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

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Splinters From The Tree March 2011

(1) Welcome
(2) Josiah Bassett of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
(3) Bassett Pedigrees in the Golden Grove
(4) Letter from Hilda Basset of Beaupre Castle, 1924
(5) Keith Bassett, Turbo Crib and The Cottage Inn of Kila,  Montana
(6) Origins of the Bassetts of Staffordshire
(7) New family lines combined or added since the last newsletter
(8) DNA project update

Section 1 - Welcome

This month includes an article written by David Swinscoe, a leading authority on the Bassetts of Blore. He has devoted many years of research to this branch of the Bassett family. This month I have included a short article from him about the origins of the Bassett family of Staffordshire. Next month I will feature an article about his theory on how the name Thurstan Bassett came about and how this is probably incorrect information.

David Attride has contributed another article on the Bassetts of Wales.

Following David's article, I have included a transcription of a letter written by Hilda Bassett of Wales. It was written to a Bassett descendant living in the United States. I would like to thank Kendall H. Bassett of Washington for buying a packet of Bassett material at a sale in Pennsylvania and forwarding this material on to me. Anyone from the United States whose DNA shows a link to the Bassetts of Wales will be especially interested in this letter.

It is also once again time to ask for donations for the project. I publish the newsletter free of charge to nearly 2,000 Bassetts worldwide. In addition to the newsletter, we now have close to 250 male Bassett DNA samples in our database. If you are someone that has benefited in the past from a free DNA kit paid for out of project funds, please consider making a donation towards the project so that we may fund several new DNA tests for this year. If you are someone that enjoys reading the newsletter on a monthly basis, please consider making a small donation towards the DNA fund to help us expand our project. To make a donation directly to the Bassett DNA fund, you can click on the link below in the DNA project update section.

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Section 2 - Featured Bassett: Josiah Bassett of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

An earlier article showing a sale ad for Snyder, Harris, Bassett & Co. was featured in the February 2009 Bassett family newsletter.
Click on the link below to read this original story.

http://www.bassettbranches.org/newsletters/2009/02/200902.shtml

This month I have included a short obituary for Josiah Bassett, an advertising card for the company, and a newspaper article about the dissolution of the company shortly after the death of Josiah Bassett.

Friends’ Intelligencer and Journal, Volume 57
Deaths

        BASSETT – In Philadelphia, Seventh month 19, 1900, Josiah Bassett, aged 66 years.
        He was a member of the firm of Snyder, Harris, Bassett & Co., clothiers; by his first marriage, son-in-law to the late Jesse W. and Elizabeth Newport.

Snyder, Harris, Bassett & Co., clothiers

The New York Times, December 20, 1900
Philadelphia Firm Assigns
Special to The New York Times

        PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 19. – Snyder, Harris, Bassett & Co., incorporated, one of the largest clothing manufacturing concerns in this city, with headquarters at 525 market Street, made an assignment today for the benefit of their creditors to Arnold Kohn, Emerson Snyder, and Preston Chambers, the two latter representing the stockholders. The assets of the firm are estimated at about $325,000 and the liabilities at $250,000, most of which is owed to the banks of this and neighboring cities.
        Mr. Kohn, one of the assignees, said that all things seemed to point to an early and full settlement of all claims against the concern. There will be a meeting of the creditors in New York Friday, when matters relating to the assignment will be discussed and a course of action decided upon.
        The failure came in the nature of a great surprise to the clothing trade, and, in fact, to all business circles, as the firm was considered one of the soundest, in a financial way, in the country.

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Section 3 - Featured Bassett: Bassett Pedigrees in the Golden Grove

The following article was written by David Attride who is related to the #117B Bassetts of Wales family.

Bassett Pedigrees in the Golden Grove

For hundreds of years pedigrees have been important to the Welsh.  Prior to their invasion by the English/Normans, Welsh land law required family property to be equally distributed amongst all the children of the deceased father.  For this and perhaps other reasons pedigrees were prized.  In a country with a Patronymic naming culture, pedigrees prove extremely useful in understanding family relationships.

