Category: DNA-01: Lions of the Sea
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Skjöldr: The Shield-King at the Dawn of Our Lineage
Tracing the Babb Family’s Legendary Roots to the First Kings of Denmark Every so often, genealogy hands us a story so old, so mythic, that it feels less like research and more like opening a door into the deep imagination of our ancestors. Today’s chapter takes us far beyond the Isles of Shoals, beyond England,…
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Iconic Babbs Bridge reopens following crash repairs
One of our members asked for an update on Babbs Bridge near Portland, Maine and I was happy to find that the repairs were completed back in February and the bridge reopened. Cover Image by Sean Baker A reprint of a source article in the Windham Eagle:The Windham Eagle: Iconic Babbs Bridge reopens following crash…
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4, The Quay, Dartmouth, Devon
This iconic home on The Quay in Dartmouth was built in 1664 for Robert Plumley. Robert’s granddaughter was the first wife of Phillip Babb of the Isles of Shoals. This building will figure prominently in an upcoming story, so remember it. It is a Grade II listed building and we will be stopping here during…
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The Illusive Abraham Babb – Newfoundland, London, & Newton Abbot
Abraham is the man that my English predecessor Ian Henry Babb believed to be the immigrant ancestor of the Newfoundland Babbs. There are a series of badly disjointed record fragments that point to his repeated presence in the area that were collected by someone on the island. However, the repository is a long series of…
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Peter Babb of Charles Co, MD (d. 1737)
This seemingly random set of records for one Peter Babb who died in Charles Co, MD in 1735 has a purpose. I’m still not sure what that is at this point. But he appears in a state dominated by a different genetic lineage, that of the Green Men of Maryland. Yet, he simply cannot be…
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London’s Lady Day Hearth Tax of 1666
Lady Day, also known as the Feast of the Annunciation, is celebrated on March 25th. It commemorates the announcement by the archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that she would conceive and bear Jesus Christ1. This event is significant in Christianity and is observed in various denominations, including Orthodoxy, Anglicanism, Catholicism, and Lutheranism1. In England,…
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Tribute to Penny Chaboudy
A Pillar of the Babb Family Association From the first moment I walked into the 2001 Babb Family Association Reunion, Penny Chaboudy was there to greet me. She was the coordinator of the reunion, which was held at the breathtaking Isles of Shoals. Ever since that memorable day, Penny has been a steadfast pillar in…
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Essex Co, MA – Wills, Probate & Guardianship Records
I accidentally jumped down a rabbit hole while researching the Green Men of Maryland Babbs. I clicked on a record that I thought might be one of them but instead was teleported into the Lions of the Sea lineage of descendants of Peter Babb (1-5). The record was a handwritten last will & testament. So,…
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The sale of Thomas Babb’s Homestead to Joseph Lupton
While combing through the Frederick County, VA deed transactions I came across two sets of documents regarding land sold to Joseph Lupton. Joseph, is the person who ended up with Thomas Babb’s (1-2) Homestead in Winchester, VA. The home took a number of turns of ownership over the years. It would have first been built…
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Babb’s Bridge Catches a Break
I can’t find another way to say this. Some Einstein tried to drive an overloaded dump truck across Babb’s Bridge in Gorham, Maine (near Portland) yesterday. The bridge’s capacity is 3-tons as it is made of wood. The loaded truck weighed 18-tons. Local Coverage: This-is-a-first-dump-truck-falls-through-covered-bridge-in-gorham The truck plunged into the river below flipping on its…
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Phillip’s (1) brother John a Devon Notary in London
This record presents yet another piece of evidence supporting the associations we have made connecting Phillip to his families in London and Devon: John Babb – Devon Notary in LondonDate: Feb 21, 1627Location: Doctors CommonsItem: 77Dr. Joseph Martyn to the Lords of the Admiralty. The Lords had granted him a commission for executing the jurisdiction…
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Reunion Photos (Part 2)
Thomas Babb (1-2) Homestead As promised, here is the download link for the full collection: Reunion Photos This was the most memorable reunion since we did the log raising of Seth Babb’s Homestead! Thanks to everyone who helped to make it happen!
