The Georgia Tax Digests

The Georgia Property Tax Digests at Ancestry.com are a fabulous resource! I've only just begun to scratch the surface. I've started with the Heltons and found a wealth of material. 

In order to understand just a fraction of what the GPTD can tell you, here's a quick lesson. The info is distilled or quoted from this website:

http://sos.georgia.gov/archives/what_do_we_have/taxfaq.htm#columns

"The poll tax is a specific sum to be paid by a person between 21 and 60 years of age. The age varies with legislation. This tax is levied without regard to property, and taxable persons with no land are frequently listed in the tax digests. The tax applies to males exclusively." 

In the 1825 Pike County Tax Digest, where we first see Joseph Helton, the headings are these:

Person's Name

Poll (# of men in the household 21 - 60)

1st Qual land???

2nd

3rd

Pine (what does this mean?)

County where the land lies

Water course

To whom the land joins

No. (Number--what does this mean?)

$ (Dollars of what??)

Cty (a number--quantity??)

County tax


Consider another entry from Washington County in 1830:

http://search.ancestry.com/iexec?htx=View&r=an&dbid=1729&iid=40141_1220705227_0569-00086&fn=Oley&ln=Prosser&st=d&ssrc=&pid=3442792

The Prossers (Prawsers) owned land that was bounded by land owned by Nathan Vinson. Nathan Vinson was a neighbor of, and bought land from, the McDaniels.  Nathan's daughter married a Colvin, which was Martha (Mattie's) maiden name. Elizabeth Prosser (Prawser) married Reuben Hicklin. Joseph served in Captain Hicklin's Company in the War of 1812. The McDaniels are closely related to Joseph; probably his stepfamily. 

Connections, connections, connections. 

And that's just from one year, one entry. 

Oh, joy! I can't wait to dig deeper for the McGuires and the Pinsons!!!!!

Joseph Helton's folks, Part 1

You need to know up front that there is no "smoking gun." I have no documents that say "So-and-so is definitely the parent of Joseph Helton." No one document that proves this theory. Having said all this, I believe that the preponderance of evidence points to one woman and her first husband as the parents of Joseph Helton. There are simply too many connections to disregard. 

To begin with, Martha (Mattie) Helton's War of 1812 pension application refers to names associated with Joseph. In it you'll read (italics mine):

"...Widow's pension declaration form: Dated January 30, 1877. Martha Helton is age 90 and living in Bibb County (P.O. Randolph), AL, and is the widow of Joseph Helton, who was drafted into Capt. Hicklom or Hicklin's company, Georgia Volunteers, at Washington County, GA in 1812 and was discharged at Milledgeville, GA in 1812. States she has received a bounty land warrant but does not recollect the number. She was married as Martha Colvin on March 19, 1811, by William Buck [Brick?] at Washington County, GA, and her husband died at Tallapoosa County, AL, on May 10, 1854, and she has not remarried."

and 

"....Letter from Thomas C. Fullerton, Martha's DC attorney, dated June 25, 1878, stating that 'Mrs. Martha Helton--who is very old and illiterate--is still living and after reflecting over her case for a year or more has recalled to mind the fact that her husband had a step-father named McDaniel and two half brothers named McDaniel and that her husband was called McDaniel for a long time although his correct name was Helton. He and the two brothers McDaniel served together and the old lady thinks that her husband might have served under the name of McDaniel.'"

So—names associated with Joseph Helton:

• Hicklom/Hicklin

• Colvin

• McDaniel

We also know that Joseph Helton was in the Washington County, GA, area in 1811 and 1812. 

Unfortunately the U.S. Census records for GA don't exist before 1820. Luckily, though, the 1820 U.S. Census for Washington County, GA, has survived. In it there are two female Mc Daniels in Washington County, but there is only one woman named McDaniel who may be old enough to be Joseph's mother. That's 

• Mary McDaniel. 

See here:

http://search.ancestry.com/iexec?htx=View&r=0&dbid=7734&iid=4433224_00250&fn=Mary&ln=Mc+Daniel&st=r&ssrc=&pid=1484747

In the 1820 U.S. Census for GA, Mary Mc Daniel is living in Washington County, GA.  In the household are one male 10 - 16, four males 16  - 26, one male 26 - 45. There are also one female 10 - 16, one female 16 - 26, and one female 45 & up (Mary), and one person engaged in agriculture. Neighbors include Nathan Vicen (Vinson), Collins Hardy, John Colvin, Olly Prosser, Joel Davis.

