Mexico, MO Weekly Ledger. Thursday, June 18, 1925

James Newton Baskett, 76, until late in life, one of the most well known writers of popular scientific works, especially one the habit of birds, and the vagaries of nature, died Sunday morning at a private sanitarium in St. Louis.

Born in Nicholas County, Ky., Mr. Baskett lived most of his life in Missouri, making his home at Mexico for over forty years, during which time he became internationally known for his work in comparative vertebrate anatomy and especially in ornithology.

He was a graduate of the University of Missouri, taking the degree of Ph. D. in 1872, and being awarded the honorary degree of A. M. there in 1893. It was in this year that he presented a paper at the World's Congress of Ornithologists in Chicago on Some Hints at the Kinship of Birds as Shown by Their Eggs, a paper which brought him immediate recognition among the foremost of the world's ornithologists.

His later works, almost all dealing in story form with natural phenomena of nature are The Story of the Birds, 1896, The Story of the Fishes, 1899, The Story of Amphibians and Reptiles, 1902, and several nature novels, "At You-Alls House 1898, As the Light Led 1900, Sweet Briar and Thistledown 1902, and Whispers from Nature, 1920.

Mr. Baskett came into prominence as a naturalist largely by force of circumstances, for his life, immediately following his graduation from the university, was spent as a surveyor and engineer. In the life in the open his love of nature seemed to stage a revival and combined with his ability at expressing himself, a series of articles on nature were first published in the nations news journals. It is this success which again started him and kept him in his studies as a naturalist.

He is survived by two sons, Cecil Morrison Baskett of St. Louis and Edward G. Baskett of Houston, Texas.

Mr. Basket's body arrived Tuesday on the noon train and the services were conducted from the Methodist. Burial was in Elmwood cemetery. The Rev. F. C. Tucker in charge of the service.

Mr. Baskett was a splendid man. He made a host of friends with his genial disposition and splendid traits of character. Even though he was internationally known, his democracy and kindliness endeared him to many. At one time he was publisher of the Intelligencer which he son Cecil edited.

The Ledger joins his many friends in extending deepest sympathy to the bereaved.

Mexico, MO Intelligencer. Thursday, June 18, 1925 Page 1, column 4

J. N. Baskett is Buried in Mexico Tuesday

The funeral of James Newton Baskett, 76, internationally known writer of popular scientific and nature study works, who died at a sanitarium in St. Louis Sunday morning was held Tuesday afternoon at the Methodist church with the Rev. F. C. Tucker in charge of the services. The body arrived in Mexico at noon from St. Louis accompanied by members of the family.

After the funeral services, the body was taken to Elmwood Cemetery where burial was made.

The following were pallbearers: S. M. Locke, Fred Llewellyn, T. J. Williams, Will Williams, S. P. Emmons, and Wallace Dearing.

Notes for Jeannie Gordon MORRISON: Mexico, MO Weekly Intelligencer. Thursday, August 28, 1913

Deaths Mrs. Jeannie Morrison Baskett, wife of James Newton Baskett, the author and scientist, died at her home, 7435 Flora Ave, Maplewood, Mo., Friday night at 9:15 o'clock.

Mrs. Baskett was 59 years old. She was born in Cap au de Gris, Lincoln County, Mo. July 17, 1854, and was the daughter of Dr. Douglas Morrison, a confederate surgeon in Price's army, and Mrs. Emma Gordon Morrison. She was reared in and around Troy, but received her musical education in St. Louis, after which she was the first music teacher in Hardin College Conservatory, founded that year. She was married to James Newton Baskett, of this city, Feb. 17, 1874, in Troy and made Mexico her home, living here, with the exception of three years in Colorado till November 1910, when she moved with her husband to St. Louis.

She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, south, from her childhood.

Besides her husband, she leaves two sons, Cecil Morrison Baskett, Meramec Highlands, St. Louis County, connected with the editorial department of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, and Howard Gordon Baskett, 7435 Flora Ave, Maplewood, who is connected with the Commercial Department of the Southwestern Telegraph and Telephone (Bell) Company. One son died in infancy.

A large number of friends of the Baskett family met the body of Mrs. J. N. Baskett, and the funeral party at the Alton station Sunday afternoon and went to Elmwood, where short funeral service was conducted by the Rev. Dr. W. F. Dunkle, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church, south. The bearers were Henry D. and Fred W. Liewellyn, E. R. Myers, Frank H. Parker, Will C. Williams, and S. P. Emmons.

Accompanying the body were J. N. Baskett, Mr. and Mrs. Howard G. Baskett and son, Gordon, and Mrs. Joe Rodes of St. Louis.

The floral offering were profuse and beautiful. The grave in Elmwood was banked with flowers.