My purpose is to perform an analysis of all documentary evidence now available (1 February 1983) that bears on the question of the ancestry of Jesse Baggett of Castleberry, Conecuh County, AL who was born 19 September 1790 (according to tombstone) in North Carolina (according to 1850 census of Conecuh County) and who married Zilla T. Godwin on 24 June 1812 in Jefferson County, GA (according to court records of said county) and who moved from Georgia to Conecuh County about 1817 (based on son Richard T. Baggett, born on 30 March 1817 in Conecuh County) and who died in said county in May of 1867 (according to tombstone).

The new documentation cited below will show that there were in fact two Baggett families of entirely separate ancestral lines living in the Marlboro County, SC area, which for many years caused much confusion among researchers due to the number of men named Abraham Baggett and Jesse Baggett in records there in that time. Mrs. Mary Hays of Houston, TX and this writer have both made significant new discoveries that now clarify this situation and show conclusively that some conclusions are incorrect regarding the ancestry of Jesse Baggett and Jesse Baggett, born 1790.

Even as the new evidence disproves some other conclusions, it still fails to prove conclusively who the father of Jesse Baggett, born in 1790, actually was. It does prove the ancestry of the Jesse Baggett said to be his father in the other books and in that way rules out that former possibility, but the fact remains that any lineage put forward for the ancestry of Jesse Baggett, born 1790 in Conecuh County, must remain purely conjectural. It is hoped that one of the three very probable lineages put forth below as conjectural will ultimately be proven by further research. In the forthcoming book on The Ancestors and Descendants of the Early Baggett Settlers of South Alabama, it is to assist in reaching this decision as much as to aid in further research that this paper is written.

The following cases are made for the ancestry of Jesse Baggett of Conecuh County, AL, based on the available evidence as shown using a process of elimination whereby those Baggett families living in North and South Carolina (1750-1800) (about 17 families) and the various wills, deeds, and other documentation pertaining to them all, have been carefully analyzed with view toward identifying those that could reasonably be eliminated from consideration. The ages, marital status, ages and sex of children, dates of relocation to other States, and in some cases the names of descendants are now documented well enough to permit this to be done with some degree of accuracy with a high percentage of the known Baggett families of the period indicated.

This does not mean that all of these families except the one shown below should be automatically excluded as possibilities, although some few in those with no male heirs could well be so excluded, but instead it should be considered that those not shown were eliminated for sound, logical reasons supports by evidence that makes them very improbable candidates for consideration. One example of how this elimination process was done is shown below in that it is necessary to include this case for other reasons--chiefly to clear up confusion surrounding this particular line of early Baggetts.

Nicholas Baggett of Bertie County, NC made his last Will and Testament 9 January 1753 (probated April 1755) wherein he names his son Nicholas Baggett, and like his older son Abraham, leaves him only a token inheritance of "one shilling sterling to be levied out of my estate, it being all that I intend to give him in this my last Will and Testament or all that he shall have out of my estate." This is possibly because both these older sons had already married and left home and had land of their own as will be shown.

Nicholas A. Baggett, son of the above Nicholas Baggett of Bertie County, was apparently poorly educated as he signs his Will by mark. The actual Will itself was in a very deteriorated condition when examined and transcribed by me in 1965 at the North Carolina Department of Archives and History in Raleigh, NC. It does clearly show the middle initial to be "A.", and the mark made by Nicholas to be a circle with an "X" inside the circle. It has also been noted that most old documents referring to him show the Baggot or Baggott spelling.  Will of Nicholas

As shown by a number of deeds during the period of 1749 to 1757, some transactions, like those involving the marriage settlement of his sister Elizabeth Wood, often misread as Ward in the 1753 Will of her father (but which under magnification is clearly Wood) and her father Nicholas Baggett of Bertie County dated in 1748 & 1749 must be studied carefully to avoid confusing the two Nicholas Baggetts. The Baggetts were apparently close friends of the Benjamin Wood(s), Sr. family. The deeds mention Nicholas Baggett (Bertie County) as the father of Elizabeth Baggett and clearly show that she married James Wood, Sr. about 1748 and mentions her as his widow in estate settlement documents after his death in early 1752. Further, Martha Baggot, shown as the wife of Nicholas A. Baggot in the 1761 Will shown below, is a daughter of Benjamin Wood as evidenced by a Halifax County, NC deed (Deed Book 7, Page 101), the Halifax County, NC Marriages by Mrs. Leon W. Anderson, Genealogist, Oakland Farm, Halifax, NC (undated circa 1960s), and also a Northampton County deed of 14 February 1757 showing a division of 320 acres to several heirs of Benjamin Wood among whom was Nicholas A. Baggot who received 104 acres.

It should be noted that the Will of Nicholas A. Baggett names "my brother Abraham Baggett" as an executor provides further evidence that both are the sons of Nicholas Baggett of Bertie County named in his 1753 Will. This, the first of a long line of Abrahams in this family, will be discussed later in this paper. This Abraham is probably the eldest son, having witnessed deeds as early as 1723. He was probably born about 1700-1705 and begins deeding his lands "for love and affection" to his own sons in Edgecombe County, NC in 1762. It should also be noticed that the above Will of Nicholas A. Baggett mentions other minor children under twenty years of age. The names of these younger children have remained a perplexing mystery for many years, although much later evidence has pointed to them as the progenitors of some of the "Lost Baggett" lines as I refer to them. An old and yellowed paper found in the family Bible of my great-great grandfather, Rev. Michael Baggett, 1818-1898, and, no doubt, written from his own memory shows his father, Thomas Choice Baggett and wives, his grandfather, John Baggett and wife Lucy Blacksby, and his great grandfather, Nicholas Baggett, as being born 1725 but shows no wife's name. This indicates that one of these children was my own ancestor, John Baggett, who died in Jackson County, GA in the summer of 1805, according to the Court Minutes of the Ordinary concerning the administration of his estate on record in that county.

The son Lewis Baggett, named as principal heir in the Will, also left no will or the will was destroyed by the burning of the Cheraw District, SC records, so that until recently his children were also unknown. A discovery by Mrs. Hays of Houston and another by myself, have now been brought together to form a great part of the solution in the ancestry of these lost Baggett lines descending from Nicholas A. Baggett of Northampton County, NC.

Very few references to Lewis Baggot, son of Nicholas A. Baggett, have been found; but most have at least been significant. The first of these however is not. He is shown as a witness to the deed from Samuel Page of Bertie County, NC to Charles Powell of Edgecombe County for 83.5 acres on the north side of Swift Creek, dated 16 October 1774. His name is spelled BABGET in this deed as it is consistently thereafter (this deed is in Edgecombe County, Deed Book 3, page 4). This is the area where his uncle Barnaby Baggett family lived, so it may be a clue as to where he lived after he left Northampton County and before he moves to Cheraw District, SC; the county above named. The following are the only other references we have to him in his lifetime.

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"21 May 1778 - Lease/Deed: Thomas Harrison of St. David's Parish (Cheraw District), SC to Lewis Baggot of the same place, a 200 acre plantation on Lake Swamp. Witnesses: Abraham Baggot (his brother), his mark, "X"."

This 200 acres on Lake Swamp can be fairly precisely located using the Plat which is part of the deed. The area was originally called by several names: Craven County, St. David's Parish, and by 1790 Cheraw District. Both the area covered by Darlington and Marlboro counties, SC was included under these names. The St. David's Parish Church itself was located not far to the northeast of this land.

So, in these deeds we have the earliest references to the Baggetts found in South Carolina records. I have copies of these and other documents referenced below (except when indicated otherwise) obtained from the South Carolina State Archives in November, 1982. The children of Lewis Baggett were not known for many years as no Will has been found, although these South Carolina documents originally discovered by Mrs. Hays do provide proof of some of them as will be seen below. The key document which names all or certainly most of them was not discovered until recently. I do not have a photo copy of the actual document which needs to be ordered for closer study, but the following abstract clearly shows Lewis' children when put together with the attached Affidavit of Nicholas Baggett and the attached deed showing Nicholas Baggett was the son of Lewis who inherited and sold the 200 acres shown above to Levi Doughty on 29 November 1792. In the 1811 Affidavit Nicholas Baggett clearly names his mother as "Sarah Draper."

We do not know exactly when Lewis Baggett died, but the above would indicate he was dead by 1787. His widow Sarah may have remarried to a Thomas Draper and moved back to Northampton County, but two of her sons apparently remained in South Carolina as shown by deeds to follow. Sarah did move south to Orangeburg District, SC as did Thomas Draper and Nicholas Baggett. Nicholas Baggett is shown in the 29 November 1792 deed where he sold the land inherited from his father Lewis (200 acres on Lake Swamp) as being "of Orangeburg District". They probably moved during 1792 after the 1790 census of South Carolina was then belatedly taken, and for this reason are not listed. Nicholas Baggett is still living in the Orangeburg District as late as the 1800 census, as will be shown later. Sarah Draper, his mother, probably is the female over 45 living with him, as shown in the 1800 census.

Thomas Draper is shown in Orangeburg District in 1800 as being age "45 and up" with 1 slave and no children. The female shown age 16-26 could not be Sarah Draper, but could be a daughter or else his new wife, Amy Draper, who is shown in an 1811 deed wherein Thomas Draper deeds everything, including "household goods and livestock" to his wife Amy Draper. This could likely be a substitute for a will based on his probable age in 1811 and the fact that on 15 May 1813 he deeds other personal property and livestock to Absalom Tyler, son-in-law, "for love and esteem . . . after my death." Since both these deeds were recorded on the same day, 3 June 1814, it is probable that he died in the Spring of that year.

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Leaving Nicholas Baggett et al in Orangeburg for the moment, to return to them later, we must now go back to Cheraw District to pick up Abraham Baggett and Jesse Baggett in Darlington and Marlboro County records. Here begins an effort to document an end to the confusion that has long existed concerning the three Abraham Baggetts appearing in the early record of this area. The first Abraham Baggett to arrive in Cheraw District was the brother of Lewis Baggett who bought land in Darlington County on Lake Swamp 21 May 1778 with brother Abraham witnessing this deed by mark "X". We know they were brothers from a document to be quoted later from the estate papers of Abraham Baggett. This Abraham, being the only Abraham Baggett of record in the DAR interests. I have a copy of this brief service record obtained from the National Archives.

