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- John David Bassett and Charles Columbus Bassett began cutting and selling ties to the Norfolk and Western Railway for the new road being built from Roanoke, Virginia, to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, about 1889 and later known as the "Punkin Vine" because of its many curves. From selling cross-ties they turned to operating a saw mill and shipping lumber to be manufactured into furniture. Soon the brothers and their brother-in-law, Reed L. Stone, decided to save shipping costs by making the lumber into furniture and selling the finished product. They pooled their resources of $27,000 and in 1902 opened their first furniture plant beside the tracks of the Norfolk and Western Railway line. They were joined in this new venture by their brothers, Joe and Sam, and then by other relatives and friends. This was the beginning of the Bassett Furniture Industries and of the town of Bassett, Virginia.
History of Virginia, Volume VI (1924)
The American Historical Society, Chicago & New York
John David Bassett is a loyal Virginian who has not found it necessary or expedient to wander from his "native heath" in finding opportunity for large and constructive achievement along industrial lines. In evidence of this stand the great manufacturing concerns which he has developed at Bassett, Henry County, a vital industrial town of model order and one that has its site on the old homestead farm which was the place of his birth. Here this man of initiative and administrative talent was born July 14, 1866, a son of John H. and Nancy J. (Spencer) Bassett, the former of whom was born near Preston, Henry County, and the latter in Patrick County, both families having early been founded in Virginia. John H. Bassett passed his entire life in this native county, save for the period of his loyal service as a soldier of the Confederacy in the Civil war, and he was long numbered among the representative tobacco farmers of Henry County, the while he stood forth as a substantial and liberal citizen well worthy of the unqualified popular esteem that was his. He died in 1917, at the venerable age of eighty-three years, his wife having passed away in 1907, aged sixty-eight years, and having been his effective help meet, with exceptional ability as a business woman. Three of their sons and a son-in-law were the principals in the organization of the Bassett Furniture Company, John D., of this review, having had major leadership in the forming and developing of this now large and important manufacturing corporation, and his associates in its organization having been his brothers, Charles C. and S.H., and his brother-in-law, Reed L. Stone, who is vice president of the company and who is individually mentioned on other pages of this work.
There is a distinct element of romance in the career of John D. Bassett, who has proved a master of expedients and worked his way forward to the goal of large success. From a special edition of the Henry Bulletin, of Martinsville, issued December 15, 1922, are taken, with minor changes, the following interesting data:
"John D. Bassett, of Bassett, Virginia, for whom the town was named, spent his boyhood days on the farm with his father, and he acquired a common school education, the financial resources of his father having been limited, so that college training for the son was necessarily denied. He began early to assist in the work of the tobacco fields of the home farm, and learned how to grade as well as cultivate tobacco. His first work away from the home farm was that of pinhooking tobacco at Martinsville, the county seat. In 1890, at the time of railroad construction work in the locality, he opened a little general store at Bassett, his store building being the first structure erected in the new town, for which he obtained a postoffice, which was given his name, the postoffice being established in this store and his surname having been at that time adopted as the name of the town and postoffice. Making a success of the mercantile business, he branched out into the lumber business, and the exceptional success which attended his activities in this connection had much to do with his gaining the foresight to see the natural advantages Henry County afforded for the manufacture of furniture. In 1902 he erected a furniture factory at Bassett, and thus founded the splendid business now conducted by the Bassett Furniture Company. His progressiveness was further shown in his establishing a bank, the same being now the First National Bank of Bassett. In 1921 Mr. Bassett organized the J.D. Bassett Manufacturing Company, which now has one of the largest individual furniture factories in the United States. Aside from being president of both of these corporations Mr. Bassett organized the Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Company of Galax, Grayson County, and the United Furniture Company of Lexington, North Carolina, besides which he is a large stockholder in the American Furniture Company of Martinsville, these connections marking him as the largest furniture manufacturer in the South, if not the largest in the United States. Mr. Bassett is not only a large furniture manufacturer, but is also interested in many commercial enterprises in the South.
