Person Page - 684

     Henry Matthew Merritt was born in 1889. He married Jimmie Bagwell, daughter of George Washington Bagwell and Elizabeth Mixon, after 1917. Henry Matthew Merritt died in 1969.

     Willie Nancy Ann Bagwell was born on 27 December 1904 in Georgia. She was the daughter of George Washington Bagwell and Elizabeth Mixon. As of before 1924,her married name was Merritt. Willie Nancy Ann Bagwell married Thomas Mitchell Merritt before 1924. Willie Nancy Ann Bagwell died on 13 January 1973 in Tift, Georgia, at age 68. She was buried at Siloam Baptist Church Cemetery, Abbeville, Wilcox County, Georgia.

     Thomas Mitchell Merritt was born in 1887. He married Willie Nancy Ann Bagwell, daughter of George Washington Bagwell and Elizabeth Mixon, before 1924. Thomas Mitchell Merritt died in 1950. He was buried at Siloam Baptist Church Cemetery, Abbeville, Wilcox County, Georgia.

     Harriett Ridgeway was born on 8 November 1836. As of before 1854,her married name was Bagwell. She married George Washington Bagwell before 1854. Harriett Ridgeway died in 1921 in Greenville County, South Carolina.

     John Quincy Bagwell was born in 1858. He was the son of George Washington Bagwell and Harriett Ridgeway. John Quincy Bagwell died in 1920.

     Wiley H. Bagwell was born on 7 October 1854 in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. He was the son of George Washington Bagwell and Harriett Ridgeway. Wiley H. Bagwell died on 1 February 1915 in Spartanburg, Spartanburg County, South Carolina, at age 60.

     John Philip Keen was born in 1893. He married Leta Bagwell, daughter of George Washington Bagwell and Elizabeth Mixon, on 29 December 1936 at Abbeville, Wilcox County, Georgia.

     Littlebury Bagwell was born circa 1781 in North Carolina. He lived in 1805 in Captain James Jones's District, Warren County, Georgia. He married Winnie Castleberry on 11 February 1805 at Warren County or Upson County, Georgia. Littlebury Bagwell lived in 1829 in Captain Looney's District, Franklin County, Georgia. He lived in 1830 in Captain Stone's District, Franklin County, Georgia. He died circa 1854 in Georgia.

     Winnie Castleberry married Littlebury Bagwell on 11 February 1805 at Warren County or Upson County, Georgia.

     John J. Bagwell was born circa 1815 in Georgia. He was the son of Littlebury Bagwell and Winnie Castleberry. John J. Bagwell married Elizabeth King on 23 March 1843 at Pike County, Georgia. John J. Bagwell lived in 1864 in Spalding County, Georgia. He lived on 10 July 1867 in Spalding County, Georgia. He lived in 1870 in Akins, Spalding County, Georgia. He lived on 5 June 1880 in District 1066, Spalding County, Georgia.

     Elizabeth King was also known as Elizabeth Holder. She was born circa 1821 in Georgia. As of 23 December 1838,her married name was Holden. She married Hardy H. Holden on 23 December 1838 at Pike County, Georgia. As of 23 March 1843,her married name was Bagwell. Elizabeth King married John J. Bagwell, son of Littlebury Bagwell and Winnie Castleberry, on 23 March 1843 at Pike County, Georgia.

     Hardy H. Holden married Elizabeth King on 23 December 1838 at Pike County, Georgia.

     William T. Holden was born circa 1840 in Georgia. He was the son of Hardy H. Holden and Elizabeth King.

     George W. Bagwell was born in 1830 in Georgia. He was the son of John J. Bagwell and Elizabeth King.

     Annie Alice Posey was born on 20 August 1908. As of 7 July 1930,her married name was Bagwell. She married William Woodson Bagwell, son of James Edward Bagwell and Delzina E. Thurman, on 7 July 1930 at Carthage, Jasper County, Missouri. Annie Alice Posey and William Woodson Bagwell lived in 1940 in Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana. Annie Alice Posey died on 17 August 1989 at age 80. She was buried at Chapelwood Memorial Gardens, Vivian, Caddo Parish, Louisiana.

