Samuel Bassett descends from 549B. William A. of New York City as follows:
William A. Bassett and wife Glovina Ryder
Samuel Bassett
Samuel Bassett from Men of Progress
The Highland Democrat, Saturday, August 19, 1911
Obituary
Sam Bassett
After displaying remarkable recuperative powers in the face of a losing battle against disease, ex-Mayor Samuel Bassett passed away at his home on Chestnut street at 1.40 o’clock this morning. He had been unconscious since the early hours of Saturday morning and the relatives at his bedside had hourly expected his death.
His devoted wife and his nephews, A. Blanchard, of Hartford, have been constantly at his bedside since Saturday morning. The ex-mayor is mourned today not merely by relatives and intimate friends, but by the thousands of citizens of New Britain, who so frequently honored him with positions of trust and confidence.
The funeral will be held on Wednesday afternoon at 2 o’clock in the First Baptist Church. A telegram has been sent to Rev. I.F. Stidham, former pastor of the church, asking him to conduct the service. The Masonic service will be used. In accordance with a last wish of the deceased the remains will lie in state at the church from 12 until 1 o’clock on Wednesday. Mr. Bassett expressed a wish before he died that his many friends among the working class might have such an opportunity to take a last look at his features. He always prided himself upon his friendship with the workmen, although he was held in equal high xxxxxxx of New Britain.
Samuel Bassett was born in New York city Sep. 25, 1841, the son of William A. and Glovina (Ryder) Bassett. He never had a clear recollection of his father, who while in command of the New York news fleet lost his life in the discharge of his duty, when his son Samuel was only 16 months old. He was educated in private schools and graduated from the Classical and Commercial Institute, Portchester, N.Y., Oct. 1, 1860.
When the war clouds rolled over the land in 1860, the ex-mayor promptly enlisted. He served as first lieutenant of the 135th New York Infantry and as captain of the Sixth New York Heavy Artillery. After working in the Brooklyn Navy yard for five years he came to New Britain on April 8, 1872. The late Andrew F. Corbin was largely responsible for bringing Samuel Bassett to New Britain. Mr. Corbin had met the young man, while looking after the interests of P. & F. Corbin in New York City. At the suggestion of the prominent manufacturer, Mr. Bassett accepted a position as paymaster at P. & F. Corbin’s, where he remained for 16 years.
He was married Sept. 2, 1862, to Jennie Smith, of Peekskill. Their only child, William A. Bassett, died in 1866. In addition to his wife, Mr. Bassett is survived by a half-sister, Miss A. G. Bloomer, of Peekskill, and a nephew, A. Blanchard, who is superintendent of shops for the Connecticut company in Hartford.
Samuel Bassett was elected first selectman in 1877 and held this office for six consecutive terms of n year each. Resigning his position as selectman in 1893, Mr. Basset was appointed postmaster by President Grover Cleveland. Entering the realm of state politics, Mr. Bassett was Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor in 1893, but his party was not successful in carrying the state. In this campaign Mr. Bassett demonstrated his loyalty to the principles of democracy.
Elected mayor in 1900, he served three consecutive terms as the thirteenth chief executive of New Britain. The interesting fact about his mayoralty experience is that he was thrice elected Democratic mayor of a city which ordinarily gives a comfortable majority to the Republican ticket. Party lines fell down when “Sam” Bassett was up for office. Although he was not elected sheriff for Hartford County he had the satisfaction of carrying every ward in this city. He was appointed on the Board of Assessors by Mayor Halloran in the spring of 1910.
The ex-mayor was identified with a number of fraternal organizations in this city but he devoted particular attention to the Masonic Order. He was a pastmaster of Centennial Lodge, high priest of Giddings Chapter, R.A.M., master in Doric Council, grandmaster of the grand lodge, grand high priest of the grand chapter, grand master of the grand council, deputy chief of the Red men, past assistant quartermaster of the Putnam Phalanx and a member of New Britain lodge of Elks. He was a director of the New Britain general hospital and a member of the First Baptist Church – New Britain (Conn) Herald. Aug. 14.