Apparently Nicholas Baggett, Jr. (III) was born in Colonial Bertie County, NC about 1721-22 and lived there in practically the same spot all his life. He apparently was born and grew up within two miles of his home near Ahotskey Creek in Northampton County where he lived as an adult. His father's plantation where he was born and grew up was in Bertie County (now in Hertford County) near Uraha Creek.

Apparently Nicholas, Jr. (III) died young, and was not the second child. One piece of evidence is a record found in Rev. Michael Baggett's Bible. The other evidence is that his children were young at the time of his death in 1762, according to his last Will and Testament found below.

Nicholas Baggett, Sr. (II), who died 1755, was probably born about 1683-1694. His wife Mary was born ca. 1697 and died after 1761. Benjamin was probably their eldest son, born ca. 1714. Abraham, Sr. was born ca. 1715 and died 1767-8, their second son. Joseph was born ca. 1717 and died ca. 1792. Barnaby, the fourth son, was born ca. 1718, died after the 1780 land grant. John Baggett was born ca. 1719, the fifth son. Thomas Baggett, Sr., born ca. 1720, died 1793, the sixth son. Nicholas Baggett, Jr. (III) was the seventh son, born ca. 1721, died 1762. Hardy was their eighth son, born ca. 1725. Elizabeth, their eldest daughter, was born ca. 1716; Mary, born ca. 1723; Martha, born, ca. 1726; and Sarah, born ca. 1727. At the time Sarah was born, her moher Mary would have been about 30 to 35 years old. (It should be understood that all the above figures are meant to be conjectural.)

Not one of the other sons of Nicholas Baggett, Sr. has as many deeds recorded as Abraham Baggett. It is apparent that Abraham was more prosperous than all the others, except Nicholas, Jr., who appears on several deeds and apparently owned several hundred acres of land during his short life.

Nicholas was very successful in life, as the documentation shows. He owned several hundred acres of land there in Northampton County and is found in several documents owning and transferring land. It was apparently this Nicholas who received a patent for four hundred and seventy acres in 1745 there in Northampton County.

The family of Nicholas Baggett, Sr. and a family of Woods were apparently close friends. There were two of the children of Nicholas Baggett II who married into this family of Woods. Elizabeth Baggett married James Wood, Sr. in 1748. This was after he had reared a family by his first wife. It appears that Nicholas Baggett, Jr. married a daughter of Benjamin Wood, who is believed to be a brother of James Wood, Sr.

There is evidence that Nicholas, Jr. married the daughter of Benjamin Wood. There is a record in Halifax County in a deed and also in a marriage book. A Northampton County deed gives sufficient proof of his marriage, indicating that a division of 320 acres of land is willed to three of the heirs of Benjamin Wood.

The document shows land being divided equally between the children of Benjamin Wood. It shows Nicholas, Jr. as a recipient, who apparently received 112 acres in his wife's stead. Another deed is witnessed by Nicholas and his wife, Martha Baggett. You will notice in the will of Thomas Martin written in 1780 that he has named a grandson, Nicholas Baggett. This Nicholas would appear to be the grandson of Nicholas III. His son Lewis apparently married the daughter of Thomas Martin and they had a son Nicholas and a daughter (Sally). There is a document proving that Lewis Baggett is deceased by 1787 and that his children were Jesse, Mary, Nicholas, and Sarah [Sally].

Lewis was the eldest son of Nicholas A. Baggett, Jr. What data we have on Lewis Baggett will be presented in this chapter. It is believed that John Baggett, Sr. is also a son of Nicholas Baggett, Jr., according to a leaf found intact, but yellowed, in the Bible of Rev. Michael Baggett. It gives sufficient information to prove John a son of Nicholas, but it might be construed as conjectural in a court of law. It proves to my satisfaction that John is indeed a son of Nicholas A. Baggett.

Also a piece of information in a deed pertaining to Joel Herring and Anthony Herring proves to my satisfaction that Joel Baggett, Sr. is the son of Nicholas A. Baggett.

A lot of the history of Nicholas Baggett III was presented in the History, Chapter V where we mentioned many deeds and documents. We have more concerning his sons and they will be mentioned here. Also the will of Nicholas Baggot is presented here. John A Baggett stated that parts of the original Will was missing in the State Archives in Raleigh, NC.

