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

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Splinters From The Tree July

(1) Welcome
(2) Daniel Bassett of Bassett & Harkness
(3) Andrew William Ernest Bassette, Virginia educator
(4) Alfred Allen Bassett Bible
(5) William A. Bassett and wife of Maryland
(6) Bassett Heating Company of Boise, Idaho
(7) Cornelius and William Bassett Advertisement
(8) New family lines combined or added since the last newsletter
(9) DNA project update

Section 1 - Welcome

My wife and I are hosting a foreign exchange student (a 17 year old girl from Norway) from AFS Intercultural programs for the upcoming school year, August 2013 through June 2014. I am now a volunteer with this organization and if you are interested in hosting a student or know of a family that is interested, let me know and I will put you in contact with your local volunteer contact. Their website is www.afs.org.

Family Tree DNA is running a summer special for the month of July. A 37 marker y-chromosome test is just $129 through the end of the month. I heard from two people last month that were interested in participating in the project, but they never ordered a kit. Let me know if you want to join.

I also have money available for two kits for any male Bassett from a family line that has not yet taken part and would like to join the project but can't afford their own kit. Let me know before the end of the month if you want to take part in this offer.

The following trees were added to the Bassett website database since the last newsletter:

        59B William Henry Bassett of Louisiana (448 individuals)
        63B Hansford Bassett of Mississippi (840 individuals)
      463B Henry Bassett of Limpsfield, Surrey, England (17 individuals)

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Section 2 - Featured Bassett: Daniel Bassett of Bassett & Harkness

Daniel Bassett descends from #4B William Bassett of Lynn, Massachusetts as follows:

Roger Bassett and wife Ann Holland
William Bassett (b. 1624) and wife Sarah Burt
William Bassett (b. 1641) and wife Sarah Hood
Joseph Bassett (b. 1692)
Joseph Bassett (b. 1722) and wife Alice Sprague
William Bassett (b. 1747) and wife Margery White
Daniel Bassett (b. 1784) and wife Susanna Harkness

New Hampshire Sentinel, Keene, New Hampshire, Saturday, November 16, 1822
New Hampshire Sentinel, Keene, New Hampshire, Saturday, November 16, 1822

Elisha Harkness was a brother-in-law to Daniel Bassett.

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Section 3 - Featured Bassett: Andrew William Ernest Bassette Sr. of Virginia

Andrew William Ernest Bassette is the son of Burl Bassett of Chesapeake, Virginia.

Andrew William Ernest Bassette, Sr. From Find-a-Grave
Andrew William Ernest Bassette, Sr. From Find-a-Grave

Andrew William Ernest Bassette, an educator and lawyer, was born in Elizabeth City County, Virginia, on February 14, 1865, and died August 7, 1941. He was one of seven children of Burl and Fannie Bassette.

He married Ida Elizabeth Diggs in 1884 and of this wedlock six children were born, four of whom are still living.

Mr. Bassette received his early education in Elizabeth City County, Virginia, graduating from the Hampton Normal and Agriculture Institute (presently Hampton University) in 1876, and entered the teaching profession. His teaching career spanned a period of thirty-nine years, including service in Greenville County, Elizabeth City County, and Hampton, Virginia. Mr. Bassette professional attainment and his devotion and dedication to teaching merited the naming of a school in this community in his honor in 1895, where he taught for 19 years. Although he retired from the school system a year later, he continued to teach on an individual basis through his law office.

In all probability, experiences in his early life inspired him to become a lawyer. He was as successful in law practice as he was in the field of education.

His deep interests in human welfare involved him in all aspects of civic, religious, and cultural endeavors. He was one of the founders of the People's building and Loan Association, formed in 1889, to aid Blacks in securing property and homes. Shares and dues were to be put at such a figure as to enable the poorest person to join and be benefited. He also served as the attorney of the association for many years.

He was a member of the First Baptist Church and served as legal advisor for its first major building project. It is said that on one he walked to Williamsburg, Virginia to attend to some important issues for the church. He taught Sunday School, organized several church and social choirs, gave lessons in voice and instructions in musical instruments, and organized the first Hampton Band for Blacks.

Mr. Bassette held membership in numerous fraternal and cultural organizations and provided a building in which they could conduct their meetings. The building, known as Bassette Academy, contained a theatre for presenting plays, concerts, and road shows. In addition, it included a large hall for meetings, dances, roller skating, and other forms of entertainment for both young and old.

A.W.E. Bassette was a man endowed with vision and courage. He endeavored to conduct every activity with dignity and integrity. He commanded the respect of both the white and black community.

The beautiful school, named in his honor, will be a living monument to his foresight and his untiring devotion to education, to his race, and to humanity.

