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BASKETTE FARM
The quilt square on the Baskette barn is a variation of
the pattern Mill and Stars. The quilt is
owned by Norma Baskette Davick, aunt of the current
owner of the farm, Bill Baskette. It was pieced by
Norma’s mother and Bill’s grandmother, Nell Taylor
Baskette, along with several ladies in the Lovelace
community of Greene County. Norma remembers these
quilting parties, an activity she admits she herself was
not particularly fond of as a young girl, and says she “might
have done a stitch or two” in the quilt.
Like most farm women of her time, Nell enjoyed and
devoted herself to family duties of cooking, gardening,
and sewing. She was an active member of the local Home
Demonstration Club. Her grandson, Bill, spent a lot of
time with her and remembers how she loved these club
get-togethers and doing crafts.
The Baskette Farm is located in Fall Branch, in a
community once known as Cave Springs. Cave Springs
Baptist Church was established by community members in
1879. A community member, Sarah Baskett Brandon, was
apparently quite adept at tatting, or making lace, and
was said to “love lace.” It caught on and the entire
community and church was renamed Lovelace. The church
minutes reflect the decision to change the name to
Lovelace Baptist church in December 1880.
The farm has remained in the Baskette name as far back
as 1841, although for unknown reasons the name has
evolved over the years, originally Basket, then Baskett,
now Baskette. William and Mary Mullennix Basket were
the original owners. Their son, William M. Baskett was
born in 1813. William and his wife, Patience, had
several daughters, and four sons: John Bernard, James
G., Reuben, and George William (G.W.). John Bernard,
Reuben and G.W. all fought for the Union Army in the
Civil War. Soon after volunteering, Reuben contacted
typhoid and died. John Bernard and G.W. both returned,
and John Bernard moved west. G.W. married Mary Keen and
they had three children. Mary died at age 42, and G.W.
later married Eunicy Brandon, and they had one son,
Alf. Alf married Nell Taylor and they had two children,
Walter and Norma. Walter’s son, Bill, and his wife,
Melissa, currently live on the farm with their children,
Carly and Will.
The barn was built in 1901 by G.W. Baskett, replacing
the original structure that had burned. G.W.’s son,
Alf, was 15 years old at the time and it is told that he
was enlisted to help. Probably others in the community
helped also. All boards were replaced in 2005 by Carl
Shepard and his crew due to rotting wood and termite
damage.
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