The above Abraham Baggett was apparently a younger brother of Lewis Baggett since he is obviously included in the preceding Will (1761) of his father Nicholas A. Baggett in the statement "to be divided between my children when the youngest is twenty years of age." Based on this, his witnessing the 1775 deed, his military service, and the fact that he died about 1792, a reasonable estimate of his date of birth would be "between 1740-1750." The following is known about the administration of his estate after his death.

"An administration on the estate of Abram Bagget granted May Term (of Court) 1793 to Randolph Revill. Securties: William Standard and Abel Waddell, Penalty 70 pounds."

NOTE: I do not have copies of the actual documents later referred to in the settlement of this estate. I attempted to acquire them at the South Carolina Archives but was told they are still at the Darlington County Courthouse and had not been microfilmed. I did find a microfilmed index reference as follows: Estate of Abram Bagget-Case "A", Apartment "2", Package "45". Mrs. Hays did apparently have access to these documents, however, and I quote information from her paper only in the document below:

Nicholas Baggett, son of Lewis, of Orangeburg District, SC "made an Affidavit 25 March 1793, that Abraham Baggett, deceased, was his uncle, brother of his father Lewis, and that he (Abraham) had no family other than that of Lewis Baggett `in this country.' Nevertheless, Nathan Baggett of Edgecombe County, NC made an oath 12 December 1792 that `he was the proper heir of Abraham Baggett of Darlington County, SC.'" It is not known how this turned out, but a copy of this paper will be sent to Mrs. Hays to see if she can add to it from her notes and records. For the moment, however, it does appear that this Abraham Baggett did not have a family of his own in South Carolina and probably lived with his brother Lewis, and after Lewis' death, with his nephew Jesse Baggett, as will be shown in a conjecture about the 1790 census of Cheraw District, SC below.

First, it should be pointed out that it is possible that he left a son named Nathan Baggett in North Carolina who made the above claim to his estate, but this would have been a younger Nathan Baggett of Northampton and Johnston counties, NC records. Since this Nathan of Edgecombe who made the Affidavit has been a source of confusion further compounding the problem of the three Abrahams involved, it is necessary to pause here and state that three Nathan Baggetts of this period and of upper North Carolina have been documented and studied as part of this process of elimination. Since the Nathan Baggett of Edgecombe County, NC now in question is clearly shown as a son of Abraham Baggett of that county by a 1772 deed of gift from his father, it has led some to conclude that the Abraham Baggett records of Marlboro County, SC refer to the same grandson of Abraham of Northampton and Bertie counties and great-grandson of Nicholas Baggett of the 1753 Will of Bertie (who made the above referenced oath/claim of 12 December 1792 that he was the rightful heir of Abraham Baggett, brother of Lewis and son of Nicholas A. Baggett of Northampton [1761 Will] and grandson of Nicholas Baggett of the 1753 Will of Bertie County) would have been too old to be a son of Abraham Baggett, brother of Lewis, etc.

Mrs. Hays' paper does not say on what basis this Nathan Baggett of Edgecombe claimed to be the proper heir, but he could hardly claim to be a son (if he did) since he witnessed a deed in Edgecombe County as early as 1766, which would mean he was born at least in the mid-1740s and therefore was about the same age as the Abraham Baggett whose proper heir he claimed to be. He is in fact a cousin of Abraham Baggett of Darlington and perhaps that is all he claimed to be, just as Nicholas Baggett's Affidavit of 1793 claims to be nothing more nor less than a nephew. This Nathan Baggett of Edgecombe was dead by 1803 as is evidenced by the administration of his estate in June of 1803 by John Amason, Administrator (and long time neighbor) in Edgecombe County (Edgecombe Estate Records, by Watson, Page 7). The statement by Nicholas Baggett is taken to mean "in this part of the country" in South Carolina. For that reason the further documentation of the Nathan Baggetts of North Carolina will stop here pending a review of this paper and comments by Mrs. Hays.

Before proceeding with any analysis of the so-called 1790 census of South Carolina, it is again (regrettably) necessary to clear up another "confusion factor", this one created by the Federal Government. To make the 1790 census of the various States more accessible and to preserve the rapidly deteriorating hand written returns, the United States Bureau of the Census, in 1908, transcribed the entries and printed separate volumes for each State. The title given to each was exactly the same except for the name of the State covered by it.

Therefore generations of researchers, mostly amateur genealogists like myself, have consulted a volume titled Heads of families at the First Census of the United States Taken in the Year 1790, South Carolina, little realizing that the phrase "taken in the year 1790" is completely false and more than a little misleading since numbers in the preface or in any footnote is there any warning to the researcher that this particular census of the State of South Carolina was not actually "taken" until late 1791 and early 1792.

This is not a minor discrepancy of a "year or two" as it first may appear to those who have not been completely baffled and frustrated by the fact that many North Carolina and Virginia, etc., families appear in the North Carolina and Virginia censuses in 1790 and also in the South Carolina "1790" census. The total extent of the demure to printed genealogists this has caused over the years will never be known. The mad facts of what actually happened are as follows:

The "First Census of the United States" called the 1790 Census was required to be taken by an "Act passed by the Second Session of the First Congress of the United States and signed by President George Washington on 1 March 1790." The Act allowed the States a reasonable period of nine months for completion. The nine months was to start from 1 August 1790, which was established by the Act as the first Census Day. This would mean that the States had until 30 April 1791 to get the job done. The majority of the State of South Carolina was late in fact that when a summary of the returns from all other States was submitted to Congress on 27 October 1791 it was submitted "Less South Carolina."

It appears that South Carolina did virtually nothing during the first nine months allotted by the Act, and ended up taking an additional nine months, or twice as long as the other States. Doanne says in "Searching for Your Ancestors", Page 103, that "The returns for South Carolina were not all in until March of 1792 because the Marshall for that State had difficulty finding enumerators who would work for the salary which the Federal Government was authorized by Congress to pay."

Worse yet, from the standpoint of this particular analysis, focusing as it does on the Cheraw District which included Darlington and Marlboro counties, is the statement by Gregg in The History of the Old Cheraws, 1730-1810 to the effect that 1792 marked the beginning of the taking of the first census in Cheraw District. This book is one of the earliest and most highly regarded histories of this area in South Carolina, and was written by a man who could draw on the recent memory of people then living who had actually lived in the area at the time and know from first hand experience when such events took place. I therefore accept as fact that the families we are about to discuss were first recorded for census purposes in January and February of 1792.

THE 1790 CENSUS OF CHERAW DISTRICT, SOUTH CAROLINA, 1792
Head of Family, Page 46

Jesse Baggett (Household included:); 3 Males 16 years & up (included Jesse)
0 Males under 16 years of age; 4 Females; 0 Slaves or free persons

Joel Baggett (Sr.) [jab] (Household included:); 1 Male 16 & up (Joel)
1 Male under 16 (Joel, Jr.);  4 Females;  0 Slaves

Abram Baggett (Household included:); 1 Male 16 & up (Abram Baggett)
 2 Males under 16;  4 Females;  0 Slaves & others

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Jesse Baggett, born about 1750-60 in North Carolina, died about 1827 in Mississippi or Louisiana (son of Lewis Baggett)

Nicholas Baggett, born between 1755 & 1774 in Mississippi, died ca. 1830, Mississippi (brother of Jesse & son of Lewis)

Abraham Baggett, born ca. 1740-50 in North Carolina, died March-December of 1792 (brother of Lewis & uncle of the above)

I am less certain about the identities of the four Females except for the first two listed below:

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Catherine (maiden name unknown) Baggett, born (unknown), died before 6 May 1810 in Mississippi/Louisiana (first wife of Jesse [who married second] Mary Robertson in Amite County, MS on 6 May 1810).

Sarah Baggett/Draper, born ca. 1740, died between 1800-1811 in Barnwell County, Orangeburg District, SC (wife of Lewis and mother of Jesse and Nicholas Baggett).

Two other Females ? These two females are probably daughters of Jesse and Catherine Baggett, but could be Jesse's sisters, Mary and Sarah, possibly.

Explanation: On the 29 November 1792 deed where Nicholas Baggett sold the 200 acres on Lake Swamp inherited from his father, he signs his name in a good hand and Sarah "Baggett" signs by mark relinquishing her right of Dower in the property. I believe this is Sarah Baggett/Draper, widow of Lewis and mother of Nicholas, and not the wife of Nicholas as it appears. According to his 1811 Affidavit she sold land in Orangeburg on Ediste River and was in the area with him and Jesse and wife Catherine. The 1800 census shows Nicholas age 26-45 and one female "45 & up" and no children. I believe this female is Sarah, his mother, and that she lived with him until her death just before he left for the Mississippi Territory, as will be shown below later. The 1820 census of Franklin County, MS shows him 45 & up and wife age 26-45 with four boys and two girls all under 10 years of age, which means they were all born since 1810 and by the passport issued by the Governor of Georgia in 1812 which shows him traveling with "his wife only". It is fairly certain that all these children were born after 1812. It is possible that the Sarah shown was his wife and that they produced no children in the eight years from 1792-1800 because she could not bear children or because they did have children but they all died before the 1800 census, possible but not probable in my judgement. It could also be an unmarried sister Mary or Sarah living with him, but again, no indication or reason to believe this was the case.

Both Abram Baggett and Joel Baggett, Sr. on the previous page are listed together, but in a different area from Jesse Baggett shown on their left, as an analysis of the names of neighbors shown on deeds will show.

The Joel Baggett shown is also shown in the 1790 census of Edgecombe County, NC which was taken on time in 1791. As deeds will show, he arrived/appeared in South Carolina records in time to also be picked up in the 1792 census enumeration in South Carolina. The only difference in the entries is that the North Carolina census shows one additional male under 16 for a total of 7. There is not much room to doubt that they are one and the same family enumerated twice due to the 18 months time difference in the taking of the North Carolina and South Carolina censuses, since the name Joel Baggett does not appear after 1790 in any North Carolina record I have ever seen.

