Older Mahaffeys heard tales of rough voyaging and shipwreck. This Martin Hugh Mahaffey spoke in his very Irish brogue of the few grains of corn allotted each passenger: "It was the swatest marsel I ever tasted!" Also there were traditions of the heroism of a Mahaffey girl, who could only have been Martha.
Martin Mahaffey (variant spellings) served in the American Revolution as a horseman (folder AA5179-D, SC State Archives). Descendants may join NSDAR on the record of his service.
By 1790 Martin was living in Greenville County just across the "Ancient Indian Boundary," which formed the Greenville-Laurens county line.
In the first census of 1790, the Mahaffey household consisted of Martin, his three sons, and Martin's wife Mary (probably his second wife) who was the oldest daughter of Joseph Kellett and Jeanette. Her maiden name may have been Jane or Janz, although this is sometimes thought to have been a nickname. Mary Kellett Mahaffey married Thomas Babb after Martin Mahaffey's death.
Knowledge of Martin and Mary Mahaffey's children is incomplete except for date about his three sons, Martin, Jr., Hugh and Alexander.
1 - Martin Mahaffey, Jr. ( 1772 - 12/29/1812 ) was born in South Carolina and probably came with his father to the Raburn Creek settlement when very young, perhaps during the Revolution.
About 1794, Martin Mahaffey, Jr. and Nancy Hopkins (1775-1/17/1833) were married. She is thought to have been the oldest of the Hopkins children. Martin, Jr. died when he was about forty years of age. Both are buried in the Raburn Creek Baptist Church Cemetery. The graves are marked by hand-hewn native stones with chiseled inscriptions.
2. AB - Hugh ( 1774-1846) m. Rachel Mahaffey in 1795
3 - Alexander b. abt. 1780 and is thought to have married Rachel Mahaffey after the death of his brother.
4 - Mary b. 1763 in Ireland
My line continues with Martin Mahaffey, Jr.
The nine children of Martin Mahaffey, Jr. and Nancy Hopkins are:
1 - William m. Millicent Amelia Arnold dau. of William and Nancy Berry of Greenville County. Nancy's grandfather was Hudson Berry (see book "Hudson Berry and his Descendants" by Lloyd E. Berry, pub. 1956). William and Millicent's home was called "Eden" and was located near Raburn.
2 - Mary b. 8/16/1797 in Laurens District, S.C. and d. 1/16/1869 m. married Martin Babb son of Sampson Babb and Anna Kellett of Laurens County. Martin Babb was the brother to Sampson Babb, Jr. who married Nancy Mahaffey. (NOTE: Confusion often exists regarding these two Nancys: Nancy Mahaffey being the daughter of Nancy Hopkins Mahaffey and Martin. This distinction is most important in establishing the correct lineage. Nancy Mahaffey Babb's line goes to the Revolutionary patriot, Mary Babb, and to the immigrant ancestor Phillip Babb of Kittery, Maine. Nancy Hopkins Mahaffey's line goes through her son William to Hudson Berry.
3. - Solomon b. 12/6/1799 Laurens District, S.C.; d. 3/18/1832 in Laurens District.
4. - Sarah b. 1/4/1801 Laurens District; d. Perry County Alabama; m. John Cunningham 3/4/1819
5. - Lewis b.1/1/1803; d.6/11/1875; m. Temperance Shaw 12/31/1829
6. - Cynthia b. 11/3/1805; d.3/15/1881; m. William Nesbitt
7. - Hosea b.1/3/1807; d.3/20/1868; m. Temperance DeWeese 1833
8. - Nancy (12/28/1808-1/15/1874) m. 2/10/1831 to Sampson Babb, Jr. (1/17/1805-7/4/1881) son of Sampson Babb and Anna Kellett.
9. - Eunice b. 1/3/1811; d. 5/6/1882 m. John Babb
My line continues with Nancy and Sampson which you will find in my Babb section.
