Basford Family History

Return to the McDonald Family Genealogy Home Page

The early population of the Florida Panhandle from Fort Marcus in St. Augustine all the way across the gulf coast to Mobile, was sparsely settled because of the heavy Indian population of this area. At the end of the War of 1812, General Andrew Jackson, A young and eager troop commander, lead a force of American Troops across the Gulf Coastal area after the peace treaty had been signed ending the war. Jackson drove the Indians out of this area established post and control centers along the way from New Orleans to St. Augustine making the way safe for settlers to move in. From 1815 to 1850 Settlers moved in from South Carolina and Georgia in large numbers, settling or Home-steading land put up the United States Government. Many families engaged in farming and home-steading land including the father of Samuel S. Basford prior to 1850's settling in the Jackson County area of Dellwood. Samuel settled on what was called 'Turner's Ridge'. Many of the Basford boys served in the Civil War, some seeing action with the most of them returning to their farms. Hard working and thrifty Samuel raised a large family after he married Missoura Jackson, another family moving into the territory with the Basfords. On September 3, 1880 Martin Jackson Basford was born to Samuel and Missoura.

During the same period of time a family of Jordans and a family of Westons moved into the panhandle. There John Weston met and married Jane Rebecca Jordan. They moved on to the area around Panama City in Bay County for a while then moved back to the Lovedale community. To this union came Jessie Green Weston, on November 7, 1879. Martin Basford found Jessie Weston and they were married February 5, 1905 by J.O.O'Neel at Bascom, Florida as witnessed by Elige Beauchamp and J.P.Norris. This was the beginning of a long fruitful life together for over 50 years. They settled and lived in the Wildwood community. Thus, the family of eight boys and one girl began the family tree of Martin Jackson and Jessie Green Basford.

Martin and Jessie began their real task of rearing a family on the tenth day of January 1906 with the proud arrival of Lorinza Dow Basford, a baby boy any parents would be proud of. Rinzie as the community knows him is now 82 and has a real family for himself. He married Susie Daniels and built his life around a farm near the home place.

The second arrival was Thomas Jefferson, later known as 'Bud' because his older brother didn't like the long Name. Bud grew up to marry Gertrude Hatcher. Bud didn't stay with farming all the time and sought work in other places. Bud was 72 when he died in September 1979 with a Stroke and heart problem. He was buried in Cowpen Pond Cemetery. Sometime later Gertrude met and married Ted Mullins and they live in Marriana.

The third boy to arrive in 1909 was Remus Clyde Basford. June the eighth was another big day around the Basford house. More boys to help with the farm. However as they grew up and found a wife they began to look elsewhere for work. Clyde married Ressie Mercer they began their own life.

Sidney Moultrie , yes another boy arrived April 24, 1911. It looked like this was going to be all boys. Moultrie grew up and married Bonnie Mercer, sister to Ressie, Clyde's wife. Moultrie's name should have been 'JACK' because he turned out to be a good jack-of-all-trades. He was a good carpenter, Mechanic, Farmer, and a little of everything, including a good guy. He lives in Greenwood.

January the twenty-fifth was flag day for Martin and Jessie because, even though they didnt know it at the time it was the middle of the family they were to raise. Fletcher Broward became the center of attraction and kept it as he grew up by capturing the hearts of the young girls. He was interrupted for a few years during World War II but picked up where he left off when the war was over. He stumped his toe when he met Una Pope and landed at the alter. He still-lives near the old home place.

Somewhere in between Bud and Broward a girl was born but did not live. So to continue the line of boys Claude Cratus was born July 29, 1915. Claude married Inez Jackson and lived on the hill between his home and her home. He developed cancer in 1961 and died July 4, 1962 while I was in Viet Nam. Besides their own girl Claude and Inez raised Kathy, Inez's Sister's youngest child. Bernice Sellers died giving birth leaving two girls and a boy, Caroline and Kathy and Larry. After Claude died, Inez married A.B.Sellers, the father of the girls. They lived together a short time before Inez developed the fatal Hepititus and died October 29, 1969. Now she and Claude lie together in Cowpen Pond cemetery.

The seventh boy arrived October the third 1917, Martin Leon. In his youth Leon developed a heart problem. He never worked very much on the farm. He met and parried Susie Mae Neel and they lived in Chattahoochee for a while then moved to Greenwood where they were living when he died May 17, 1949. Later Susie Mae married George Tyus and they had one son named Michael. They live over on the highway between Grand Ridge and Dellwood.

"WHOW" WHO-RAH GEE-WHIZ-Z-Z-Z Dr. Ryles went into the room on December 14, 1919 and in a few minuted Martin burst out of the room with a great BIG SMILE all over his face and looked- at the bunch of eagerly waiting boys scattered around and shouted out loud "SHE'S BESSIE IRENE", Thereupon, the boys knew it was a baby GIRL. At last this changed the whole complexion of things around the Basford house. From 1906 to 1917 it had been all boys, seven of them, but now, this is a different story. A new boss around the house. She was just a little bit spoiled UNTIL she got big enough to want to follow them around. She went to school, taught school, went to college, taught school and went back to school for her B S Degree. The only mistake she made was in a conversation with the postmaster in Sneads, Florida when she was teaching school there during World War II. The Postmaster, Mr. Prat McKeown, said one day to her as she past by his postoffice, "I have a letter addressed to 'Miss Bessie' with no last name. Do you know who it is?" "OH YES, she said, I will take it". And that was it, later after the War was over she married the boy who wrote the letter to "MISS BESSIE".

It turned out to be Bill Edwards from Chattahoochee. We have lived in several States and been in foreign countries, but we are retired in Perry, Ga. now.

Guess what the ninth and last child of Martin and Jessie Basford turned out to be??? Yes, how did you guess it? A Boy! On Sept. 2, 1922 Walter Fraiman was born. This was it, eight boys and one girl was enough. Walter grew up just in time to get into World War II with his big brother Broward. Broward went into the Army and Walter went into the Army Air Corps. Broward served over North Europe and down into-the central part while Walter was in Italy. Bill Edwards was in the Army Air Corps serving in the Asiaic-Pacific Theatre of operation as far over as Okanawa when the A-Bomb was dropped. Bill, remained in the military for 27 years and retired in 1967. All three of the boys in the War came back and got married as soon as they could.

Walter met and convinced Janice Nobles that he was the right man for her, so they made it to the alter. Walter worked with the Florida-State Department and retired as a Supervising Instructor in Chipola Junior College. Janice has not retired yet, but she has her eye on it.

This wraps up the introduction to Martin and Jessie Basford's children. The following information has been obtained through different sources. If you find an error or something that should be changed, go ahead and make the pen and ink changes. I will try to get a copy of this to all the children and grand children I will make 50 copies and beyond the children and grand children it will be first come first served. I think this will be a good beginning to help keep a record in the future which can be added to as need be to suit your family line.

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page