Francis Marion Babb was the youngest of 8 children born to Joel Heard Babb and Rachel Goodwin Babb. He was born on 10 June 1843 in Cobb County, GA, and later moved with his parents to Mill Creek in Whitfeld County, GA.
He married Mary C. Bridges, daughter of Jonathan Bridges and Mary Huldah McDonald Bridges, on 1 Nov 1860, in Dalton, GA. He was 17 years old; Mary was 20. He and Mary had 8 children:
1. William Marion Babb, born 12 Apr 1864
2. Georgia Ann Babb, born 26 Sept 1868
3. Artemissa Jane Babb, born 6 Oct 1869
4. Mary Angies Babb, born 1874
5. Emma Rosalie Babb, born 18 Nov 1876
6. Emmett Walter Babb, born 29 Dec 1877
7. Luther Columbus Babb, born 4 Feb 1881
8. Martha Ludie Babb, born 12 July 1882
After Mary died on 9 March 1903, Francis married for a 2nd time, choosing a bride who was 24 years younger than he was, Molly E. Butler, born 1867 in Georgia. Francis and Molly married on 15 May 1904. So far, I have found no record that they had any children together.
During the Civil War, Francis served in Co.B, 36th Georgia Infantry, Army Of Tennessee, Army Of C.S.A.
The following information is from my first cousin, W. Michael "Mike" Babb, of Rocky Face, GA:
Francis was a private in the 36th Georgia Infantry from 1 May until Sept. 1863. After capture at Vicksburg, the two opposing Armies were still paroling each other's prisoners. These prisoners would be allowed to return home but could not fight again until an equal number of opposing prisoners had been returned to the other side (Grant later stopped this practice saying that he was tired of fighting the same people twice. This decision led to the terrible prison camps). They could then be re-mustered into the Army.
The approval was given to re-establish the regiments to return to fighting and that was when Francis did not go back. Apparently Francis had a great homecoming when he returned from Vicksburg after the July 4th 1863 surrender since the math works out to April 1864 for a child to be born. The Confederate Army of Tennessee was based in Dalton from November 1863 until May of 1864. Francis was a 20-year-old whose regiment was beaten badly at the battle of Champion's Hill outside Vicksburg (a rout), was trapped in Vicksburg during the siege, and forced to surrender. He returned home and later found that he had a pregnant wife. He had seen war and defeat, he owned no slaves, the enemy was deep in his home territory, most people could see that the south was losing, and his wife was about to give birth. He quit.
I remember as small children me (Mike Babb) and Danny Jennings sitting in the kitchen at Grandmother's while Granddaddy (Thad G. Babb) peeled apples. He told us two stories about his grandfather (Francis) in the civil war. One was about the only man that his grandfather knew for sure that he was responsible for killing. He had seen the Union soldier behind a tree and all he could get a good shot at was his leg. He fired and hit his leg and when the soldier fell from behind the tree, the other Confederates shot him full of holes.
The other story was about the Confederate soldiers being sent to gather the "deserters" back into the regiment. They came to his grandfather's house and took his grandfather into their custody to return to the army. They were crossing the mountain on foot and they came to the large rock ledge near the crest. His grandfather was leading them and told them he would find a way to get through the overhang. He climbed up and called back to them questioning whether they had seen how he climbed up or if they could see him. One of them answered "no" and that was when his grandfather took off running and did not return to the Confederate Army. The Union Army was in charge of Dalton/Whitfield County after the Confederates withdrew in May. Francis was considered a Confederate soldier by them and was loaded up and shipped to Louisville, Ky. where he took the oath.
Francis died on 4 Nov 1920 at Mill Creek, and is buried in the Mill Creek Cemetery, close to his parents.
There is a tradition that the oldest son in his line always takes the middle name of "Marion." Francis Marion Babb's oldest son was William Marion Babb; Will's oldest son was Luther Marion Babb; Luther's oldest son was Quentin Marion Babb; Quentin's oldest son was Raymond Marion Babb; and I believe the tradition was carried on by Raymond, as well.
A special thank-you to Lin Canamore Quigley for posting the fabulous Confederate documents relating to Francis's service in the Civil War!