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Reunion Photos (Part 1)
NOTE: At the end of part 2, I’ll post a link to all of the Reunion Photos, so you can download them to your own computer. So, there is no need to download each one individually. About Town Back Creek Quaker Cemetery (Gainesboro) Hopewell Meeting House Meeting House Interior These were taken through the windows…
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Did I say I had wrapped up Mercer Babb?
Just kidding! I finally got at a new source today that isn’t available online. With the help of the Stuart Bell Archives at the Handley Library in Winchester, VA, I have some additional information on the home that started my quest to understand more about Mercer Babb. I had first set out to learn when…
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The Long Green House & Babb’s Mill
The “Long Green House” was one of the stops during the 2024 Babb Family Association Reunion. It sits atop a small hill at the end of a narrow road that bears its name. It has aged relatively well and does not show signs of its true age. But, in fact it dates back to the…
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Wrapping up Mercer Babb
I’ve finally gotten this multitude of information recorded in Mercer Babb’s (1-2-3-3) record in the Master Tree. In all there are now 68 source records attached to his name. A new one appeared today that indicates he transferred his membership from Hopewell MM in Winchester, VA directly to Bush River MM in Newberry Co, SC…
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Mercer Babb, American Patriot! (Part 3)
The most incredible little collection of records surfaced during this quest, the likes of which I have never seen. Before this series we knew nothing about Mercer’s life after Winchester, VA. But I’ve come to find out the the most thrilling parts of his life lay ahead of him as he moved to South Carolina.…
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Mercer Babb, The Elder Statesman (Part 2)
Today, we will discuss a new chapter of Mercer’s (1-2-3-3) life after his time in Frederick Co, VA. We move forward into his new life in South Carolina. Initially, all I set out to do was to find when he would have built his house in Winchester, VA. While I still don’t know that answer,…
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An Interview with Hardie Glover Babb, Jr
Below is a link to an exclusive interview with one Hardie Glover Babb Jr, (aka II). It has been catalogued for the Library of Congress. This is a very unique chance to hear first-hand from a true Babb veteran of WWII. Hardie is a member of the Lions of the Sea and his trail back…
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The Biography of Mercer Babb (1-2-3-3) – Part 1
The first stop on our tour of Winchester, VA was the homestead of Mercer Babb (1-2-3-3). The home is not in good condition as of this writing and despite being set back a good distance from the Highway that it resides on, the land in front of it is home to a used car lot…
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The Protestation Oath of Allegiance & Phillip Babb (1) & his brother Thomas Babb of the ship Hopewell
I first noticed this record while canvasing Devon’s historic records in 2021 and posted about it at that time. Standing in Phillip’s Shadow – Babb Unabridged At the time I was still assembling about 7,000 records and wasn’t yet ready to make a pronouncement as to any connections. As I make final preparations for a…
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Shadows in the Moonlight: The Stone-Throwing Devil’s Reign
The tale of the Stone-Throwing Devil in New Castle, New Hampshire, is a fascinating and eerie one. Let’s conjure up an image of this supernatural event that plagued George Walton’s tavern in 1682. In the quaint coastal town of New Castle, during the summer of 1682, a poltergeist—dubbed the Stone-Throwing Devil—descended upon George Walton’s tavern.…
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The Inventory of Phillip’s (1) Estate
Phillip Babb (1) died in early 1671 without apparently leaving a will. At a Court held at York on 4 July 1671, Letters of Administration were granted to Mr. Nathaniel Fryer, and he was empowered to bring in a true Inventory of the estate to the next Court of Associates. (Maine Province and Court Records,…
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It Was a Family Affair
In the annals of the Babb family history, a curious entry caught my eye—a cryptic note penned by Elizabeth Babb in her treatise Babb Families Come to America. Initially, I skimmed the note with little regard. Yet, it would not be dismissed! I started thinking that it might be a clue to join two trees…
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The Legend of Phillip Babb (1): A Perilous Journey to the Isles of Shoals
Once upon a tempest-tossed time, when the world was still shrouded in mystery and uncharted waters beckoned the brave, there lived a man named Phillip Babb. His heart, like the restless sea, yearned for adventure beyond the horizon. Act I: The Call of the Unknown Phillip Babb, a rugged soul with salt-crusted boots and wind-whipped…
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Phillip Babb (1) Haunts Appledore!