This is the Joel Baggett, Sr. who is found later in the Baldwin/Morgan County, GA Court Records 1804-1809. His son, Joel Baggett, Jr., shown as "Jr." on his military records, who was drafted at Milledgeville, Baldwin County, GA during the War of 1812 and who married Jane Beland in neighboring Jones County in 1815. He then moved to Conecuh County, AL in 1818, to Wilcox County in 1827, to Sumter County where he married second Nancy Brewster in 1841, and then to Gregg and Rusk County, TX where he died leaving a Will in about 1843.

As will be shown, the above Abraham Baggett is a son of Abraham Baggett, Jr. (II) of Edgecombe County, NC, grandson of Abraham, Sr. (I), and great-grandson of Nicholas Baggett of Bertie County, NC, who left the 1753 Will. This Abraham Baggett III appears in the 1800 census of Marlboro County, SC, but sold his land there in 1806, had a son, Abraham S. Baggett, born 1809 in South Carolina, and does not appear in the 1810 or any later census in South Carolina. He next appears in Conecuh County, AL in 1818 and last appears there in the 1830 census at age 70-80 and apparently died there between 1830 & 1840, as he does not appear in the 1840 census or any later census there or elsewhere in the southern United States. Both his descendants and those of Joel Baggett above are now well documented.

In light of what has been documented thus far without relying on anything conjectured thus far, it seems clear that some assertions/conjectures that Jesse Baggett, born 1790 in North Carolina of Conecuh County, AL, was a son of Jesse Baggett (no date given), and a grandson of James and Ann Baggett of Richmond County, NC, could not be based on the above Jesse and Catherine Baggett. Firstly, because this Jesse's ancestry is clearly supported by an unbroken chain of evidence that does not include another Jesse or a James Baggett, and secondly, because his birth on 19 September 1790 would have made him about 18 months old when the 1790 census of Cheraw District was actually taken in January & February of 1792, and yet no males under 16 years of age are shown in the above entry for this family.

Before beginning the detailed analysis of the three Abraham Baggetts appearing in Marlboro County records, 1790-1808, it is necessary to mention an early Land Grant to an Abraham Baggott that could have been in this area due to unsurveyed and therefore open to question of just where the North/South Carolina State line in this area was located. The matter of a survey dragged on for years, and finally just before the Revolutionary War an agreement was reached and a survey ordered to settle the confusion that existed. Unfortunately the war delayed completion of this survey before it was hardly begun so that the State line between North/South Carolina was not finally and firmly fixed until 1815. Due to deeds to land and the census records, many others, myself included, have been intrigued and influenced by this early appearance of Abraham Baggott in the records of this border area. I have only recently come across what appears to be an answer to the nagging question of why no further mention of the name Baggott appeared in the records of the area for almost twenty years.

ANSON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA

Abraham Baggott, Land Grant Number 043, north side of the Pee Dee River, dated 1 July 1753 (5 December 1760 date also given but this is probably the date recorded, not the date issued. See others below). (North Carolina Archives records show this grant as being for "150 acres.")

Deed and Will Abstracts, 1749-1795, by: Brant H. Holcomb, Genealogy Publishing Company, Inc., Baltimore, 1780, Page 49 (County Deed Book Volume 3, Page 26).

11 October 1762, Abram Baggett of Pitt county, NC to John Long of Anson County for 20 pounds proceeds money . . . land on Bagget's [sic] Branch, a drain of Cartledge Creek, 150 acres granted to Baggett 5 December 1760. Abraham Baggett (seal). Witnesses: John Cundall, William Stunkey (no doubt Stuckey [jab]).

Based on the recently discovered 1762 deed above, it now appears that this Abraham Baggett may have never moved to this area or else soon moved back to Pitt County, shown as his county of residence above. This is one of the two Abraham (father & son) Baggetts of the Little Contentnea Creek area of Edgecombe County as part of this area that came into Pitt County when it was created in 1760. Whether this is Abraham Baggett I, son of Nicholas of Bertie, or Abraham Baggett, Jr. (II) is open to conjecture, but it is felt that one plausible explanation would be that it is Abraham I and that he acquired this grant as an investment for future use or profit and after holding four years and declining in health as old age approached, decided to sell it and take the profit in his lifetime for his estate. I say this because of the timing. In this same year of 1762 the Edgecombe County deeds of gift to his sons appear reading "for love and affection after his decease" in some. I might add here that the sons begin selling this land deeded to them by their father Abraham Baggett, Sr. (I) as early as 1764, just two years after he deeded it to them. For this reason I estimate that the first Abraham Baggett, son of Nicholas of Bertie County, died between 1762 and 1764 in his 62nd or 63rd year.

The next Baggetts to appear in this North Carolina border area do not appear until 1779 when James, Jr. and Shadrack receive Grants on the northeast side of the Pee Dee River on Solomon's Creek and 1786 when James Baggett receives a 100 acre Grant on Marks Creek. These are also the descendants of the Edgecombe County Baggetts, however, no Abrahams appear in this Anson/Richmond County, NC area in the 1763-1810 time frame. The earliest record of the Solomon Creek/Marks Creek Baggetts is a 13 January 1772 Anson County item in the Court Minutes. These Baggetts (James) tended to migrate more due west into Tennessee, where they are among the earliest settlers and founders of the Baggett family in that State. Since their lineage is equally long, detailed, and sketchy, and since their relevance to the Marlboro County Baggetts problem now under consideration is largely ruled out, they will not figure in the solution below. They did have Abrahams but these have all been traced to other areas, and by ages gained from later census records, all accounted for and eliminated as possible candidates for the Abrahams addressed below.

The first of the three Abraham Baggetts of Marlboro County, SC records to be eliminated from further consideration in the deeds below is Abraham Baggett, Sr. (II) who appears only once in the Records of Salem Baptist Chruch of Marlboro County ? 1797-1844. These and other local Marlboro County records were first transcribed for me by Mrs. Jacquelyn R. Kelly of Bennettsville, SC in 1966 from a typed W.P.A. transcript. They have been of great value in sorting out the Abraham Baggetts of Marlboro as I will be forever grateful and indebted to Mrs. Kelly for these and other valuable contributions to the solution to this problem.

THE RECORD OF THIS CHURCH ABOVE SHOWS:
Constituted October, 1793 (with Rev. Robert Thomas, Moderator, then regretably
the records are lost from 1793 to 8 July 1797.)

 (The 8 July 1797 Membership Roll lists 70 names; 11 dead, 23 dismissed [tranferred]

 8 excluded [excommunicated?], 2 received by Letter, and apparently with 27 active members.)

About this time there was a "renewal of the Church Covenant" and many of the dismissed and some of the excluded who appear below returned to the church which as can be seen from the above figures had not been doing too well in its first four years of existance. A relevant portion of the 8 July 1797 Membership Roll is reproduced below:

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John Killingsworth, dismissed; William Lukes, dismissed; Martin Smart, dead; Isaac Weatherly, dismissed; Abraham Baggett, dismissed; Mary Williams; John Thomas, dismissed; Abraham Baggett, dead; Jacob Oden, excluded; Darby Hanley, excluded; Eli Thomas, dismissed; . . . and so it continues.

(Abraham Baggett was present at 18 June 1797 Meeting, absent 8 July 1797 Meeting, and present 12 August 1797 Meeting and virtually all others up through 19 October 1805. No further Baggetts from then through 1844.) (The Abraham shown dead was transcribed in error as Mrs. Kelly made a pen and ink insertion of his name and Mary Williams on the list she typed for me and states later that although there appeared to be two Abraham Baggetts from the membership list no more than one ever appears on any meeting record and she assumed one had died or been dismissed. I suspect a W.P.A. Project transcription error on the copy she was working with.)

To assume error in the transcriptions, without pointing out a very real possibility that would explain these entries would make this analysis less than the thorough investigation it is intended to be. The Rev. J. A. W. Thomas, grandson of the first pastor, Robert Thomas above, in a sketch he wrote on this church indicates that it actually existed before "the formal organization of this Baptist body of believers" on 12 October 1793. Other sources allude to this possibility as well but J. A. W. Thomas writing at a time when living memory could supplement formal and often inadequate records is the most credible witness in his "History of Marlboro County" published in 1897. According to Thomas this church was not the first in the county but the third, and from a study of old maps, census records, and names of members, I have concluded that the following quotation from Thomas applies to this early group of neighbors who eventually did formalize their gatherings and constitute a formal church, ". . . besides Welsh Neck Baptist Church on the border, there was a Baptist Church at Muddy Creek (now Brownsville, SC) and one at Beauty Spot, now Beaverdam in the town of McColl, and this was the third. Of course it was only a little handful of baptized believers meeting at any one place for the worship of God and the maintenance of his ordinances . . ." It may be, therefore, that the Abraham Baggett shown as dead on the 1797 Membership Roll was the Abraham Baggett, brother of Lewis, who died in 1792 as shown earlier. The third Abraham Baggett to appear in these Church Records appears a few years later in the following entry shown in full below:

Church Conference 15 January 1799

Members present: Robert Thomas, James Botton, Aaron Person, William Busley, Abraham Baggett, Thomas McDaniel, Isaac Weatherly, John Killingsworth.

Abraham Baggett, Sen. came forward with a letter of recommendation from a church in North Carolina. His Letter being approved of, he is received into fellowship.

First, it is extremely unlikely that the above Abraham Baggett, Sen. is the first Abraham Baggett, Sr., born about 1700, died about 1763, of Edgecombe County. It is far more likely that he is the son of that Abraham (I) and is referred to properly as Abraham Baggett, Jr. during his father's lifetime in the records of both Northampton/Edgecombe County, NC. After his father's death and the coming of age of his own son Abraham, he is referred to in the records as Sr. and his son Jr., and that is what we see above.     To line these Abrahams up by age and generation and assign the designation as (I), (II), and (III) will simplify matters:

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Abraham Baggett II of Northampton and Edgecombe counties; wife was Mary                       (co-signed deed dated 15 March 1799 in Edgecombe County, NC).