In the will of Nicholas Baggett, Jr. (Nicholas A. Baggett, as declared in papers by John Baggett of Laceys Spring, AL) he names Lewis as his son, but only referred to others as children: all her increase to be divided between my children when youngest is twenty years of age. The brackets in the will below means that these parts are missing from the original will.

In the name of God, Amen. I will and bequeath unto my dearly belo[ved wife the use of my] plantation whereon I now do Dwelle [during her life.] [Likewise my Negro] girle Phillis I do leave to her and all her increase, [likewise while my] youngest child comes to twenty years of age. [I likewise give] to my beloved wife all my household goods and [all my stock.]

I give and bequeath to my son Lewis Baggot my plantation whereon I now do live. I likewise do leave my Negro [girl] and all her increase to be divided between my children when the youngest is twenty years of age; but to my son Lewis Baggot I give no part of the said Negro or Negroes.

I do leave my wife Martha Baggot and my brother Abraham Baggott executors to my will. In witness whereof I have here unto set my hand this the 28th day of December in the year of our Lord 1761.
 

The preceding will of Nicholas Baggot, deceased, was exhibited into Court and proved on the oath of John Cotton, one of the subscribing witnesses thereto. At the same time Abraham Baggot was qualified as Executor thereof, which on motion was ordered to be Certified and Recorded.

 Test: J. Edwards

Nicholas identifies Abraham Baggott as his brother. Notice that my own ancestor Thomas Baggett, brother of Nicholas, was a witness to his Last Will and Testament, signing his name–Thos. B. Baggot. John Aubrey Baggett, who saw the original will, noted that it was in a very deteriorated condition in 1965 at the North Carolina Department of Archives and History in Raleigh. He said it clearly showed the middle initial to be (A.) and the mark made by Nicholas to be a circle with the (X) inside the circle. Nicholas and his family spelled the name with an (o) in the nineteenth century.

In the will of Nicholas, Jr., Lewis is named as a principal heir. Apparently the other children are all under age; the will leaves the impression that they are. As far as we know, Lewis left no will or it was destroyed in the burning of the Cheraw District records. Captain John A. Baggett and Mrs. Mary Hays of Houston, TX did extensive research on these lost lines of the family. Their research in the 1960s gave some light to several members of the family who had been previously unknown.

Proof is found in these records that Lewis had a brother Abraham, and the wife of Lewis is named in these records in an 1811 affidavit of Nicholas Baggett as Sarah Draper. Lewis Baggett was dead by 1787, according to this information, and it is believed that Sarah had married Thomas Draper.

In the will of Thomas Martin names (Sally) Baggett, who no doubt is either his daughter or his granddaughter, Sarah. This will needs to be ordered, for it may shed more light on this family.

Since we now know that Lewis Baggett had a son Nicholas (previously believed to be his brother), we can be confident that this is the same Nicholas who is in Thomas Martin's will and Sally is probably his mother or his sister. I gather from all this that Lewis Baggott, son of Nicholas, Jr. (III), married Sarah Martin, daughter of Thomas Martin, whose will was made in neighboring Bertie County.

A Northampton County Guardian Bond dated December 3, 1787, shows where the court has appointed Sarah Draper (widow of Lewis Baggett) as guardian of Jesse Baggot, Mary Baggot, Sarah Baggot, and Nicholas Baggot. Josiah Grandberry and Enos Daughtry are listed as securities for the Guardian Bond.

Apparently Sarah Draper was not living with supposed husband Thomas Draper in 1800, since she (female over 45) is living with her son Nicholas in the Orangeburg District at that time. Nicholas is shown in a 1792 deed where he sold the land that he inherited from his father on Lake Swamp in Cheraw District. The area (both Darlington and Marlboro counties) was called by several names, i.e., Craven County, then (because of the church parish located there) St. David's Parish–and finally by 1790 Cheraw District. Lewis Baggett's son Nicholas had four sons: Lewis Baggett, John Baggett, Nicholas Baggett, and Jesse Baggett.

