Basford, Campbell

BASFORD, CAMPBELL, PARKS, COOP, EVANS

Posted By: roxie (email)
Date: 5/23/2004 at 23:01:00

I have been to Fairfield Public Library to look up in the genealogical section a few times myself and searched and searched on the Internet as well, but maybe someone somewhere in Jefferson County or its neighboring counties (especially Washington Co.) would know something and provide some answers (hopefully).

Three separate questions:

(1) Anyone knows anything about this person named William Basford (or Bassford), first husband of Isabell Nancy "Belle" (Parks) Basford Campbell Higgins? All I know is that they were located in Fairfield or nearby in (I think) 1885 or maybe 1880 Jefferson County (Iowa) Census and that they had four children including Pleasant, Della, others (the first four of Belle's own altogether 12 children) before Mr. Basford died (when, why, how, where and location of his burial are unknown to me right now. Even when and where they were married are also unknown yet.) Sometime after Mr. Basford's death, Belle married Samuel Campbell by whom she had the rest of her 12 children---from fifth child through 12th child. One of those was my great-grandmother, Blanche Ann (Campbell) Stevens Van Cleave. By the way, Belle herself was a granddaughter of Colonel William G. Coop via his daughter, Nancy Ann Coop Parks (wife of Silas).

2nd question: Anyone knows what happened to Samuel Campbell, Belle's 2nd husband, who was born back in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, to Thomas Clark and Susan(nah) [Evans] Campbell? (The Campbells moved to Jefferson County after 1840.)Or at least anything about Samuel's early years in Jefferson County before his marriage to Belle? He had a brother named William P. Campbell whose biography I have seen posted here on Jefferson Co. Genealogical website. I found in Wapello Co. (IA) courthouse Belle's petition for a divorce on reason of desertion from Samuel by saying she had no idea of his whereabouts at all to inform him her plans of divorcing him. At that time I believe she was planning to marry her 3rd husband James Higgins. But maybe someone has some knowledge about Samuel???

3rd question: Does anyone have or at least seen an obituary of Thomas C. Campbell, father of Samuel, who died March 5, 1894, in Washington Co., Iowa (at or near Brighton)? Either in Fairfield or Brighton or Washington newspapers?
(Thomas was born in PA on July 27, 1820)

This is all for now.