William Warren Bassett descends from William Bassett of Plymouth as follows:<\/p>\n
William Bassett and wife Elizabeth
\nJoseph Bassett (b. 1635) and wife Mary Lapham
\nWilliam Bassett (b. 1667) and wife Sarah Sweetland
\nWilliam Bassett (b. 1694) and wife Mercy Crossman
\nWilliam Bassett (b. 1726) and wife Lydia Fisher
\nSamuel Bassett (b. 1754) and wife Martha Belding
\nMassa Bassett (b. 1783) and wife Catharine Kingsbury
\nRufus Samuel Bassett (b. 1807) and wife Mary Ann Douglas
\nWilliam Warren Bassett (b. 1841) and wife Martha Stephens<\/p>\n
Mrs. Bassett mentioned in the story below is Martha Stephens, second wife of William Warren Bassett.<\/p>\n
Pioneer Life and Lore of McPherson County, Kansas
\nBy Edna Nyquist
\nThe Story of Mrs. Bassett<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Osage Indian raid in Septmeber, 1868, when they carried off Mrs. Martha Bassett on Sharps Creek, has been the subject of much controversy. Mrs. Bassett herself seldom talked of it, and although she lived in the vicinity where the incident occurred for years, the became embellished with false reports. She grew so tired of hearing these false reports that she went to Mr. Alex Hendry\u2019s office in McPherson and asked him to take the story as she gave it in shorthand and print it in the Kansas American, a newspaper published by the McClintocks, in McPherson, at that time. He wrote the article, read it to Mrs. Bassett for her approval, and it appeared in the Kansas American on May 18, 1904. Mr. Hendry tells of Mr. Bassett an old soldier and coming out here to settle on Sharps Creek with his wife in May, 1867. They he goes on to tell of the Indian raid.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey lived on their claim until 1868, when the first Indian raid of the new settlers occurred. Mr. Bassett was away from home at the time in company with Sol. Stephens, Peter Hughes, John Hughes and \u201cOld Man Ray.\u201d The party strking the Indian\u2019s trail, and it was going toward Sharps Creek, Mr. Bassett excliamed, \u201cBoys, they are going to Sharps Creek, and Mat\u2019s there alone!\u201d Mat, being the pet name for his wife Martha. \u201cFor God\u2019s sake, boys, hurry!\u201d and the party started for the homestead, but the Indians had arrived here first. Mrs. Bassett was there along with her baby, and was engaged in carrying in wood when she first discovered the Indians down the creek, she hastily entered the house, she waited for what might happen. The Indians came in almost instantly, and ransacked the house, smashing her trunk and carrying away all her clothing, including Mr. Bassett\u2019s guns and ammunition. Mrs. Bassett was stripped of her clothing and compelled to mount a horse, and another Indian taking her baby gaive it to her after they had left the home. A cold rain was falling at the time, and after going a short distance the Indians became tired of their captives, and by the direction of the Chief of the tribe, one of them returned, with Mrs. Bassett and the baby of the home where she was left naked. But the Indians had left an old pair of soldiers trousers and a coat, so much worn that the Indians even considered them worthless, and she dressed herself in these. Shortly after Mr. Bassett arrived and discovered the ransacked condition of the contents of the house, exclaimed \u201cMy God, boys, we are too late, Mat where are you? and she being in the house was too frightened to answer, when he cried again, \u201cFor God\u2019s sake Mat, if you are alive answer me,\u201d and she answered him, and taking them from the house, Peter Hughes took the baby on his horse, and Mr. Bassett taking his wife on in front of him on his horse, the party started for Mr. Stephens ranch, where Nannie Stephens divided her clothing with Mrs. Bassett. From the cold rain and exposure the baby died a few days after the raid, and it was taken to Lawrence for burial.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
William Warren 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 Mercy Crossman … Continue reading