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<\/a>Original Version of Autumn Leaves<\/p>\nThe Magazine of Poetry, Volume 6 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mrs. Mary Bassett Clarke, was born in Independence, N.Y., November 18th<\/sup>, 1831. She is the daughter of John C. Bassett, a well-to-do farmer of western New York, and Martha St. John Bassett, both persons of education and refinement. She was the seventh in a family of twelve children who lived to maturity. She was educated in Alfred University. Although ill-health limited her opportunities, she was graduated from the university in 1857. At the age of fifteen she commenced to write for publication, under the penname \u201cIda Fairfield,\u201d in the Flag of our Union<\/em>. With some interruption by ill-health, she continued many years to be a contributor to that paper, to the Rural New Yorker and to local papers and periodicals. She became the wife of William L. Clarke on September 8th<\/sup>, 1859, and removed to Ashaway, R.I., which place has since been her home. For several years her writings, both prose and verse, have been principally given to periodicals issued by the Seventh-Day Baptists, of which sect she is a member. A collection of her poems has recently been published, entitled \u201cAutumn Leaves\u201d (Buffalo, 1894).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Mary Bassett descends from William Bassett of Plymouth as follows: William Bassett and wife Elizabeth Joseph Bassett (b. 1635) and wife Mary Lapham William Bassett (b. 1667) and wife Sarah Sweetland William Bassett (b. 1694) and wife Mary Crossman William … Continue reading <\/a>Reprint of Autumn Leaves<\/p>\n
\nBy Charles Wells Moulton
\nMary Bassett Clarke<\/p>\n