     William P. Bagwell was also known as Bill Bagwell. He was born on 11 January 1944 in Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana. He was the son of William Woodson Bagwell and Annie Alice Posey.
Bill Bagwell was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on January 11, 1944. He grew up in rural northwest Louisiana and was introduced to the outdoors at an early age by his uncles, who were avid hunters and fishermen. Bagwell was also a talented athlete and lettered in football, baseball, and track during his high school career. His senior year at North Caddo High School saw him named to the High School All-American Football team as a tackle, and he attended Louisiana Tech University on a football scholarship. He also attended Northwestern State University and has an educational background in engineering, English, and history.

Bagwell has always been fascinated by knives. He made his first knife at the age of 10 from an old saw. While he was in high school he began to forge knives in the industrial arts shop, and by the time he was 15 he was forging hunting and Bowie knives as a hobby. He made and sold knives while he was in college and became a full-time professional bladesmith in 1969. Bagwell's skill and talent as a bladesmith is due in part to the fact that he grew up in an area that was rich in the lore of James Bowie and the early history of both Texas and Louisiana. The Bowie knife played a prominent role in the early history of the area, and the young Bill Bagwell wanted a good one for himself. Since none were available for purchase, he began to make his own. Bagwell has always sought excellence, and his early quest for a better Bowie knife has ultimately brought his knives to the point where they are today.

Bill Bagwell is one of the true pioneers in the making of Damascus blades in the United States. He completed his first successful Damascus blade on December 1, 1973, after about six months of trial and failure. In early 1976, with the late Don Hastings, B.R. Hughes and Bill Moran, Bagwell became one of the founding members of the American Bladesmith Society and wrote the original charter for that organization. He also served as the society's first secretary and was on its first board of directors.

Bagwell has lectured on blades and forging at the University of Wyoming at Dubois, the University of Florida at Tallahassee, and Texarkana College at its facility at Black's Forge in Washington, Arkansas. Bagwell has also made wootz steel and began work in that field in 1979.

In 1984, Bill Bagwell became the knife editor for Soldier Of Fortune magazine, and the monthly "Battle Blades" column was begun under his byline. He continued to write the column until 1988 when pressing family matters called him to Belize for 18 months. (This November, Paladin Press will release the long-awaited anthology of Bagwell's "Battle Blades" columns, entitled Bowies, Big Knives, and the Best of Battle Blades. Advance copies will be on display at the Soldier Of Fortune Convention in Las Vegas, October 12-15.) Upon his return from Belize, Bagwell resumed his knifemaking career.

In September 1995, Bagwell attended the prestigious Paris Knife Show, where one of his Damascus Bowies won the award for the best fixed-bladed Damascus knife at the show. The following spring he was commissioned to go to Theirs, France, and conduct a forging and knifemaking demonstration by the Theirs Department of Commerce and Industry.

Today Bagwell focuses his knife energies on his "Hell's Belle" fighting Bowies. The Hell's Belle is acknowledged by many to be the finest fighting Bowie knife ever made, and those examples hand-forged and made by Bagwell himself are, without a doubt, in a class by themselves. Bagwell's research and studies into tactics and application of the fighting Bowie knife in a combat environment have not gone unnoticed, and he currently serves as an instructor to selected units of the U.S. Army's Special Forces at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.

Bagwell is also an accomplished rifle shot. His primary interest is in black powder firearms, and he has served as a consultant to GOEX since 1993. His love of the outdoors has remained strong over the years, and his interest in history has led him to study the arms and weapons of early America. While Bagwell's early studies were focused on muzzleloaders (which ultimately led him to good Hawken rifles), the last 10 years have seen him develop the knowledge and skills necessary to shoot the black powder cartridge rifles. The long-range marksmanship of the buffalo hunters of the plains was not just legend, and Bagwell can today take a Sharps rifle and hit a gallon jug at a quarter of a mile with cast lead bullets, black powder, and iron sights.

Bill Bagwell is a rarity in today's world. He is a man at the top of his game who is doing exactly what he wants to do, when he wants to do it. Happily married, he and his wife, Sidra, currently reside in Louisiana.
William P. Bagwell married Arlene K. Brewster on 18 August 1970 at Marion, Texas. William P. Bagwell and Arlene K. Brewster were divorced in 1986 at Cass County, Texas. William P. Bagwell married Marlin L. Young on 17 October 1987 at Gregg County, Texas. William P. Bagwell and Marlin L. Young were divorced on 27 January 1992 at Cass County, Texas. William P. Bagwell married Sildra (?) circa 1997. William P. Bagwell lived from 2002 to 2020 in Woodlawn, Texas. He died on 17 February 2021 at age 77. He was cremated.