Nicholas' Uncle Abraham and his brother Jesse are found in Darlington and Marlboro County records. Abraham above was the first Abraham to arrive in the Cheraw District. His brother Lewis bought the land there in Darlington County on Lake Swamp 21 May 1778, with Abraham Baggett witnessing the deed. He is apparently the same Abraham Baggett who is listed as a private in Capt. Moultrie's Company, 2nd South Carolina Continental Regiment. He enlisted 20 January 1779. Abraham, son of Nicholas III, was probably born in ca. 1750. An administration of his estate was recorded in Darlington County in May of 1793.

Quote from the document by John A. Baggett: "Nicholas Baggett, son of Lewis of Orangeburg District, 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.'" What Nicholas probably meant when he said in this country was, in this part of the country. The writer of the document goes on to say that Abraham Baggett of Darlington supposedly lived most of his adult life with his brother Lewis, and after Lewis' death he lived with his nephew Jesse Baggett.

The continuation of the quotation: "Nevertheless, Nathan Baggett of Edgecombe County, NC also made an oath 12 December 1792 that `he was the proper heir of Abraham Baggett of Darlington County, SC.’ It’s possible that Nathan who claimed to be his rightful heir was his son, then living in Edgecombe County."

A document here shows that Nicholas appointed or passed on to Jacob Ridgell the Power of Attorney. The Power of Attorney was first vested in Nicholas by the Zeagler brothers to see that they got their proper share of their father's estate, not knowing that Nicholas had already planned to go to the Mississippi Territory in the spring. For this reason, it was necessary for Nicholas to appoint one to act as Power of Attorney in his stead. The two Zeagler brothers had relocated to the Mississippi Territory and their father had died after they left Barnwell County.

It's firmly believed that Sarah, born ca. 1740, died ca. 1811, of Barnwell County in the Orangeburg District of South Carolina, was the wife of Lewis Baggett and mother of Nicholas and Jesse Baggett.

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
Barnwell District Deeds, Vol. J, pp 55-57

Barnwell District:--Personally appeared before me Nicholas Baggett, who being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelist on his said oath, says . . . that the Deponent some years ago 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 . . . which land is situated on the south side of the south prong of Edisto River, part of a tract of three thousand three hundred acres granted to Robert Lowdens, that said Ivey Smith also at the time of the execution of said title gave by instrument of writing mortgage to him and to said Jesse and Catherine the said two hundred acres as surety for . . . money then agreed to . . . and that to the Deponent's knowledge said Ivey Smith did pay the whole amount due, . . . received full satisfaction for said land. He the Deponent further says to his certain knowledge Sarah Draper, the Mother of the Deponent, convey by writing titles of conveyance unto said Ivey Smith for a tract of one hundred acres of land . . . adjoining the above mentioned two hundred acres and that said Ivey Smith also 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.

Barnwell District:--Personally appeared before me, Conrod Ziegler, who being duly sworn on his said oath says . . . that he signed a certain deed of conveyance as one of the signing witnesses to the same which conveyance was made from Nicholas, Jesse, and Catherine Baggett in order to convey a tract of land unto Ivey Smith . . . which mortgage was here now at the taking of this affidavit presented to him and hereby declares that the signature of Conrod Ziegler witnesseth the same . . . and that Elizabeth Pendarvis also signed as witness.

According to records, it was on 29 November 1792 that Nicholas sold the 200 acres there on Lake Swamp he inherited from his father Lewis Baggett and signed his name in a good hand and Sarah Baggett also signed with a mark relinquishing her right of dower in the property.

Nicholas is not shown with a wife until after the 1811 affidavit. According to the record, Sarah sold 100 acres of land to Ivey Smith on the Edisto River. The 1800 census shows Nicholas with the one female over 45 and no children.

Although Nicholas gave the impression in the document here that he was of the Mississippi Territory, he was not. This was apparently only an expression of intent to settle there. A sworn statement from Josiah Horn, Jr. says that he saw Nicholas sign this document there in Barnwell County on the 16th of April, 1812.

It appears that Nicholas did not marry until he was about to go to the Mississippi Territory and after his mother's death. The 1820 census of Franklin County, MS shows Nicholas 45 and up, his wife 26-45, and four boys and two girls under ten years old. The children are named in the genealogy section.

