Baalam Culpepper

Male, #9487, (circa 1794 - circa 1861)

ParentJohn Culpepper of Nash Co. NC (say 1766 - circa 1818)
ParentBarsheba Wright (circa 1776 - 1829)
Baalam Culpepper|b. circa 1794\nd. circa 1861|p9487.htm|John Culpepper of Nash Co. NC|b. say 1766\nd. circa 1818|p9463.htm|Barsheba Wright|b. circa 1776\nd. 1829|p9470.htm|Erasmus Culpepper of Nash Co., NC|b. circa 1742\nd. circa 1782|p9458.htm|Chloe Whitehead|b. circa 1748\nd. before May 1818|p9459.htm|William Wright|b. circa 1744\nd. before Feb 1814|p9471.htm||||

Birth*circa 1794 Baalam was born at Nash Co., North Carolina, circa 1794. 
 He was the son of John Culpepper of Nash Co. NC and Barsheba Wright. 
(free wh male 0-10) 1800 Census4 Aug 1800 Baalam was probably a free white male, under 10 years old, in John Culpepper of Nash Co. NC's houseshold on the 1800 Census at Nash Co., North Carolina. Enumerated in census but otherwise unidentified are 1 M0-10, 1 M16-26, 2 F16-26 and 6 slaves..1 
(free wh male 10-16) 1810 Census6 Aug 1810 Baalam was probably a free white male, age 10 and under 16, in John Culpepper of Nash Co. NC's household on the 1810 Census at Nash Co., North Carolina. Enumerated in census but otheriwse not identified are: 1 M0-10, 1 M10-16, 1 M26-45, 1 F0-10..2 
Marriage*say 1814 He married Baalam's first wife (?) at Nash Co., North Carolina, say 1814. 
Marriage*say 1820 He married Temperance Powell say 1820.3 
1820 Census*7 Aug 1820 Baalam was listed as the head of a family on the 1820 Census at Stewart Co., Tennessee. Enumerated in the census but otherwise unaccounted for is 1 F0-10..4 
1830 Census*1 Jun 1830 Baalam was listed as the head of a family on the 1830 Census at Henry Co., Tennessee. Enumerated in the census but otherwise unaccounted for is 1 M5-10. Also, there was a F0-5 who could only be accounted for as 15 year-old Martha..5 
1840 Census*1 Jun 1840 Baalam was listed as the head of a family on the 1840 Census on 1 Jun 1840 at Henry Co., Tennessee.6 
1860 Census*1 Jun 1860 Baalam was listed as the head of a family on the 1860 Census at Benton Co., Tennessee.7 
Burial*circa 1861 His body was interred circa 1861 at Mount Zion Cemetery, Henry Co., Tennessee.8 
Death*circa 1861 He died at Henry Co., Tennessee, circa 1861. 
Biography* Excerpt from Paris Post-Intelligencer, Dec 1891 (copied from Karen Arthur's website):
     Baalam Culpepper and his wife Temperance, moved into Stewart Co., Tennessee, around 1815. Some of the pioneer families were already there. In fact, some of them had been there since Stewart County was formed in 1803.
Like many other families, the Culpeppers moved across the river into Henry County shortly after the Jackson Purchase, which made it legal for white men to live there. They moved into what later became known as the "Old 23rd" district. Some of the Culpeppers wound up in Benton County because they were living on land that was used to form Benton County in 1836.
     The Culpeppers were in the 'Old 23rd" during the years that family feuds caused a lot of bloodshed, but they never seemed to have been involved in it. By and large, they were industrious, hard-working farmers. They seemed to have believed in the doctrine of "live and let live" and seemed to have always been on friendly terms with everyone.
     When Baalam came to Tennessee he brought an old Water Mill and fixed it up and made a Trading Post by the Big Sandy River. He did that for a living. He purchased it from a Swain.
(Names referenced above: Baalam Culpepper Baalam Culpepper).8 
Research note* Commentary by Lew Griffin:
     Baalam's parentage has not been conclusively established. But all evidence suggests that he was the son of John Culpepper and Barsheba Wright, of Nash County, NC. For instance, Baalam was a buyer at John's estate sale. And John had a neighbor in Nash County named Baalam, for whom he might have named this son.
     Baalam was in the 1820 census of Stewart County, TN. But he does not appear in any of the published deed records from early Stewart County. Perhaps he did not stay there very long.
     And there are no early marriage records in Stewart County, so if he married there, that record has been lost. The early marriage records in Henry County, TN are also lost.
     It would appear that his first two daughters, Martha Ann and Margaret, were by a currently unknown first wife. For one thing, there is a several year gap between these two early daughters and the rest of Baalam's children. Also, later on, Baalam's daughter Margaret apparently married a younger brother of Baalam's apparent second wife, Tempy.
     But due to loss of records in early Tennessee, this scenario cannot be proven. A second possibility, also worthy of consideration, is that Baalam only had one wife, Tempy Powell, and that she was the mother of all of his children. In this case, the old family tradition that Margaret, wife of Alanson Powell Jr., was Baalam's daughter cannot be correct.
     But given the apparent family tradition that Margaret was a Culpepper, it seems more likely that Baalam had two wives, and that his first two daughters, including Margaret, were by his first and currently unknown wife. This marriage probably took place in Nash County, NC, so perhaps records there will eventually reveal her identity.9 

