James Baskin, Publick’ Service claim SC, and Lieut., in a company led by Capt. William Baskin initially raised (1776) for Upper Ninety Six Regt., South Carolina (SC) backcountry militia commanded by BrigGen’l. Andrew Williamson (1730-1786), Col. Andrew Pickens and LieutCol. Robert Anderson; all, Soldiers SC Militia. Sources: Military Records, Archives Building (Bldg.) Columbia, SC; and also, South Carolina Treasury. Claims Against South Carolina Growing-out of the Revolution, compiled and edited by A.S.Salley, Book 1, pg 99

SAR Patriot # P-110363

James Baskin was born (b.) in 1739, a 5^th child to his parents William and wife (w.) Mary Stuart Baskin. William the émigré arrived in Philadelphia from Ireland during the fall of 1731. His name appeared in Chester Co., Pennsylvania (PA) records during 1732 according to a definitive, typed, Baskin Family manuscript by Raymond Martin Bell, Washington and Jefferson College, Washington, PA est., 1781. James’ older siblings were recorded as John b. ca1731; Thomas b. ca1733; Margaret b. ca1735; and, William, Jr. b. 14 Feb 1737; source, Ibid. 9.

James’ death was recorded during 1790 at Abbeville County (Co.) Ninety Six District, SC; sources, South Carolina Wills and Probate Records Box 12 -Pack 237 Estate of James Baskin, Dec’d., (1790) and, separately, James Baskin in the Ancestry.com - Family Data Collection – Individual Records.

 An older brother, William (Jr.) was b. 14 Feb 1737, died 9 Apr 1804 in Abbeville Co., VA; sources, family Bible in possession of Sara Emma Cox, 210 S. Northside St., Tuskegee, Alabama (AL) and, Alabama, Surname Files Expanded, 1702-1981, Department of Archives and History; Montgomery, AL; Box or Film Number: M840712. James and William’s father, William, Sr., was a farmer who came from Ireland to Pennsylvania and, later the Province of Virginia (VA) Augusta County (Co.) formed 1738 from Orange Co. He lived in Augusta Co., and married (m.) Mary Stuart logically at Old Stone Church – Presbyterian (Augusta Co.): Built about 1748, and fortified by Rev. John Craig for defense against Virginia frontier Indians during the French and Indian War (1754-63); see, A Hornbook of Virginia History, compiled and edited by J. R. V. Daniel publ., 1949 at Richmond, VA, -Old Stone Church, pg 54.

By 1767, the family and a son, William, Jr., age 30, had removed to Abbeville, South Carolina (SC) established about 1764 as a trading town with convenient, coastal Atlantic navigation up the Savannah River. Our remaining siblings accompanied this move. They included brothers Andrew, Charles, and Hugh, a Sergeant (1780-1783) in the company of his older brother, Capt. William Baskin and later, James’ company; source, Baskin Family manuscript, Raymond Martin Bell, pg 7.

At age 35, James Baskin was recorded married (m.) during Sep 1774 to Margaret Pickens at Abbeville Co., SC; source, James Baskin in the South Carolina, Compiled Marriage Index, 1641-1965 for Ancestry.com. However, another source entitled: U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 (Ancestry.com) placed James’ marriage to Margaret Pickens during 1765 within colonial Virginia and, Margaret’s birth was recorded at Virginia in 1745. Margaret was a dau. of William Pickens (1705-1783), b. Ireland/Great Britain, m. 1735 to Elizabeth Kerr at Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. William Baskin, Capt., (1776); our subject, James Baskin, Lieut., (1776); and, Hugh Baskin, Sergeant (1780-1783) served in the Upper Ninety Six Regt., at Columbia SC, and, were commanded by BrigGen’l. Andrew Williamson. The three SC soldiers and brothers were found identical with SAR Patriot Research System [(PRS) William, SAR Patriot #: P-110364] and [(PRS) James, SAR Patriot #: P-110363 and [(PRS) Hugh, SAR Patriot #: P-110362]. Writer, Raymond Martin Bell, Washington and Jefferson College, Washington, PA est., 1781, published the Baskin Family manuscript, p 7, with SC RevWar service and Publick’ Service claims recorded for brothers -Lieut. James Baskin, Capt. William Baskin, Jr., Sergeant Hugh Baskin, and Andrew, a foot soldier and dragoon, 123 days between 1779 and 1780 furnishing provisions to Colonels Eli Kershaw [(1745-1780) see, Find A Grave Memorial # 42500713] and John Marshall 1780, serving Grey’s Mill at Camden District, SC; source, Ibid.

