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WILLIAM BAXLEY AND WIFE, MARY WILLIAMS
William was listed as the head of family on the 1790, 1800, 1810 and 1820 census in Robeson, NC. We believe that William arrived in America around 1765. William prepared a will on July 21 1828 that is recorded in a Will Book at page 257, State of North Carolina, Robeson County, A. McEachin, Clerk. Said will was probated in the May term, 1831 by his grandson, William. William, the father and original immigrant, based on his will, owned 674 acres of land and 7 slaves.
William is found in land grants as early as 1763 along the Ten Mile Swamp in the central section of Robeson Co.
Rev. Eugene Baxley of Ormand Beach, FL., from the line of Edmund Baxley, said William gave land to Saddle Tree Baptist Church, constructed in 1788 (responding to church's roll call as late as 1829), which made him a trustee, and the church then gave the land to the Indians and it is now an Indian church. I have been unable to find documentation for this.
AARON BAXLEY AND WIFE, NANCY HOWELL
We make the assumption that Aaron is the father of Wilson based on a record of deeds probated in Robeson Co., NC by a grandson of William in which he states that William had a son named Aaron who had sons named William and Wilson of the State of GA.
Living relatives in Baxley, GA opine that "Wilson moved to Tattnall Co., GA with his father around 1824" and later moved to Appling Co. and founded Baxley, GA. If the Aaron that we find in Tattnall is father of Wilson, he moved to Tattnall sometime before 1806, shortly after Wilson was born.
We find the following records in Tattnall Co., GA regarding an Aaron Baxley:
1806 - Aaron witnessed deed for property bought by William Sterling on Bull Creed in Tattnall
1813 - Aaron received bounty grant of 250 acres on Cedar Creek, Tattnall
1814 - Aaron witnessed property purchased by Jeremiah McDonald on Cedar Creek, Tattnall
1815 - Aaron witnessed deed for property purchased by William Hodges on Cedar Creek, Tattnall
1820 - Aaron listed as lottery eligible for 2 draws (two draws were given for married men), together with one draw for his son, William Baxley, a single man, for distribution of late territory ceded by Creek Indians 2/9/1819 in Captain Overstreet's District, Tattnall
1831 - Aaron is reflected as being dead in the will of William, probated by his grandson.
WILSON BAXLEY AND WIFE, MARY JOHNSON
Wilson was elected Judge in Appling Co. Justice of Inferior Court for three terms: 1833-1837, 1837-1841, and 1841-1845. Wilson was listed as the head of family on the 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 Census in Baxley, GA.
The first written record we have of Wilson is found in "Footprints of Appling County" in which it states that Wilson went to Tattnall Co., GA with his father around 1824. However, we do find a record of his purchasing land in Appling Co., GA in 1820. Wilson moved to Baxley, GA in 1824. The 1820 census for Appling County reveals William, brother of Wilson, to be a resident. Living relatives in Baxley, GA, tell that William first came to Appling County, married, and returned to Robeson County, NC at the death of his grandfather to handle his grandfather's estate.
Appling County, GA was created in 1818 and was formerly part of the Creek land that was exchanged for acreage in Arkansas, equal to that relinquished, and the Creeks began going west in 1827. Where the present county airport now exists, there was a big semicircle called the Dancing Ring which the Indians used for dancing when they were in the section. The spot was trampled down and packed hard by the impact of many feet and could be traced as late as 1889. The northern part of Appling County was known by the English as the Tallahassee Strip and used by General Oglethorpe. The land on which Wilson's children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were born was a former Creek Indian burial ground.
Wilson was a large cattle owner (the first to drive beef cattle to Savannah for market), cut timber (pine trees) on his land and rafted them down the river to Darien for export. He built and operated the first store which became Station No. 7 when the Macon & Brunswick Railroad was built through his lands north of his plantation.
Wilson was affiliated with the Congregational Methodist Church and in 1884 he gave land to the Friendship Congregational Church which at present has the Baxley cemetery at the church where generations of Baxleys are buried.
We find in the courthouse records that Wilson had the following land dealings: 1831-bought Lot 295 from William Speil for $100; 1832 drew Lot 203, District 12, Cherokee Land Lottery; 1832 - drew Lot 58, District 7, Cherokee Land Lottery; 1837 sold Lot 280 to Samuel Moore of Bibb County; 1840 donated lands for Baxley Cemetery; 1842 received Lot 417 in 1840 Land Grant Act; 1842 bought Lot 582 2nd District for $50; 1869 built and operated railroad station #7.
Wilson Baxley and Mary Johnson are both buried in the Baxley Cemetery,.
MITCHELL BAXLEY AND WIFE, CACILDA SELLERS
Mitchell was listed as the head of a family on the 1860, 1870, 1890, 1900 and 1910 census in Baxley, GA. Mitchell served in the military in Co. B54th Georgia Infantry (Civil War), 1862-1864. Mitchell's occupation: Sheriff in Baxley, GA, 1864. Mitchell was recalled from the war to serve as Sheriff of Appling Co. Mitchell applied for a military indigent pension in 1897.
We find the following court records concerning Mitchell: Bought lot 582, 2nd District from Solomon Moody for $80 (1851); served as Star Route mail carrier from Baxley to Reidsville, crossing Altamaha River on Tillman's Ferry (1868); served on committee to report on changing Stafford's Ferry Road (1873); County reimbursed Mitchell $8.40 for burial expenses of a pauper. Mitchell and Cacilda both are buried in the Baxley Cemetery that was established by Wilson Baxley.
JOSEPH LOVETT WILLIS BAXLEY (J. L. W.) AND WIFE, REBECCA CROSBY
Joseph was listed as head of the family on the 1890, 1900, 1910 and 1920 census in Baxley, Ga. J. L. W.'s occupation: Judge Ordinary (Probate) in Appling Co., GA 1920-1926.
We find the following court records regarding J.L.W.:
J.L.W. owned lots in downtown Baxley (Deed Book 16, p. 585 and Book 16, p. 454) and held around 50 acres of farm land (lot 295 and lot 330) on which he farmed tobacco, sugar cane and cotton. He moved from downtown Baxley to the Phillipi community in 1910; he owned a rooming house in downtown Baxley in 1911; the country approved payment to J. L. W of 25 cents a meal for feeding the jurors and 25 cents a night for sleeping them at his boarding house.
J.L.W. suffered a stroke around 1926 and Rebecca, before her death, on May 1, 1930, applied to the court for support and maintenance. Both J. L. W. and Rebecca are buried in the Baxley Graveyard.
BEATRICE BAXLEY AND HUSBAND, THOMAS THEODORE RUSSELL
Beatrice attended the Georgia College For Women. While there, her father (Judge J.L.W. Baxley) had a stroke and she returned home to care for him and help in the Baxley Courthouse, where her father served as Judge. She played piano, knew some Latin. After moving to Jacksonville, FL, she was employed as an Operator in the Guyton Casket Factory in Jacksonville, FL, where she made the satin linings inside a casket and Ted, her husband, built the caskets. In 1945 she went to work as a Seamstress, at Nicolleli & Sons in Jacksonville, FL, 1953. She was buried August 24, 1995, Riverside Memorial Park, Jacksonville, FL, beside her husband, Thomas Theodore Russell.