Francis Marion Babb was the youngest of 8 children born to Joel Heard Babb and Rachel Goodwin Babb. He was born on 10 June 1843 in Cobb County, GA, and later moved with his parents to Mill Creek in Whitfeld County, GA.
He married Mary C. Bridges, daughter of Jonathan Bridges and Mary Huldah McDonald Bridges, on 1 Nov 1860, in Dalton, GA. He was 17 years old; Mary was 20. He and Mary had 8 children:
1. William Marion Babb, born 12 Apr 1864
2. Georgia Ann Babb, born 26 Sept 1868
3. Artemissa Jane Babb, born 6 Oct 1869
4. Mary Angies Babb, born 1874
5. Emma Rosalie Babb, born 18 Nov 1876
6. Emmett Walter Babb, born 29 Dec 1877
7. Luther Columbus Babb, born 4 Feb 1881
8. Martha Ludie Babb, born 12 July 1882
After Mary died on 9 March 1903, Francis married for a 2nd time, choosing a bride who was 24 years younger than he was, Molly E. Butler, born 1867 in Georgia. Francis and Molly married on 15 May 1904. So far, I have found no record that they had any children together.
During the Civil War, Francis served in Co.B, 36th Georgia Infantry, Army Of Tennessee, Army Of C.S.A.
The following information is from my first cousin, W. Michael "Mike" Babb, of Rocky Face, GA:
Francis was a private in the 36th Georgia Infantry from 1 May until Sept. 1863. After capture at Vicksburg, the two opposing Armies were still paroling each other's prisoners. These prisoners would be allowed to return home but could not fight again until an equal number of opposing prisoners had been returned to the other side (Grant later stopped this practice saying that he was tired of fighting the same people twice. This decision led to the terrible prison camps). They could then be re-mustered into the Army.
The approval was given to re-establish the regiments to return to fighting and that was when Francis did not go back. Apparently Francis had a great homecoming when he returned from Vicksburg after the July 4th 1863 surrender since the math works out to April 1864 for a child to be born. The Confederate Army of Tennessee was based in Dalton from November 1863 until May of 1864. Francis was a 20-year-old whose regiment was beaten badly at the battle of Champion's Hill outside Vicksburg (a rout), was trapped in Vicksburg during the siege, and forced to surrender. He returned home and later found that he had a pregnant wife. He had seen war and defeat, he owned no slaves, the enemy was deep in his home territory, most people could see that the south was losing, and his wife was about to give birth. He quit.
I remember as small children me (Mike Babb) and Danny Jennings sitting in the kitchen at Grandmother's while Granddaddy (Thad G. Babb) peeled apples. He told us two stories about his grandfather (Francis) in the civil war. One was about the only man that his grandfather knew for sure that he was responsible for killing. He had seen the Union soldier behind a tree and all he could get a good shot at was his leg. He fired and hit his leg and when the soldier fell from behind the tree, the other Confederates shot him full of holes.
The other story was about the Confederate soldiers being sent to gather the "deserters" back into the regiment. They came to his grandfather's house and took his grandfather into their custody to return to the army. They were crossing the mountain on foot and they came to the large rock ledge near the crest. His grandfather was leading them and told them he would find a way to get through the overhang. He climbed up and called back to them questioning whether they had seen how he climbed up or if they could see him. One of them answered "no" and that was when his grandfather took off running and did not return to the Confederate Army. The Union Army was in charge of Dalton/Whitfield County after the Confederates withdrew in May. Francis was considered a Confederate soldier by them and was loaded up and shipped to Louisville, Ky. where he took the oath.
Francis died on 4 Nov 1920 at Mill Creek, and is buried in the Mill Creek Cemetery, close to his parents.
There is a tradition that the oldest son in his line always takes the middle name of "Marion." Francis Marion Babb's oldest son was William Marion Babb; Will's oldest son was Luther Marion Babb; Luther's oldest son was Quentin Marion Babb; Quentin's oldest son was Raymond Marion Babb; and I believe the tradition was carried on by Raymond, as well.
A special thank-you to Lin Canamore Quigley for posting the fabulous Confederate documents relating to Francis's service in the Civil War!
