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Bassett Family Association - , Modern Founder (originally founded in 1897)

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Splinters From The Tree June 2011

(1) Welcome
(2) Unidentified Daguerreotype of Isaac Bassett
(3) Sarah Bassett, Class of 2011, Valedictorian
(4) Family Reunion for descendants of Francis Bassett
(5) Bassetts of Bedford, New York
(6) Augusta C. Bassett marriage announcement
(7) Charles Bassett of Lakeville, Massachusetts In-Law Troubles
(8) New family lines combined or added since the last newsletter
(9) DNA project update

Section 1 - Welcome

Correspondence  has slowed for the summer giving me a chance to catch up a bit on Bassett research.

Entry of the last two generations of the descendants of William Bassett of Plymouth is underway. Once that is complete, his whole family line will be uploaded to our family website.

I am looking for a copy of the article W.H. Sharp and Mrs. W.H. Sharp from the History of Siskiyou County, California, By Harry L. Wells. If you have access to this book through a local library, please contact me. I would like someone to make a copy of the article and send it to me or possibly scan and email. Mrs. W.H. Sharp is Augusta Caroline Bassett. Her wedding announcement is included later in the newsletter.

Finally, I found a news article in a New York newspaper that sheds light on an old letter written from a father to his daughter describing some In-Law Troubles.

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Section 2 - Featured Bassett: Isaac Bassett Daguerreotype

The following picture was for sale on ebay last week.

Isaac Bassett - mid 1850's
Isaac Bassett - mid 1850's

We are trying to identify this picture. Written on the back is "Isaac Bassett". It is a Daguerreotype from the 1850's
from the United States. If you recognize this Isaac Bassett, please let me know.

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Section 3 - Featured Bassett: Sarah Bassett, Class of 2011, Valedictorian

Sarah descends from William Bassett of Plymouth as follows:

William Bassett of Plymouth and wife Elizabeth
William Bassett (b. 1624) and wife Mary Rainsford
William Bassett (b. 1656) and wife Rachel Willison
William Bassett (b. 1681) and wife Abigail Bourne
William Bassett (b. 1711) and wife Lydia Smith
Rufus Bassett (b. 1757) and wife Jedidah Handy
Nymphas Bassett (b.1785) and wife Thankful Ann Bruce
Oliver C. Bassett (b. 1824) and wife Elizabeth Monroney
Marshall Bassett (b.1858) and wife Sonorah J. Israel
Ernest Bassett (b. 1883) and wife Grace Lee Bass
Ralph J. Bassett (b. 1912) and wife Elizabeth Almeta Brickley
Roger Wayne Bassett
Jeffrey Neil Bassett
Sarah Julianna Bassett

Congratulations to Sarah Bassett!  She is the daughter of the author of the newsletter.

Sarah Bassett, Mundelein Class of 2011 Valedictorian
Sarah Bassett, Mundelein Class of 2011 Valedictorian

Sarah Bassett was named Honorable Mention for the Lake County Illinois All-Academic Team by the Daily Herald Newspaper
Sarah Bassett was named Honorable Mention for the Lake County Illinois All-Academic Team by the Daily Herald Newspaper

She will be attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in August and will be studying Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Go Illini!

* * * * *

Section 4 - Featured Bassett: Family Reunion for Descendants of #48 Francis Bassett

The following short article was provided by Michael Victor Bassett, a descendant of #48 Francis Bassett through the George Washington Bassett line.

Reunion of Francis Bassett of South Carolina Descendants
 
Descendants of Francis Bassett and their families held their second reunion in 11 years at the “Bassett Homeplace” of Pineola Farms (http://www.pineola.com) in Fort Valley, Peach County, Georgia on June 10-11, 2011.  Many Bassetts in the southern United States are descended from this Francis Bassett, a South Carolina Revolutionary War soldier, first seen in records in 1772 in Mecklenburg County, NC, who later settled in Barnwell County, SC.
 
One of Francis’ grandsons, Stephen Elisha Bassett (see Section 3 of http://www.bassettbranches.org/newsletters/2009/01/200901.shtml), bought the reunion location’s land in 1865, built the house and it remained in the Bassett family for over 100 years until Paul and Delise Knight became its caretakers.  
 
Fifty-nine attendees traveled from AR, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, IN, NC, NH, SC, TX, VA and two from Switzerland to attend the reunion organized by Stephen’s great great granddaughter, Susan Corley. Activities included a meet and greet, dinner at a local peach packing plant’s café (the peach lemonade and peach ice cream were amazing), a DNA presentation and project update, house and farm tours, group pictures, lots of visiting among family members and their cousins and a BBQ lunch in the fabulous, air-conditioned Bassett Cotton Barn (http://www.pineola.com/barn.htm) overlooking 12 acres of pecan trees.    
 
Sue Bassett Folawn documented much of the Francis Bassett family history in her 2001 book: Homeplace, the Bassetts of Fort Valley, Georgia.

A group photo from the Bassett reunion held this month in Georgia
A group photo from the Bassett reunion held this month in Georgia

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Section 5 - Featured Bassett: DNA results for the #151B Bassetts of Bedford, New York

Originally, I had the following for the #151B line of Bassetts from Bedford, New York.