Mary McDaniel is obviously the female over 45; she could be any age between 45 and death. Other family members are unidentified, but it can't be Joseph and Mattie, who would have had several children under 5. 

Notes about neighbors who are peripherally connected include:

• Nathan Vicen (Vinson) witnessed a deed/sale for Mary in 1822 and bought land from Allen McDaniel, Mary's son, in 1835. 

• Nathan Vinson's daughter Arimina (or Sylvenia?) married Daniel Colvin. (from Vinson's will at http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/pike/wills/vinson.txt)

• Olly Prosser/Prawser's daughter married Reuben Hicklin. 

• John Colvin, who may be related to Mattie.

So to the list of names connected with Joseph, let's add:

• Vinson

• Prosser/Prawser

In the 1830 US Census for GA, Mary McDaniel is in Pike County, AL. In the household are three males 20 - 30, one female 15 - 20, one female 20 - 30, and one female 60 - 70 (born 1760 - 1770). Neighbors include William Hardy, Alvas Jordan, Phineas, Stokes, Finney, John Brown, Jenkins, Willis, Foster, Farmer, Jones, Sugg, Millican, Butler, Williams, Elizabeth Bullen. Mary's son John McDaniel, John Wadsworth, James Whatley are one page over. Willis Millener, Elijah Twilley, Nathan Vinson, John McGlawn, and Joseph Helton are two pages over. :)))

http://search.ancestry.com/iexec?htx=View&r=an&dbid=8058&iid=4409442_00252&fn=Mary&ln=McDaniel&st=d&ssrc=&pid=932368

In 1830 Joseph would have been about 50 or 51. Mary would have been 60 - 70. At age 70 she is old enough to have had Joseph from a first marriage. 

But there's way more evidence of connections between Joseph Helton and the McDaniels. To prove them, we need to go to another website:

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/m/c/d/Phyllis-C-Mcdaniel/GENE1-0007.html

This website seems to be the earliest one with most of the correct information. It's often quoted verbatim on other websites (without proper attribution. Bad genealogist! Bad!) While I haven't proved all of these facts yet, enough have checked out for it to seem trustworthy. Plus it has lots of notes and sources. From this website we learn that John and Mary's children were:

• Eliza, born about 1795, married Duncan McEachern

• Allen, born about 1798, married Sophia Williams

• Samuel, born about 1800, married Elizabeth Matthews

• Matthew, born about 1803, married Catherine Daniel

• Charles, born about 1805, married Sarah Elliot

• John, born about 1806, married Sarah Ann Hollingsworth

• Sarah, born about 1808, Joshua Cherry

Name connections with the McDaniels:

• Mary,  Joseph and Martha's first daughter 

• Allen,  their first son, and an unusual name at the time 

• John, their second son

• Eliza, their fourth daughter 

Whew! There are so many connections between Joseph and Mattie and people in Pike and Washington Counties in GA. I'm getting too tired to write them all. So in Part 2, I'll reveal even more. Stay tuned!

William Joseph Helton is not Joseph Helton

More evidence that William Joseph Helton who married Betsy Moore is not the same person as Joseph Helton who married Martha Colvin. 

If you check the application for Guion Miller, Cherokee Rolls for William Joseph Helton, it becomes very clear that WJH is not the same person as JH. 

William Joseph Helton with wife Mary is in Monroe County, AL, in 1850, while Joseph Helton is with wife Martha (Mattie) in Tallapoosa County in 1850. 

Joseph and Mattie's children are different from William Joseph and Mary's. 

The descendants are different. 

Not the same guy. 

See for yourself:

http://genforum.genealogy.com/sc/sumter/messages/376.html

Thank you, Michael Helton. 

Updated 6/2022:

The link above is outdated. Here is another one showing that Joseph Helton of Tallapoosa is not the same as William Joseph of Monroe County, AL:

https://www.genealogy.com/forum/regional/states/topics/al/monroe/523/

Here's another link from Ancestry.com showing Indian William's daughter Martha's rights terminated because she married a man names Battles, then re-instated:

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/60543/images/43873_2421401757_0129-00092?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&_gl=1*j2rhi0*_ga*MTgxMDYzMTI4LjE2NTYxOTA2MDM.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*MTY1NjE4OTgwNy4xLjEuMTY1NjE5MDYxNS40Mw..&_ga=2.130398028.251080758.1656190603-181063128.1656190603&pId=1002124

The real life of Martha "Mattie" Colvin Helton

Martha "Mattie" Colvin was born between 1787 (1812 pension application) and 1800 (1850 Census). She was born either in SC (1850 U.S. Census) or GA (1870 U.S. Census). The best we can do for her birth year is the range suggested because the sources are confusing.

