James Bigham was probably one of several sons of Robert Bigham, an Irishman who immigrated with his family to South Carolina in 1768, ultimately settling in North Carolina. Most of Robert Bigham's sons chose SC land near Rocky Creek to start their own farms, but James Bigham, Sr moved further east to Jeffries Creek, near the Pee Dee river. This James proved to be a successful farmer, but he was also known to move land markers on his own accord. He married twice having at least five sons and three daughters. James Bingham died 1815 moved in 1774 to the Pee Dee area, perched on Jeffries Creek encompassed Poke Swamp and skirting Boggy Branch sold to him by Reubin White. Had no slaves when he came and brought lots of books. His father, uncles and brothers (including a William) had land grants from King George III in western Craven Co clustering on Rocky Creek SC. James raised flax, corn and cattle which he drove to market in Philadelphia.
Will:
shortly before th murders, but Edmund is still in GA
http://www.archivesindex.sc.gov/onlinearchives/Thumbnails.aspx?recordId=298163
James' is in the 1810 census for Marion and is over 45 meaning he was born before 1755. James Jr is between 26 and 44 making him born 1756-1774.
1790 has James Sr in the area called Georgetown > Prince Fredericks and there are 3 males over 16 and 2 males under 16, as well as 4 white free females.
children listed by alphabetical order.
A. James Jr. -moved to TN. In 1800 he is 26 to 44 making him born 1756 to 1774 .
B. John H. Bigham was 60 to 69 in 1830 census, making him born 1761-1770 and died 1840. There are no people listed living with him but his son James C. is next door. John H. was Capt in the War of 1812, got the family bible, and had 8 children. In 1840 census he has a boy under 5, another under 10, a girl under 10 and one under 15, and a boy 20-29 which must be James C. Bigham who could be out to sea, his family living in the main house. He about died 1844 at sea.
1. James C. b ca 1801-1809 according to the 1830 census with a boy and a girl under 5 and a 15-19 girl, died after witnessing Will for James Gregg in Sept 1844, married Elizabeth b 1800, joined the Navy and died at sea m. left 4 children: Henry 1828 Caroline 1830 Mary 1832 and John 1834
2. Joshua H. moved to Georgia and then possibly to Texas in a wagon train His son may be William McCreary Bigham. Birth: 16 JAN 1813 in Lawrence Co AL
Death: 1 AUG 1898 in TX Census: 1850 Lafayette Co MO
3. Ann P. BIGHAM b 1802 married William Gordon Gregg, son of William
1850 Marion, South Carolina
William G Gregg 47
Ann Gregg 48
Lucy Gregg 14
Samuel Gregg 12
Margaret Gregg 10
Ann Gregg 8next door widowed sister in law and a sister? and 2 children of widow of James C.
Elizabeth Bigham 50 $1880 Mary Bigham 30
Caroline Bigham 20
Mary Bigham 18
1860: Marion, Marion, South Carolina
Post Office: Mars Bluff
Wm G Gregg 57 (farmed with Leonard S. Bigham)
Ann Gregg 58
D J Gregg 23
M H Gregg 20
A O Gregg 18 S
E Gregg 22 painter
1870: Mc Millans, Marion, South Carolina
Post Office: Mars Bluff
Ann P Gregg 60 living alone next to sons William M. and Alfred
4. "Leonard" Smiley Bingham Sr. b 1810 died January 1879 married Mary Brown. Leonard kept double books and cheated his nieces and nephews of their land, as well as others in the family and was able to accumulate over 3000 dollars to buy 2000 acres in 1849 on the other side of the Pee Dee river. Leonard was brought in 3 times for charges of assault on people in the district, as well as suspected of murder of several poor people in the area, including a a traveling tinker and a black man named Willie Jackson (wife was Queena Jackson), a faithful servant in the house. He used cyanide for purposes around the plantation. And there were double layered caskets made on the plantation. The first layer had a murder victim and the top layer an animal. Children were
Robert BIGHAM b 1849
George Washington Bingham b 1853 (later cheated out of his inheritance by his brother Smiley and slowly given cyanide)
Mary Margaret b 1858 (cheated by Smiley)
Leonard "Smiley" Jr b Sept 1850 died 1908 married Mary Madora Smith of Greenville Co (Smiley is suspected of the murder of his father Leonard with cyanide, Dora his wife is suspected of doing the same to Smiley)
