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Bassett Cadwallader
The late Bassett Cadwallader of La Grange, Illinois, was born in Maysville, Kentucky, June 13, 1855, a son of John and Amelia (Bassett) Cadwallader. His father was a pioneer photographer in Ohio. His mother was an early leader in woman?s activities and was a frend of Susan B. Anthony.
Bassett Cadwallader attended public schools, and when he was nineteen years old, went to work as librarian at Evansville, Indiana. While he was there he originated and developed a decimal system for the cataloging of library volumes which subsequently developed a large following and was recognized by the Library of Congress.
The next change in his work was to join his uncle, Dallas Cadwallader. Together they became well known photographers in Marietta, Ohio.
Then he lived for a time in Parkersburg, West Virginia, maintaining a photograph studio there, in addition to his studio across the river in Marietta. In later years, after living for a time in Indianapolis, he came to Chicago, Illinois, and became engaged in the advertisting business.
It was in 1889 that he established his home at LaGrange, Illinois. There he began the long series of electrical experiments and developments that were to fill his active, useful life for many years thereafter. It is interesting to record that he wired the first house in LaGrange that used electricity. It was in LaGrange that he began his experiments with the writing telegraph which resulted in his development of the telautograph. He holds the original patents on the telautograph.
Back in 1891 he started to design and create a new type of electric motor. He devoted practically all of the rest of his life to its development. He maintained a fine electrical laboratory of his own in Boston, Massachusetts, for a number of years. He became one of the leading men in his field of investigation in the United States.
Mr. Cadwallader was married April 27, 1881, at Fremont, Ohio, to Miss Gertrude Victoria Moody, a daughter of Augustus and Antoinette (Rockwell) Moody. Their children are Francis and Florence Cadwallader.
The death of Bassett Cadwallader occurred February 7, 1938. He and is family had been residents of LaGrange, Illinois, for nearly fifty years. Mr. Cadwallader earned a place as an international authority on the study and application of magnetism and in electrical research.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1855 - 1938 (82 years)