One of the more famous series of Welsh pedigrees is the Golden Grove book of pedigrees.  These were an 18th century compilation of pedigrees that were probably written in the 17th century.  Considering that few Welsh baptismal records survive prior to 1700 these pedigrees prove most useful to the family historian.

The Golden Grove book of pedigrees is actually divided into 4 volumes which cover books A through N.  The pedigrees cover all of Wales.  Many of the pedigrees list descendants of famous Welsh leaders such as Brychan Brochoynoc, Llewelyn ap Gwrgant (of Gower); Gwynfardh Dyvett (Lord of Dyvett); Idio Wylht (Brecon) and Cadifor Fawr (Lord of Dyfed).  Book G is of greatest interest to researchers in Glamorgan.  It includes sections with pedigrees of “Adventurers of Glamorgan”, meaning the Normans to conquerored their way into south Wales in the 12th century.  This section contains pages of pedigrees for 60-80 families including the BASSETTs and MANSELs.  A shortcoming of these pedigrees is the lack of dates.  Perhaps 5% of the persons listed have a chronological connection shown (see middle right side of first image below) expressed for instance as 4th of H ye 6 (4th year of the reign of King Henry VI which would be 1426).

Golden Grove contains 6 pages of Bassett pedigrees.  The first three pages are shown  below:

Bassett pedigrees 1

Bassett pedigrees 2

Bassett pedigrees 3

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Section 4 - Featured Bassett: Letter from Hilda Basset of "New Beaupre" dated 1924

Below you will find a transcription of a letter written from Hilda Basset of "New Beaupre" to a Mrs. Come living in New York in the United States in 1924. Next month I will feature more on the American branch of the family that received this picture including several pictures of their family and their home.

Below are also scans of two items that were included in the letter. The picture was not identified, but clues lead me to believe it is a picture of  Philip Thurstane Bruce Basset, deceased husband of Hilda Basset, author of the letter below. The second is an old style business/personal card of the Basset family of Beaupre.

picture was not identified, but clues lead me to believe it is a picture of  Philip Thurstane Bruce Basset


old style business/personal card of the Basset family of Beaupre

 For Bassetts living in the United States that show a connection to the Bassetts of Wales via DNA testing (this includes the #8B John Bassett of Hunterdon County, NJ, the #12B Oliver Bassett family and the #25B George Bassett family along with several others), you may be interested in paying special attention to item (2) noted in the letter below. Hilda is in possession of a medal given to a Basset that fought during the Revolutionary War at the Battle of Germantown, Pennsylvania. This is our first documented link between the American Bassetts and the Bassets of Beaupre. I am hoping someone from one of these Welsh Bassett lines can do some research and find out the name of the Bassett that fought at this battle. It might help us tie these American Bassetts back to their Welsh cousins.

Annals and Antiquities of the Counties and County Families of Wales
By Thomas Nicholas

BASSETT, William West James, Esq., of Beaupre, Glamorganshire

A Major in the army; was Capt. 74th Highlanders; son of the late Col. William Bruce, K.H., of the 79th Highlanders by Isabella, 3rd dau. Of Co. Thomas Basset, by Elizabeth, dau. of Alexander Cruikshanks, Esq. of Aberdeen; b. 1830; m. 1862, Eliza, dau. of Richard Weekes, Esq., Barrister-at-law, and has issue: succ. To the Beaupre estate, entailed upon him, on the death, 1865, of his aunt, Mrs. Basset, widow of Capt. Richard Basset, of Beaupre, his mother’s brother, and thereupon assumed the surname Basset instead of Bruce.

The following are details on Hilda Bassett and her family. I am looking for someone that could possibly look up the obituaries for her and her three children who all died in London, England. It may tell us something about where any remaining Beaupre artifacts reside.