Family 1

Baalam's first wife (?) (say 1794 - say 1817)
Marriage*say 1814 He married Baalam's first wife (?) at Nash Co., North Carolina, say 1814. 
Children

Family 2

Temperance Powell (circa 1797 - after 1860)
Marriage*say 1820 He married Temperance Powell say 1820.3 
Children

Charts Descendants of Benjamin Culpepper of Edgecombe Co., NC (Six generations)
Last Edited 13 Dec 2007

Citations

  1. 1800 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 289, Ancestry.com Image 9, Unknown Township, Nash Co., NC
    John Culpepper, 3 M0-10, 1 M26-45, 1 F0-10, 1 F16-26, 1 F26-45, 6 slaves.
  2. 1810 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 76 (634), Ancestry.com Image 7, Unknown Township, Nash Co., NC
    John Culpepper, 2 M0-10, 3 M10-16, 2 M26-45, 2 F0-10, 1 F26-45, 5 slaves.
  3. Date of marriage assumed based upon estimated date of birth of oldest daughter.
  4. 1820 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 119, Genealogy.com Page 140/Image 11, Unknown Twp, Stewart Co., TN
    B. Culpepper, 1 M26-45, 3 F0-10, 1 F16-26.
  5. 1830 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 014, Ancestry.com Image 25, Unknown Township, Henry Co., TN
    Baalem Culpepper, 3 M5-10, 1 M30-40, 3 F0-5, 1 F10-15, 1 F30-40, 0 slaves.
  6. 1840 Federal Census, United States.
    Pages 462A-B, Genealogy.com images 78-79 of 130, Henry Co., TN
    Balaam Culpepper, 1 M0-5, 1 M5-10, 1 M10-15, 1 M15-20, 1 M40-50, 1 F0-5, 2 F10-15, 1 F20-30, 1 F40-50, 0 slaves, 3 people in agriculture.
  7. 1860 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 376B, District 10, Benton Co., TN (Gen.com img 16 of 22)
    Family 1301:
    Joseph E. Culpeper, 35, M, Farmer, RE=$700, PE=$700, TN
    Mahaly Culpeper, 28, F, TN
    John Culpeper, 12, M, TN
    Thomas Culpeper, 10, M, TN
    Tempy Culpeper, 7, F, TN
    Nancy Culpeper, 5, F, TN
    Constant Culpeper, 2, M, TN
    Family 1302:
    Balim Culpeper, 75, M, Farmer, PE=$300, NC
    Tempy Culpeper, 70, F, NC
    Constantine Culpeper, 26, M, Farmer, PE=$300, TN
    Susan Culpeper, 18, F, TN
    Family 1303:
    Wm. Culpeper, 38, M, Farmer, RE=$400, PE=$1320, TN
    Caroline Culpeper, 33, F, TN
    Cealy Culpeper, 12, F, TN
    Jonah Culpeper, 10, M, TN
    Esther Culpeper, 3, F, TN.
  8. E-mail from Karen Kay Sharp Arnold e-mail, e-mail address, http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/m/a/l/Karen-Mallumian-MO/index.html, (#54015) Lamar, MO to Lew Griffin & Warren Culpepper, 1999 - 2006.
  9. Lewis W. Griffin Jr., 4307 North 34th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85018, e-mail address, Phone: (602) 955-2597.