The reason it is so clear that he is the same Nicholas who was in the Barnwell District is because of his close neighbor, Right Rice. He was a man whose name is unique, who is listed near Nicholas with a large family in the 1800 census of the Orangeburg District in SC. A Barnwell County deed proves Rice and his wife sold 200 acres in Barnwell near Little Salt Kechers River. The Governor of Georgia issued a passport to Right Rice with his wife with seven children and Nicholas Bagget with his wife only on Friday, May 15, 1812, to travel through the Indian Nations to the Western Country. You will find this Nicholas Baggett's family in the Genealogy section.

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
Barnwell District Deeds, Vol. K, pp 57-58

Know all men by these presents that I, Nicholas Baggett, of the Mississippi Territory and County of Adams, having received a Power of Attorney from Michael Zeagler and John Zeagler of the said Mississippi Territory and County aforesaid for to sue, recover, and receive from Conroy Zeagler and Jacob Ridgell, inhabitants of the State of South Carolina and Barnwell District, all the lawful part of their father's estate which is now due and coming to them from the said Conroy Zeagler and Jacob Ridgell, administrators of the estate of the said their deceased father's estate, and with authority in me vested to appoint and name in my stead other attorney to set under me for the purpose aforesaid, therefore putting all trust and confidence in said Jacob Ridgell have ordained, authorized, nominated, and appointed and by these presents ordain, authorize, name, and appoint said Jacob Ridgell my true and lawful attorney for me in my name and in my stead and as a substitute attorney for the use and benefit of said Michael Zeagler and John Zeagler over my name as their attorney to ask, demand, sue for, recover, and receive and do all acts and deed for said purpose lawfully required and all lawful ways and means for the recovery of all lawful part or parts which said Michael Zeagler and John Zeagler are entitled to have and receive from all and of their deceased father's estate from the administration aforesaid and to make seal and deliver and in mine or their name receive, accept and make sale of any real property and in our name convey the same to purchaser and do any lawful acts and deeds whatsoever deemed necessary for the recovery of sale of the same mentioned promises or fully in every respect as we ourselves might or could do were I or they personally present allowing and confirming by the power and authority in me vested over said Jacob Ridgell shall lawfully do or cause to be done in my name above the said promises by virtue of these presents in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this sixteenth of April, 1812.

Certified by the oath of Josiah Horn, Jr. in presents of David Fielder, Quorum Justice.

Little is known about Jesse, son of Lewis. He's named with first wife Catherine in the 1811 affidavit. On 6 May 1810 Jesse married Mary Robertson, born ca. 1795 in Amite County, MS. He signed a petition to form the West Florida Territory in 1811 and served in the War of 1812 in Capt. Thomas Bickam's Co., Major McWright's 12th & 13th Regiment of the Louisiana Militia. His family left for the Old Natchez District of the Mississippi Territory in ca. 1809.

Jesse is shown in the 1820 census of Wilkinson County, MS 45 & up with his wife 26-45 and two boys and two girls under age 10. The 1830 census (which was rather unusual) shows widow of Jesse Baggot, age 30-45, with four sons and four daughters. One of these children was Lewis Baggot, born in 1815 in Louisiana and who married Laura Wade, born in 1824.

John Baggett, Sr., born ca. 1850 in Northampton County, NC, a son of Nicholas A. Baggett, Jr. (III), is found in Robeson County, NC in the 1780s. He is found with his uncle, Joseph Baggett, after his father's death in 1762, and Joel Baggett, Sr., believed to be a son of Nicholas also, is found living with the sons of Abraham Baggett, Sr. (I). About the same age as Abraham III, Joel is found in Edgecombe County in the 1780s with his brother Lewis and in Marlboro County, SC in the 1790s witnessing deeds.

The first known entry of above John Baggett, Sr. is in 1788 when Jacob Blount receives the Land Grant. The next year this John Baggett received a patent for the grant of 150 acres on the East Side of Saddle Tree Swamp in Robeson County, NC. In 1792 and 1794 John Baggett, Sr. witnessed at least two deeds and in March of 1793 he gave two tracts of land on Saddle Tree Swamp to his son, John Baggett, Jr., by deed.

The State line dispute was not fully settled between North Carolina and South Carolina until after the turn of the century (I believe it was settled in 1815). Sometimes the same information is found in a State and again in another, especially births of children in the area around Lumberton, NC.

