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- BOND COUNTY HISTORY (1979)
by: Ida Bassett
IRA BASSETT
Ira Bassett was born October 18, 1909, in Madison County, just across the Bond County line. He was born and reared on what is known as the "Old Bassett farm". Ira's grandfather Bean Bassett came from Ireland in 1872 and bought this farm. This was the year of the 'Great Chicago Fire', so in his travel from New York to Madison County he saw the smoke from the smoldering debris.
Ira was the son of the late Benjamin and Dolly Long Bassett. He was also the great, great-grandson of "Elder Peter Long", a well-known Bond County preacher in the 1800's.
Ira was the second child and the first son in a family of seven children. He had five sisters, Estella married Otto Fritsche, Edith married Clarence Hubbell, Dorine married Elmer Hoffstetter, Delsie married Gene Seeger, Martha Jean married Hugh Graff and one brother Ivan married Darlene Chesnut.
On November 17, 1929 Ira and Ida were married. Ida is the daughter of the late Thomas and Lizzie Mollett Caulk. She also came from a large family, three brothers Leo, Orville, Raymond and five sisters, Eva, Iva, Culah, Rhoda, and Ruby.
Ira and Ida started their farming life together on a small farm in the western part of Bond County, on what was called the "old Henry farm". Here two children were born, a daughter Anna Mae born November 21, 1930, one son Ray born October 8, 1933.
In 1945 Ira moved his family on a large farm near Reno, north of Greenville Illinois. On this farm they reared their family. Ira was an industrious farmer, worked very hard, and enjoyed it. He had a farm of some 500 acres.
In 1952 Anna Mae married Robert Gieseke. To this union four children were born. Christie, Joe, Linda, and Max. They resided in Irving, Texas. On March 12, 1977, while celebrating their silver wedding anniversary, she drowned in the ocean at Acapulco, Mexico.
The son Ray entered the army in 1956, and served two years in Germany. Here he met Waltraud Karl. In 1959 she came to the United States, and they were married at Greenville, Illinois. They are the parents of four daughters, Debbie, Carman, Sandra, and Kelly. In 1965 Ray bought a farm near Mendon, Missouri. Here they lived ten years. In 1975 Ray and family moved back to Bond County, on his father's farm. At this time Ira's health began to fail and the doctors advised him to leave the farm.
Ira and Ida left the farm and moved to a home in Greenville. They enjoyed going to the farm most every day until Ira's health got bad. Ira passed away June 7, 1977, and is buried at the Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Greenville, Illinois, near his daughter, Anna Mae. This family was member of the First Baptist Church of Greenville.
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Bassett Family Association Database