Abraham Baggett III of Edgecombe, Marlboro County, SC, and Conecuh County, AL, born between 1750-1760 (age shown in 1830 census of Conecuh County as age 70-80), died about 1835 (estimate based on absence from 1840 census and marriage of his son Nicholas Baggett of Conecuh County who is believed to have lived with his aging parents 1830-1835).

A good deal of sheer coincidence in timing of events has been a leading contributor to the confusion of the Abraham Baggetts in the Marlboro County records as will be seen below. In addition the land locations lying as they do between "Crooked Creek" on the north and "Three Creeks" on the south below Bennettsville, SC have required careful reading, study, and map reference to locate.

(1) Abraham Baggett of Darlington County
(2) Abraham Baggett III of Marlboro County

(1) Son of Nicholas A. Baggett, fourth grandson of Nicholas of 1753 (born between 1750-60 and died about 1835).

(2) Son of Abraham II, grandson of Abraham Baggett I, of Nicholas Baggett of Bertie (born between 1740-60 and great-grandson of Nicholas Baggett of Bertie County [estimate] and died about 1792).

(Proved by Jesse Baggett before William Easterling, Justice, on 2 January 1792 and Recorded 2 January 1792 in Book "AA", Page 139.)

The 1789 Bond for Title above has raised several questions which can now perhaps be resolved. First, the underlined phrases, "late of the State and County aforesaid" is probably in error because none of the facts point any other way. It could not refer to the common usage of the word "late" as meaning deceased as no one obviously could make such an agreement or contract with a dead Abraham Baggett. The Abraham Baggett of Darlington County was still living in 1789 as previously documented in Darlington County with no evidence that he had ever lived in Marlborough County, so it cannot mean "late of Marlborough County in the sense of his formerly having lived there. He died before his nephews Jesse, Nicholas, and their mother, Sarah Baggett/Draper, moved south to Orangeburg/Barnwell County/District, so this Abraham Baggett is ruled out.

The case for Abraham Baggett III being the one referred to in this document is far stronger if not completely flawless itself. The word late in his case can only be explained in the other sense of the word, meaning "lately of Marlborough County", since it is almost certain that he had just arrived from Edgecombe County, NC about this time (1789) (which also would explain why he did not appear in the 1790 census of North Carolina taken in late 1790), unless there is an error and the document should have read "late of Edgecombe County, NC." In any event the fact that the land in question is the same 200 acres he eventually was deeded by Dickson Pearce below on 4 January 1792 (albeit one year later than the contract called for) and finally sold 20 January 1806 is shown by the deeds that follow:

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(NOTE: This is the first appearance of Joel Baggett, Sr. in South Carolina records, and it appears that he had already been picked up by the timely taking of the 1790 census in his home County of Edgecombe in North Carolina before he moved south to join Abraham III in South Carolina where, due to its lateness in taking the 1790 census, he was picked up again in early 1792.)

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Received the day and year within written of the within named Abraham Baggett the full consideration money therein mentioned I say received by me. Signed: Dickson Pearce. Witnesses: Simeon Bethea and Isaac (X) Sumrall. (Proved by Simeon Bethea before William Easterling, Justice, 5 January 1792. Recorded 5 January 1792 in Book "AA", Page 237-38.)

(NOTE: This appears to be the culmination of the Bond for Title sale of 1789 mentioned earlier.)

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16 September 1793 - JESSE BAGGET, schoolmaster of                 County to Shaorson Fuller, planter, 25 pounds sterling; conveys 50 acres on a branch of the Three Creeks called Commander Branch southeast of the Beauty Spot in Cheraw District, including the plantation where the said Jesse Baggett now liveth, 25 acres, one half part being a part of a grant of 330 acres which was originally granted to John Hathorn under the great seal of the said State by Charles Greville Hoolague on 3 April 1772, and was conveyed to James Powers from said Hathorn, and from said Powers was conveyed to Jesse Baggett; the other 25 acres was originally granted to Kurbert Cottingham being part of a platt of 300 acres bearing date 4 September 1786 and was conveyed from said Cottingham to Jesse Baggett & both moaches (moiting?) or parcel of 25 acres (each parcel is joining and intersecting together and is laid off as followeth): Beginning at a corner white oak in said branch of Three Creeks below said Baggett's plantation; then south bound along a line to a stake corner; then bounded by Robert Purnell to Three Creeks and Baggett's plantation. Witnesses: Elias Baggett and Jno? (X) Hall. Signed Jesse Baggott. (Probated by Elias Baggett 12 October 1798 before William Easterling, J.P. Recorded 12 November 1798, Book "E", Page 252.)

The above two men, as deeds selling their property indicate, moved in the late 1790s and are not shown in the 1800 census of any county in North/South Carolina, nor are they shown in any 1810 census. The reason for this seems to be due to the fact that the 1800 and 1810 censuses of Georgia where it is believed will be shown they moved, were destroyed/lost. The next record we have of them is the 1805 Georgia Land Lottery of Columbia County, GA on the Georgia/South Carolina line. They both appear in the 1820 census of Columbia County, but are not living near each other. There is a good deal of difference in their ages and it is my contention that Jesse Baggett, born about 1742, died between 1820-30, is an uncle of the Abraham Baggett III above and that Elias Baggett, born 1772 in North Carolina, died 19 December 1847 in Georgia, is the son of Abraham Baggett III.

Elias Baggett can be eliminated as a possible father of Jesse Baggett, born 1790, died 1867, Conecuh County, since I have records of all his children and none were named Jesse and all remained in Georgia most of their lives. We are fortunate in the case of Elias Baggett to have early extracts from his family Bible written in letters from his grandchildren to Dr. Malcolm Baggett, 1849-1921, in the early 1900s. His wife was Susanna Reeves, born 1778, died 2 August 1864, a daughter of John Reeves who mentions her in his 1833 Columbia County, GA Will. They had six children, two boys: Bennett Baggett, born 22 September 1816, Tennel Baggett, born 1806, and four girls: one born before 1800 of which nothing is known, and Leona, Rebecca, and Minnie Baggett. Four of these children married in Monroe County, GA and their marriages are recorded there. Judging from the dates of these marriages, it would appear that Elias Baggett and family moved to Monroe County from Columbia, AL, and then to Weatherford, TX (Charles B. "C. B." Baggett, son of Bennett Baggett above).

Jesse Baggett, born about 1742, died between 1820-30, the son of Abraham Baggett I, brother of Abraham II and uncle of Abraham III, moved about a great deal in his younger days and is not found in any North Carolina or South Carolina census for the period 1784-87 (North Carolina State Census) or 1790-1820 (unless the earlier conjecture about the 1790 census showing Jesse Baggett of Cheraw District, SC is incorrect and he, not the brother of Nicholas et al, is the Jesse shown in that census). That was the only census recording of Jesse Baggett found in North/South Carolina for the period mentioned above, and it was taken in January/February of 1792 showing no males under 16 years of age in the household at a time when Jesse Baggett of Conecuh County would have been almost 18 months old, having been born 19 September 1790 in North Carolina. If, to cover all possibilities in this process of elimination, it is assumed that Jesse Baggett, uncle of Abraham III is the Jesse Baggett of this 1790 census entry, then he would be also eliminated as a possible father of Jesse Baggett of Conecuh County which would then open up the possibility of Jesse Baggett, son of Lewis, for consideration. The first problem that possibility would run in to would be the place of birth of Jesse Baggett of Conecuh which is clearly recorded in his lifetime in both the 1850 and 1860 censuses of Conecuh County and in later censuses by his descendants as "North Carolina." Since Jesse Baggett, son of Lewis Baggett, appears in St. David's Parish records in the 1780s shortly after his father Lewis bought land in that area in 1778 well below the North/South Carolina State line, it is doubtful that he ever lived in North Carolina as a married man and that all his children would have been 18 to 19 years old and single would raise the question of why he did not go to Louisiana with the family and how he turns up in Jefferson County, GA where he married Zilla Godwin in 1812. Later analysis of the Jefferson County, GA records to be presented in a separate case will rule out any plausible answer to this question. For these reasons no valid case can be made and reasonable conjecture can be supported to show that the father of Jesse Baggett of Conecuh County was either one of the two Jesse Baggetts discussed above.

The remaining possibility that there might be another or third Jesse Baggett of this period who could have been the father of the Conecuh County Jesse have also been explored using all references to the Jesse Baggetts of North/South Carolina of this period. These are listed in the following in order to show that the possibility of a third Jesse Baggett is extremely remote.

The earliest reference to a Jesse Baggett in North Carolina records is a 22 June 1762 Edgecombe County deed witnessed by Jesse Baggett, son of Abraham Baggett I of that county (Deed Book 1-361, Page 88, by Watson). From this deed I have estimated his birth date to be about 1740-42. He appears in several deeds as a witness in 1762 always signing his name and not signing by mark. The following deeds show his father to be Abraham Baggett I.

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ABRAHAM BAGGETT, SENR. of Edgecombe County to his son Jesse Baggett, 21 June 1762, for love and affection a tract of 60 acres on the head prong of Little Contentnea Creek, it being part of the tract he purchased of Jacob Barnes and granted in his own name from Earl Granville the deed bearing date of 25 March 1752. Witnesses: Elisha Baggett and Shadrack Baggett (Deed Book 1-419, Page 101 by Watson). (NOTE: Four years later he sold this same land to his brother Abraham Baggett II, as shown by the deed below.)

JESSE BAGGETT to Abram Baggett, 11 July 1766, for 9 pounds proceeds money a tract of 60 acres on Quilet Branch and Baggett's Branch at the head of the Little Contentnea Creek. Witness: Nathan Baggett (Deed Book C-431, Page 193 by Watson).

(NOTE: This land deed appears again with some data in Deed Book 0-152, Page 229 by Watson and is different only in that it identifies Jesse as "Planter", Abram as "Abraham Baggett, Junr.", and includes a second witness: Joseph Strickland, and shows Nathan Baggett signing by mark.)

