I, NELL BICKHAM BABINGTON, bring [being] of sound mind and body, do hereby make the following statement of facts that I know of my knowlege [sic], and from the many-times repeated statements made by my fahter [sic] and mother---Thomas Adolphus Bickham and Cinderilla Amith[sic, Smith] Bickham--this the 15th day of May 1954, in the town of Franklinton, Parish of Washington, State of Louisiana, where I was born and have lived my entire life!
My father's brothers and sisters were: Martha who married Henry Brumfield; Louisa, called Mit, who married Bill Allen; Sara and Mandy who married two brothers Frank and Wes Holmes, respectively, who in turn were brothers to Mrs. (Dr.) Jep Brock, the twin of Dr. Jim Brock; one who died young; and the yougest girls, Ada married a Coney; Una married a Statham later sheriff of Pike County, Miss.; and Alice who married Jake Magee and went to Texas. Alice's descendants had the Bible of my grandparents. The boys were my father, the oldest who married twice, my mother being his second wife; Charles who married Gabe Smith; Oscar who married three times, the last one being Hecky Hunter; and Ollie who died single.
My Grandfather was Thomas Carroll Bickham. He had a sister who married a Yarborough and his parents are buried at the "Old Bickham" cemetery above Clifton, Louisiana. One of his brothers was named Francis who served in the War of 1812.
My father's grandfather was named Benjamin, for he told me many times. My neice, the daughter of my brother Dort, has Major Bickham's sword, used in the Florida Expeditionary Militia in the early 1800's. This was handed down from father to son.
"Cousin Liz"--Elizabeth Bickham who died single, and is buried in Franklinton cemetery besides her father, and grandparents, was the daughter of William, the son of John Bickham and Anastasis [sic] Dalton Bickham, patriots, John Bickham gave the 30 acres for the site of Franklinton, reserving one acre for the courthouse, and two for the town's cemetery, beside his own house of [sic, on] Mile Branch-an even mile from the courthouse square. I knew her well. As did some of my neices and nephrews.
Then there was "Cousin Ab," who was Abner Clower Bickham, son of Thomas Bickham and Samantha Clower. And "Cousin Sandy"--Sandall W. Bickham, and brother to Cousin Liz. My father, "Cousins Ab and Sandy" were all active members of the Franklinton Lodge F & A.M. from its inception to their death. The Lodge was chartered 1851.
Signed Nell Bickham Babington
Notarized 14th day January 1956, Hailey M. Carter, N.P.
