Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Baskerville, James 
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Author: Past and Present of Will County, IL; 1907

JAMES BASKERVILLE. The history of the pioneer settlement of Will county would 
be incomplete without mention of James Baskerville, who from an early day has 
been a prominent factor in the development of its rich agricultural resources. 
He was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, October 12, 1833, and when a youth 
of fourteen years crossed the Atlantic to the new world, being accompanied on 
the trip by his two sisters and four of his brothers. Landing in New York in 
1847, after a voyage of sixty days on the ocean, he located in Oneida county, 
that state, where he remained until 1850, when he made his way westward to 
Illinois, settling in Florence township, Will county. His brothers and sisters 
are likewise residents of the middle west, these being: Rachel, the widow of 
Thomas Purcel, residing at Chicago Heights, Illinois; Maria, who married 
Samuel Kirk, and resides at Clearwater, Minnesota; William, who wedded Laura 
Smith and makes his home at Tonda, Iowa; Richard, who married Mary Byron, and 
made his home in Joliet; and Thomas, who wedded Mary Martin and is now a 
retired farmer living in Wilmington. Another brother, Andrew, enlisted in 1862 
for service in the Civil war, joining the Chicago Board of Trade Battery. 
While in the army in 1863 his death resulted from typhoid fever at Louisville, 
Kentucky. The parents of this family were James and Helen (Grace) Baskerville, 
who were farming people of the fatherland, where they spent their entire 
lives, both passing away there in 1845. James Baskerville was left an orphan 
at the early age of twelve years and, as stated, when a youth of fourteen 
accompanied his brothers and sisters on their emigration to the United States. 
He had no capital when he started out in life, but he possessed a determined 
spirit and a laudable ambition to succeed, so that he allowed no obstacles to 
deter him in his business career, and he soon made for himself a prominent 
place among the leading agriculturists of this portion of the state. His first 
purchase of land made him owner of one hundred and sixty acres, to which he 
afterward added one hundred and thirty-three acres, which is his present place 
of residence, this being located in Florence township. It was unimproved when 
it came into his possession, but he at once set to work to break the land and 
place the fields under cultivation, and in due course of time made it a 
productive and valuable tract. As time passed and he prospered in his 
undertakings he added to his original holdings until he is now the owner of 
six hundred and eighty acres, making him one of the largest land owners in 
Will county. He was formerly engaged in general farming and stock-raising, but 
since 1902 has lived retired, although he still retains his residence on the 
farm and gives his personal supervision to his business affairs. Choosing a 
companion and helpmate for life's journey, Mr. Baskerville was married 
February 26, 1860, to Miss Jane Fogerty, likewise a native of County 
Tipperary, Ireland, born November 1, 1839. Her parents, John and Johanna 
(Ryan) Fogerty, were born on the Emerald Isle, but both passed away in 
Wilmington township, the former at the age of eighty-three years, while the 
latter reached the age of seventy-eight. Their family numbered four daughters 
and two sons, three of whom still survive, namely: Mary, the wife of Patrick 
Kennedy, a resident of Chicago; Mrs. Baskerville; and Anna, the wife of 
Michael Terrels, a resident of Wilmington township. The father located with 
his family in Joliet in 1847, there remaining for eight or ten years, when he 
took up his abode on a farm in Wilmington township, where he and his wife 
spent their remaining days. He was a democrat in politics and a communicant of 
the Catholic church. Unto our subject and his wife have been born seven 
children: Mary A., the wife of Thomas Lacey, a resident of Florence township; 
Andrew J., who wedded Mary Whalen and also resides in this township; Anna, the 
wife of Thomas Cavanagh, a resident of Jackson township; Charlotte J.; George; 
John; and Helen R., the wife of James O'Toole, who resides in Joliet. They 
also have ten grandchildren. Mr. Baskerville gives his political support to 
the democratic party, but has never been active in local political affairs, 
for his extensive farming interests have fully claimed his time and attention. 
His farm is well improved with good buildings and supplied with every 
convenience and accessory necessary to properly carry on agricultural 
interests, while his corn crib is supplied with an elevator. He leaves the 
active work of the fields to his sons, while he gives his attention to the 
breeding of bronze turkeys and the raising of Chester White and O. I. C. hogs. 
The opportunities which Mr. Baskerville sought in this country have been more 
than realized and through the perseverance and industry so characteristic of 
the Irish race he has worked his way upward and he is now classed with the 
best citizens of Will county, where he has made his home for fifty-six years 
and is therefore widely known. 

Additional Comments:
PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the 
Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1907

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