Although Baggett records of this Edgecombe family continue well into the late 1780s, there are no more transactions by Jesse Baggett, son of Abraham Baggett I, or any other records I have found that would indicate his presence there after he sold the above land in 1766. I therefore conclude that he and his brother Shadrack Baggett (also named as a son of Abraham Baggett I in a deed of gift like the above) and the James Baggett, (Sr.) [jab] (probably the oldest son of Abraham Baggett I) (bought land in Pitt County in 1761 but never mentioned as a son) all moved south as shown by the following records:

BLADEN COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA LAND GRANTS

JOSEPH BAGGETT, son of Nicholas of Bertie (1753 Will)  ?  100 acres - Saddletree Swamp - Grant - 26 November 1757
(His Will of 1789 gives sons Barton and Reddin Baggett)                 "                    "                "         28 October 1765

JAMES BAGGETT (Baggot), son of Abraham I of Edgecombe        "                     "                 "          28 October 1765
(Sold his Edgecombe land to his brother Abraham II on 1 December 1767 - 100 acres of land he had bought from Elisha in 1764 when Elisha Baggett, his brother, moved to Dobbs County) (Deed Book D-122, Page 275 by Watson).

JESSE BAGGETT, son of Abraham Baggett I of Edgecombe ? 100 acres - Saddletree Swamp - Grant issued - 26 April 1768
(Also 68 acres, ca. same date) (witnessed a deed November Court of Bladen County, 1768) (Bladen County Deeds, PP 20-21).

SHADRACK BAGGETT witnessed a Bladen County deed 1 August 1770 ? 100 acres - Saddletree Swamp - (PP 118-119).

JOHN BAGGETT, (SR.) [jab], son of Nicholas A. Baggett of Northampton County ? 150 acres, east side of Saddletree Swamp, Grant issued 5 September 1789. (My ancestor, listed 1790 census [area now and in 1790, Robeson County, NC], father of Thomas Choice Baggett, born 1780, died between 1850-60, Harrison County, MS, listed Robeson in 1800 census. John Baggett, Sr., born about 1750, died 1805, Jackson County, GA. Family moved to Jackson County, GA about 1800-1801.)

JOHN BAGGETT, JR., son of John above and brother of Thomas ? 210 acres on southwest side of Ten Mile Swamp, issued 17 September 1797. (Both Ten Mile and Saddletree swamps are near each other in Robeson County, NC just north of present day Lumberton, NC.) (NOTE: This area was at the very heart of the North/South Carolina border confusion with Bladen County deeds filed in Columbia, SC, etc.)

As shown earlier in this paper, James Baggett, Sr. and Shadrack Baggett moved to Anson County, NC receiving land grants there on the northeast side of the Pee Dee River on Solomon's Creek in July 1779.

Only one of these is ever shown in Marlborough County, SC records and that is in a 7 December 1794 Executor's Deed to "James Baggett, Junr." from Henry William Darrington, Executor to the estate of Maj. Samuel Wise, who owned land in Marlborough County, which was in the northwestern corner of the county where "Marks Creek" empties into the Pee Dee River down near the North/South Carolina State line, according to Gregg, History of the Old Cheraws, published in 1867, Page 104. I have a photocopy of this actual deed and another in this same area from the same estate containing 38 acres to John Baggett, dated 28 November 1801. Both this John Baggett and the James Baggett, Jr. are listed in the 1800 census of Marlborough County, SC in different areas from the only other Baggett listed, who is Abraham Baggett III.

It is clear from the above that the Jesse Baggett in all the records is the same man who has moved from Edgecombe County, NC to Bladen County, NC between 1766 (when he sold the Edgecombe land) and 1768 (when he was granted the land in Bladen County, NC). At this point we have a gap of 10 years where no North Carolina references to Jesse Baggett have been found, probably due to the fact that few Bladen/Robeson County, NC records have survived the fires and wars, etc. Some of these found filed in South Carolina are among the few earliest records to survive. The only indication that Jesse Baggett may have moved west to Anson County, NC with James Baggett et al in the late 1770s is his Revolutionary War service record in North Carolina State Archives in Raleigh, NC (not in National Archives in Washington, DC). He is not mentioned in Anson County records and does not show up in Marlborough County, SC records until he witnesses the 1789 Bond for Title shown earlier. The Revolutionary War, 1775-1783, created a great deal of turmoil in North/South Carolina during the ten year period, 1768-1778, referred to above.
(These were not raised by area recruiting as earlier regiments were.) Analysis of names on Muster Rolls and 1784-87 North Carolina census does show a high percentage of the men came from east central North Carolina counties with a few north and south of this area. The following Units were part of the below 10th Regiment:

Colonel Abraham Shepard's 10th Regiment, North Carolina Continental Line

JESSE BAGGETT, CORPORAL, Lt. Col. William Lee Davidson's Company (also Quinn's Company). (This was actually the 3rd Battalion - not a Company, although the units able bodied strength was very low due to losses. Lt. Col. Davidson was transferred to this unit "1 June 1778 and transferred out to 1st North Carolina on 9 June 1779," according to Boltner quoting Holtman in the Encyclopedia of the American Revolution, Page 317.)

Jesse Baggett appears as a Corporal on a 23 April 1779 "Roll of Lt. Col. W. L. Davidson's Company," copied from the Orderly Book of Sergeant Isaac Rowel. As noted above, Lt. Col. Davidson left this unit a little over a month after this Roll was taken. The unit had served in the Northern Thester in Pennsylvania and New Jersey up to this time and were in that area when this Roll was taken. The North Carolina Continentals were sent to the Southern Thester eight months later in November, 1779. We do not have a record of the date Jesse Baggett joined this unit, but as his rank is shown as Corporal it is safe to say that he was not a recent enlistee and may have been a soldier of two to three years service at the time.. Another record of the 10th Regiment of North Carolina shows:

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JESSE BAGGETT, CORPORAL, Quinn's Company. He enlisted 20 July 1778 for nine months (This period would have expired March/April 1779, about the date of the above Roll.) (Several pay vouchers are on record in the North Carolina Continental Army Account Books at the Archives in Raleigh, NC. I have the page numbers of the vouchers, etc., but not dates and amounts.)

In summary then there are two ten year gaps in the life of this Jesse Baggett, son of Abraham I, both of Edgecombe County, NC. In August of 1768, when he witnessed the deed in Bladen County, NC to the above 1778/1779 Revolutionary War records, and from 1779 to 1789, when he witnesses the Bond for Title in Marlborough County, SC for his nephew Abraham Baggett III. A third gap of twelve years then follow, from September 1793 when he sold the above land, until 1805 when he and Elias Baggett next appear in the 1805 Land Lottery of Georgia. Both drew in Columbia County, GA in 1805 but neither was lucky; both drew blanks.

As shown above, Elias Baggett was still in Marlborough County, SC as late as 12 October 1798 when he proved the deed of Jesse Baggett, which I suspect may also be dated 1798 and 1793, the error likely due to mistaking the “8” for a “3”. It would seem more reasonable if the deed were dated 16 September 1798 and recorded 12 November 1798, but in any event both Jesse and Elias were gone before the 1800 census of South Carolina was taken as they do not appear anywhere in the State in 1800. As stated earlier, they were both probably in Georgia by 1799-1800 and since this Georgia census was burned, we do not find them until the 1805 Land Lottery.

The only early Baggett references in this area are two marriages which are very likely daughters of this Jesse Baggett, even though the marriages are recorded in adjoining Richmond County. These are: 4 July 1801, Miriam Baggett to Jesse Sea and 11 December 1804, Nancy Baggett to Thomas Morris. These could not be daughters of Elias Baggett since he could not have any daughters of marriageable age (which is at least 15 to 16) in 1801 and 1804 since he was born 1772 and would have been only 20 himself by 1792 and was 23 when in 1795 his father Abraham III deeded the 50 acres on Crooked Creek to him that he sold in 1797 before coming to Georgia.

Finally, the 1820 census of Columbia County, GA shows Jesse living in Capt. Benjamin Watson's Militia District with his wife only. Both are shown as being age “45 and up” which is the highest age classification available in that census year.

According to my calculations, he would be about 75-80 years old in 1820, and since there is no further record of his I conclude that he probably died in Columbia County, Ga between 1820 and 1830. This Jesse Baggett, son of Abraham Baggett I, no doubt, had some sons but I believe only two?with the majority of his children being girls, perhaps. To conclude his case, I can find nothing to suggest him as the probable father of Jesse Baggett, born 1790 in North Carolina of Conecuh County, AL, and far too much that goes against such a conjecture in all that has been presented above.

At this point it is necessary to make a definitive comparison of the only two Jesse Baggetts of record old enough to have been the father of Jesse Baggett, born 1790 in North Carolina, because they happen to be living in the South Carolina/Georgia border area of Barnell/Orangeburg counties, SC and Columbia/Richmond counties, GA about the same time? late 1790s to early 1800s. By looking at Map “C” it is clear the areas are not too far apart and some appealing, but false conclusions and doubts can arise if the following is not presented.

As will be recalled from earlier pages, Nicholas and Jesse Baggett, sons of Lewis Baggett of Darlington County and the Cheraw District, SC, moved south to the Orangeburg/Barnwell area with their mother, Sarah Baggett/Draper, in late 1792 after Nicholas sold the land he inherited from his father Lewis in Darlington County, SC on 29 November 1792. A few months later on 25 March 1793, Nicholas Baggett “of Barnwell County and the Orangeburg District,” made the previously mentioned Affidavit concerning the estate of his uncle Abraham Baggett of Darlington. The next record is the 1800 census of Orangeburg District showing only Nicholas and his mother Sarah.

 No record of Jesse and Catherine Baggett yet. In fact, the only document that shows conclusively that Jesse and Catherine Baggett were in this area is the following November 1812 Affidavit itself. (NOTE: Nicholas Baggett was a son of Lewis Baggett, grandson of Nicholas A. Baggett, and great-grandson of Nicholas Baggett of Bertie County, NC (1753 Will.)

