William Baskett ³¹

  General Notes:

Elder William Baskett (a Baptist preacher) had a plantation ("Ellersli e") located near Wilmington, Virginia. The old, two-story brick homew as still standing in 1995.

William Baskett was a descendant of John Baskett, the King's Printer i n London. He was one of the early dissenter preachers in Virginia wh o left the established church before the War of Independence and becam e a celebrated Baptist preacher of that state. The Virginia Colony ha d established an Episcopal State Religion from England which collecte d taxes. Any other minister was called a "dissenter" and as such wasf orbidden to perform marriages. The Laws of Virginia, Act XII, Henning s Statutes, was the vehicle for this mandate. Children born of these marriages were declared illegitimate and the early records of Virgini a were filled with lawsuite questioning the rights of these childrent o inherit.

Virginia Wills and Indentures, Parmly Billings Library, Billings, MT,p g. 79-80: This Indenture made this twenty-second day of November inth e year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifteen, between War ren Cash and Susanna, his wife, of the County of Hardin and State of K entucky, John Baskett of the County of Shelby, Thomas Baskett and Dice y, his wife, of the County of Shelby, John Shepherd and Nancy, hiswife , County of Shelby, Abraham Baskett and Frances, his wife, of theCount y of Fluvanna, state of Virginia, Jesse Baskett and Salley, his wife, of the County of Fluvanna, John Kent and Elizabeth, his wife, ofthe Co unty of Fluvanna, Joel Parrish and Mildred, his wife, of the County o f Fluvanna, Job Baskett and Salley, his wife, of the County of Shelby , Jesse Dale and Anne Nixon, his wife, of the County of Woodford,and s tate of Kentucky, and William Connelly and Peggy, his wife, of the Cou nty of Shelby (which said Susanna, wife of Warren Cash and formerly Su sanna Baskett, John Baskett, Thomas Baskett, Nancy, wife of JohnShephe rd, and formerly Nancy Baskett, Abraham Baskett, Jesse Baskett,Elizabe th, wife of John Kent, and formerly Elizabeth Baskett, Mildred, wife o f Joel Parrish and formerly Mildred Baskett, Job Baskett are children , Legatees and co-heirs of said William Baskett, deceased, they being the children of the late Mary Dale, deceased daughter, who was formerl y Mary Baskett, a daughter of the said William Baskett, deceased (not legible on account of worn fold of paper), James Baskett andRobert Bas kett of the County of Fluvanna and State of Virginia aforesaid of the other part,

Witnesseth: That said Warren Cash and Susanna, John Baskett, ThomasB askett, and Dicey, Abraham Baskett and Frances, John Shepherd and Nanc y, Jesse Baskett and Salley, John Kent and Elizabeth, Joel Parrish an d Mildred, Job Baskett and Salley, Jesse Dale and Anne Nixon, WilliamC onnelly and Peggy, for and in consideration of the sum of $1800 curren t money of Virginia by the said James James Baskett and Robert Basket t to them in hand paid at or before the ensealing and dealivery of the se presents, the receipt is hereby acknowledge, have and each of themh ath granted, bargained and sold and by these presents do and each ofth em doth grant, bargain and sell unto the said James Baskett and Rober t Baskett and to their heirs and assigns, all their several and respec tive proportions and shares or dividends, in and of all the Lands lat e the property of the said William Baskett, deceased, which said land s are situated in the County of Fluvanna and State of Virginia aforesa id on Kent's Branch and Lilly's Creak, are in three several Tracts al l adjoining each other and containing in the whole by estimate 786 1/ 4 acres.

The indenture is signed and sealed by all of the persons mentioned abo ve.

Virginia Wills and Indentures, Parmly Billings Library, Billings, MT,p g. 80=81:
I, William Baskett, of the County of Fluvanna and State of Virginia, b eing weak in body but of sound and disposing mind and memory, do const itute, make and ordain this writing following my Last Will and Testame nt; that is to say, it is my will and desire that my just and lawful d ebts be first paid.

Item: It is my will and desire that my estate after my decease be equ ally divided among my thirteen children or their lawful representative s as the law prescribes where persons die intestate, with this excepti on: That whatever part or parts of my estate my children or their rep resentatives has received from me heretofore the same shall remain wit h them as a fee simple and shall not by them nor any of them be accoun ted for in the division of my estate by virtue of this my last will an d testament.

And lastly I do appoint and constitute my two sons, Abraham and JesseB askett as Executors to this my last will and Testament, utterly revoki ng all former wills and testaments heretofore by me made.

In testimore thereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this first d ay of September, 1812.
William Baskett
Published, acknowledged and signed, sealed as my last will and testame nt in the presence of:
David Shepherd
Nancy Shepherd
Polly Shepherd (her X mark)

A Court of monthly session held for Fluvanna County on Monday the 22n d day of May, 1815. This will was presented and proved by the oath o f Nancy Shepherd and David Shepherd and ordered to be recorded.

William married Mary PACE, daughter of John H. Pace and Susanna Houchins, on Oct 1, 1761 in Middlesex Co., VA. (Mary PACE was born in 1744 in Goochland Co., VA and died on Apr 21, 1815 in Fluvana Co., VA.)