1850 Greenville, South Carolina
William T Smith 29 Mary Smith 24
Maning Smith 4
Elithia Smith 1
1860: Rocky Creek, Greenville, South Carolina
Post Office: Buena Vista
Wm T Smith 39
Mary A Smith 35
Edmond M Smith 14
Lethia A Smith 10
James W Smith 9
Amelia Smith 7
Mary M Smith 3 (Mary Madora)
5 years after this census, Smiley took her to Marion SC
1870: Butler, Greenville, South Carolina
Post Office: Greenville
W T Smith 50
M A Smith 45
E M A Smith 24
M A Smith 21
M M Smith 11 (Mary Madora)
Alex Pea 15
1870: Cains, Marion, South Carolina
Post Office: Forrestville
L S Bigham 58 (LS Bigham 1st)
Mary Bigham 50 (Mary Brown)
Smiley Bigham 19 before he married Mary Madora Smith 1875 Washington Bigham 18
Mary Bigham 11
Conard L Bigham 71 seamstress
Emmy Gibb 14 black house servant
1880: Cains, Marion, South Carolina
L. S. Beyham (BIGHAM) 29 head SC SC SC
Mary Beyham 21 wife (Mary Madora)
Margie A. Beyham 4 dau
Smiley Beyham 3 dau
dau. Beyham 1 month old
dau. Beyham 1 month old twins born in May
W. T. Smith 67 father in law SC SC SC
Mary A. Smith 50 mother in law SC SC SC
1900: Cains, Florence, South Carolina
Leonard S Bigham 49 Sep 1850 (Smiley - LS Bigham 2nd)
Mary M Bigham 41 (Mary Madora)
Margie Bigham 23
Leonard S. Jr Bigham 22 (Smiley Jr. - LS Bigham 3rd never married)
Letha C Bigham 18 (married John Bogan Cain and died giving birth to James Leonard Cain after 1920)
Edmund D Bigham 16 (married May James)
Cleveland Bigham 14 (married Ruth Crisp)
William Rose 15
Letha protected herself by marrying the county jailer:
1900: Cains, Florence, South Carolina Rectina F Cain 56 head DEC 1844 widow 15 children 9 alive James F Cain 20 John B Cain 16 son May 1884 Rosa Lee Cain 11 Pierce M Cain 9 1910: Cain, Florence, South Carolina Bogan J Cain 26 single farmer Tina R Cain 66 WIDOW 12 CHILDREN 7 ALIVE Rosalie Cain 22 sister 1920: Florence, Florence, South Carolina Home owned: Rent John B Cain 35 Warden of the county jail Letha Cain 34 John Cain 4 11/12 1930: Wolf Pit, Richmond, North Carolina John B Cain 42 SC SC SC married at 34 (did not mention his first marriage to the Bigham family) Viola Cain 29 wife NC NC NC married at 26 Lottie T Cain 8 dau SC SC NC (John's dau by a 2nd marriage) John W Cain 2 2/12 son NC SC NC Sallie Watkins 56 mother in law NC NC NC Harvey Watkins 26 brother in law NC NC NC
LS Bigham 3rd living out of house by 1910 living with his cousin?
1910: Cain, Florence, South Carolina
John Brown 65
Everette Brown 55 wife, married 37 years
Virginia Brown 25
Lottie Brown 21 B
essie Brown 18
William Brown 14
Maybelle Brown 12
Leonard S Bigham 32 single
1920: Cains, Florence, South Carolina
Leonard S Bigham 41 head single SC
Mary M Bigham 61 mother widow SC
Marjie Ann Black 43 sister married (her husband left after threats from Smiley) SC
Leo Black (McCracken) 5 nephew SC
Mack Black *McCracken)2 2/12 nephew SC
Thomas C Heery 26 boarder farm laborer b Massachusetts
Marjorie "Margie" Ann Bigham b: JAN 1877 in South Carolina, married R.A. "Doc"Black, was murdered by Edmund.
Leonard Smiley "Smiley" Bigham b: MAY 1878 in South Carolina, purported to be murdered by his brother Edmund.
Letha C. Bigham b: MAY 1882 in South Carolina
Edmund D. Bigham b: OCT 1883 in South Carolina tried and convicted for the murder of his family 3 times, suspected of murder in GA and participating in a local murder of a black boy, married May James, had 2 girls- Evelyn C. and Louise H.
1930: Swannanoa, Buncombe, North Carolina
Henry S Randolph 37 Ida M Randolph 37 Ida I Randolph 8 Henry S Randolph 7 Jeanne M Randolph 6 Ruth M Randolph 4 8/12 Charles H Randolph 1 4/12 Helen L Randolph 4/12 Mae Bigham 42 servant widow married 20 years SC SC SC Evelyn C Bigham 16 servant single SC SC SC 1930: Swannanoa, Buncombe, North Carolina Farm School Rd Relation to Head of House: Just Joseph M Kennedy 30 instructor county school Gladys C Kennedy 32 Louise H Bigham 23 abt 1907 nurse at private school Birthplace:South Carolina
Grover Cleveland Bigham b: ABT JUL 1885 in South Carolina wanted for murder, married Ruth Crisp who was murdered at Murrells Inlet by Michael Avant with the encouragement of her husband.