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, BARNWELL DISTRICT

Personal appeared before me, Nicholas Baggett, who being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelist on his said oath says and declares that the Deponent some years age did, in company with Jesse Baggett, his brother, and Catherine, said Jesse's wife, execute title sufficient in law for the intention of conveying two hundred acres of land, the same which some time before had been conveyed to him by Martha Cannon of Charleston as Executrix to the Estate of Daniel Cannon, which land is situated on the south side of the south prong of Ediste River and is part of a tract of three thousand, three hundred acres granted to Robert Lowdens, . . . for the consideration money then agreed to . . . the Deponent's knowledge said Ivey Smith did pay the whole amount due, . . . having received full satisfaction for said land. . . . Deponent further says to his certain knowledge Sarah Draper, the Mother of the Deponent, conveyed in writing titles of conveyance unto said Ivey Smith for a tract of one hundred acres . . . paid the full consideration money of and for said tract of land to the said Sarah Draper, and that said Ivey Smith, his heirs or assigns, are the only persons who may have claim, right, or title on the said land.

 Acknowledged before me and sworn
 this the 4th day of June, 1812: Nicholas Baggett (Seal)

  Casper Protti, Q.U.      (Recorded the 16th of October, 1816)

Personally appeared before me Conrod Ziegler, who being duly sworn on his said oath, says and declares that he recollects to have signed a certain deed of conveyance as one of the signing witnesses to the same which conveyance was made from Nicholas Baggett, Jesse Baggett and Catherine Baggett, in order to convey a tract of two hundred acres of land unto Ivey Smith . . . signed a deed of conveyance of the land from Ivey Smith to said Baggett . . . said land for the payment of a note by said Smith given for said purpose. . . . declares that the signature of Conrod Ziegler as a witness to the same is of his own hand writing and that Elizabeth Pandarvis signed herself with him as a witness to the said conveyance as also to said mortgage.

 Sworn before me this the
 4th day of June, 1812: Conrod Ziegler (Seal)

  Casper Protti, Q.U.      (Recorded the 16th of October, 1816)

(Sources: Barnwell Deeds, Volume “J”, PP 55-57, on microfilm in the South Carolina Department of Archives & History, Columbia, SC.)

By determining the date of the Administration of the Daniel Cannon Estate, the approximate date that the Baggetts bought the 200 acres referred to in the above Affidavit could be determined, but based on other transactions in this area, I estimate, for the purpose of this paper, that it occurred about 1800-1805. These sons of Lewis Baggett now make the deepest and earliest westward penetrations of any of the Baggetts of record thus far. Jesse Baggett and wife Catherine went first, leaving about 1808-09 to what is called the Old Natchez District in the Mississippi Territory. His brother Nicholas also moved to this area in 1812, as will be shown in a later case.

JESSE BAGGETT, son of Lewis Baggett

1809 - Private Land Claim on the Pearl River, St. Tammany/Washington Parish area (Private Land Claims in National Archives, Document Number 173) (Jesse Bagget, Cosby Jacket Number 732/733).

1810 - May 6th he married Mary Robertson, born between 1790-1800, Amite County MS (Part of Old Nachez District).

1811 - Signed the Petition to make the area part of the West Florida Territory.

1814-1815 ? Served in War of 1812 in Capt. Thomas Blackham's Company, Maj. McWright's 12th & 13th Regiment, Louisiana Militia.

1820 - Wilkinson County, MS 1820 Census (adjoins Amite on east and Louisiana on west and south borders).

 Jesse Baggett, age 45 and up (this is significant. Note this Jesse would have to be born 1775 or earlier).

 Wife (Mary Robertson, 2nd wife) age 26 to 45.

 2 Boys and 2 girls Under 10 (all born since 1810 of 2nd wife).

 4 Slaves.

1830 Census of Pointe Coupee Parish, LA (on southwest border of above Wilkinson County, MS).

 Widow of Jessie Baggot (unusual but stated as written ? no names of any widows given in this Census).

 Widow, age 30 to 40 (Mary Robertson [jab]).
 1 Male age 5-10, 1 Male age 10-15, 1 Male 20-30
 1 Female* age under 5, 1 Female 5-10, 2 Females age 15-20.

*Based on the age of this child born 1825-30, it appears that Jesse Baggett died between 1824-29. One of Jesse and Mary Robertson Baggett's sons was Lewis Baggett, born 1815 in Louisiana, married on 30 May 1844 in W. Feliciana Parish, Laura Wade, born 1824. They are listed in Pointe Coupee Parish in the 1850 census with no children.

The above firmly establishes that Jesse Baggett, son of Lewis Baggett, was in the Mississippi Territory from 1809 to 1824 while, as shown earlier, Jesse Baggett, son of Abraham Baggett I, was in Columbia County, GA from 1805 to 1820. There are no other Jesse Baggetts of record who could possibly be the father of Jesse Baggett, born 1790 of Conecuh County, and as previously stated neither of these two men appear to be likely possibilities. Since Badgett is an obvious, and I might add uniquely American, derivative of Baggett, the only Jesse Badgett descending from the very early Granville County, NC family of that name was considered as a possibility and quickly eliminated as follows:

JOHN BADGETT, the progenitor of the Badgetts of Granville County, NC, had a son William Badgett, born 23 July 1762, died in November of 1794, who married Sarah Brooks, died in November of 1794.

Their children were David, William Baggett, Jr., James, and Jesse Badgett, who appears in the 1820 Rowan County, NC census with James. Since this Jesse Badgett was born in the 1780s, he could not be the father of Jesse Baggett, born 1790, and since he appears in the 1820 census of Rowan County while Jesse Baggett, born 1790, appears in the Conecuh County, AL 1820 census, he could not be himself, the Jesse Baggett of Conecuh County, AL.

These Granville Badgetts retained the unique spelling of the name Baggett as Badgett well into the late 1800s, but the scarcity of this spelling today indicates later descendants may have corrected it, thus causing often bewildering appearances of never before heard of “Baggetts” in the 1880, 1900, and 1910 census. The Badgett migration pattern is almost exclusively westward into Tennessee and Kentucky in the early 1800s, and the name had become rare there in the southeastern States in the latter part of the 1800s.

The final reference to a Jesse Baggett is one that has not yet been checked out, but may result in a realignment of the Jesse Baggetts as presented above, since further investigation may reveal the long suspected third Jesse Baggett in early North Carolina records. The North Carolina veterans of the Revolutionary War became entitled to “Military Land Warrants” based on their service under a 14 October 1783 Law.

MILITARY LAND WARRANTS, CONTINENTAL LINE (PART 1)

 “Military Land Warrant Number 1746 to heirs of Jesse Beggett, Private, for 84 months service, 640 acres on 23 April 1785, deeded to Maj. Dixon.” (Note that he is listed as Private, not Corporal.)

NOTE: These documents need to be ordered, time and funds permitting. As of the late 1960s, when some were ordered on John Baggett, these Military Land Warrants and land grants had not been transferred to the North Carolina Department of Archives & History, but were still held by the Office of the Secretary of State that originally issued them. They may show names of heirs (who could be brothers/sisters), the unit Jesse served in, location of the land, etc., date of death, and the name of the one who filed the claim. However, for the purposes of this paper, this Jesse is ruled out as the father of Jesse, born 1790 in North Carolina, since he died before 23 April 1785, according to the above claim by his “heirs.”

There is no doubt that Abraham Baggett III, of the previously discussed Marlboro County, SC records, came to Conecuh County, AL about 1817 or 1818 shortly after Jesse Baggett, born 1790 in North Carolina, arrived from Jefferson County, GA, and there is a son of Abraham shown in the 1800 census of Marlboro County, SC age 10-16 (born 1784-1790 if the census was taken in 1800) which it was, and therefore Jesse Baggett, born 1790, would have to go in this age bracket because he would not be under 10, the only other bracket. It is also true that no possibility exists among the known sons of Abraham III of one of them fitting this age bracket other than Silas perhaps, since his age is not precisely known. And since Abraham Baggett III did not actually have a place of his own until he bought the first 50 acres on 4 January 1792, his wife could have given birth to a son in Edgecombe County, NC in September of 1790 and not actually have joined Abraham in South Carolina as early as 7 January 1789 when the Bond for Title was made.

The only problem with this possibility is when Jesse's known brother, Grandberry Baggett, born 1 February 1794, is considered, this creates one too many sons “under age 10” in the year 1800. Since this brother is buried alongside Jesse and his wife Zilla in Conecuh County, AL, with early family records and other county records supporting the relationship, it is essential to consider him in any conjecture about who their father was. For this reason and the lack of any record connecting Abraham III with the Baggetts of Jefferson County, GA in the early 1800s, it would appear that Abraham Baggett III could be alienated at this point. It should be stated that there is an unexplained gap in the migration of Abraham Baggett III from South Carolina to Conecuh County, AL of about ten years or more. He sold his land in Marlboro County in early 1806, as shown by the deed below, and is last mentioned in the previously cited church records in October of 1805.

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20 January 1806 - ABRAM BAGGETT to Thomas McDavid, 218 acres, $400.00. Land conveyed to Baggett by Dickson Pearce, being a grant of Gov. Pinckney in 1787. Includes the plantation where Baggett resides on the northeast side of the Pee Dee River on the south side of Crooked Creek near the Beauty Spot. Recorded 1 June 1808 by Thomas McDavid.

The date of Abraham Baggett's departure has been stated as 1809 because of the place and date of birth given by his son Abraham S. Baggett in the 1850 census of Wilcox County, AL where his age has been mistakently read or entered as 41, born in South Carolina, which would mean the parents were still there when he was born. Since Abraham S. Baggett's wife's age is given as 46 and since the 1830 census shows them with two sons and a daughter under 5 years of age, I believe his age in 1850 was pobably 47, not 41, and that his age at his death in the Spring of 1852 was 48 and not 42. In any event, the above deed and church records would indicate that Abraham Bagget III left in 1806 and is not picked up again until 12 May 1819 when he bought land near Bellsville, AL, Conecuh County, although Riley indicates in the History of Conecuh County that he may have arrived earlier. The years between 1806-9 and 1818 were no doubt spent in Georgia and probably in the middle Georgia area of Baldwin, Jones, Morgan, and Putnam counties where Joel Baggett, Sr., Joel, Jr., and Blake Baggett are on record.

