Bassett Family Association Database

Dr. George Robert Bassett

Male 1839 - 1901  (61 years)


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  • Name George Robert Bassett 
    Prefix Dr. 
    Born 8 Aug 1839  Danbury, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    _UID FEBFAB4EB8758B428535FF4D25EEB28F0A2F 
    Died 13 Mar 1901  Chicago, Cook County, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried Rose Hill Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • He lived at 817 Sawyer Avenue in Chicago at the time of his death.

      Dr. Bassett entered 1875 Bennett Medical College, Chicago. He received his M.D. in 1877. From her death certiciate, Susan is listed as a Physician, General practice, from 1882 to 1909.
      George served in the civil war and took part in the campaign at Vicksburg. He became a mason during the war. He was enrolled for duty on 5 Aug 1862 in Dorr, Illinois with Company F, 95th Infantry Regiment of Illinois Volunteers. He was mustered in on 4 Sep 1862 in Rockford, Illinois. He was 23 years old when he enlisted and was 5'8" in height with brown hair and blue eyes. He was a private throughout the war, and was paid a bounty of $25 per year for his service. He was mustered out of service on 17 Aug 1865.
      George indicated in his war letters that he had become a Master Mason sometime in 1865. He became a member of St. Mark's Lodge No. 63 in Woodstock in 1871. When he moved to Elgin around March 1872, he became a member of Elgin Lodge 117. He was Secretary of that Lodge from 1874 until his dimit in November 1878. His occupation is listed in Masonic records as Painter (1872) Mechanic (1874) and Medical Doctor (1876).
      Both Susan A. Bassett and George R. Bassett were member of the Millard Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, but held no offices.
      George moved to Elgin around 1872 then to Chicago. His wife also became a doctor. According to family stories, they went to medical school together. Dr. Susan A. Bassett attended to George Hyle Bassett's wife Theresa Wilson Bassett during her illness with the flu and signed her death certificate on 14 Aug 1891.
      (CDC - Chicago Death Certificate)

      1860 Federal Census of Dorr Township, McHenry County, Illinois
      George Bassett 21 M New York Painter 50
      Susan 20 F New York
      George 1 M Illinois

      1870 Federal Census of Woodstock, McHenry County, Illinois (6 Jul 1870)
      Geo. R. Bassett 29 M New York Painter 800 100
      Susan 28 F New York Keeping House
      Geo Jr. 11 M Illinois
      Jennie 8 F Illinois

      1880 Federal Census of Hobart, Lake County, Indiana
      George Bassett 40 M CT CT CT Head Physician
      Susan 39 F NY NY NY Wife
      Jennie 18 F IL CT NY Daughter
      Nellie Harvey 32 F NY CT CT Sister

      1900 Federal Census of West Town, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois (4 Jun 1900)
      George R. Bassett 60 Aug 1839 M CT NY FR Head Dentist
      Susan A. 58 Mar 1842 F NY ST NY Wife Doctor M.D.
      Florence 13 Feb 1887 F IL IL IL Granddaughter At school
      (Married 41 years, 3 children, 2 living)


      Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana F.A. Battey & Co. (1882)
      Page 668 Biographical Sketches, Hobert Township

      GEORGE R. BASSETT, M.D., was born August 8, 1839, in Danbury, Conn.; he is the eldest of seven children born to Hial and Fanny (Degrushe) Bassett, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter of France. The elder Bassett was by trade a comb-maker. When about eleven years old, George R. Bassett left home and was employed in New York City as clerk in law offices, etc. About three or four years later, he went to Buffalo and clerked in a land office. After clerkship of a few months in Janesville, Wis. he went to Chicago, and engaged in painting for a few years, when he went to Woodstock, Ill. In 1862 he enlisted in the Ninety-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served over three years as Clerk in the Quartermaster’s Department, at brigade headquarters throughout the West. In 1875, he entered Bennett Medical College of Chicago. He graduated in 1877, practicing meanwhile in Chicago for about two years, when (in 1877) he came to Hobart; he immediately started out with a good practice, which has steadily increased; he soon opened his drug store, in which he keeps everything in the apothecary line; he is a member of the F.& A.M. fraternity; he was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1881, and elected in the spring of 1882 by all the votes in the township except thirteen; he is also agent for the Phoenix and Hartford Insurance Companies; he is a strong Republican; but liberal in local matters. He was married, in 1857, to Susan A. McMeekan, a native of Buffalo, but a resident of Chicago. She is now about to graduate at Bennett Medical College, and is also practicing in her specialty. They have two children – George H. and Jennie S. DeCoursy.

      Saturday, March 16, 1901, Chicago Tribune
      Deaths

      BASSETT - Dr. George R. Bassett, on the 13th inst., member of George H. Thomas Post No. 5, G.A.R. Grand Army funeral services at Douglas Park Congreational Church, corner West Nineteenth St. and Spaulding ave. on Sunday, the 17th inst., at 2 o'clock p.m. Comrades will attend in uniform.

