1535944

Sources: The Families of Robert Willis of Barnswell, S.C. page 90 & 91 Joseph
and Bathesheba Head moved from Little Compton to Dartmouth, Mass. Their only children listed in the Rholde Island records were Johathan (John) Head b. 1738 (DAR Mag 49, pg 438) and Phebe. There are records from Dartmouth of Lydia Head, and Susanna.

Joseph Head was born 12 November 1705 in Tiverton, Rhode Island. He married
Bathsheba Palmer, daughter of John and Alice (Shaw) Palmer, on 27 November
1737 in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. This information is taken from "Marriages
of Little Compton, R.I."

Also from Rhode Island Records, "Joseph Head and wife Bathsheba of Little
Compton, later of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, and believed to have gone West
into New York State."

Some, if not all, of those Rhode Island Heads were seafaring men. In "Death
Notices in the South Carolina Gazette (1732 -1735)", compiled by A. S. Salley,
Jr., on page 7 and 8 is found: "On Monday last died here after a few days
illness, George Head, a Gentleman who came, with a cargo from Philadelphia and
Providence, in the Schooner 'Jolly Bachelor'.Was decently buried the same day
in the Friends' Burying Ground."

Their first few children were born in Rhode Island and the rest were born in
Dartmouth Massachusetts.

The dates of birth for these children (except for Lydia and Susanna) are all
approximate. We have no legal records to establish the birthdays, except for
the last two girls and there were probably more children born to Joseph and
Bathsheba because rarely did all the children live to adulthood. The records
in Dartmouth use the spelling Barshabe, instead of Bathsheba.

There is no concrete proof, but it is believed by most all the genealogists
working on this group of Head families, that Joseph and Bathsheba are the
parents of George Head (#1) who died in South Carolina in 1819. The reason
for this belief is a Bible record. The Bible is owned by Mr. G. J. Kincaid of
Miami, Florida. This Bible is that of his Great -Great Grandfather, Richard
Head (son of George and Katherine (Newport) Head). The edges of some pages
were unfortunately torn years ago and a vital part was lost. Among the
entries are the following;
"Richard Head the son of George Head and Katherine Head his wife was married
to Elizabeth Butler Siddall the daughter of Jesse Siddall and Nancy his wife
in the year of our Lord 1799, February 17th.
"James N. Head son to Richard Head and Elizabeth was born December 2 in the
year of our Lord 1797.
"Clary Landrum Head daughter of Richard Head and Elizabeth his wife was born
the 4th day of May 1809.
"William A. Merritt son to William Merritt and Elizabeth his wife was born
the 17th day of April in the year of our Lord 1814.
"George Head son to ..(torn).. Head and Barshe..(torn).., wife this
(torn)..on the 18th day of o..(torn) ..February 1818..(part of the final 8 is
torn off, but enough of the loop is left to designate it.
"Richard Head departed this life August 8th A.D. 1822, son George Head and
Katherine his wife. Aged fifty-six"

It is, of course, possible that another man named George Head was born, about
the same time, to a man named _______ Head who had married a woman named
Bathsheba at the same time. Thus far no records have appeared to suggest that
this happened. Until records come forth to prove otherwise, we are going to
assume our George Head was the son of Joseph and Bathsheba Head of Little
Compton and Dartmouth.