"Mr. Bassett is a public spirited man, and ever stands ready to support any
movement for the betterment of his town and community. He is, in fact, a self made, successful man of the best type. Stalwart in mind and body, broad of vision, he is a practical business man to whom the growth, under his directing hand, of large and pecuniarily profitable manufacturing enterprises is an absorbing interest and stimulating achievement, yet this does not restrict the breadth of his sympathies and his kindly and helpful interest in the work and lives of those around him, whether their attainments be large or small, or their part in the community life be prominent or obscure. To the native strength of his personality the doing of large things in business has added poise, while a modesty of bearing and quiet, kindly humor marks his intercourse with his fellow men in the course of the day's work or in the relaxation of a social hour. To those who have been given an opportunity of closer personal touch with the man and insight into his nature, it is plain that he finds far more satisfaction in the development of his community, in bringing out the latent better qualities of the young men around him, in building men as well as factories, and in community service, than in the continued accumulation of money, which to him is mainly the symbol of achievement."
The foregoing local estimate has deep significance as defining the personality and the work of this man of large achievement, and it is not necessary in this brief sketch to outline the great part he has played in the development of some of the largest industrial enterprises in the South and also the upbuilding of a modern industrial town that is gradually gaining metropolitan status and the name of which perpetuates most effectively the honors which he has worthily won. Bassett is an industrial community of model homes, and better commendation than this cannot be given. The Bassett manufacturing plants, of which this subject of this review is the executive head, are of the best type and most modern mechanical equipment and facilities. The present capital and surplus of the Bassett Furniture Company are $1,150,000; the annual output of the factory aggregates a valuation in excess of $1,000,000, and the annual payroll foots up approximately $2,000,000. In the two great manufacturing plants of the Bassett Furniture Company and the J.D. Bassett Manufacturing Company a total force of fully 500 employees is retained. Mr. Bassett is president of each of these corporations and also the First National Bank of Bassett. He is a republican in politics and is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
In 1893 Mr. Bassett wedded Miss Pocahontas Hundley, daughter of Captain H.B. Hundley, she having been a successful and popular teacher in the rural schools prior to her marriage. To Mr. and Mrs. Bassett have been born four children: William McKinley Bassett, the eldest of the children, was graduated from the Bassett High School and Blackstone Academy, and thereafter continued his studies in Richmond College and Randolph-Macon College, besides completing a course in the National Business College at Roanoke. When the nation entered the World war he enlisted for service in the United States army, and he was stationed in turn at Fort Thomas, Kentucky; Washington, D.C.; and Camp Lee, Virginia, where he won commission as lieutenant. He was not called overseas, but continued in service until the close of the war. He is now vice president of the J.D. Bassett Manufacturing Company. He has received in the Masonic fraternity the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, besides being a Noble of the Mystic Shrine. Blanche Estelle, the elder daughter, received the advantages of Blackstone Institute and Hollins College, and she is now the wife of T.G. Vaughan, secretary and treasurer of the Vaughan- Bassett Furniture Company at Galax. Anne Pocahontas attended the same educational institutions as did her sister, and she is now the wife of T.B. Stanley, a vice president of the Bassett Manufacturing Company. John D., Jr., attended Blackstone Academy, Washington and Lee University and the National Business College at Roanoke, and he is associated with the family manufacturing interests at Bassett. He is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity.
1880 Federal Census of Martinsville, Henry County, Virginia
John H. Bassett - 53 - M - VA-VA-VA - Head - Farmer
Nancy - 40 - F - VA-VA-VA - Wife - Keeping House
Joshua - 18 - M - VA-VA-VA - Son - Works on Farm
Mary C. - 15 - F - VA-VA-VA - Daughter - At Home
John D. - 14 - M - VA-VA-VA - Son - Works on Farm
Charlie - 9 - M - VA-VA-VA - Son
Nancy S. - 7 - F - VA-VA-VA - Daughter
Sam - 6 - M - VA-VA-VA - Son
Pink - 5 - M - VA-VA-VA - Son
Joseph - 2 - M - VA-VA-VA - Son
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Bassett Family Association Database
1866 - 1965 (98 years)