The 1880 US Census for AL shows that her father was born in Ireland and her mother was born in Georgia. This favors GA as her birthplace. The 1820 US Census for GA shows Mary McDaniel (probably Joseph's mother) near John Colvin in Washington County. Several trees have John Colvin born in 1758 and dying in 1827. So perhaps John was Martha's dad. Or brother. Or not. There's really no way of knowing unless a will comes up.

http://search.ancestry.com/iexec?htx=View&r=0&dbid=7734&iid=4433224_00250&fn=Mary&ln=Mc+Daniel&st=r&ssrc=&pid=1484747

I've found no further information on her parents that I can prove. I'm pretty certain that she is not the same person as Martha Feaster Colvin as listed in several Public Family Trees at Ancestry.com. With a birth date of 1788 and a death date of 1796? Impossible. And the picture is of William and Martha Feaster Colvin, not Joseph Helton and Martha Colvin. Maybe her parents? Another connection? It looks like folks have "our" Mattie who married JH confused with Martha Feaster Colvin who married Alfred Monroe Timms and moved to LA, which "our" Mattie decidedly did NOT do. Here's a site about MFC with notes:

http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/34836712/person/18704728355?ssrc=

"Our" Mattie married Joseph Helton on March 19, 1811, in Washington County, GA. (1812 pension application) Although she was much younger than Joseph, she probably was not 11 at her wedding. I'm guessing that the 1790 =/- birthdate is probably most accurate. Which would make her age 20ish when she got married. Born about 1780 (1850 Census), Joseph was about 31 when they got married. Although he doesn't show in Washington County for the 1820 U.S. Census for GA, Joseph (and thus Mattie) were in the area as they were definitely in Pike County by 1825 with no male children over 16 (Georgia Tax Digests).

A digression here: I wonder if the "1" in "1811" is really a "7," and Mattie and Joseph got married in 1817, not 1811. That would explain the childless gap between 1811 and 1817. It seems unlikely that a 31-year-old man and a 20-something married, obviously fertile female would have no children for the first six years of their marriage. It would also explain why Mary, their first known child, was born in 1817. 

In the 1830 U.S. Census for GA, Joseph Helton lives in Pike County. In the household are one male under 5 (John H.), one male 5 - 10 (Allen), and one male 40 - 50 (Joseph). There are also one female under 5 (Elizabeth), two females 10 - 15 (Martha and Mary), and one female 30 - 40 (Mattie). This census puts her birth year between 1790 and 1800. 

In the 1840 U.S. Census for AL, Joseph Helton is in Kimbrel's, Coosa County. In the household there are one male 5 - 10 (James W.), one male 10 - 15 (John H.), one male 15 - 20 (Allen), and one male 50 - 60 (Joseph). There are one female under 5 (Eliza), one female 10 - 15 (Nancy), one 15 - 20 (Elizabeth), and one 40 - 50 (Mattie). Mary has married Joseph Davis; Martha is not in the household anymore. Mattie's birth year between 1790 - 1800. 

In the 1850 U.S. Census for AL, Joseph Hilton is living in Tallapoosa County. He is 70, a farmer, no money, born SC, can read and write. Also in the household are Martha, 50, John, 18, a farmer, both born GA; Eliza, 14, and Henry, 10, both born AL. Neighbors are son Allen R. Hilton, John Davis, Archibald Meaks, Miles Whiles, John Simmons, son-in-law Joseph Davis and daughter Mary, Collins Hardy, Mathew Kelso, Woods, Bagall, Parker, Jahile Davis, John Keys, Abraham Pullen. 

In the 1860 U.S. Census for AL, Martha Helton is living in Bibb County. She is 70, widowed, born SC, living with son Allen & family, and son J.H. Helton & family, in the household of Clinton Corley, 52, a farmer, born SC, and his wife Martha Corley, born SC.

In the 1866 State Census for AL Eliza Hardie is in Bibb County. In the household are two males under 10 (John, 10, and William, 1), one male 20 - 30 (this may be John Hardy, the one who is also listed as having died, which is why Eliza’s name is the one listed in the Census), three males total; two females under 10 (Blakey, 9, and Nancy, 6), one female 20 - 30 (Eliza, about 30), one female 70 - 80 (Mattie, 76 or so); four females total, seven people total, and one died of sickness. 

In 1870 U.S. Census for AL she is listed as Martha Hesdin, widowed, 84, born GA, cannot read or write, living in household of Eliza Hardy, 32, widowed, b. GA. Birth year of 1786. 