Today we discuss another story attributed to Phillip Babb (1) of the Isles of Shoals. This one centers on his ghost haunting Appledore Island. It was known as Hog Island in his day, but the name was changed for obvious reasons. Once again, I’ll be fact checking as we go. The story goes like this:…
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Phillip Babb (1) and the folktale of Ocean-Born Mary Fulton
There is an old folktale that has been attributed to our legendary fishing master working as a pirate. Today we are going to discuss the story and actually fact check it at the same time. It goes like this: The Babb family lived in the southern part of England. As the tale goes, he was…
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Announcement: Babb Unabridged, 3rd Edition is coming soon, in Print!
Once upon a time, in the realm of Babb knowledge and history, there existed a grand library of first editions, bound in leather and etched with the wisdom of ages. These tomes were cherished, for they held the essence of a lineage, a tale of Phillip’s kin from the green lands of England. Nine winters…
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Lions of the Sea T-Shirt
You asked for it and now it is finally here! Just in time for the Reunion. Order Yours Here Lions of the Sea T-Shirtby Babb_Unabridged
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Who is the Real Peter Babb?
The Chancery Court Records of 1821 yield a new perspective of Hampshire County, VA/WV. In addition to the Green Men of Maryland that we have been exploring we find a series of records that shed light on a new intersectionality between the Green Men of Maryland and someone named Peter Babb. The obvious answer wasn’t…
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The Deeds of Hampshire Co, VA/WV
Let’s review the deeds of Hampshire Co, VA/WV. Hampshire County was established in the year 1754 during the French and Indian War. It emerged as the western frontier of the Colony of Virginia. Because Virginia’s route to the upper Ohio River valley passed through Hampshire County, this area became a vital gateway to the developing west. So, it seems only logical that the Babbs of…
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Lions, and Green Men, and White Stags???
This has got to be one of those, “You’ve got to be kidding me” moments. I’ve previously established that there were indeed Green Men of MD and White Stags of VA/NC in Clay County, IL. However, I’ve run across an unexpected record that muddies the water greatly! Enter, The Lions of the Sea The following…
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Lions and Panthers & Green Men! Oh My!
Additional research has revealed something I never expected. I first started this quest trying to find out if it was possible for 2 of the 4 key genetic lineages of Babbs in the US to come together in the same county. The place in question was Clay County, IL. I’m several weeks into researching what…
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Hugh Webster Babb Jr – Bordentown Military Institute, NJ
On eBay we find the original belt and buckle of Hugh Webster Babb Jr (1-5-3-3-6-4-1-2-3) of the Lions of the Sea lineage. The listing has some incorrect assumptions that are easily remedied by knowing his vital statistics. Hugh was born on 25 Oct 1919 to parents Hugh and Persis (Loring Conant) Babb Sr. Additional information…
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All-Points Bulletin
Correction: This article has been updated to clarify an oversight I made when publishing it. The information was buried in the article, but it wasn’t clear to me and thus it didn’t come through in my post. The Bronze plaque is deceiving. It turns out that the homestead mentioned below isn’t as old as the…
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Let’s Talk about “The Black Death”
The Black Death was a bubonic plague pandemic that occurred in Western Eurasia and North Africa from 1346 to 13531. It is the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, causing the deaths of 75–200 million people1, this represented 30-50% of the total population2. The Black Death arrived in England in 13483. The plague arrived in Europe…
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From Newton Abbot to Phillip (1)
I’ve had some requests to fully explain the direct line of descent from the recently recovered ancestry of Phillip Babb (1) of the Isles of Shoals. In this post, I’ll identify the exact connection, but I will not discuss the siblings that were not pertinent to this exact journey. I will cover them at a…
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There’s something about Mary Baylie
Mary Bailie has somehow found her way into the common vernacular as the surviving wife/mistress of Phillip Babb (1) of the Isles of Shoals. While uncovering Phillip’s London based family, I discovered something that made me want to rethink her place and to see what we actually know about Mary Bailey. Much effort has been…