5. Samuel E. BIGHAM b ca 1811 married 1st Sarah - moved to Texas in 1855
1850 marion SC
Samuel E Bigham 40 SC
Sarah Bigham 38 SC
Sarah Bigham 11
Louisa Bigham 10
Andrew Bigham 8
Van Buren Bigham 7
Samuel Bigham 5
Arabella Bigham 4
Barfield Bigham 2
Franklin Bigham 0
1860: Precinct 4, Polk, Texas
Post Office: Livingston
S E Bigham 51 SC $5500 $10,000
Sarah A B Bigham 48 SC
Sarah M Bigham 21 SC
Victoria L Bigham 20 SC
Andrew I Bigham 18 SC
Martin V B Bigham 17 SC
Saml D Bigham 16 SC
Arebella Bigham 14 SC
Charles B Bigham 12 SC
John Franklin Bigham 11 SC
Julius Bigham 9 SC
Edmund B Bigham 7 SC
Warren Elika Bigham 4 TX
Laura Eugenia Bigham 2 TX
caught twice in 1860-
1860: Precinct 6, Polk, Texas
PO: Halifax
S E Bigham 51 SC
Sarah A Bigham 48 SC
Sarah M Bigham 21
Victoria L Bigham 20
Andrew I Bigham 18
Martin V B Bigham 17
Saml D Bigham 16
Arabella Bigham 14
Charles B Bigham 12
John Franklin Bigham 11
Julius Bigham 9 SC
Edmund B Bigham 7 SC
Warren E Bigham 4 TX
Laura E Bigham 2 TX
1870: Subdivision 21, Polk, Texas
Post Office: Livingston Samuel E Bigham 61 South Carolina $1000 $5000
Nancy J Bigham 40 Georgia $300 (new wife)
Louisa Bigham 30 SC
Charles B Bigham 32 SC
John F Bigham 20 SC
Edman Bigham 17 SC
Warren E Bigham 14 TX
Laura E Bigham 13 TX
6. Elizabeth
7. Margaret married a Green, Gregg or John Hale or Haile
8. Mary 1820 married a Haile, a Gregg or a Green
Eleanor Elizabeth 1809 married Henry Singletary
D. David was 50 to 59 in 1830 making him born 1771 to 1780. He married Jannet Gregg d/o Joseph Gregg. She is a widow in 1840 census and is 60-69 making her born 1771-1780. She has a boys and a girl between 15 and 19. And a boy 20 and over.
http://www.archivesindex.sc.gov/onlinearchives/SearchResults.aspx E. (William Bigham married Margaret Gregg- who were they)
E. Col Samuel Bigham was 50 to 59 in 1830 making him born 1771 to 1780. He married Mary Singletary b: 18 JUN 1786 in Georgetown - moved to AL in 1836 before his father's death and died of typhoid at an unknown time.
F. Martha stayed a spinster at home of the plantation
G. Jane stayed a spinster at home on the plantation
H. Elizabeth married Friarson or Frierson and moved to TN.
1850 slave schedule still has John H. Bigham as owner of 50 slaves
1850 : Marion, South Carolina
Leonard S Bigham 40 $5000 all born
Marion SC Mary Bigham 30
Robert Bigham 1
next door
Samuel E Bigham 40 $1000
Sarah Bigham 38
Sarah Bigham 11
Louisa Bigham 10
Andrew Bigham 8
Van Buren Bigham 7
Samuel Bigham 5
Arabella Bigham 4
Barfield Bigham 2
Franklin Bigham 0
1860: Marion, Marion, South Carolina
Post Office: Lynches Creek
Leonard S Bigham 50
Mary Bigham 40
Robt Bigham 11
Leonard Bigham 9
Geo W Bigham 7
Mary M Bigham 2
1860: Marion, Marion, South Carolina
Post Office: Mars Bluff
Elizabeth Bigham 63
1870: Cains, Marion, South Carolina
Post Office: Forrestville
L S Bigham 58 farmer
Mary Bigham 50 keeping house
Smiley Bigham 19 farm laborer
Washington Bigham 18 farm laborer
Mary Bigham 11 farm laborer (b Dec 1858 m. George Sanderson in 1890)
Conard L Bigham 71 seamstress
Emmy Gibb 14 black servant
Home in 1870: Jeffries, Marion, South Carolina
Post Office: Mars Bluff
David E Bigham 55 $5000 $5000 near William G. Gregg
1880: Cains, Marion, South Carolina
Washington Bigham 27 (1853)head single farmer SC SC SC
Mary Bigham 60 mother
Mary A. Bigham 21 sister (1859)
1880: Jeffreys, Marion, South Carolina
C. M. Gregg 31
Eduard Bigham 65 cousin
1900: Darlington, Darlington, South Carolina
Marriage Year: 1890 After this Mary Margaret was forced off the plantation by her brother Smiley 2nd who presented a fake Will and went to court and won. She got a job in a mill and died in poverty.
George Sanderson 41 Nov 1858 carpenter (he could build boats but was in poor health)
Mary M Sanderson 41 Dec 1858