292BW21.111.1A2.14A.14. Philip Thurstane Basset, son of William Bruce Basset

        Philip Thurstane Bruce Basset, son of William West James Bruce and Eliza (Weeks) Basset, was born 17 Aug 1868. He died in 1922 in Bridgend District, Glamorganshire, Wales, aged 53 years. He married Hilda Gwendoline C. Browne Jun Qtr 1902 in Bridgnorth Distrct, Shropshire, England. Hilda died in 1937 in Marylebone District, London, England, aged 58 years.

        292BW211111A214A141. Philip Thurstane R.A. Basset – born Jun Qtr 1903 in Cardiff District, Glamorgan, Wales, died 1959
                           in Kensington District, London, England, aged 55 years.

        292BW211111A214A142. Hilary Catherine M. Basset – born Sep Qtr 1906 in Cardiff District, Glamorgan, Wales, died Feb 1994 in Kensington and Chelsea District, London, England, aged 88 years.

        292BW211111A214A143. Barbara G.B. Basset – born Mar Qtr 1912 in Bridgend District, Glamorgan, Wales, died 1936 in Hammersmith District, London, England, aged 25 years.

The following is the letter written by Hilda Basset to Mrs. Come of New York.

Penpompren Hall, Talybont, Cardiganshire   January 12, 1924

Dear Mrs Come

        Will you forgive me for leaving your kind letter (written in Sept. last) so long unanswered. Both I and my children were so glad to hear from and of yours. I should have written sooner but I was in London with my son. There I saw him off for Malta & was a week in Shropshire last month, my dear mother died & I have not felt up to writing to you before. Your letter was addressed to my husband but I opened it. He passed away very suddenly five days after an operation in July 1922.
        Since then we have tried to let Beaupre for a time and I have made my home now with my mother and sisters. I think you may like to hear about us. I have one son who will be 21 in April. He is in the artillery & is posted to a battery in Malta. (two days ago). My elder daughter will be eighteen in August and my younger was twelve last month. I shall be so glad of details of your family yourself. I wish the daughter of whose marriage you so kindly sent the announcement all possible happiness. It would be of great interest to me to know when you can spare time to send me the particulars. (1) What Basset you are descended from? What was the Christian name of your Basset grandfather & great grandfather? (2) Can you help me at all as what Basset fought at Germantown Penns. in May 1778? I have the medal here. I am so anxious to know what ancestor it was? (3) Have you any documents to connect with the family I should be intensely interested to know what they are and (4) I’d love to know what the crystal & old silverware like that are mentioned amongst your daughters wedding presents. I love old things, I so wish they could talk & I’ve so often wondered what happened to the “Old Beaupre” things if they went to America with the Bassets who were there (from about 1680-1870 as far as I know) has have some old silver which didn’t go but I’m so sad some of the the rest is as we say “in the family”. It will be a great pleasure to me to hear from you again & I think it was so nice of you to write. Did your sisters when she went to “Old Beaupre” as we call the ruined castle get and post card photos of the porch? If not if you call for some it will give me great pleasure to write to the stationer in Cowbridge get some for you let me know how many you would like & if you would call for some shots of the modern Beaupre rose garden and ourselves. I enclose first a new years greeting with all fond wished. Yours Sincerely, Hilda Basset

To read the original article on this Bassett line and see pictures of Beaupre Castle, click on the link below to show the February 2006 newsletter.

http://www.bassettbranches.org/newsletters/2006/20060219/20060219.shtml

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Section 5 - Featured Bassett: Keith Bassett, Turbo Crib and The Cottage Inn of Kila, Montana

Keith Bassett descends from the following Bassett line.

Charles Bassett of High Halden, Kent, England and wife Lucy
Charles Bassett (b. 1789) and wife Ann
William Stephen C. W. Bassett (b. 1826) and wife Emma Ann Barling
Oliver Bassett 9b. 1873) and wife Gertrude Alice Hollingsworth
Lewis Nelson Bassett
Keith L. Bassett

If you are in Montana, drive to the north west side of Flathead Lake to visit The Cottage Inn of Kila, Montana.

This restaurant, owned by Keith Bassett, is the home to Turbo Crib, a variation of Cribbage invented by Keith Bassett and Don Robinson.

