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Oral
history has it that our Babb ancestors were of sturdy "Black
Dutch" origin. Because it was not uncommon during the time
for settlers to locate on the European mainland prior to coming to
America it is almost certain that the Babb family had its roots in
England.
Joshua,
the second generation in this country, married Sarah F. Smith on
May 31, 1827 and settled near Jonesborough, TN. Joshua was a
laborer and brick mason by trade and together he and Sarah had
twelve children.
One of his sons, Isaac
Newton Babb,
served in the Civil War
BOTH
in the Army of
the Confederacy and later in the Northern Navy as a Landsman. After
the war, Isaac married Ellen Smith of Jonesborough on April 30,
1867 and they produced eleven children. Isaac made his living as a
Blacksmith and was elected Justice of the Peace in Jonesborough on
November 29, 1884. He died on July 16, 1899.
After his
passing, times became hard for his widow and the children that
were still at home. Ellen took in washing and did sewing to make
ends meet and the children of course, did what they could to
help. As the children grew older they moved on in search of
their own futures.
Like many who came to Corbin KY., the Babb's came because of
the Louisville and Nashville Railroad and the employment it
provided. Having heard of the L&N opportunities from an uncle,
Hubert
H. Babb Sr. became
the first of those remaining at home to venture forth
and arrived at Corbin in 1910. |
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His younger brother
John
Sr., followed in 1911 after having worked for
a
time as a type setter at the old Jonesborough Herald and
Tribune. John
Sr. was to spend the rest of his life in Corbin. He retired from
the L&N as an Engineer in 1959. John Sr. and his wife Anna
Hodge Babb had six children. Johns’ eldest son, John E. Babb
Jr., managed several of Corbin’s ball teams while in high school
and his brother Carl played on the only Corbin basketball team to
win a state championship. John Jr. married Willie Hacker of Corbin
in 1936 and shortly afterward purchased the Anderson Motor Company
along with two business partners. When World War II came along
John and his brothers served as did many of our nations sons. John
Jr. joined the Army, Carl the Coast Guard and Charles (Chiz)
joined the Navy. After the war, John Jr., came home to operate his
auto dealership until his death in 1954. John Jr., and Willie had
one child, John E. Babb III.
John III would eventually marry Lillian Patricia Steele from Knox
County in 1970 and they would have two children, John E. Babb IV
and Michael Shane Babb.
Inevitably, given enough time, things always change. It’s the
price we all pay for progress. The L&N is no longer, and the
rail road is a shadow of what it once was here in Corbin. But
Corbin still survives and so do the Babb's.
The latest generation of family members have found careers in the
coal industry, teaching, real estate, manufacturing and fire
fighting. We still reside in Corbin . . . it’s where we were
transplanted; it’s where our roots are now. It is indeed,
a great place to be!
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