Richard Bassett was descended from #295B Britton Bassett as follows:
Britton Bassett (b. 1784) and wife Easter
Zachariah Bassett (b. 1810) and wife Elizabeth
Richard Bassett (b. 1843)
Our Baptist Ministers
Rev. Richard Bassett, Shelbyville, Ind.
Rev. Richard Bassett, a younger brother of Rev. Miles Bassett, was born in Greene County, N.C. in 1846. He, as his brother, was carried to Indiana along with his parents in 1848 when they settled in Park County, Ind. He, too, attended the Quaker school and obtained a common school training. In 1856 they moved to Howard County. Young Bassett was converted and joined the Free Union Baptist Church November, 1864.
He was ordained at New Albany, August, 1867. Now a life that was already useful began to shine more brilliantly and to bear abundant fruit.
He was called to Shiloh Church of Rising Sun and secured for his congregation a spacious brick building. He has since served successively and successfully the Second Church of New Albany, and the Corinthian Baptist Church of Indianapolis. The former he pastored eight years, the latter five. In 1888 he was appointed by the Executive Board of the Sunday-school Convention, state Sunday-school missionary.
In this field he rendered great service to Sunday-schools and the cause of Christ in the state, and was greatly respected and beloved by all with whom he came in contact. Rev. R. Bassett is now serving the Free Union Church and the Second Church of Kokomo. He is a natural pulpit orator and is one of the leading ministers in his state.
Elkhart Daily Review, Indiana, Wednesday, February 22, 1905
Only Negro Ever Elected to Office in the County Dying of Consumption
Once Was Enough
Kokomo, Ind., Feb. 22 – Richard Bassett, the only negro ever elected to office in Howard county, is dying of consumption. He represented Howard county in the legislature of 1893, winning the Republican nomination over S.E. Nicholson, author of the famous measure known by his name. He was the only negro serving in that general assembly, and he attracted attention because of his color.
His legislative experience was not altogether pleasant, and he did not seek renomination, but devoted himself to ministerial work in the colored Baptist church, of this city. His son, Epraim Bassett, was the first Howard county solider to lose his life in the Spanish-American war, dying of yellow fever in Santiago.
