My name is Linda Smith. My maiden name is Altom and the listings below show my Altom family lines. But first is the info I have on my earliest Altom at this time.

MY EARLIEST DESCENDANT - JAMES AULTOM


James Aultom is the oldest of my line that I and others have been able to connect to.  He was living in Newberry County, South Carolina at the time of his death.  He left a will that was written October 12, 1798. Within it, he mentions his wife, Phebe, and his children.  Whether Phebe was his first and/or only wife has never been established from any other sources, nor have we been able to locate her from that time forward. Based on the ages of the children in the 1790 census and later years, James apparently was born circa 1745 to 1755. 
Attempts to trace our line prior to this point has been futile.  As you will notice the surname spelling was different then as well, and the Altom spelling emerged within the next generation, only to be corrupted over and over at times through the years on census reports and various documents.  It has been rendered Aultom, Altom, Alton, Altum, Haltom, and possibly even others.  But more times than not it was listed as Altom and has managed to be carried down to my generation intact. Although some of the earlier branches OFF of my line have adopted the Altum spelling and it has remained intact down through the years as well.  Confusing as it sounds, all of the Altoms and Altums of today are descendants from the same family, and oddly enough neither appear to be the original spelling of our descendants.   As most researchers are aware, many times our earliest ancestors were unable to read or write and the names were written as they sounded to the census takers and other officials in which documentation exists or was required.  Even our earliest ancestor, James, could not write and signed his name on the transcribed will with an "X" or his "mark".  Which, explains perhaps why we have been unable to track our line another step back.  In 1790 on the census of SC he was listed as Eltum????even further removed from our spelling of today.
Prior to this census, renditions of the name appeared in North Carolina.  At times listed as Allton, Altem, Altom, Alton, Altum, Aultom, Haltom,  and Holtom. And prior to settling in North Carolina, various branches have traced their ancestors back to Maryland, and it is here where the name once more takes on rather unusual twists.  In the late 1600's and early 1700's the names were , Allum, Altam, Altham, Altom, Altome, Alton, Altum, Holtom, Holtham, Haltam, Haulton. It is the belief of this researcher that these names are all descendants of the Altoms, Altums, and Haltoms that exist in the United States today, with some of the older spelling having completely disappeared.  So here I am stuck with 10 different family names............and all these years I thought I was an ALTOM descendant.....BUT WAS I REALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MY LINE:

GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER:
James Altom ( ?-1798)

GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER:
Spencer Altom(circa 1784-?)

GREAT GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER:
James Altom(1810-?)

Note: James apparently died sometime shortly after the 1840 US census was taken. By the time of the 1850 census, William and the children were living with their mother Rebecca (Baty), who remarried William Baty(or Batey) on April 9, 1843 in Hardeman County, TN. Mr. Baty(or Batey) was not listed in the household and presumably had died by that time as well.

GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER:
William Spencer Altom(1836-?)

GREAT GRANDFATHER:
David Hiram(Bud) Altom(1870-1949)