| Notes |
- 1850 Federal Census of Ware, Hampshire County, Massachusetts (16 Aug 1850)
Henry Bassett 30 M Massachusetts Carpenter
Mary C. 26 F Massachusetts
Mary E. 3 F Massachusetts
Edgar H. 9/12 M Massachusetts
1880 Federal Census of Ware, Hampshire County, MA
Henry Bassett 59 M MA MA MA Head Carpenter
Mary C. 56 F MA MA MA Wife Keeping House
Edgar H. 30 M MA MA MA Son Carpenter
Sarah P. 22 F MA MA MA Daughter Dress maker
Lizzie Ripley 32 F MA MA MA Other Works in Cotton Mill
Ernest H. Vaughn 21 M MA MA MA Other School Teacher
C.W. Whitaker 22 M MA MA MA Other School Teacher
WARE (Newspaper name and date unknown)
(Picture of the Late Henry Bassett also included)
The sudden death of Henry Bassett at his home at Ware Wednesday night
was a surprise to most people in the town. Two weeks before his death he was
on the street as was his usual custom to go after his mail and attend to other
necessary business and greeted his many friends. Mr. Bassett had a good
presence and was highly respected in the town. He had filled nearly all the
town offices and made a creditable record in each of them. His great record in
town affairs was when chairman of the board of assessors. Mr. Bassett w
elected to that position year after year for several years by the citizens,
because he was a steadfast, conservative man, whom the common people trusted;
because he was not afraid to investigate and hunt up the so-called “rich
bugs", people who were under-taxed and had fortunes stowed away in out-of-town
banks to avoid taxation. Mr. Bassett never made a move till he was sure of his
position. In 1890 he started a hot contest against the Otis company, which
lasted three years. Mr. Bassett felt sure that the Otis company’s estate was
not sufficiently taxed by former assessors, and put on an additional $4000 a
year on the company’s tax bill. This the Otis company objected to, and the
case was bitterly fought in town-meetings, and the citizens crowded to hear the
debates. Edwin H. Baker, then the resident agent of the Otis company, made a
reputation by his able defense of the Otis company. The contest continued for
three years and the town took action in the matter and had the late Judge Bond
decide it. Judge Bond divided the $4000 claimed by town and all the parties
were satisfied. The Otis company now pays about $12,000 a year taxation. Mr.
Bassett was born in Hardwick, August 20, 1820. He settled in Ware in 1843 and
was a builder and carpenter by trade. He married Miss Mary Cutler Paige,
daughter of the late Capt. Benjamin Paige, of Hardwick, April9, 1945. A widow,
two daughters and a son survive him. The funeral will be held today at 2 p.m.
at the Unitarian church, and the burial will be at Aspen Grove cemetery. Rev.
A.C. White of the Unitarian church will officiate. The bearers will be C.C.
Hitchcock, John Osgood, Silas E. Spooner, Frank P. Clark, Almer F. Richardson,
H.M. Coney.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1820 - Deceased