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The Isles of Shoals Collection by Julia Older is now available in the Babb Archives
Back in 2020 Julia and I talked about preserving her legacy. We agreed that the Babb Family Association would carry her work forward by making it available in perpetuity through the Babb Family Association on Babb Unabridged. She was quite the proliferate author, but we were able to digitize 3 of her books that relate…
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Peterwell v. Petronell
Today I revisit a family that was instrumental in helping unlock the distant secrets of the Lions of the Sea. In Elizabeth A.S. Babb’s treatise titles Babbs Come to America she struggled to understand the difficult to read writing that involved a Babb by the name of Matterwell. We still don’t have the correct spelling…
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Meet Phillip’s (1) Ancestors in Highweek, Devon
Welcome to Feudal England! Feudalism was introduced in England in 1066 following the Battle of Hastings and the Norman Conquest12. It changed the way of life for the English people1. Cover Image: By Smalljim – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14246000 The date is 1332 and the King’s aids were making the rounds collecting taxes from the layman…
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Meet Phillip’s (1) Great-Grandfather John Babbe (bef 1467-aft 1548): Founder of Newton Abbot & Bovey Tracey
It’s time to meet the new progenitor of the Lions of the Sea, John Babbe. Let’s talk more about him. History does not appear to have recorded the name of the mother of John’s children, which was common in that timeframe. Let me start by saying that the documentary evidence is scant this far back.…
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Meet Phillip’s (1) Grampa: Thomas Babb (bef 1544-aft 1584) of Newton Abbot, Newfoundland and Points Unknown
The time has come to reveal the next generation of the Lions of the Sea! Let me introduce you to Phillip Babb’s (1) Grampa, who in addition to Phillip’s father Thomas (1577-1620), is also named Thomas Babb (1544-1608). It turns out that Gramps was also a mariner and a landowner in Newton Abbot, Devon. He…
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Meet Phillip’s (1) Father: Thomas Babb, Mariner
Thomas Babb, Mariner (1675) is a man of few documents. His life in the Limehouse/Stepney area is virtually unknown to us. Yet, his will survives and provides some great information for us. The lack of documents could in part be a result of the Great London fire. The Great Fire of London in 1666 destroyed…
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Breakthrough: Phillip Babb (1) of the Isles of Shoals, London Family Revealed
In case you missed it in my last post, we have finally resolved the mystery of Phillip Babb’s ancestry. He is the son of Thomas Babb, Mariner (1575) and brother of Thomas Babb of the Hopewell. I’ve completely updated the notes associated with Phillip and his children to reflect our current understanding of this family…
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The Babb-Plumbley Connection in London: A Tipping Point
Getting back to Elizabeth A.S. Babb’s work titled Babb Families Come to America this entry for Phillip Babb turned my head. Elizabeth would have had no way of knowing how important this testimony of Mary Babbe would prove to be. That is because the record of our Phillip who married Marie Plumlie wasn’t discovered for…
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The Babb-Shapleigh Connection
There is more to learn from this same record that I mentioned in my last post Why did Phillip (1) marry in Dartmouth? In addition to unveiling the Plumlie/Plumleigh history the record also establishes a connection to the Shapleigh family. The Shapleigh/Babb connection in England is well documented. Additionally, the proximity of Phillip Babb (1)…
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Why did Phillip (1) marry in Dartmouth?
I’ve always wondered why there are no other records of Phillip Babb (1) of the Isles of Shoals in Dartmouth, Devon, England. He seems to have appeared and gotten married, but never seems to have made a home there. No records of his children exist or his life afterwards. Today I’ve found the answer to…
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Matterwell or bust
Elizabeth A. S. Babb had a theory that was unprovable in her time. She noticed a potential connection in her 31-year old document titled Babb Families Come to America. Cover Photo: By Doyle of London – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=119261946 Before I begin, know that if you struggle to understand this with all…
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A Watershed Moment!