Click on the link below to read more about this game.

http://www.turbocrib.com/

To read a bio about Keith Bassett, click on the link below.

http://www.turbocrib.com/keith.php

The Cottage Inn of Kila, Montana

Keith also participated in our Bassett DNA testing project. His results are listed below. So far he has no close match to any other Bassetts.

dna

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Section 6 - Featured Bassett: The Origins of the Bassetts of Blore

This article is an excerpt from a book on the Bassetts of Blore written by David Swinscoe.

ORIGINS
BASSETTS OF BLORE

The central theme of this book is the history of members of the family of the Bassetts of Blore who held the manors of Blore, Staffordshire and Meynell and Church Langley in Derbyshire.

The name Bassett has appeared in a number of forms: Baseht, Baseth, Baset, Basset and Bassett. The most common earlier spelling was Basset but, since the 16th century, the form in most frequent use, in Staffordshire, has been Bassett. It is the form, Bassett, which is used in this account.

P.H. Reaney, in his Dictionary of Surnames, suggests that the name Bassett is derived from the French "bas" meaning "low” or “of mean stature". This assumption is partly based on the chronicles of Orderic Vitalis Orderic Vitalis “The Ecclesiastical History” ed. M. Chibnall, in which Orderic states that Richard Bassett was "raised from the very dust," by King Henry I.

The late Dr H.T. Betteridge, Senior Lecturer in North European Languages at Glasgow University believed that the Bassetts probably descended from the Norsemen (Normans), who settled in Northern France during the 9th and 10th centuries. He suggested that, in the Viking culture, although one individual could have been short in stature, it is unlikely that the family as a whole would adopt such a name.

He suggested that the name derives from a similarly pronounced name used by the Vikings. The pronunciation of the name as written in the Runic language “ÂáâØ” would be something like “Bathet” but probably as a result of local french influence, became pronounced with a middle “ss” – thus “Bassett” - even today the French have difficulty with the sound “th”. The Viking name is claimed to have meant something like “cunning in battle” or “safe or happy in battle” Jan de Vries “Altnordisches Etymologisches Hortebuch” Leiden 1961 Dr H.T. Betteridge.

A common error made by some historians, antiquarians and genealogists concerned with history of Bassetts of Staffordshire is to presume a Bassett descent which is incorrect. Erroneously, within the Domesday Book for Staffordshire, there is an entry which reads:

THURSTAN HOLDS 5 HIDES IN DRAYTON
Land for 5 ploughs in lordship 3 ploughs 2 slaves
12 villagers and 4 smallholders with 3 ploughs
A Mill at 4s. The value was 100s. Now £8.

Charlotte S. Burne, as early as 1881 Revd R.W. Eyton “Domesday Studies” 1881 p.133 Errata and Adenda by Charlotte W. Burne which is confirmed by Dr. James Ross, Medieval and Early Modern Team, The National Archives and “DOMESDAY BOOK – A Complete Translation” Penguin Books Dr Ann Williams Prof G.H. Martin Editors, demonstrated that this entry is in respect of Drayton, in Oxfordshire, and not Drayton (Bassett) in Staffordshire. Thurstan (Toustain) The Dives Roll of Leopold Delisle inscribed on a memorial in the church of Dives may have accompanied William the Conqueror For those who may have been present at Hastings see A.J.Camp "My ancestors came with the Conqueror" 1990, and there were Thurstan Bassetts in other areas of England Thurstan (I) , Thurstan (II) Buckinghamshire W.T. Reedy “Basset Charters”, but no link has been established between Thurstan and the Bassetts of Staffordshire.

Drayton in Staffordshire was not held by the Bassetts immediately following the Conquest. It was held by Hugh d’Avranches, Earl of Chester, who gave the manor to his daughter Geva Ridel Judith A. Green “Women and Inheritance in Norman England: The Case of Geva Ridel” PROSOPON No.12 2001 as part of her marriage portion G.Barraclough “The Charters of the Anglo-Norman Earls of Chester c.1071-1237”. Geva’s portion then passed to her daughter Matilda who married Richard Bassett of Weldon, Northamptonshire, between 1121 and 1123 This grant, made to her in free marriage, was confirmed in a charter, dated c.1120, to be found among the Randal Holme's MSS in the British Library (Harleian MS 2060). and took to him the manor of Drayton, Staffordshire, which became known as Drayton Bassett.