In 1877 Martha applied for a widow's pension from Joseph's service during the War of 1812. The affidavit lists her age as 90, which gives a birth year of 1787. She was living with daughter Elizabeth and son-in-law Blakely Eddins in Randolph, Bibb County, AL. Please see my earlier post for details from this application.  

In the 1880 US Census for AL she is listed as Mattie Helton, 92, widowed, mother-in-law of Blakeley Eddins, born in GA, father born in Ireland, mother in GA. Birth year 1788. Living with Elizabeth and Blakely in Randolph, Bibb County.

Mattie disappears after 1880 and does not show up in anyone's household in 1900. One can surmise she died between 1880 and 1900. As yet her gravesite has either not been found, recorded, or shared on line. 

That's what I know for sure about Mattie. I search constantly for new material about her, but that's all I've found so far. 

Enjoy!

Will the real Joseph & Mattie Helton please stand up??????

There are lots of entries on Ancestry.com's Public Family Trees for Joseph and Mattie Helton.

And I think most of their facts are incorrect.

Most of what's there is people reposting other folks' unsubstantiated data. So here are several posts detailing what I KNOW about the Heltons. Facts have sources. My theories—what I THINK—are labeled as such.

----------

To begin with facts:

Joseph Helton was born about 1780 in South Carolina. (1850 U.S. Census for AL) His birth name may have been Helton, but he was also known as McDaniel because his mother remarried. He married Martha Colvin on March 19, 1811, in Washington County, GA. (Martha "Mattie" Helton's application for pension from War of 1812.) 

Some people list William Indian Helton as his father and Betsy Moore as his mother. Considering that William Indian was born in 1775 and Betsy Moore was born in 1800, Joseph's birth would have been a miracle.  There appears to be a William Indian Helton whose son was William Joseph Helton, but WJ was born in 1799—so ain't no way he could have married Mattie Colvin in 1811. Moreover, "our" Joseph Helton died in 1854 (Mattie's 1812 application), but WJ apparently died in 1891. So there's no way these two are the same. 

----------

Here's a theory:

Joseph's real parents were probably Mr. Unknown Helton and Mary MNU (Maiden Name Unknown), who married secondly John McDaniel. John McDaniel died in 1811; Mary McDaniel lived until after 1838. I haven't found the "smoking gun" to prove this yet, but the preponderance of evidence strongly suggests this theory is correct. Sources include Mattie's 1812 application, a book on the McDaniels, census information, and tax records. I'll list the details in a follow-up posting. 

-----------------

More facts:

The first child that most people recognize as their daughter was born in 1817. Which seems strange to me, because Joseph never seemed to own any land or do much of anything other than create babies. There were at least nine children in the family. I bet there were more who either died before 1817 or got married and thus changed their last names. 

Continuing with the names of children most people believe to be Joseph and Mattie's:

• Mary, born 1817 in GA

• Martha, born 1819 in GA

• Allen, born between 1822 & 1825 in GA

• Elizabeth, born 1826 in GA, probably Pike County

• John H., born 1831 in GA, probably Pike County

• James W., born 1834 in GA

• Eliza, born about 1836 in GA

• Nancy, born 1836 - 1838 in GA

• Henry, born about 1840 in AL

----------------------------------

The known travels of Joseph:

He was born in South Carolina, moved to Georgia by at least 1811 (Mattie's 1812 application) and was living in Pike County by 1825 (Georgia Tax Digest). 

In 1830 a Joseph Helton with a family conforming to the known children lived in Pike County, GA. 

http://search.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=8058&iid=4409442_00256&fn=Joseph&ln=Helton&st=r&ssrc=&pid=932423

In 1840 Joseph and family lived in Kimbrel's, Coosa County, AL:

http://search.ancestry.com/iexec?htx=View&r=an&dbid=8057&iid=4409668_00630&fn=Joseph&ln=Helton&st=r&ssrc=&pid=1427589

In 1850 Joseph and Martha Hilton lived in Tallapoosa County with John, Eliza, and Henry. 

http://search.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=8054&iid=4191540-00605&fn=Joseph&ln=Hilton&st=d&ssrc=&pid=16808489

Joseph died on May 10, 1854, in Tallapoosa County (Mattie's 1812 application). He probably died intestate, as he never seemed to own land or have money. Just children. In widowhood Mattie lived first with son Allen in 1860 and then daughter Eliza in 1870. Mattie died after 1880, when she was living in the household of her son-in-law Blakely Eddins in Randolph, Bibb County. 

http://search.ancestry.com/iexec?htx=View&r=an&dbid=6742&iid=4239763-00016&fn=Blakley&ln=Eddins&st=d&ssrc=&pid=5708262

----------------------------------------------------

That's the information I know is true.