151B2. Michael Bassett, son of John Bassett

        Michael Bassett, son of John Bassett, probably died in Bedford in 1785. He was in Rye, New York in 1713, 1727, 1728 and 1732. He was in New Rochelle in 1734. He married Rebecca.

1810 Federal Census of Somers, Westchester County, New York
Michael Bassett       10100-00100        
1mU10,1m16-26,1f16-25

    +        151B21. Isaac Bassett - of Bedford 1785, married Deborah King.

        151B22. Susanna Bassett - married Adam Wakeman in Bedford in 1770.

        151B23. Margaret Bassett - married Henry Mires of North Castle, Westchester 18 Sep 1808 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey.

        151B24. Stephen Bassett -

    +        151B25. John Bassett - of Bedford, married Charlotte Buckbee.

        151B26. Hannah Bassett - in 1798 she shold John Bassett farm that fell to her by heirship from Michael Bassett, deceased.

However, DNA testing has shown that the #151B21 Isaac Bassett line belongs to the William Bassett of Plymouth family and the #151B25 John Bassett family belongs to the Bassetts of Wales.

I will break off the Isaac Bassett family into its own family line until we can figure out where to place them.

This new test shows a few mutations from the others in this group, but do share a value of 35 in the 34th marker.

DNA

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Section 6 - Featured Bassett: Augusta C. Bassett marriage announcement

I have not yet identified the parents of Augusta C. Bassett. This is the newspaper announcement of her marriage.

She is currently listed as family #169B in my Bassett records.

Marriage Announcement from 4 Aug 1846, Huron County, Ohio
Marriage Announcement from 4 Aug 1846, Huron County, Ohio

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Section 7  - Featured Bassett: Charles Bassett of Lakeville, Massachusetts, In-Law Troubles

Charles descends from William Bassett of Plymouth as follows:

William Bassett of Plymouth and wife Elizabeth
William Bassett (b. 1624) and wife Mary Rainsford
William Bassett (b. 1656) and wife Rachel Willison
William Bassett (b. 1681) and wife Abigail Bourne
Nathaniel Bassett (b. 1719) and wife Hannah Hall
Joseph Bassett (b. 1749) and wife Cynthia Tobey
Edmund Bassett (b. 1780) and wife Mary Nye
Edmund Bassett (b. 1811) and wife Roxanna S. Goodnow
Charles H. Bassett (b. 1842) and wife Julia Ethelinda Staples

"My Dear Julia:
        In my long absence from home it was my constant purpose, in my frequent thoughts of you, to write you a special letter, but by accident or otherwise it has been deferred till now.
        You know that I have said nothing for a long time with reference to your relations with Bassett but have supposed that you pretty well knew what I and your mother and all your intelligent friends thought
        So far as I am concerned my wishes do not arise from any hostility to Bassett, but from the immense disparity between yourself and him.
        My opinion has been that but few ever born in town have had so many gifts mental and physical and now to me it is a crime against nature for such an one to choose one like Bassett to be the father of her children and suppose that it is partially the feeling of others. I have constantly hoped and thought that your good sense would lead you out of the troubles brought on yourself. So far as your child is concerned we like it because it is yours.  You well know what years of sorrow you have brought on yourself, me, your mother and friends, but by some infatuation for which it is difficult to account you seem to persist in a course that will end I know not where. Let me ask you to make up your mind to some course that your reason will approve.
        If it is what I may consider is throwing your life away with all is opportunities then it must be that, your destiny must largely be in your own hand, willing hands and hearts may aid you in the right course but none can control your will and purpose. It is hard for us to think that your life may be a blank so far as your usefulness is concerned in the world (in our finite eyes) but much of the infinite is beyond our comprehension. Still I think God has given us reason to guide our actions.
        I shall wait with anxiety the developments of the near future, in the meantime any verbal or other communication you may wish will be cordially received, This has been written somewhat hastily but the ideas are not new to my mind.
                      From your affectionate Father

The above letter was in the possession of descendants of Charles Bassett, but until a few months ago, the family did not know the complete story of why this letter was written. While digging through old newsletters in New York, I came across the following article about Charles Bassett.

Utica Daily Observer, Wednesday Evening, September 18, 1872
Shooting a Mother-in-Law
Results of a Secret Marriage
From the Boston Journal, Sept. 10