The facts and conjecture presented thus far in this paper represent the results of an exhaustive (and exhausting) analysis of all early referances to the Jesse and Abraham Baggetts of North/South Carolina, with a view toward objectively examining them to determine what possibilities and probabilities exist to support the notion that Jesse Baggett, born 1790 of Coneuch County, AL, was a son of one of them. The records have been shown in context with all neighboring or nearby Baggetts included so that the reader may perform his/her own analysis by careful study of the records.

Dissenting views supported by records not now known to me are welcomed and encouraged for no claim is made that the above records are the only records that exist, but merely they are all that have turned up as of this date (3 March 1983). Unfortunatley books mentioned earlier has focussed attention on the above Baggett families as the ancestors of Jesse Baggett, born 1790 of Conecuh County, to the virtual exclusion of the more valid (in my humble opinion) possibilities involving other sons of Nicholas Baggett of Bertie County, NC (1753 Will).

Consider for a moment that Jesse Baggett's father might have been named something other than Jesse or Abraham. After all, in all of the above, what is there other than name association to suggest that Jesse Baggett's father was also named Jesse? And what other than the Jesse, who was a proven son of Abraham I, do we have to suggest that Jesse's father might have been named Abraham? This would be indirect name association.

None of this is to play down the value of name association as an investigative tool because it is tremendously valuable as a means of developing clues and leads and is a proven technique for that purpose. As an indicator it is helpful, as proof it is not, although in some cases it can provide circumstantial proof, when the names being associated are not all that common and are unique in their occurrence down through several generations and even up to the present day. Examples of these in the Baggett family are: Jesse, Joel, Nicholas, Lewis, Abraham, Grandberry, Drury, Uzziel, etc. The more common Johns, Jameses, Thomases, Andrews, Williams, etc., are more subject to coincidence and are thus more suspected as inherited names. Of course other factors influencing the naming of children have to be known and considered, but as long as they are known and properly considered, the technique of name association can be very enlightening. One of these factors is the strong influence of the mother's own ancestry. Repeatedly I have guessed the maiden name of the mother by the use of a last name of a family given as a first name to one of her sons, only to find a confirming marriage record often years later that proved the guess to be an accurate one.

Another outside influence is found in popular names of the area being studied. The number of male children named Jackson, Andrew, and Andrew Jackson is so great in the 1800s, particularly in the South, that General Andrew “Old Hickory” Jackson and later President Andrew Jackson must be described as perhaps the most popular folk hero in all of American history, rivaling all the George Washingtons, James Madisons, and even Robert E. Lee in the South.

Through all of this the force of hereditary names burns strong and clear in the Baggett family so that the uncommon and not particularly popular name of Nicholas, first introduced into the Bagot family in England by Milicent de Stafford, wife of Hervey Bagot, in the twelfth century continues as a name popular with the Baggetts in England and America right down to the present day. The well documented use of this and hundreds of years provides a body of circumstantial evidence based on name association alone that cannot be lightly dismissed as in recent years appears to be considerably less than in earlier times when families were closer and their influence stronger. In the 1800s when a new name appeared in a Baggett family it was usually introduced by the wife and occasionally by outside influences, such as popular names of the day or even from a neighboring family of close or lifelong friends.

As an example in the case of Jesse Baggett of Conecuh County, born 1790, it is clear that the name of his first son, Richard Thomas Baggett, born 30 March 1817 in Conecuh County, must be looked at carefully because in hundreds of early records and families, this is the first male Baggett of record to be named Richard. For that reason I strongly suspect the mother's influence and that this name may provide a clue to the name of Jess's wife Zilla Godwin's parents. The second name Thomas is an old and popular one with the early Baggetts and thus may have a Baggett significance, but since it is a common name coincidence must also be considered. The name of Jesse's second son, Jesse Grandberry Baggett, is far more revealing as will be shown below.

The following cases for the parentage of Jesse Baggett, born 1790 of Conecuh County, must also be conjectural and if published must be clearly identified as such. I must admit some lack of objectivity on this one because to me it is the most logical, plausible, reasonable, and I think probable answer to the question of Jesse's parents. It has been harder to dig out from a research standpoint and the records are sparse, but it tends to explain many things in North Carolina/Georgia and Conecuh County that no other explanation even touches on. It also has far fewer doubt-raising conflicts or contradictions than cases heretofore presented.

BARNABY BAGGETT, the third of what I sometimes refer to as the “Lost sons of Nicholas Baggett of Bertie County (1753 Will)” is, in spite of the scarcity of records, the most likely ancestor of Jesse Baggett, born 1790 of Conecuh County, in my opinion for the following reasons interpreted with the records below.

The earliest mention of Barnaby Baggett as an adult is as a witness to the Will of James Wood (who married his sister Elizabeth Baggett). This is a Northampton County Will dated 25 June 1751. Based on this he would have been born in the late 1720s or early 1730s, i.e., 1728-1732. The next reference indicates he owned his own land as early as 1752:

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NICHOLAS BAGGETT of Bertie County to Abraham Baggett of Northampton County, 26 February 1752, 30 pounds virginia currency, 100 acres joining Barnabe Baggett, James Boyte, and Dozed Branch, as by Patent in 1745. Witnesses: Israel Campbell and Rachel Campbell. Recorded May Court 1752.

At this point it may occur to some to ask why not Grandberry Baggett himself instead of Nicholas Baggett as a probable father of Jesse Baggett, born 1790, since he was married in 1788. I have ruled out Grandberry for the principle reasons. The first is that although Jesse Baggett, born 19 September 1790, could possibly have been born between the first child, Nancy Baggett, born 1 October 1789, and Christiany Baggett, born 1 December 1791, it does not seem likely to me that Grandberry and Elizabeth would at the birth of a son 28 February 1799 (when Jesse, born 1790, would have been 8 years old) name another son Jesse, which according to the Family Bible they did, naming him Jesse Jones Baggett, with the name Jones, no doubt, coming from the mother's maiden name. The second reason is that Grandberry Baggett stayed in North Carolina and then moved to Tennessee and never went to Georgia, as I will show that Nicholas did.

Grandberry Baggett is shown in the 1800 and 1810 censuses in Nash County, NC and was still there as late as 1812 when he appears in a list of “subscribers” to purchase a book, General History of the Baptist Denomination. He does not appear anywhere in the 1820 census of North Carolina because he had moved to Robertson County, TN where he lived until his death in 1843. He last appears on the 1840 census of Robertson County, TN, but his many descendants are well recorded throughout the 1800s and represent one of the major lines of early Baggett settlers in that State.

Nicholas Baggett, son of Barnaby and Elizabeth Baggett of Nash County, NC, is never shown again in any North Carolina or South Carolina census after the 1790 entry shown above, and I have found no other record of him there since that date, although a thorough search in all the Nash County records (1790-1799) in the North Carolina State Archives might turn up something more. I feel sure that I have seen all the Nash County records that have been published to date and this paper includes all there is from that source, plus the land grant which I got in Raleigh many years ago and which as far as I know has never been published.

Unless this Nicholas Baggett of Nash County died young there is only one other explanation for his disappearance from the records in North/South Carolina that I can reasonably and plausibly assign, and that is that he is the same Nicholas Baggett who appears on the 1799 Tax List of Jefferson County, GA, as shown below. This 1799 reference, by the way, was the earliest record I have of any Baggett being in the State of Georgia.

Since there is absolute proof that the Jesse Baggett, born 1790, is the same Jesse Baggett that married Zilla Godwin in 1812 in Jefferson County, GA and that about 1817 he moved to Conecuh County, AL, there can be no doubt that he is the same Jesse Baggett who is shown above in the 1816 Tax List of Jefferson County living on the same 200 acres on Williamson's Swamp that was owned and occupied by Nicholas Baggett from 1799 to 1808, when said Nicholas moved south to Wilkinson County as a result of his lucky draw of land in that county in the 1807 Georgia Land Lottery. This Jesse Baggett is also the only young man of record named Jesse in Georgia at that time period and is no doubt the same man who was drafted in Capt. Jesse Willis' Company of the Georgia Militia in the War of 1812 in neighboring Washington County, GA-going with this unit to St. Johns in East Florida in 1812 and 1813.

In 1808 when Nicholas went south to the Wilkinson County land, Jesse would have been 18 years old and his brother Grandberry Baggett, born 1 February 1794, died 6 August 1820 in Conecuh County, AL, would have been 16 years old. For this reason, I see a good possibility that Nicholas left the family in Jefferson County, GA intending perhaps to bring them down later. I can find no indications in the records that he ever did, and may have sold the Wilkinson County land as so many lottery winners did, some without ever moving to or even seeing the land.

The only Nicholas Baggett of record in that area was born in 1790 in North Carolina himself and can be eliminated on that basis, as well as many later records in Florida where he settled. The census shows this Florida Nicholas to be born in 1790, but his personal affidavit for bounty land based on militia service in the Creek Indian War shows him to be age 61 on 20 December 1850, which would place his birth in 1789, and thus he could be a son of Nicholas Baggett of Nash County himself. This Florida Nicholas Baggett died in the 1860s in Walton County, FL leaving no children. He is always shown living with a Lewis Baggett, born 1794 in South Carolina, who I believe to be his brother.

Because these two appear in the early Pulaski County, GA (made from Wilkinson County) records living on Baggett's Creek on the Ocmulgee River with my ancestor, Thomas Choice Baggett, and his brother, John Baggett, Jr., and because after a short period of residence in Covington County, AL-about 1823 to 1833-they moved south to Walton County, FL and settled on Baggett's Ridge above Baggett's Creek (near Milligan, FL) side by side with my own ancestors who had moved there after leaving Conecuh County about 1819, I have concluded they are descended from John Baggett, Sr. of Robeson County, NC, son of Nicholas A. Baggett (of 1761 Will), and brother of Lewis Baggett, the heir of Darlington County, SC previously discussed. Strangely, like the families of Jesse Baggett, born 1790, and Nicholas Baggett, born 1800 of Conecuh County, AL, the families of Lewis, born 1794, and Thomas, born 1780, all lived and knew each other in Walton/Santa Rosa County, FL for over a century, but no one remembers how they were related. Before moving south into Conecuh County, AL with Jesse and his father Nicholas and brother Grandberry, it is necessary to eliminate another Nicholas Baggett (the only other on of record) from consideration.

