Re: Jean Schmidt (John Smith) Baisden
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In reply to:
Re: Jean Schmidt (John Smith) Baisden
11/30/99
I have been in the process of changing my internet provider for the past couple of weeks, this has now been completed and I hope I have not lost any mail during that time.I have been most grateful for the messages you’ve sent and need to do some catching up.
To begin with, I am descended from Jean Schmidt Baisden--Edward Baisden--Joseph Smith Baisden--Bazzilla Baisden Florence –George LeRoy Florence.Jean Schmidt Baisden (or John Smith Baisden) is my 4-great grandfather.
My husband, Richard, and I have spent several years trying to find any information on JSB.It is difficult to believe that there can be so many conflicting stories about any single individual.Some of the books that we have studied include:
1.David Branham and His Descendants written by Shelby Fleming Phillips.
This book speculates that he might have lived in Richmond, Virginia; Reed’s Island or the Little River Branch of the New River in Virginia in the period after the Revolution.Around the year 1800, he is believed to have moved into Floyd County, Kentucky.There are records of deeds and various court orders, beginning in the year 1803 and running to 1815, in Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky.By 1820 the family moved on to the Laurel Creek, in present Mingo County, West Virginia.There are land deeds and tax records relating to this place and time period.In 1850 John Smith Baisden is living with his daughter and son-in law, Frances “Fannie” Baisden and Thomas Copley in Wayne County, Virginia (now West Virginia).It is believed that John Smith Baisden died before 1860.We found this book to be very interesting and helpful.This book also lists some of the conflicting stories surrounding JSB’s place of birth.
One theory is that he was a native of France who came to America with LaFayette under whom he served during the Revolutionary War.However, to my knowledge, no one has been able to find documentation to support this idea.You’ll also find in this book the notion that his name was actually John Smith and that (1) he adopted the name of Baisden from his home town bastogne/Bastenoken (pronounced Baisdtown) which was located in a part of France that became Belgium in 1830 ; and (2 ) he took the name of the family (Baisden) that took him in as a small boy and raised him as part of their family.
2.The History of Logan County by Henry Clay Ragland as Researched and Compiled by
Samuel W. Rogers, Jr.
On page 43 of this book it talks of Jean Schmidt Baisden coming to America during the Revolution with LaFayette.However, on page 78 footnotes 158 and 159 add other information. Footnote 158 says he was born in 1763, and that he came to America with Rochambeau’s troops, not LaFayette’s, according to Sigfus Olafson.Once again, no documentation to prove this one way or the other.
We have heard from people who think he was born in France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Pennsylvania and the latest one was Kentucky.As I mentioned earlier there are certain records that place JSB in specific areas during his later years.And there is actually quite a bit of genealogical information already collected if we can just get it organized.But, we’ve just got to find out which, if any, of the above theories is correct.
At this point in time, I personally feel that he must have come from Bastogne, which is now part of Belgium.I’m leaning towards believing the ship-wreck story and that his name was possibly Jean Schmidt.That he was rescued by a man with the name of Baisden who took him into his family and raised him as his own son and allowed him to assume the last name of Baisden.I believe he may have fought in the Revolutionary War (if he was born in 1763 and the War was fought between 1776 and 1783 he would have been 13 to 20 years old at that time).But I don’t believe he came to America with either LaFayette or Rochambeau.The 1840 Census shows him receiving a Revolutionary War pension according to Clyde Runyon.Hester Hodges also mentions Comstock’s Book with John S. Basden’s pension listed.Hester also said she found a John Baisden listed in Philadelphia County in a 1790 Pennsylvania Census.
I have mentioned before that Richard and I found copies of two documents relating to the marriage of John S. Baisden to Rhoda Branham.One document speaks of the “license to be married, dated September 25, 1791, and the other document is about a sum of 50 pounds Virginia money to secure the license of marriage and is dated at what appears to be the 4th of October, 1791 (this date is not clear).I’ve tried to decipher my notes to find out just exactly where we located these papers and I’ve decided I’ve got to make a couple of phone calls to be sure.We visited so many places that I’m having difficulty keeping each one straight but I will get that info as soon as possible.
Once again please make note of the change in my e-mail address as I really hope to keep in touch with each and every one of you.I am no longer with utahlinx…..My new e-mail address is: [email protected]
I hope at least some of the above was of interest to you.
Many thanks, Colleen
More Replies:
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Re: Jean Schmidt (John Smith) Baisden
virginia stewart 8/05/01
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Re: Jean Schmidt (John Smith) Baisden
Glenna Gillman 8/05/01
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Re: Jean Schmidt (John Smith) Baisden
virginia stewart 8/07/01
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Re: Jean Schmidt (John Smith) Baisden
Glenna Gillman 8/07/01
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Re: Jean Schmidt (John Smith) Baisden
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Re: Jean Schmidt (John Smith) Baisden
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Re: Jean Schmidt (John Smith) Baisden