Saturday, August 11, 2007

So I finally posted my organized research on Basil Gray on the Wikispace. Lots of dry facts, but probably the best thing I have that puts the research into some context.
From my estimation there are two B Grays. In the early Georgia land files, the name BASIL is used for the older man. BAZZEL is used for the younger, possibly for the purpose of easier identifying the two in public record. The title of Junior is used on one headright deed, but doesn't appear again until voter rolls in AL over 50 years later.

A confusing point concerns the Georgia militia records that places BASIL as a 2nd Lieu in 1792. Seven years later, Cap't BAZZEL Gray applies for a passport to AL. I can't find any records of BASIL after 1794 and BAZZEL seems a bit young at 15 to have such a high rank. Nor have I found any military records from GA for BAZZEL, but somehow he appears in 1800 as a Cap't.

One of the most intriguing point for BAZZEL is his adoption of the middle names "Napoleon Bonaparte". It is pretty easy to deduce that he had some sort of relationship with the French expats who settled the Vine and Olive Colony of Tombigbee area in the early 1800's. If you don't know about this group...look it up, pretty interesting point of history. The first record I have that mentions "B N B Gray" is in 1847; but I can safely say that he called himself that as early as 1821, the birth of grandson, Basil/Bazzel Napoleon Bonaparte (Bud) Hammond. I've read a little about the colony and indeed, there were a few former soldiers and friends of the Little Emperor who settled in the colony. The closest link I've found is that BAZZEL's son in law, Mathias Hammond, had a claim to one of the parcels of lands within the colony. The parcel was originally granted to a French expat in Pennsylvania who never set foot in AL, so possible bought second hand at some point. BAZZEL's Land Grant Property was at least 20 miles south of the colony. Someone taking on a name to some how impress a group that had money or influence seems somewhat logical. What doesn't make sense is that he continued to use the name well after the colony went bust. Perhaps there is a fondness for France and things french comes from his father BASIL's ties to the GA militia who were aided by a French force during the revolutionary Battle for Savannah.

Children of BAZZEL
Only one public record in my file that links BAZZEL directly to a daughter is the marriage of Elizabeth to John Gilmore. I can safely link two other daughters, Mary and Edna, both who named children BASIL and married Hammond brothers Mathias and Lemuel respectively. Another daughter, Monica, has been included according to records from the Tuscaloosa Genealogy Society; however, she didn't name any child after BAZZEL and according to census records was born in TN. Her husband, William was a brother to Lem and Mat Hammond. On the other hand, William, along with Mathias and John Gilmore had Land Grants all next to each other in Marengo Co AL. I generally include her until otherwise.