Richard Bassett, Baron of Weldon, a chief justice of England was the first Bassett to become associated with the County of Stafford, from whom an acceptable line of descent can be traced. Richard Bassett was one of the "new" men that Henry I brought over to England and honoured with positions of great importance. “Swollen with the wealth of England”, Richard Bassett built a castle of great strength and magnificence, in Montreuil-au-Houlme, in the Canton of Briouze, 35 km North West of Domfront Orderic Vitalis “The Ecclesiastical History” ed. M. Chibnall W.T. Reedy “Basset Charters” xii. When Geoffrey, Count of Anjou, invaded Normandy, in 1136, he captured Carrouges and Ecouche but was repulsed at Montreuil-au-Houlme.

Richard held land in Fole Fole “Bassett Charters” W. Reedy Nos 13,15,16, 18,19, 21,22, 23, 24, 77 , Hollington Hollington “Bassett Charters” W. Reedy Nos 19, 20, 21, 23, 77 and Madeley Holme Madeley Holme “Bassett Charters” W. Reedy Nos 10, 12,15, 17, 18,19, 21,26, 34, 54, 77, 78, all adjacent to each other, near Uttoxeter. These lands appear to have been passed down through the Bassetts and Sapcote and Cheadle to the Bassetts of Blore.

From Richard Basset can be traced the Bassetts of Weldon, Bassetts of Drayton Bassett and Bassetts of Sapcote from whom descended the Bassetts of Cheadle, Parkhall, Blore and Hints.

John Bassett of Cheadle married Joan daughter of Sir Henry Brailsford c.1375. John Bassett's descent and early life, his wives and his children are shrouded in doubt and differing opinions so in order to add my view and offer my account for some of the genealogical conflict, a separate section has been added. It is through this advantageous marriage that Sir John acquired the Blore estates and thus became the first member of the Bassett family to hold Blore Manor In December 1362, Sir Henry de Braylefford, was the patron of Blore Church when Ralph Hychekok was instituted as Rector, following the resignation of Thomas Coyne. When Ralph Hechekoces died, (after 1375), Richard Grendon, priest, was instituted as vicar and canon and “Sir Philip (sic) Bassett, knight of Cheadle” was stated to be the true patron of the church.

APOLOGIA

Many historians, antiquarians, scholars and genealogists have studied the Bassets of Blore and most of them have agreed with or copied the findings of each other so it is with some trepidation that, within these chapters, I offer alternative conclusions to some of the previous findings.

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Section 7 - New family lines combined or added since the last newsletter:

        The following family lines have been combined/eliminated since the last newsletter.

103B.  Thomas Bassett of Fillmore County, Nebraska into the #173B Bassetts of St. Stephen in Brannel, Cornwall

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

   30B.  John Bissette/Bassett of Pilot, Kankakee County, IL (b. 1838 Quebec)
 210B.  Bassetts of Kingsland, Herefordshire, England
 331B.  William Bassett of Hollingbourne, Kent, England (b. 1815)
 425B.  Thomas Bassett of Kemsing, Kent, England (b. 1838)

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Section 8 - DNA project update

Kit #195892 results for Colin Bassett a descendant of the #73B James Bassett of England family.


597

#73B James Bassett of ENG (NZ)

I

12

22

15

10

12

14

11

13

11

12

11

29

16

8

10

10

11

26

15

20

28

14

16

16

16

10

10

21

21

14

14

17

16

35

37

11

10

195892

#73B James Bassett of ENG (Z)

I

12

22

15

10

12

14

11

13

11

12

11

29

16

8

10

10

11

26

15

20

28

14

16

16

16

10

10

21

21

14

14

17

16

35

37

11

10

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