I’ve been reviewing a self-published work by an Elizabeth A. S. Babb. She was in contact with Ian Henry Babb, my predecessor in the UK. He had several drafts of her work in his collected papers, culminating in a 63-page document that outlines the findings and records she reviewed in her journey. It was self-published…
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Thomas Babb (1620) – 1st Record in America
Today we discuss what appears to be the very first record of Thomas Babb who later owned the ship “Hopewell”. In 1627 we find him listed as both a witness and overseer of the estate of Robert Middleton. This record is important because it stands the potential to reveal where in Virginia that Thomas made…
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Cod, Money and Power: How the Devon Babbs found their way to Newfoundland
Today, I focus on the motivation behind Devon’s connection to the island of Newfoundland in Canada. Today Newfoundland and the peninsula of Labrador have been merged into a single province aptly named Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). The history Newfoundland was discovered by John Cabot in 1497, who had set out to find Asia on a…
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Getting to know Limehouse and Stepney through something thoroughly modern!
Limehouse and Stepney are two historic neighborhoods located in the East End of London, England. Limehouse was originally a small village that became a busy port and shipbuilding center in the 19th century. It was home to a large immigrant community, including the Chinese, Jewish, and Irish. Cover Image: John Boydell, View of the Riverside…
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Taking the Bull by the Horns
I’ve put the matter off too long and the time has come that I must revisit how I address the residents of Greater London. While it isn’t apparent to the average user, the backend database, in Family Tree Maker 2019, that lists where records are from has been a hot mess. Some of which was…
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Geoffrey Babbe of Totnes – A Suspicious License (1585)
Saint Malo is a port city in Northern France with an antagonistic attitude towards the rulers of France. From time to time, it would declare its independence from both British and French rule. It is during one of those spats in 1585 that Geoffrey Babbe got caught up in a potential licensing dispute involving a…
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It’s official: Captain Thomas Babb of the ship “Hopewell” is NOT the father of Phillip Babb (1) of the Isles of Shoals
I’ve often wondered about this mythical man, Captain Thomas Babb of the Hopewell. I had long pinned my hopes that something might arise to prove a connection between him and Phillip (1). I finally stumbled upon some documentation for him in Jean Sargent’s book notes (please remember that there are 40K+ pages of documentation). Why…
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Doctor When? – Phillip’s ancestors in Newfoundland – 1584!
While reviewing Jean’s papers I’ve found a few references to Newfoundland Babbs that take the Newfoundland story back further than I ever imagined. There is a Thomas Babb (of Newton Abbot) that was doing business in Newfoundland as far back as 1584! Because of Y-DNA research, this means that an ancestor of Phillip Babb (1)…
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Thomas Babb of Newton Abbot – The Missing Link?
Proving Phillip Babb’s (1) connection to England may come about through something we call collateral relatives. The idea behind it is that when you can’t find proof of a connection using your ancestor’s paper trail, you extend your search to their relatives, thus opening up your nets to catch more fish. I must admit I’ve…
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The Passing of a Legendary Honorary Babb – Julia Older
It is with great sadness that I announce the death of Julia Older. Many will remember her from her recitation, at the 2011 Babb Family Reunion, of a chapter of her book “This Desired Place: The Isles of Shoals”. I first came across her work while researching that next Babb Family Reunion in 2010. I…
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The American Revolution, Newfoundland, Pirates in Portugal, Waterford, Phillip Babb (1) & Me On My Ear!