      Head qrs 2d Brig. 3d Div, Det. A.T.
      On board of Steamer Isabella
      Vicksburg, Miss. Feb. 14th 1865

      My Dear Wife
      I take my pen in hand to write to you a few lines again. We left Memphis on Sunday morning the 12th and we arrived here yesterday at 3 oclock p.m. I took a horse and rode about the City - and in my travels who should I meet but Pearl Hoyt, and you may bet we had a high old time. He is Citizen Clerk in the Commissary Department - and he has got a good position. I ams as well as usual. I was expecting to find my old friend Adjutant Smith of Woodstock but he went home a few days ago. I saw my old friend Le Guere in Memphis the other day. He used to keep Drug Store in Woodstock, you will recollect, when we first went there.
      My dear, I wish you could be here with me to eat some of those nice Oragnes that I had yesterday. I went to the theatre last night. I hope you won't get mad at me about it because you were not with me. When I get home I will take you to the theatre in Chicago and you can spend some of your time in pleasure seeking if you wish to. Vicksburg don't look much as it did a year ago when we left it. They have fitted up the stores and cleaned the City throughout of all dirt and rubbish, and it looks very pleasant to some I suppose, and it looks very desolate to me when I think of you so far away from me. Never mind, this separation won't last a great while longer, which I am happy to say is growing shorter all the time. I expect we are on our last campaign. I think we shall remain here two or three days and then continue our journey to New Orleans. Allen Giles is well but looking rather poorly. Gen. Smith is trying to have us paid off and I will be glad of it on your account. As for myself, I would not give a snap for pay for I send all my wages to you any way. I wil bring these few lines to a close and will write to you again in a day or two. I send my love to all inquiring friends. I remain as ever your affectionate
      George

      No. 29 Head qrs 2d Brig. 3d Div, 16th A.C.
      Near Montgomery Ala. April 29th 1865

      My Dear Wife
      I take my pen in hand again to write to you a few lines to let you know that I am still alive and well after so long a period of silence, the last letter I sent to you was (No. 28) on the 11th day of April while we were in the vicinity of Spanish Fort opposite Mobile - On the 13th of April we received marching orders, and that day at noon we started for this place, On the 21st we arrived at Greenville, and laid over there one day to rest the Army, and there I formed the acquaintance of some very fine people, one family in particular by the name of Kingsburry who treated one with great courtesy and also made me promise to write to them when I got home. I also went in to the Pringint Office at that town and assisted in publishing the surrender of the Confederate Army for the benefit of the inhabitants of the surrounding country. On the 23rd we left Greenville at 9 .am. and we arrived in this city at noon on the 28th and went in camp 3 miles north of the city on what is called the 3 mile creek - and we are very pleasantly located on good camp grounds. In this city is situated the Capital of the State of Alabama, and I should jduge from what I have seen since I have been here that this is a very find place. Yesterday I eat a dish of very fine large Strawberries - you may be they were bully - and I also had my share of radished, all kind of garden sauce can be procured here for a small amount of Greenback money, as the inhabitants call it. One dollar of our money will buy 3 or 400 dollars of the so called confederate money here. Susy, you most not get vexed for not hearing from me sooner for we have been marching through the country where there are no facilities of sending a mail, but we are expecting our fleet up the river and then we will get a large mail and have a chance to send our letters regular again. This city is situated on the Tombighbee River about 4 or 500 miles from Mobile by water or 300 miles by land. I did not march any this trip because I had a horse for my own private use, which saved me a great many steps. The Feminine gender of this country are very good looking, they look the most like our northern women than any I have seen in the southern states. I am of the opinion that we shall remain here till the last of June and then start for home. Won't that be old gay, Susy. I think that will suit me very much for I am so anxious to see you and the children that I can hardly content myself. Susy, you can tell father that I am now a Master Mason. I finished up the other night. Allen Giles is well, and I suppose you see Mrs. Giles quite often now. She has back to Woodstock again. How does your old friend Mrs. Ballard get along now a days. Let me know what has taken place of late. Let me have all of the news that are of importance. I am sorry to say that we are not paid off yet, but hope to be before long.
      April 30th 3 p.m. thus another day hat passed and gone. This day being unday it is very still and quiet. Our fleet has just made its appearance at this palce and I am looking anxiously for some letters from my little wife. I suppose you folks up North think this war is about at an end. Won't there be a great rejoicing when all these soldiers get discharged and sent home. I think my little one wil be very glad. The majority of the soldiers don't feel very good natured on account of the assassination of President Lincoln. A great many say they will fight 3 or 4 years longer for nothing now, if they could only get their board and clothes. We contend that Old Abe was just the man to run this little disturbance of ours, but it is his lot to pass from earth as all of the rest of us must sooner or later. I will not finish up this letter till the mail comes up to camp so that I can answer your letters if I get any.
      (Written vertically beginning on page on)
      You must read all that is written in black ink first and then you can commence on the red ink. Since finishing in black I heard that a boat was going in the morning with mail and I am very anxious to send this letter to you so I will not wait for the mail to come up, for I would not lose the first opportunity of sending this, for I know you want to hear from me very much. Susy, I have cut out some extracts from the paper that I had a hand in publishing at Greenville when we passed through there. You will see my name among the list. I will either send or bring you one of the papers when I go home so that you can see what a soldier can do. I do not think of any thing more of importance to write until I get some letters from you, which will porbably be by tomorrow - and as soon as I hear from you I will write immediately. I have not got the time and space to writ to Mother or Mary or Father this time but I will remember them in my next letter. I send my love to all inquiring friends who may take the pains to speak of me.
      I also send my love to yourself and the children. Kiss the little ones for me. I still remain as ever, your true and loving,
      George
      write often
    Person ID I6  126B Hial Bassett of New York & Illinois
    Last Modified 23 Aug 2013 

    Father Hial "Hyell" Bassett,   b. 1815, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Mother Fanny Degrushe,   b. 1816, New York or France Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F1  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Dr. Susan A. McMeekan,   b. 21 Mar 1842, Buffalo, New York Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 19 Dec 1915, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 73 years) 
    Married 23 Dec 1857  Chicago, Cook County, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
    +1. George Hyle Bassett,   b. 24 Sep 1858, Woodstock, McHenry County, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 19 Dec 1936, Salina, Iowa Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 78 years)
    +2. Susan Jennie Bassett,   b. 3 Apr 1861/1862, Woodstock, McHenry County, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location
    Family ID F4  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart