A reader has inquired about further information of James Helton, the son of Shadrach and Mary Brock Helton referred to in last week's column. James was born about 1834 in Harlan County. On May 12, 1855, he married Jemima Brummitt. Jemima, often called Mima, was born about 1837, the daughter of John and Mahala Brock Brummitt. Her mother was the daughter of Amon and Mary Osborne Brock. Thus, James married his first cousin's daughter.

James died in the 1860's. It is not known if he served and/or died in the Civil War, but most of the decade was one of lawlessness and violence and many people were killed by either side for apparent resistance to being drafted or to having their livestock and crops appropriated by the military. Others were killed by some of the many outlaw bands that took advantage of the war.

After James' death, Mima lived alone with their four children for several years and then, in 1871, married Aley Stepp. Aley and Mima had one daughter, Nancy Jane, born about 1872. In 1880, Aley, Mima, their daughter, and John Shadrach, Mima's youngest son by James Helton, were living together in one household.

Next door was James and Mima's oldest son Stokely, born about 1856, and his wife. Stokely had married about 1878 to Martha Scott, daughter of Leonard and Hannah Hensley Scott. Their children, all born after the 1880 census, were Harmon, Howard, Finley, Retha, Nora, Mary, John, Leonard and Daniel.

Stokely's sister Elizabeth lived in the next house. Elizabeth was born about 1858 and on April 15, 1876, she married William Osborne, born in April of 1856, the son of David and Sarah Simpson Osborne. William's aunt Sylvania had been the first wife of Elizabeth's uncle, Patton Brummitt. In 1880 William and Elizabeth had two children, Sarah and James. After 1880 they had Ella, Ruth and Stokely.

Still at home in 1880, John Shadrach, born about 1862 also lived with Mahala Jane, the third of James and Mima's four children. Mahala was born about 1860 and although a deaf mute, she married John Noe and had several children, Mary Jane, William and Narcissus. James Helton's brother, Robert, was also only briefly referred to in the previous column. He was born about 1831, also in Harlan County, and on Sep. 1, 1854, married Lucrecia Slusher, born about 1833, daughter of William and Mary Slusher.

In the 1870 census they are living next door to the widowed Jemima with their six children, Mary Jane, Elijah, Arminta Mary, Sylvania, Sarah Elizabeth and Elisha. Mary Jane was born about 1854. In 1871, she married James `Pigeon Head' Blanton, son of James and Sarah Davis Blanton. Arminta, born about 1859, was married in 1878 to James' brother Robert Blanton.

Mary Jane and Arminta's brother, Elijah, born about 1857, married a cousin of the Blanton boys, Mary Blanton, who was born about 1860. Their sister, Sylvania, born about 1861, never married. Sarah Elizabeth, born about 1863, married Abe Shepherd. Elisha, born about 1866, married Minnie Brock.