It is hard to imagine how all of these stories could convene, but they have! I’ve always assumed that the Newfoundland Babbs were loyal to the Crown and as the American Revolution began, they left America for safer territory in Canada. There is just a single family in Newfoundland, Thomas & Esther Babb who gave…
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Newfoundland Babb – The Origin Story, the Lions of the Sea & Newton Abbot
Continuing my work on the Newfoundland Babbs I perused Archive.org further to see if any additional information was available on Thomas (NL1) & Esther Babb and couldn’t believe my eyes. Thomas was NOT the first Babb in Newfoundland! John Babb was recorded on the Island a full 97 years before Thomas’ earliest record. In 1681…
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What happened after the Babb Brig “Brothers” took the life of Lt. Samuel Babb
In July I penned an article about the sinking of a boat known as “Brothers” that was owned by Samuel Babb and his brother John. There was a loose end that needed to be tied off. I could see that his widow Jane (Tessier) has applied for a widow’s pension due to his service in…
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Reverend Thomas Babb (1785-1861) -He just didn’t like the Bastard!
Every now and then an article comes along that just writes itself. It makes you wonder if this is the origin story for the phrase. Start reading after the break in the first column. The Exeter Flying Post or Trewman’s Plymouth and Cornish Advertiser, 25 Jun 1818 Get to know Edmund Pollexfen Bastard Thomas happens…
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Thomas Babb (1754-1810) – In His Own Words
This speech, by Thomas Babb, was quoted in The Exeter Flying Post or Trewman’s Plymouth and Cornish Advertiser, on 12 Jun 1806. 216 years have passed! But thanks to the diligent work of the people at Newspapers.com, we are able to read it today. A find like this was virtually unheard of ten years ago and…
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The Final Journey of the Babb Brig “Brothers”
Thanks to one of our eagle-eyed members, we now know more about the final journey of the ship aptly named “Brothers”. This is a continuation of my recent post Thomas Babb: Feoffee of St. Mary’s of Wolborough, Devon (1754-1810) – Babb Unabridged where we saw two brothers (Samuel & John Babb) that were lost along…
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Thomas Babb: Feoffee of St. Mary’s of Wolborough, Devon (1754-1810)
I came across a reference to two memorial plaques at St. Mary’s Church in Wolborough, which happens to be in the Parish of Newton Abbot. I sent off for photos of them from the Church Office and received these two images. They hold a place of honor on the wall of the church and are…
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Babb hosts first-ever Christmas Parade
This headline was confusing to me when I first saw it too. The Town of Babb, Montana, which is named for Cyrus Cates Babb (1867-1937). Cyrus’ number in the Babb Tree is 1-5-3-2-3-1-5-2, which means his trail back up the tree reads as follows: Cyrus Cates, Cyrus Knapp, Henry Cates, Joseph, Peter, James, Peter, Phillip…
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A Family Bible provides more than 1 Dozen Points of Proof
Family Bibles have long been used to record births, marriages and deaths of family members. Arene J. (Leggins, Babb) Gorton’s Family Bible is no different. The book was retrieved by one of her descendants while cleaning out her father’s house after his death. Before I get into the details of what this amazing find revealed,…
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DNA Waiting Game – Hussey Edition
Regardless of what the DNA says, one thing is certain. Things will never be the same again.
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Photo Mystery: Raymond Holden Babb
It isn’t uncommon when working on the tree to come across photos of the individuals you are working on. Such was the case with this curious photo of Raymond Holden Babb (Seated) and his friend Clifford Eugene Day. This picture shows the fondness these two men had for each other. But no information exists to…
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Picnicking with Theresa Butler (Parker) Babb 1898-1900
Theresa Babb (1868-1948) was married to Charles Wilkes Babb (1-5-4-4-2-2-1-4), director of Knox Mill, Camden, Maine. For reasons unknown, she also possessed a gift for taking spontaneous and immediate photographs of her friends and family – such as these, while picnicking. Thanks to Marcus for bringing this collection to my attention! Source: https://retronaut.com/content/1898-1900-picnicking-with-theresa?rq=babb
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1787 Seth Babb Homestead featured in Early American Life Magazine
I was thrilled to learn that Early American Life Magazine has an article on Seth’s place in their May/June issue. Since newsstands aren’t exactly common these days, I’m re-posting the article here for you to read. It’s a short piece, but they worked with the museum to obtain background and pictures from the Log Raising…
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Women’s Liberation 2019
I have spent the last several weeks coming through 2500 photos of people in the Master Tree and trying to normalize the names presented in the photos. I recently posted about how cumbersome that is, but something else has struck me that I’d like to share. On a recent trip to Lake Travis near Austin,…
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How Do You Spell Kismet?
