Madison Gen. Hosp, Madison, MS
…………… +Unknown
……….. *2nd Wife of Fred Babb:
…………… +Ada Fortune Born: 12 Mar 1888 Died: 13 Feb 1957
……….. 3 Annie Babb Born: Jan 1883 MS
……….. 3 Jane Babb Born: 28 May 1884 Leake CO, MS Died: 27 Apr 1950 Leake CO, MS
…………… +Willie W. McNair Born: 11 Feb 1885 Died: 26 Jul 1956 Leake CO, MS
……….. 3 Pearl Babb Born: 05 Dec 1888 Leake CO, MS Died: 26 May 1965 Leake CO, MS
…………… +Henry Willis Wilson Born: 19 Feb 1887 Died: 25 Mar 1962 Leake Co, MS
……….. 3 Cate Babb Born: 15 Dec 1892 Leake Co, MS Died: 20 Feb 1900 Leake Co, MS
…. 2 Amanda M. Babb Born: Abt. 1855 Leake Co, MS Died: Bet. 1860 – 1870 Probably MS
…. 2 Florence Viola Babb Born: Feb 1857 MS Died: 1931
…….. +Gussie Bowlin Born: Unknown Died: Unknown
…. 2 Carie Elizabeth Babb Born: Jun 1860 Leake Co, MS Died: Unknown
…….. +George Allen Born: Unknown MS Died: Unknown
……….. 3 Claud Allen Born: Abt. 1895 Texas
Marriage License of
James Alford Babb & Mary Amanda Henry
Madison County, Mississippi
13 July 1835 License # 234
Know all men by these presents that we JAMES A. BABB and WILLIAM CAGLE of Madison County and State of Mississippi, are held and firmly bonded with W. G. RUNNELS GOVERNOR of the state of Mississippi for the time being and his successors in office in the sum of two hundred dollars current money of the United States. For which payment will and truly to be made we bind ourselves, and our heirs, executors and administrators jointly and severally firmly by these presents. Sealed with our seals and dated this 13th day of July 1835.
The condition of the above obligation is such that whereas a marriage is intended to be celebrated between the above bound JAMES A. BABB and wife MARY HENRY Now if there be no lawful cause to obstruct said marriage or any reason why the same should not take place, then this bond to be void and of no effect otherwise to remain in full force and virtue.
Signed in presence of JAMES A. BABB (Seal)
WILLIAM (X) CAGLE
(His Mark)
Above copy of handwritten document provided by Lynda L. Farmer
204 Pearl Street, Brandon, MS 39042
From the files of Madison County, MS
August, 1998
______________________________
Many thanks to Lynda Farmer and Betty Wall for the following letter from James Alford Babb, husband of Mary Amanda Henry, to their granddaughter Myrtle.
The following letter was not dated.
Myrtle, I have an old letter that Papa[s] father wrote us after we came to Texas. By papa’s request I will copy it in his own words & send it to you as it is about all we know of his people as he left them all in Tennessee. it begins in this way. my fathers name was James. my mothers Elisabeth. my father’s brothers name was Joseph, a noted Baptist Preacher. They were all borned and raised in Lawrence District, South Carolina. they moved from there to Murry County Tennessee then to Alabama. From there to the Western District of Tennessee. my fathers last move was to Texas in Dewitt and from there to Washington Co. in Texas in five miles of Brenham. my Stepmothers was a widow Craig, her given name was Elisabeth. She had a brother that lived & died near Brenham the same place my father died. his name was John Money known as Judge Money. I have one brother a Cambelite Preacher his name was Mancil. I have three sisters Yilpa, Drucilla and Mary. my granfather on my mothers side was William Crisp. I had one uncle living in Boliver Tennesse by the name of Mancil Crisp, he had a son by the name of Elihu O.{?} Crisp that has served as a member of the Legislature for many years. Now this is pretty much all that we know about the Babbs. only I have heard granpa lament that he hadent gone to his people in Texas. They wrote to him to come that they would set him up in business and when he refused they wrote him to come on a visit & they would give him all the cattle and horses he wanted to take back with him but he never did come. there was some kind of a falling out between him & his father & he left them in Tennessee & never saw any of them anymore. anyone could tell by granpas bearing that he was of a good family for he was a perfect tipe of the old gentlemen of long ago.
Your granmother was a Henry. Daughter of Samuel Henry. I believe his name was Sam. he lived in Madison County Miss – on the old Roberson road he kept a big hotell for years to take in travelers as there was as you know no R.R. them days. he lived near the town of Sheron. or where that town now stands. his mother was married twice. her first husband was Henry. her second was Davis & she was the mother of the Jeff Davis of war times & was half brother to papas granfather. granmother Babb had three brothers & four sisters. the brothers were John, Samuel and Scion. the sisters were Linda & Tilda they were twins. Elisabeth Grace & Adeline. granmas was Mary.
Above data from the files of Bill King, Houston, TX DECEMBER 27, 2017
Telephone: 281-493-6767 Email: BillKing78@comcast.net