According to a very important piece of evidence revealed by Capt. John Baggett, John Baggett, Sr. above was the son of the Nicholas Baggett, Jr. who was born about 1722, confirmed by the leaf in the personal Bible of Capt. John Baggett's ancestor, Rev. Michael Baggett. Michael was born 1818 in Conecuh County, AL. Although this leaf is not absolute proof, it is plausible evidence and convinces me that the John of Robeson County is a son of Nicholas A. Baggett.

This record appears to have been written after the Civil War, but this was only a little over a century since Nicholas A. Baggett lived. It is not likely that word of mouth passed on from his ancestors could have been bad wrong in this length of time. Nicholas Baggett was Rev. Michael Baggett's great-grandfather.

John Aubrey Baggett found a document in the personal Bible of Reverend Michael Baggett, which is still in the original family home built by Michael Baggett. It is now in the possession of Mr. Ralph Baggett and Ms. Virginia Baggett, grandson and granddaughter of Michael. The document was released to John Aubrey by both of them in 1965, and since both were still living in 1968, a certificate to verify the authenticity of the document could have been obtained at that time.

This document is basic evidence in the case to prove the ancestry of John Aubrey Baggett, but the document itself has proved to be exceptionally accurate and valuable only when viewed in the light of all the other supporting documents. These other records consist of wills, marriages, census returns and the personal genealogical notes of Dr. Malcolm Baggett, a son of Michael.

The Bible leaf shows that Nicholas A. Baggett's son was John Baggett, born in 1750, and shows his wife as being Lucy Williams. (Another document shows their son Nicholas Baggett living with his mother, Elizabeth Williams Baggett.)

The leaf shows John Bagggett's son Thomas Baggett, born in 1770. He married [first] Reney Blacksby; married [second] Mary Lamb. According to census records, Thomas Baggett, Sr. was born in 1780, an error of ten years shown on the leaf.

The leaf shows Michael Baggett was born in 1818 and married Sarah Campbell. It lists their children: two who died during the Civil War and two who died as children, along with their birth dates. I received this in the form of a Xerox copy with a note attached showing that Capt. John A. Baggett used this along with other records to try to prove his ancestry regarding his Coat of Arms.

The family of John Baggett moved to Jackson County, GA in about 1802. Thomas Baggett, Sr. is shown as a registrant in the 1805 Land Lottery. John Baggett, Sr. died in Jackson County, Georgia in 1805.

The family then appeared in Pulaski County about 1807. We find John Baggett, Jr. and his brother Thomas Choice Baggett, Sr. in the Mosquito Creek area with the family of Barton Baggett, youngest son of Joseph Baggett, son of Nicholas Baggett, Sr. (II).

John Baggett, Jr. received a patent for a grant of 210 acres of land in Robeson County, NC in 1798. John sold a part of this land, as shown in the deed. He also is shown witnessing deeds in Robeson County. John Baggett, Jr. was one of the Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church there in Robeson County.

I don't believe I have any records of the family of John Baggett, Jr. or any of the other children of John Baggett, Sr., except Thomas Choice Baggett. Thomas C. Baggett, Sr. settled in Pulaski County, GA in ca. 1807. He is listed as a member of the 1808 county jury and as late as May of 1815 in the Pulaski County Militia service as Private. Leaving Pulaski County, GA in about 1817, Thomas Baggett, Sr. and his family moved to Conecuh County, AL. He is shown on a Tax List for that county in 1818. His son Michael was born there at Fort Crawford (now Brewton) on 7 April 1818. Children of Thomas Choice Sr and (1st) Reney Blacksby:

(1): Edmond Sr., married Catherine Lamb in Fla., 1/1/1824; (2): Thomas Choice Jr., married Susan (1850 & 60 Wayne & 1870 Clarke Co. Ms. census & a pension affidavit dated June 30, 1893 has useful info.); (3): Andrew B. married (1st) Rebecca Jane Williamson, (2nd) Mary (Polly) Evans on 3/2/1845; (4): Michael married Sarah Ann Campbell in Fla., 10/17/1839; (5): Joshua B. m. -Julia Ann Evans in Harrison Co., Ms. 9/3/1846; (6): Milton B. married Elizabeth Ann Evans in Harrison Co. Ms., 3/2/1845; (7): Harriett married F. G. Alexander in Harrison Co., Ms., 10/16/1854; (8): Sarah married I. W. Cockran in Harrison Co., Ms., 12/28/1852; (9): Daniel Baggett.