I had to look up the spelling for Kismet, but there was no other word I could think of to explain this picture. kis·met [ˈkizmit, ˈkizˌmet] NOUN destiny; fate. “what chance did I stand against kismet?” synonyms: fate · destiny · fortune · providence · the stars · God’s will · what is written in…
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Meet Joel Babb, the painter of Boston who lives deep in the woods of Maine – Portland Press Herald
Meet Joel Babb, the painter of Boston who lives deep in the woods of Maine
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Shoals Marine Laboratory (Library/Shirts)
Thanks to one of our members, I’m ordering some new replacement t-shirts for the Shoals Marine Laboratory (SML) on Appledore Island. As anyone who has been on a Reunion with me knows, I buy a T-shirt everywhere I go! I’ve got a shirt that I’ve worn out after all these year and am in need…
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Announcement: Ian Babb & Jean A. Sargent- Papers now available online
I’m so pleased to present to you the collected papers of Ian Babb. Which are now available online. The 5683 page collection represents the lifetime of research conducted by Ian on the Babb Families of England. For those of you who aren’t familiar with his work, he is the English equivalent of Jean A. Sargent,…
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When was Phillip Babb of the Isles of Shoals (1) really born?
Updated: 24 May 2024 with new information. A keen reader noticed a little confusion about the birthdate of Phillip Babb of the Isles of Shoals. There are a few entries that appear contradictory to each other in Babb’s Rock (Volume 1 of the first edition Babb Unabridged series). Let me start by saying good people disagree…
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BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT: Babb’s Rock is now available in Print!
I am thrilled to announce that my first book is finally available in print. Babb’s Rock, is the first volume of a new series that will unfold to include Babb lineages from around the world. I’ve title the series Babb Unabridged, because I plan to leave nothing out. Please note that this is NOT simply…
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Conference on Western Radicals, featuring Sanora Babb to be held Nov 2014
Below is a Session proposal for a conference on Western Radicals, featuring the works of Sanora Babb, among others. Sanora is, of course, the would be famous, author who’s work An Owl on Every Fencepost was pulled from release after the blockbuster reception of Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath. I mentioned this at the reunion and…
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Leaving the Paper Trail Behind to find Phillip (Part 2)
Back in November, I posted regarding using treatments of local records combined with DNA matches that have other surnames. My research ended up being inconclusive, due to a lack of 35-37 marker matches who had other surnames. Our best matches that are outside of our organization are 22-25 marker matches. Each additional match brings down…
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An Illegitimate son of Phillip?