     Helen France was born on 12 January 1906 in Kansas.¹ As of 31 October 1925,her married name was Bagwell. She married Thurman Edward Bagwell, son of James Edward Bagwell and Delzina E. Thurman, on 31 October 1925 at Indiana. Helen France died on 24 October 1999 in Kansas at age 93.¹ She was buried at Fairview Cemetery, Greensburg, Kiowa County, Kansas.¹

     Delores E. Bagwell is the daughter of Thurman Edward Bagwell and Helen France. Delores E. Bagwell married Calvin C. Duncan on 28 July 1973 at Hutchinson County, Texas.

     Calvin C. Duncan married Delores E. Bagwell, daughter of Thurman Edward Bagwell and Helen France, on 28 July 1973 at Hutchinson County, Texas.

     Earl Edwin Bagwell was born on 16 October 1933.¹ He was the son of Thurman Edward Bagwell and Helen France. He was in the KS PFC 120 Engineer BN during the Korean War.¹ Earl Edwin Bagwell died on 11 February 1973 at age 39.¹ He was buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas.¹

     Kenneth W. Bagwell was born on 9 October 1935.¹ He was the son of Thurman Edward Bagwell and Helen France. Kenneth W. Bagwell married Jeanetta Beth Woods on 15 December 1957. Kenneth W. Bagwell died on 12 January 2013 at age 77
Obituary: Kenneth W. Bagwell
Kenneth W. Bagwell, 77, passed away at his home in Lawrence on January 12, 2013.

Lawrence, Ks. -- Kenneth W. Bagwell, 77, passed away at his home in Lawrence on January 12, 2013.

Visitation will be from 6:00-8:00p.m. Thursday, January 17, 2013 at Chapel Oaks in Lawrence, a Funeral Service will be on 11:00a.m. Friday, January 18, 2013, at Chapel Oaks in Lawrence, and then a Graveside will be held on Saturday Jan. 19 at 1:00p.m in Greensburg at the Fairview Cemetery.

Kenneth Bagwell, son of Thurman Bagwell and Helen (Frances) Bagwell, was born October 9, 1935 in Augusta, KS. Kenneth graduated from Greensburg High School and attended Kansas University for 3 years. Kenneth married Jeanetta Woods, she preceded him in death in 2007. Kenneth worked as an electrician (Journeyman) for IBEW 226 out of Topeka, Ks. Kenneth is also preceded in death by his brother Earl Bagwell and his mother and father. He is survived by his four sons, William Jay Bagwell and wife Connie, Randall Lynn Bagwell and wife Nancy, Bruce Allen and wife Kandi, and Scott Aaron Bagwell, 2 sisters, Delores Duncan of Stinnett, TX, and Sharon Farmer of Fort Scott, KS, and 11 grandchildren.¹
He was buried at Fairview Cemetery, Greensburg, Kiowa County, Kansas.¹

     Sharon D. Bagwell is the daughter of Thurman Edward Bagwell and Helen France. Sharon D. Bagwell married (?) Farmer after 1955.

     Jeanetta Beth Woods was born on 16 May 1936 in Greensburg, Kansas.¹ As of 15 December 1957,her married name was Bagwell. She married Kenneth W. Bagwell, son of Thurman Edward Bagwell and Helen France, on 15 December 1957. Jeanetta Beth Woods died on 24 September 2007 at age 71.¹ She was buried at Fairview Cemetery, Greensburg, Kiowa County, Kansas.¹

     William Jay Bagwell is the son of Kenneth W. Bagwell and Jeanetta Beth Woods.¹ William Jay Bagwell married Connie (?) after 1975.

     Bruce Allen Bagwell is the son of Kenneth W. Bagwell and Jeanetta Beth Woods.¹ Bruce Allen Bagwell married Kandi (?) after 1975.

     Randall Lynn Bagwell is the son of Kenneth W. Bagwell and Jeanetta Beth Woods.¹ Randall Lynn Bagwell married Nancy (?) after 1975.

     Scott Aaron Bagwell is the son of Kenneth W. Bagwell and Jeanetta Beth Woods.

     (?) Farmer married Sharon D. Bagwell, daughter of Thurman Edward Bagwell and Helen France, after 1955.

     Connie (?) married William Jay Bagwell, son of Kenneth W. Bagwell and Jeanetta Beth Woods, after 1975.

     Nancy (?) married Randall Lynn Bagwell, son of Kenneth W. Bagwell and Jeanetta Beth Woods, after 1975.