Note: - The marriage of Thomas Sr. and Reney has been researched by many of their descendants, Maj. John A. Baggett, Ms. Margaret Kuttner, C. Wise and M. Bancroft, descendants of this marriage, also contributed info. about this union. Thomas C. Jr. was researched primarily to show that he was not the Thomas married to Rosalie Evans in Harrison Co. Ms. on June 10, 1858. He was a half-brother to Thomas “J” Baggett, son of Thomas C. Sr. and Mary “Polly” Lamb. I have had this union refered to as “The Lost Line”. Children of Thomas Choice Sr. and (2nd) Mary (Polly) Lamb:

(1) Thomas J. Baggett born March 19, 1835 in FL, died Nov. 26, 1909 in Harrison County (now Stone), Ms.
Note: (These dates were taken from his eulogy & headstone.) He married Rosalie Evans in Harrison County, MS on June 10, 1858. This union and his parents (Thomas and Polly Ann Baggett) are stated in his eulogy, also Rosalie (Rose Allie) states her marriage date as June 10, 1858 and husband as T.J. Baggett on two Civil War pensions, filed 1916 & 1924 (2nd La. Cav. Co. G.). The Harrison County, MS marriage license for Thomas and Rosalie dated June 10, 1858, has caused some confusion because it is signed “Thomas Baggett” only. Some researchers have mistaken this Thomas for Thomas Choice Jr., a half- brother to Thomas “J.” Baggett; (2): Caroline born abt. 1840 in Florida (age shown on 1850 census: 10); (3): Amanda born 1842 in Florida, died 1913 in Wilmer, AL (age shown on 1850 census: 8), married Calvin Taylor in Harrison County, MS on Dec. 26, 1858. Thomas J.  Baggett was Mark Baggett's great- great- grandparents. He is is the one that sent material. Thomas J. Baggett and Rosalie (Rose Allie) Evans, daughter of John B. Evans and Rosaline Saucier, had eight children. Note: Rosalie was born 1843-44, the 1850 census shows age 7, a 1916 pension states her age as 72. She filed for T.  J. Baggett's Civil War pension in 1916, 1924, and 1925. The 1920 census shows her living in the household of a son, Thomas Lafayette Sr. A grand-daughter stated that she remembered her date of death about the same time as two of her sons, Albert Baggett and Charlie F. Baggett Sr. (1926). A picture of an old store building of descendants of this family:

By 1819 Thomas C. Baggett, Sr. is in Walton County, FL and he remained there until about 1842. This county was formed in 1828 and Thomas Baggett is listed in the first census of 1830. Thomas is also found in the early Florida land grants in 1819.Santa Rosa County, FL was created from Walton County in 1842. Reverend Michael Baggett, son of Thomas Baggett, Sr., resided here all his life and reared his family of eight children. Rev. Michael's son, Malcolm Baggett, was born here in 1849. Apparently Malcolm moved to Covington County, AL in about 1900 and practiced medicine there from 1900 to 1920 as a medical doctor.

The family of his son, James Lorenzo Baggett, remained in Santa Rosa County, FL until Lorenzo's son, John Lester Baggett, was born in 1914. The family apparently moved to Alabama shortly afterwards. James Lorenzo Baggett died in Covington County, AL in 1926.

The remainder of the family of Thomas C. Baggett, Sr. migrated from Walton County, FL to Harrison County, MS in about 1843 and is listed in the 1850 census for that county. It is believed that Thomas C. Baggett, Sr. died there in Harrison County. His sons, Milton, Andrew, and Joshua moved over to Calcasieu Parish, LA in the 1850s and settled permanently. They are listed in the 1860, 1870, and 1880 censuses for that county. Thomas Baggett, Sr. and Thomas Baggett, Jr. remained in Harrison County, MS. John Aubrey Baggett was the son of John Lester Baggett and resided in Laceys Spring, AL. His Coat of Arms.

Joel Baggett, Sr. (I), evidently born in Northampton County, NC, is apparently a son of Nicholas Baggett III. He is found in Edgecombe County, NC in the 1780s. It is believed that he is the youngest son of Nicholas, one of the youngest mentioned in the last Will and Testament in 1761. There is no absolute proof of his descent as far as I know, but according to a significant piece of circumstantial evidence found in the early deeds of Wayne County, NC, there is enough valid documentation to conclude that he is a son of Nicholas, Jr. Although he is always found alongside the descendants of Abraham Baggett, Sr. (I), I have not found a shred of evidence that he is his descendant.