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Section 4 - Featured Bassett: Alfred Allen Bassett Bible


Alfred Allen Bassett descends from #206B Charles Bassett as follows:

Charles Bassett and wife Lucy
Charles Bassett (b. 1789) and wife Ann Walker
Harriet Walker Bassett (b. 1810)
William Stephen Charles White Bassett (b. 1828) and wife Emma Ann Barling
Charles Henry Bassett (b. 1857) and wife Elizabeth Mehew
Alfred Allen Bassett (b. 1886) and wife Lillian Louisa Fryer

Bassett Family Bible from ancestry.com
Bassett Family Bible from ancestry.com

Alfred Allen Bassett, wife Lillian Louisa (Fryer) Bassett, and daughter Lillian Louise Bassett
Alfred Allen Bassett, wife Lillian Louisa (Fryer) Bassett, and daughter Lillian Louise Bassett

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Section 5 - Featured Bassett: William A. Bassett and wife of Maryland

William A. Bassett descends from #55B William Bassett of Dorchester County, Maryland as follows:

William Bassett
John Bassett (b. 1770s) and wife Elizabeth Morain
Washington Bassett (b. 1805) and wife Nancy Wheatley
John Washington Bassett (b. 1836) and wife Elizabeth Ellen Harding
William Albert Bassett (b. 1862) and wife Mary White

The Baltimore Sun, Maryland, Wednesday, June 26, 1889
His Wife’s Disappearance
A Cambridge (Md.) Husband’s Statement of an Alleged Elopement
(Special dispatch to the Baltimore Sun)

        CAMBRIDGE, MD., June 25 – William A. Bassett, of Black Water section, near this town, was in Cambridge today, consulting with friends regarding the departure of his young wife, who he says left him Monday afternoon.
        He says that he believes that a young married man of Linkwood district, who two weeks ago was thrown from a horse near the Bassett home, and who was taken in and cared for, has gone off with Mrs. Bassett. While Mr. Bassett was at work in a field he says his wife departed, leaving behind their fifteen-months-old baby.
        She had her trunk carried to a neighbor’s house and thence forwarded to Cambridge, where the young married man joiner her.
        It is supposed they went to Baltimore.
        Mr. Bassett ways his wife is mentally weak.

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Section 6 - Featured Bassett: Bassett Heating Company of Boise, Idaho

William Bassett of Plymouth and wife Elizabeth
William Bassett (b. 1624) and wife Mary Raynesford
Nathan Bassett (b. 1667) and wife Mary Huckins
William Bassett (b. 1702) and wife Anna Mayhew
Nathan Bassett (b. 1751) and wife Martha Bassett
Nathan Bassett (b. 1785) and wife Rhoda Merry
William Merry Bassett (b. 1820) and wife Eliza Reid Chantry
George Merry Bassett (b. 1845) and wife Sarah Ruth Hadley
Walter George Bassett (b. 1899) and wife Valla Phillipi

The Bassett Heating Company was owned by Walter George Bassett. The above is a copy of his business letterhead.
The Bassett Heating Company was owned by Walter George Bassett. The above is a copy of his business letterhead.

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Section 7 - Featured Bassett: Cornelius and William Bassett Advertisement

Cornelius and William Bassett descend from William Bassett of Plymouth as follows:

William Bassett and wife Elizabeth
William Bassett (b. 1624) and wife Mary Raynesford
William Bassett (b. 1656) and wife Rachel Williston
Nathan Bassett (b. 1685) and wife Mary Stetson
William Bassett (b. 1732) and wife Alice Cleveland
Cornelius Bassett and William Bassett Jr.

The Pittsfield Sun, Massachusetts, Monday, December 12, 1803
The Pittsfield Sun, Massachusetts, Monday, December 12, 1803

Advertisement

Made his escape from his keepers, on the night of the 23d inst. a Man by the name of Michael Hayes, about five feet six inches, about fifty years of age – has left behind him a sum of Money, a number of articles of Clothing and Wearing Apparel, supposed to be stolen. The owners are desired to call, prove property, and take them away. He has taken one pair double soled Boots, and one Blue Sailor Coat, the property of the subscribers. Whoever will return said Hays and property, shall be rewarded.

Cornelius Bassett
Wm. Bassett Jun.

Dalton, November 24th, 1803.

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

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

  60B.  David Bassett of Hatley, Stanstead, Quebec into the #39B Bassetts of Norfolk, England
   
        The following family lines have been added since the last newsletter.

  58B.  Frederick Bassett of Massachusetts and Saranac Lake, New York
         

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Section 9 - DNA project update

No new kits for the DNA project this month.

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