William Right (Buck) Basden

son of Jesse Basden and his wife, Mary (Powell) Basden, was born near Montgomery, Ala., May 12, 1829. Jesse Basden was born near Raleigh, N.C. about 1789 and died in Ala, in 1833. Mary (Powell) Basden was born about 1791. She died in Arkansas in the year 1866. With her sons, William Right, John, and Jesse Powell Basden, Mary (Powell) Basden came to Arkansas in the year 1845. Her brother-in-law, Willian Basden, a wheel-wright, also accompanied them. They settled on a homestead near Sulphur Springs, Columbia County.

William Right Basden's brother, John, served through the Civil war. He died of yellow fever in New Orleans, never having married. His brother, Jesse Powell Basden married Nellie Smith in Columbia County, Ark., to which union one daughter, Mollie, was born. While serving in the Civil War, he contracted measles from which disease he died. The Subject’s sisters married in Ala. and did not come to Ark. with their mother, but all came at later dates. They were: Annie who married Chase Hodge, Zelpha who married Thomas Smyth, Sarah who married Thomas McLure. The McLure family came to Arkansas in the year 1871.

The Subject of this sketch was married in Ouachita County, Ark., in Dec. 1850 to Rebecca Abigail Hixon who was born in Ala., May 1, 1834 and died in Ark, Oct. 10, 1883. Her father was John Hixon, born in Ala (?) about 1801 and died in Columbia County, Ark. about 1856, having come to the state in 1846. Her mother was Cynthia (Smyth) Hixon who was born in South Carolina in 1810. She died in 1885.

William R. Basden engaged in farming before the Civil War. At the outbreak of the War, he was made Captain of his company which was made up at Sulphur Springs. After the Civil War, he engaged in farming and mercantile business. He served as Representative of Nevada County in the Ark. Legislature in 1870-1871. He bought a homestead six miles west of Rosston in the year 1869. He was a charter member of the Holly Springs church (Methodist) and served as an official of the church for many years. He was always an outstanding figure in every worthy enterprise of his church and community. In 1889 he moved his family to Hope, Hempstead County, Ark. From there he moved to Wortham, Texas. He died at Sumner, Texas, April 9, 1908. His body was brought to Nevada County, Ark. and buried at Mount Olive Cemetery near Rosston.

Children born to William Right Basden and his wife, Rebecca Basden:

Mary Jane, b. Feb. 12, 1852, mar. James Louis Satterwhite, Dec. 13, 1868; Sarah Francis, April 25, 1857, mar. James H. Bennett Nov. 25, 1878; John Hixon, b. Sept 23, 1864, Unmarried, Died in 1916; Joseph Jewell, b. May 10, 1872, mar. Fleda Hall, Sumner, Tex. in 1901; Jannie Edna, b. Dec. 19, 1874, mar William Henry Bounds, Nov. 1, 1893 in Wortham, Texas.

There were several children who died before reaching maturity.

Arranged from data sent me May 1940 by Mary Jane (Basden) Satterwhite and Jannie Edna (Basden) Bounds, daughters of the Subject who live at Wortham, Texas.

See also sketch of John Hixon this volume.