        Last Saturday afternoon the quiet village of Lakeville, a portion of Middleboro’, in this State, was thrown into a state of excitement by the attempted murder of the wife of Mr. Harrison Staples, one of the Commissioners of Plymouth county, and a gentleman well known both in and out of the county where he resides.
        Charles Bassett, son-in-law of the woman he shot, was married to Miss Julia Staples in November, 1869. The marriage was a secret one, and it was not until two days after it took place that the parents were informed of what had transpired. Bassett at this time was employed as a laborer of Mr. Staples’ place, and, with the exception of two or three months, had been at work steady for Mr. Staples since November, 1868. At the time of the marriage they returned home separately, Bassett the same night, while the bride tarried at her cousin’s house until the next day, when she returned to her father’s house. Nothing unusual was noticed in their deportment; and on the second day the parents were told of what had transpired. They at once took measure to keep the newly-married couple apart, and so far as they have any knowledge they succeeded in doing so. The parents objected to Bassett on many accounts. He was poor and in other respects wholly unfitted for their daughter, and they deemed it very improbable that he would ever be able to provide for her in the manner to which she was accustomed. The reasons which let the daughter to consent to secretly marrying her father’s servant are not plain at this time, but, if the current gossip of the village is accepted, the marriage is one that should have been consummated and with the consent of the parents.
        Bassett remained at work for Mr. Staples for about a month after his marriage, and during this time his wife, through the efforts of her parents, and especially her mother, refused to live with him. They all desired him to go away, and finally he did so in December, and has not been in the employ of Mr. Staples since. At frequent intervals since then he has visited Mr. Staples’ house, generally when somewhat intoxicated, as Mr. Staples says, and has tried to induce his wife to go and live with him, as he was sick of being a married man by brevet. Where he intended to take his wife does not appear, but she always refused to go with him. He was allowed at first to enter the house and hold conversation with his wife, but finally he used such language in his visits, in his rage at finding her still determined not to leave her father’s house, that he was not granted that privilege. No legal steps were taken to procure a separation by the parents, as they were in hopes that he would after a time cease to trouble them and to come to his sober senses, when a divorce could have been obtained without much publicity. But he seemed to be possessed with an insane love for his wife, and although he would absent himself for two or three months at times, yet he would suddenly reappears and renew his efforts to see his wife. She at last required her husband to cease his visits.
        Matters continued in this way until last Saturday afternoon, when Bassett, who had been in Taunton the week previous, appeared at Mr. Staples’ house. Mrs. Staples and her daughter were at home, Mr. S., being in Boston. Bassett stopped upon the piazza in front of the house, went to a window and began talking in his old vein, at the same time showing a pistol, which, he afterward stated, he purchased in Taunton. He had been drinking as was his custom, when he paid his visits to his wife. After talking a moment or two, Bassett started to go in, but was met by Mrs. Staples, who is a large and very spirited woman. She was armed with a cane, and she used it in an energetic manner to repel her son-in-law. He retreated down the piazza to the walk, where he turned and fired. For the moment Mrs. S. was not fully aware that she had been wounded. She turned and walked into the house. The sight of blood upon her dress was the first intimation she had, and the daughter at once gave the alarm, calling for the man now employed upon the place. Bassett, after firing the shot, started and ran across the field to the house of Mr. H. Coombs, a constable with whom Bassett is intimately acquainted. Mr. Coombs was on the point of driving away as Bassett rushed up to him, exclaiming, “Arrest me, arrest me; I have shot Mrs. Staples!” This he repeated twice, and then asked whether he had not better go and jump into the river. Mr. Coombs quieted him, and taking him in charge, carried him to Middleboro’. In the meantime Mrs. Staples’ neighbors had been to Middleboro to summon medical assistance, and one of them, Mr. Wm. Harlow, entered a complaint against Mr. Bassett for a murderous assault. Trial Justice C.B. Wood issued a warrant for his arrest, and as Deputy Sheriff Cole was about starting to find Bassett, Mr. Coombs appeared with him, and he was taken to the Poor Farm, some two miles out of town, for safe keeping. After some time had elapsed, Mrs. Staples was visited by Drs. Drake and Comstock, who made an attempt to find the bullet by probing. The ball entered the abdomen on the left side, near the navel, and took a downward course. After probing for some time, the attempt to find the ball was given over, for the time, and no attempt has since been made to find it. Mrs. Staples is considered in a precarious condition; but, from the fact that she has lived since Saturday, without further unfavorable symptoms, it is thought that the ball did not penetrate any vital part, in which case her ultimate recovery is probably.

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Section 8 - New family lines combined or added since the last newsletter

        The following family lines have been added since the last newsletter.

 459B.  Ephraim Bassett of New York (born 1821)
 460B.  John Bassett of Inistioge, Kilkenny, Ireland (b. 1793)
 461B. Martin L. Bassett of Nova Scotia and San Francisco, California

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Section 9 - DNA project update

One new kit was sent out in the previous month, but it has not yet been returned to the testing company.

Donations of any amount can be made to the Bassett DNA project by clicking on the link below. Any funds donated will be used to fund select Bassett DNA tests that will further our project as a whole and benefit all Bassetts worldwide.

http://www.familytreedna.com/group-general-fund-contribution.aspx?g=Bassett

This is just a reminder that the DNA portion of the Bassett Family Association can be found at:

http://www.bassettbranches.org/dna/

A current spreadsheet of results can be found at:

http://www.bassettbranches.org/dna/BassettDNA.xls

If you don't have Excel and can't open the spreadsheet above, you can now see the DNA test results at the following website.

http://www.familytreedna.com/public/Bassett/

Jeffrey Bassett
520 Salceda Drive
Mundelein, IL 60060 USA
email address link in header above