The deed of Anthony Herring to his son Joel Herring apparently names the Negro girl whom Nicholas named as Phillis in his will. Nicholas said in his will that Phillis was to remain with his wife Martha until the youngest child arrived to twenty years of age. Then "my Negro girl and all her increase to be divided between my children, . . . but to my son Lewis Bagget I give no part of said Negro or Negroes . . . I give and bequeath unto my son Lewis Bagget . . . my plantation whereon I now live."

The deed of gift reveals a boy named Jerre, and it may be, according to the way the will was written, Phillis was with child when Nicholas wrote his will, of said Negro or Negroes. Based on this, Phillis evidently had a son whom she named Jerre.

If one will concentrate on this deed, he will notice that Anthony's wife named her son Joel, not after a cousin, but after her brother Joel. It's very obvious that Anthony Herring had married one of the daughters of Nicholas Baggett III. If Joel was a descendant of Abraham, it's very unlikely that Nicholas' daughter would have named her son Joel.

To make the theory more binding, we see an Abraham, no doubt the elder brother of Anthony's wife and Joel (they did have a brother Abraham), as a witness to the deed. These Baggetts did business with closeness, for we find they were witnessing deeds within the family in many former documents. It is my opinion that Joel Baggett, Sr. was a son of Nicholas Baggett III, based on this and other supporting signs of relationship.

All the documents found on Anthony Herring need to be ordered. The record of this family will probably shed more light on its connection with the Baggett family. There is another piece of data that may or may not contradict the above hypothesis. The affidavit that was made in Orangeburg District by Nicholas Baggett, claiming to be the heir of Abraham, saying that Abraham had no family in this country. There is evidence that there was a Nathan Baggett of Edgecombe County who claimed that he, himself, was an heir of Abraham. It may be that Abraham had a family who stayed up in Edgecombe County. It is possible that his wife was separated from him and his son failed to leave his mother. All this is speculative, and presumably no one knows the full circumstances.

 It is rather strange that a third cousin would claim to be an heir when he knew that this Abraham had a brother and two nephews there in the area and also another brother in nearby Robeson County. But one might ask, "Why would Nicholas, his nephew, claim to be an heir when he had a family in Edgecombe?" One obvious reason is that Abraham had lived most of his adult life with Lewis, and he appeared to be living with his nephew, Jesse Baggett, at the time of his death. Nicholas, who lived there also, helped his brother Jesse to care for their uncle, Abraham Baggett, during his illness and death.

There is a Bond for Title made in Marlborough County in 1789. Jesse Baggett witnessed the document. There are doubts about which Abraham this is. This may be Jesse, son of Abraham I, or possibly Jesse, son of Lewis. There is a question as to whether Abraham, brother of Lewis and uncle of Jesse, had ever lived in Marlborough County. This particular Abraham Baggett's Estate Record is found in Darlington County, SC in 1793, but he could have lived in Marlboro for this brief period of time. A portion of the deed reads, late of the State and County aforesaid, planter. It obviously means lately and not late, as one to make a deed to a man deceased.

The is a deed that states that Abraham Baggett lived on the plantation, and this deed appears to be the conclusion of the agreement mentioned above. Most people, however, think this is Abraham Baggett III.

Apparently Joel, Sr., born ca. 1753, married in ca. 1771 Martha Amason in Northampton County, NC and according to the deeds and census records he arrived in South Carolina in 1791. Shortly after the turn of the century he migrated to Jones, Baldwin, and Morgan counties in Georgia. He is found in the Baldwin and Morgan counties court records from 1804 to 1809.

There is a record showing that a daughter, Penelopy, married James Collins on 15 October 1811 in her father's house in Morgan County, GA. We think he had two other daughters. It is believed that one of his sons was Blake Baggett, who served in the War of 1812 from the same county as Joel Baggett., Jr. It’s believed that Joel Baggett, Sr., along with most of his children, migrated to Texas. (The history of Nicholas Baggett III is continued on Page 8)

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