Earlier in this paper Nicholas Baggett, son of Lewis Baggett of Darlington County, SC and brother of Jesse and nephew of Abraham of Darlington, was left in Barnwell County, SC in 1811 after his brother Jesse Baggett and wife Catherine had moved to the Old Natchez District of Louisiana/Mississippi in 1808/1809. The possibility that this Nicholas of Barnwell County, SC might be the same Nicholas of Nash/Jefferson County, GA was explored in detail because of gaps in the above Jefferson County, GA Tax Records and the Barnwell County, SC records and because of a mysterious and vague connection or affinity for the Wilcox/Sumter County, AL area found among the descendants of both Nicholas and his brother Jesse Baggett of Barnwell. Because the Barnwell County, SC and Jefferson County, GA areas are geographically close and because the Conecuh County Baggetts also have strong Wilcox County/Sumter County connections, the following analysis is considered essential to a clear and credible explanation of the migrations and movements of these two Nicholas Baggetts and their descendants.

This is a classic case of identification via the tracking of a close neighbor of Nicholas Baggett of Barnwell who very fortunately had an uncommon and unique name, Right Rice. On the 1800 census of Orangeburg District, SC, Right Rice is listed with a large family next to Nicholas Baggett, age 26-45, and one female age 45 & up (his mother Sarah Draper/Baggett [jab]) and no other persons in the household. In a Barnwell County deed dated 25 February 1805, Right Rice and wife Elizabeth Rice sold 200 acres of land “Situated in the District of Barnwell near Lemonaes? Swamp and waters of Little Salt Kechers (Salkahatchis?) River” with a Penelope Rice signing as a witness. This deed gives some idea of where Nicholas Baggett and neighbor Right Rice were living in 1800, five years earlier when the census was taken.

The 200 acres the Baggetts owned and sold to Ivey Smith, discussed earlier in this paper, was northwest of this Lemons Swamp area nearer the Pinary Island/Zieglers, Cannon's/Bridge area on the south fork of the Ediste River, and may have been situated with parts on both sides of the river. Present day Bamberg, SC is located in this vicinity on modern day read maps. Nicholas was still there as late as 1811, as shown by the affidavit Nicholas made in defense of Ivey Smith's title (shown earlier in this paper) and as late as April of 1812, as shown in Power of Attorney document.

Please note at this point several curious gaps in the records presented thus far concerning the whereabouts of these two Nicholas Baggetts. In the above Jefferson County Tax Digest, the list for the year 1800 is missing, and that same year in the South Carolina census we find Nicholas Baggett, son of Lewis, with no children living with him. Only he and his mother are found in his household. Remember there are no 1790, 1800, or 1810 census records for Georgia--by reason of them all being lost or destroyed by fire. I have no doubt the Nicholas Baggett of Jefferson County, Ga appears on the missing 1800 Tax Digest of that county wherever it is, but must explain that this 1800 Tax List is probably missing because every effort has been made to use such records to try to provide some substitute for the lost 1800 census of Georgia. This terrible gap in Georgia records from 1790-1820 is aptly called the “Dark Ages” of Georgia genealogical history.

It could not have occurred at a worse period, as it covers the beginning of the westward migration of families from North/South Carolina and makes a difficult research job almost impossible for those who have families passing through or temporarily stopped off in Georgia, as is the case with most Baggett families.

Recalling that the Conecuh Baggetts have all gone to Alabama before the year 1820 which is the first Georgia census that we have, and you begin to see why such great care must be taken in analyzing the few sparse records that are available. The above passport, etc., would indicate that we should find Nicholas in the 1810 census of South Carolina but the only Baggett in the State is a P. Bagott in Orangeburg County with a large family of ten.

Also note that we pretty well lose tract of Nicholas Baggett, son of Barnaby Baggett, in the Jefferson County, GA records after 1808, so the possibility that the above Barnwell County, SC records of 1800, 1811, & 1812 could be the same man have yet to be resolved.

The first record we have on the above Nicholas Baggett, son of Lewis in Mississippi, is an 1816 Franklin County, MS census which does not show the family or ages. It is undoubtedly the same Nicholas, however, as he does appear in the 1820 census of this same county.

Nicholas Baggett, son of Lewis, does not appear in any later census records, and it is probable that he died in Mississippi sometime between 1820 and 1830. Since we know from the above Passport that he left South Carolina with Right Rice in May of 1812 with his wife only and since we see from the above census entries that the oldest son Lewis Baggett was born in Mississippi in 1815, we only have a period of three years, 1812 to 1815, not accounted for. The fact that all his sons above were born in Mississippi, but came back to the Sumter/Wilcox/Clarke/Marenoo County, AL areas, has always intrigued me and raised questions about a possible link with the Conecuh County, AL/Walton County, FL Baggetts. The following results of research to locate Right Rice now leads me to suspect that it was his family that attracted the Baggetts back to this area in south Alabama more than any Baggett relatives in Alabama may have.

It appears that Right Rice may have stopped off in Wilcox County, AL on the trip from South Carolina in 1812 and never continued on to the Mississippi Territory with Nicholas Baggett, son of Lewis, as he never appears in any Mississippi records, as the above records would indicate. It may also be that Nicholas Baggett stopped there for a year or two before continuing on to the Mississippi Territory, where he appears as shown above in the 1816 and 1820 census of Mississippi.

Keeping the above in mind, it is now time to return to Conecuh County, AL records to prove conclusively that the above Nicholas Baggett of Mississippi, and son of Lewis Baggett, could not have been the same Nicholas Baggett who appears in the 1820 census of Conecuh County, AL.

Richard Thomas, son of Jesse Baggett and Zilla Godwin, was the first white child born in Conecuh County, being born near Castleberry on 30 March 1817. Grandberry, a proven brother of Jesse Baggett above from family records, is not shown in the 1818 Tax List or 1820 Census, as he was age 24 and probably single living with Jesse and Zilla. His tombstone beside Jesse and Zilla's shows him being born 1 February 1794 and died 6 August 1820.

1820 CENSUS OF CONECUH COUNTY ALABAMA

1 Male over 21 (Abram Himself); 1 Male over 21 (Blake Baggett living there)
1 Male under 21 (Abraham S. Baggett) (Abraham S. was from Wilcox County)
*1 Male under 21 (Nicholas G., born 1800); 1 Female over 21 (Wife, Mary)
1 Female over 21 (Wife of Blake Baggett); 1 Female under 21 (Daughter Elizabeth, born ca. 1800, died ca. 1841)
1 Female under 21 (Daughter Nancy Baggett Rankin, born 1804 in South Carolina, died 1852)************ (Total 8)

 1 Male over 21 (Himself, born ca. 1762 in North Carolina, died before 1830)
 1 Male under 21; 1 Male under 21; 1 Male under 21; 1 Female over 21 (Wife)
 1 Female under 21 ************(Total 6)

(Born 1790 in North Carolina, died 1867 in Alabama, son of Nicholas at above)
1 Male over 21 (Himself); 1 Male under 21 (Richard T. Baggett, born 1817 in Alabama)
1 Male under 21 (Jesse Grandberry, born 1819 in Alabama)
1 Female over 21 (Wife, Zilla Godwin, born 1765)
1 Female under 21 (Daughter Mary/Nancy) ************(Total 5)

 (Note: Listed near Nicholas this time is William Ruffin and his wife, Sarah Ann Baggett, born 1800 in North Carolina with two boys and one girl.)

The above entry on Nicholas Baggett has been a mystery, because no later record in any State or Census has been found to explain what ever became of this family. The 1830 and 1840 census records for Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida provide no clues as to the identity of the three sons, or of a widow that could possibly be Nicholas Baggett's widow. The possibility that this Nicholas might be the same Nicholas, son of Lewis, documented in detail throughout this paper has been thoroughly examined and ruled out by several facts documented above. Chief among these being the fact that these two Nicholas Baggetts could not be in the 1816 and 1820 censuses of Mississippi and have children born in the 1815 to 1819 time frame in Mississippi and then also appear in the 1820 census of Conecuh County, unless the 1820 census of Mississippi was taken in the spring, for example, and Nicholas moved during the summer of 1820 to Conecuh County in time to be included in the 1820 census of Conecuh. This has not been checked. Even if we find a date sometime in the spring of 1820 for the Mississippi census, we still have to explain the two differences in the families shown above. The Mississippi family has eight members versus six members for the family in Alabama. The difference being one female under 10 and one male under 10. The fact that I cannot find any record of either of these Nicholas Baggetts after 1820 in any southern State or the several western and northern States checked, makes this last possibility the remaining open question. Nothing stated here is to discourage such a line of investigation, because such would diminish the fact that it could be plausibly documented. For example, the fact that the sons of Nicholas of the 1820 Mississippi census, all born in Mississippi before 1820, are found settling in the southwest Alabama counties in the 1850 census and throughout the 1800s, except for two who moved back to Mississippi after only a few years in Alabama.

Recognizing that this is an unsatisfactory and, perhaps disappointing way for some, to end this paper I must nevertheless end it, because I have nothing more to add that seems to me to have any bearing on this question. Perhaps someone who reads this paper will one day resolve the matter with later discoveries. For the present, the burned, lost, and/or mismanaged records of Conecuh County, AL hold the secret that only undiscovered family records or unpublished State or Federal records may unlock. Perhaps future generations will have the advantage of such records and the determination to pursue the answer, using this paper as a starting point.

Signed: John A. Baggett

(Editors Note: John Aubrey Baggett, Sr. is deceased. He did this work years ago. We acknowledge his work here as a very credible piece of research. Notice that he has used the word conjectural several times in the above document.)

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