Research contacts:
1. LDS Family Search: Contributor Contact Information: Macedone, James Henry, Jr
"mailto:jhmacedone@gmail.com">jhmacedone@gmail.com
2. amilySearch™ Pedigree Resource File, Compact Disc #58 Pin #486296
Lola Rosella NEWTON WETHERBEE PERKINS , 217 Ash St, Henderson Nevada 89015
SOURCES:
BIRTH:
1829 Family Bible: "son William Bassett was bornd October the 8th 1808", entered in 1829 Bassett Family bible held by submitter, Ronald L. "Smokey" Bassett.
DEATH:
1) From 1829 Bible held by Ronald Bassett: "his father, William Bassett died April 11, 1877"
2) Letter from wife Nancy, dated 16 April 1877, held by submitter, Ronald L. BASSETT (1991)
3) Ancestry.com Family Data Collection:
William Bassett, Death Date: 11 April 1877, Martelle, Linn, IA, USA
4) Death letter:
Transcribed by Ronald Bassett:
[5 ½" x 3 ¼" white envelope, addressed to:]
Wm Bassett Esq
Cleopatra MO
Merser Co.
Postmark: Mount Vernon APR 20 1877
[Written in a very good cursive hand, with little punctuation, some added for clarity when transcribed]
He was buried the 13 and was 69 years & 6 months 3 days old
Mt Vernon. April the 16 / 77
Dear Son & Daughter
It is in sorrow we pen these lines to you. Your Dear Father is no more. he died last Wednesday, the 11 after a long spell of sickness, towards the last he suffered a great deal of pain until a few hours before he breathed His last, which was a peaceful Death, he was sensible until the last, he said he would like to see you. Sude was the only child that was here when he died but the rest had been here and had gone home to do aoh there Chores intending to come back as soon as possible.
We dearly Moarne his Loss although our loss is his gain.
The funeral servis was preached at Linn grove Chur. By Elder Dewitt from this text,
The forty seventh Chapter of Genesis & the 8 and part of the ninth verse the last word is been.
I suppose you will be anxious to know what I will do I will still stay on the farm, he made a Will and Willed it all to me my life time. I buried him in a shroud, I will send you a piece of it the flanel is the Shroud & the white velvit is the trimming and some of his hair. his coffin was a 7 s’dolas Cask very nice, and he looked very Natural to be sick so long.
We was intending to write you a letter week before last but neglected it to long. the friends are all well but my own health is not very good. Wm Stclair’s Sister Mary is staying with me. Wm Dower is farming the place we furnish every thing and give him one half in the Bushell and he does our chores and has been all winter. he lives in the old Pfinger house. Your Aunt Linda lives in Madisen County with Miller, her health is very poorely. Will has his wheet & oats sown and will comense to plow fer corn tomorrow if it don’t rain it did rain a little this Evening. Well I believe I can not think of any more to wite but you answer this soon as you can as we would like to hear from you.
No more at this time but I remain your affecticnate Mother, Nancy Bassett
Historical notes added by Ronald Bassett:
The letter seems to be addressed to son William M. BASSETT, as family lived for 4 years [ca 1875-1879] in Mercer County MO. "Sude" could be daughter Susanah; Wm St Clair is daughter Mary/Polly’s husband. Wm Dower may be son (born 1836, Indiana) of Henry DOWERS and Malinda BASSETT
BURIAL:
1. Burial date from letter from wife Nancy BASSETT, dated 16 April 1877. Funeral service preached by Elder Dewitt at Linn Grove Church.
2. Linn County Iowa Web Page, American History and Genelaogy Project and USGenWEB Title: tombstone,,Tombstone Records of Linn County, Iowa, Page: 16 Name: William Bassett, Death Date: 11 Apr 1877, Age: 68, Cemetery: Mt Zion, Town: Linn
(with Photo) http://iowagravestones.org/gs_view.php/id_122884
3. http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ia/county/linn/cem/oakshadecem.htm
Oak Shade Cemetery, Marion Twp, Linn Co, IA:
- Lutitia F. Bassett, dau. of W. H. & Nancy d. 12 Jan. 1869
- Mary E. Bassett, dau. of W. H. & Nancy d. 24 Nov. 1864
- Wm. E. Bassett. 1851 - 1868
MARRIAGE:
From 1829 Bible held by Ronald Bassett: "William Bassett and his wife Nancy Bassett was maried June the 18th 1829,"
1820 US Census: Ripley, Indiana
Note: page 75
1830 US Census
William Basset: Males: 1 under age 30;
Females:1 under age 20
Source Citation: Year: 1830; Census Place: Township Not Stated, Ripley, Indiana; Roll: 32; Page: .
1840 US Census:
Bassett, William; Township: Unknown Townships, County: Ripley, State: Indiana Year: 1840 Roll: M704_92, Page: 84, Image: 170.
1843 - Cross Plains Baptist Church (Brown Twp., Ripley Co. Indiana) Founded May 18, 1843 and associated with the Laughery Baptist Association. The History of Switzerland Co. (p. 1162) reports that Cross Plains grew out of Brushy Fork Baptist Church.
Brushy Fork minutes of April 1843 report that "the church granted Several members of dismission namely, Augustus Lathrop and wife, Henry Reed and wife and Samuel Reed and wife and Gerua D. Grover. The church agreed to send six members to Cross [Plains] to aid in Constituting of a church namely John Mathis, John Christie, Robert Stevenson, Alfred Miles, Joseph Voyles, Wm Wicuff." (Punctuation added) The original church structure was completed in June 1844. George A. .and Mary Roberts sold the trustees one acre for $12 on Dec. 25, 1845 in the N1/2 NW1/4 Section 28 Twp. 6N Range 12E (Ripley Co. Deed Book M p. 499.) The trustees were Augustus Lathrop, William Bassett and Thomas Bassett. The church joined the Long Run Baptist Association on the third Saturday September 1852. Messengers were J.M. Nicholson and John Bassett. The church reported forty members at the time. The church graveyard dates from at least February 1855 when it is first mentioned in church records.
1850 US Census
William Bassett, 41, born abt 1809, born KY, Male, Farmer, Real Estate Value $3000
- Nancy, 36, F, OH
- Thomas, 15, M, Farmer, IN
- Margaret Ann, 13, F, IN
- Polly, 11, F, IN
- Susannah, 6, F, IN
- Almeda, 1, F, IN
- Jonah Shreve, 22, M, Farmer, IN [Note: Brother of Nancy]
- Lewis Swamp, 30, Calculated Birth Year: 1820 Birthplace: Germany Gender: Male
Brown Twp, Ripley Co, Indiana. pg 297, Roll: M432_169. taken 21 Aug 1850.
Database: IN 1850 Federal Census Index
FamilySearch data: Film Number: 442947 Digital GS Number: 4192474 Image Number: 00223 Line Number: 22 Dwelling House Number: 196 Family Number: 200
[ Moved to Iowa before 1860 census]