I’d like to introduce you to one of our Genetic Matches, John Morrill b.1640 who married in Kittery, ME in 1665. A descendant of John Morrill (Morrell) is a 25 marker genetic match to our family. John was known to have been adopted and was born in 1640. The birth father is not known and…
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Leaving the Paper Trail Behind to find Phillip
Last week I attended the 8th Annual Genetic Genealogy Conference in Houston, TX. Being there was watching a mashup of Big Bang Theory and the Golden Girls. I had hopes of finally understanding better the results I am seeing. Thus far I’ve only been able to make a Yes/No call on what I see in…
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Shoals History Week (Aug 7-10)
If you will find yourself in the Maine/New Hampshire area this summer, Registrations are now being taken for Shoals History Week (Aug 7-10). http://www.sml.cornell.edu/sml_publiced_shoalshistory.html Robin Hadlock Seeley with Cornell University wrote to inform me that last year they had 4 descendants attend the class from another historic Shoals family and it was a lot of…
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Babb’s Annex Canada
Please join me in welcoming the Newfoundland Babb’s back into the tree! In the first significant discovery by our DNA testing initiative, we have proven that the Babb’s of Newfoundland, Canada are in fact descendants of Phillip Babb of the Isles of Shoals. Descendants of William Babb of Harbour Grace, Newfoundland in Canada have searched…
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George Walton & “The Stone Throwing Devil”
Before we get to the story let me give you some perspective. George Walton is the Father of Abishag who married Robert Taprill. Their daughter Grace was the 3rd wife of Sampson Babb (1-4). Sampson was Grace’s 2nd Husband. She had 6 young children from her first marriage to Isreal Hoyt. The only Babb’s who…
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Update on my research
I am still processing all the info from the NH State Archives and haven’t even begun on the stuff I accumulated on my trip. I was in the middle of it when I left and have been trying to complete it before moving on so I don’t lose my place and miss stuff. I’m up…
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NH State Papers
I forgot to mention a major amount of records I found online. NH has posted some 30,000 pages of early records from the state online. It is even indexed! Here is the link: http://www.sos.nh.gov/archives/nhstatepapers.html Additionally, the University of New Hampshire has posted about 100 years of The Granite Monthly, a magazine devoted to literature, history…
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Back home at last
Wow, I was only in New England for 3.5 days and logged abour 300 miles and visited 6 Libraries (Ipswich, Greenland, Portsmouth Athenaeum, Rye, Salem & York) and had lunch with the author of “This Desired Place” Julia Older. I’m posting the remainder of my files today which include some of the most valuable finds…
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Salem, MA
Last night I had some spare time so I drove out to Rye, NH as the library was open late. It was pretty much a dry run, but on the way back I stopped by New Castle, NH and took photos of the Bridge Sampson opposed way back when. It is very scenic over there…
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Added Photos of New Castle & Portsmouth…
…to the family site and to my facebook. Repost: Originally posted on Apr 13, 10
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Greenland, NH
This morning I went to the Weeks Library in Greenland, NH. Greenland was the home to Peter Babb & Sarah Cate. I met with the town historian who brought two large index card file boxes with him that listed just about everyone who ever lived there. He also pointed me to a book that catalogs…
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Murder She Wrote
I finally made it to Portsmouth tonight! Actually, the exit was closed and I overshot into Kittery. Fortunately, I made the investment on my rental to get the GPS. It recalculated my route about 6 times today and I was so glad I had it. I flew into Boston Logan Airport. My flight was a…
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Shapleigh Connection
I made a Shapleigh connection to the Babb family finally. But it isn’t the one you might be hoping for. Alexander Shapleigh (Born 1585 in Totnes, Devon, England) is the maternal grandfather of husband of aunt of wife of son. To be more exact: Alexander’s daughter Catherine married James Treworgy. Their son Samuel married Dorcas…
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This Desired Place: The Isles of Shoals
While on my Genealogical Expedition to Portsmouth I have arranged to meet with Julia Older who is the Author of a new book This Desired Place: The Isles of Shoals. The book, although a piece of fiction, features Phillip & Mary Babb and their 5 boys. I am only half way through the book at…
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Fab 40
My initial searches led me far astray down unpredictable paths. As I am only 7 days from my trip, I realized I needed to step back and set a scope for my project to stay away from the rabbit holes, I have come up with a list of 40 names that I plan to research.…
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See it for yourself
There is nothing like seeing it for yourself. For years, I’ve been cloudy about the first records at the Isles of Shoals. Yesterday, I went down to the Dallas Library and located the Microfilm from the Mass Archives. I was glad to find a well organized index for the entire 328 volume set. It is…
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Branching Out
So, we all know about Phillip, but not much about his children. We are embarking upon a research project to turn over every stone and learn as much as we can about Phillip & his kids. The results of this effort will be the foundation for our reunion that comes up next year. The plan…
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Heading to the Isles of Shoals
In preparation for the reunion in summer of 2011, I’m making a trip to the Portsmouth, NH area to make final preparations for the reunion and embark on a new research effort to learn more about Phillip Babb of the Isles of Shoals and his children. I’ll be posting more about it as the trip…