(Note: For those of you who have an ABERCROMBIE line, this surname joins BABB with Thaddeus Babb (DBB BCF A) of Green Pond who was the first son of Sampson Babb and Nancy Mahaffey. Thaddeus married Jane Abercrombie (1/1/1841-11/13/1900). She was daughter of John Abercrombie and Malinda Childress. John Abercrombie's line goes through his paternal grandfather to Mary Gordon from Strabock, Scotland.)
Entry for Joseph Kellett and Jeanette, children of:
1. Anna b. abt. 1772 in Craven County, S.C.; d. 1/19/1838; m. Sampson Babb abt. 1788 in Laurens District, S.C.
2. John b. abt. 1764
3. Martha b. 1768; m. Abner Babb
4. James b. abt. 1774
5. Martin b. abt. 1776
6. William b. abt. 1777
7. Mary 1762-1770 and m. 1.) Martin Hugh Mahaffey 2.) Thomas Babb after 1793
The Macfies are Celts, and supposed to be of the race of Alpin. In Gaelic the clan name is Mac Duibh-sidhe (son of the black fairy). The MacPhees were said to have had close contacts with the fairy folk.
The English form of of the name--Duffie, has passed into MacDuffie, and further into Macfie, spelt variously as Macafee, Macfee and Macphee. In 1549 the island of Colonsay, in Argyll, is recorded to be under the influence of a Capitane called MacDuffyhe. His descendants, the MacDuffies or Macphees, held the island until the middle of the seventeenth century. Their burial place was the island Oronsay. Colonsay is one of the South Inner Hebrides. It is a small island eight miles long and three miles wide. At low tide Colonsay is joined to Oronsay for a time of two to three hours, permitting foot passage.
Motto: Pro rege (For the King.
Gaelic Name: MacDubh-shithe.
"Colonsay is the ancient home of the Macduffies or Macphees, a branch of the great Clan Alpine. The early history of the clan is unknown, but it was prominent in the history of the Western Highlands, and Macfie of Colonsay was one of the principal chiefs who met Bishop Knox and signed the famous Statutes of Iona in 1609. Colonsay passed out of the possession of the clan some years later.
When the Macfies were dispossessed, some of them followed the MacDonalds and others settled in the Cameron country of Lochaber, and supported that clan at the Battle of Culloden. In Galloway the name took the form of Macguffie and Machaffie.
One Ewen Macphee who lived in the middle of the 19th century was famous as the last of the Scottish "outlaws", a type of Rob Roy. He enlisted in the army, but deserted as the result of a misunderstanding and settled with his family on an island on Loch Quoich. He recognized no law and no landowner, resided rent free, and defended his home with firearms, his wife being as proficient in their use as her husband. He held it until in his old age he indulged in sheep stealing for which he was ejected". (From The Clans and Tartans of Scotland by Robert Bain, pg.176)
On Colonsay, a family of crofters represents the family today.
The Armorial Bearings for Macphee are, a lion rampant, gules, surmounted by a fess, asure. Crest, a demi lion rampant, gule. Motto: "Pro Rege". The Badge is Guithas Pine, as being a branch of the Clan Alpin.
The name MacAlpin is fairly common today, but there is little trace of a Clan MacAlpin and although there is a modern tartan there is no chief. The name means son of Alpin and the original MacAlpin was of course Kenneth MacAlpin, that rather mysterious personage who was the founder of the Scottish kingdon in 843.
The Scots of Dalriada, after many defeats from the Picts, became victorious under MacAlpin. MacAlpin had a claim to the Pictish throne through his mother. He also benefited from some unsavory happenings during a conference at Scone which delt with the question of the successin between Kenneth and seven of the earls of Alba. Kenneth MacAlpin died in 860 and his descendants reigned as kings of Alba or Albany (i.e.Scotland) for many generations. The nine kings following Kenneth died violent deaths.
A great many clans and families can claim indirect descent from the royal house, but those particularly associated with Alpin are MacPhees, MacGregors, Grants, and MacAulays, all of whom have the pine tree as their badge.
Genealogy Resources: Steps In Time
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