If anyone can disprove any of this material, PLEASE let me know. I am ALWAYS happy to change my trees to reflect the correct, proven facts.  

BTW...

To keep this entry a manageable length, I've left out some material on Joseph's real parents, and on Mattie's, which I will post in the not-too-distant future. Promise.

Try and stop me.

NO, NO, NO, please don't!! I love doing this stuff!!!!!!  :-)))))

Mattie Colvin Helton's application for War of 1812 Pension

Here is my research on Martha (Mattie) Helton's application for a War of 1812 pension. It was originally posted by Kelly Robbins at Genforum.com/helton in 2007. A MILLION THANKS, KELLY!!!!!!

The original and responses are at:

http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/pageload.cgi?mcdaniel::helton::2772.html

Here's the information with notes from my research:

* Widow's pension declaration form: Dated January 30, 1877. Martha Helton is age 90 and living in Bibb County (P.O. Randolph), AL, and is the widow of Joseph Helton, who was drafted into Capt. Hicklom or Hicklin's company, Georgia Volunteers, at Washington County, GA in 1812 and was discharged at Milledgeville, GA in 1812. States she has received a bounty land warrant but does not recollect the number. She was married as Martha Colvin on March 19, 1811, by William Buck [Brick?] [Definitely "Buck"; please see my comment below] at Washington County, GA, and her husband died at Tallapoosa County, AL, on May 10, 1854, and she has not remarried. Signed with her mark. Blake [?] Eddins, age 54, and J.B. Barnet, age 34, attest to her identity.

1. There is a Ruben Hicklin living near Mary McDaniel & John Colvin in Washington County, GA in 1820. Was this Capt. Hicklin? He did serve in the War of 1812. More on this below.

2. Blake Eddins is Blakely Edins/Eddins, Mattie's son-in-law, married to her daughter Elizabeth. 

3. J. B. Barnett is Jackson B. Barnett, son-in-law to Blakely, married to his daughter Eliza. 

* Letter from the pension office dated March 13, 1877, stating that no such Captain can be found in the rolls and asking for further information (did her husband serve under a different name or in a different unit or state?)

1. I couldn't find any evidence of a Captain Hicklin's unit, either. Reuben Hicklin bears further research. 

* Letter from Thomas C. Fullerton, Martha's DC attorney, dated June 25, 1878, stating that "Mrs. Martha Helton--who is very old and illiterate--is still living and after reflecting over her case for a year or more has recalled to mind the fact that her husband had a step-father named McDaniel and two half brothers named McDaniel and that her husband was called McDaniel for a long time although his correct name was Helton. He and the two brothers McDaniel served together and the old lady thinks that her husband might have served under the name of McDaniel." The attorney asks that the records be checked under this name as well.

1. The affadavit says that Mattie is 90 on January 30, 1877. This would put her birth year at 1787.  However, she was illiterate according to the aff, and may not have known her exact age. Is this is why her ages change so much from census to census?

2. You recall that Mattie and Joseph were married in Washington County, GA, in 1811. The earliest U.S. Census we can get for Washington County, GA, is the 1820 Census. In the 1820 Census there is a Ruben Hicklin living near a Mary McDaniel & a John Colvin. 

3. I believe that Mary McDaniel is the mother of Joseph Helton from an earlier marriage, but I haven't yet proved it. Anyway, the connection of Colvin, McDaniel, and Hicklin in one spot in Georgia bears lots more research. 

* A little note saying "see if [illegible] can be found under name of Joseph McDaniel" April 17, 1879. Under that is written "Nihil or no record" April 18, 1879.

* Widow's Brief form: overview form showing Martha Helton, widow of Joseph Helton, P.O. Randolph, Bibb County, AL, applied for a pension February 14, 1877, claiming her husband was drafted in Capt. Hicklom or Hicklin's Co, Georgia Volunteers. On March 1, 1877, the Auditor reported there are no rolls for Capt. Hicklom or Hicklin's company in the Georgia Militia. On April 21, 1879, the pension request was rejected on the ground that there is no record of the organization in which the individual allegedly served and no bounty land on record.

1. I've just gotten into the Georgia Tax records on Ancestry.com. These may reveal more information about the whereabouts of Joseph and thus Mattie Helton before 1830, when Joseph surfaces in Pike County, GA. Here's to more research notes to post soon!