An online search for James Baskin was recorded alphabetically, upon the same page of an older brother, William Baskin, Capt.  Lieut. James Baskin, Ninety-Six District Regt., SC, who in 1776 served under Capt. William Baskin during Cherokee Expedition was wounded at Cherokeetown on 26 June 1776; James Baskin mustered again at the Ninety-Six District Regt., between 1780- 1783…; sources, Alabama, Surname Files, above, and https://www.carolana.com/SC/Revolution/patriot_military_sc_captains.htm

An additional search of Approved Membership of the Sons of the American Revolution (NSSAR), headquartered at Louisville, Kentucky, furnished an online, typed, approved membership appl. for Robert William Baskin, Sr., Murfreesboro, Tennessee (TN) registered officially on 28 Oct 1968. This SAR member was designated as Nat’l. No. 97752 and TN Society No. 1352. Importantly, Robert William Baskin wrote that he was a descendant of Hugh Baskin (1743-1797) died (d.) Abbeville Co., SC, who assisted in the est. of American Independence as a Sergeant in Capt. William Baskin’s company (SC) militia. Hugh Baskin was stated to be a son of William and Mary Stuart, both born in Great Britain. Hugh Baskin was believed, by the applicant, to have been born at Staunton, Virginia (VA), and later married (m.) Sarah McKinley Calhoun, no further information was furnished. This NSSAR membership had more than one, hand written, organizational genealogist notation; namely, Soldiers S.C. Militia and, “S.C. Treasury. Claims Against South Carolina Growing-out of the Revolution” compiled and edited by A.S. Salley, Book 1., pg 99.

James Baskin was found recorded on the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) website identical with Ancestor #: A007180. The DAR characterized James Baskin with RevWar service: South Carolina (SC), b. ca1739 (Augusta County, Virginia), d. 1790 and buried at Abbeville County, Ninety Six District, SC. The DAR identified our subject’s RevWar service; source, Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army During the War of the Revolution by Francis H. Heitman, publ., 1914 at Washington, D. C., see, Baskin, James (S.C.) Captain South Carolina Militia; wounded at Cherokeetown, SC, 26 Jun 1776, and his older brother, Baskin, William (S. C.) Captain South Carolina Militia; taken prisoner at [Fight at Van(n)s Creek now, Elbert Co., Georgia (GA) between 8 – 11 Feb 1779] Car’s (sic, Carr’s) Fort near Cherokee Ford, pg. 91. Also, see: GA Society SAR, Revolutionary War Trail Brochures by visiting Georgia’s Visitor Info. Centers. Contact: P. O. Box 595, Tallapossa, GA 30176 or tel. 1-770/ 574-2621 [canvassed, 29 Nov 2019] or https://www.exploregeorgia.org/ “Discovering Our Heritage and History” Battles – American Revolution  https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/july/2011/Kettle_Creek_Battlefield.htm

Among DAR proven family descendants for James Baskin and w., Margaret Pickens were sons:  Robert Baskin m. Mary ‘Polly’ Doss; James Stuart Baskin m. Anna Gillespie; John Baskin m. Jane Young; and, William Baskin m. Isabell Cowen. James’ family private burial ground was regrettably lost, no doubt near his older brother, William Baskin Jr.’s tract mapped at Lowndesville, Abbeville Co., SC; see, Baskin Family manuscript, Raymond Martin Bell, pgs 6,8.