| Notes |
- Reuben was reared in Washington County, New York, and there received
his education. He lived with his grandfather Norton from the time he was
twelve until he was sixteen years of age, then going to Troy, New York, where
he learned the coachmaker's trade with Eaton & Gilbert, a business which he
followed altogether about ten years. He was also a cabinetmaker. He came to
Wisconsin in 1846, and located at his father's place in Randall Township for
two years, after which he spent two years in Racine. While in Racine, he
erected a grain warehouse and a bridge pier in Lake Michigan. After a time he
sold it and returned to the home farm, which was his home the remainder of his
life. The village of Bassett is mostly built on this farm, and was named for
this Bassett family. He was the station agent and postmaster at Bassett,
Wisconsin for nearly thirty years. He held various township offices and was a
member of the Wisconsin Assembly for 1 term. He owned a cottage at Twin Lakes
where he spent his summers. He was a Democrat.
1860 Federal Census of Randall, Kenosha County, Wisconsin (28 Jun 1860)
Ruben L. Bassett 33 M New York Farmer 1600 650
Sarah 30 F New York
Charlotte 8 F Wisconsin
Henry 6 M Wisconsin
Harvey 3 M Wisconsin
Theodore Casean 33 M Prussia
Frederick Tomy? 26 M Brunswick
1870 Federal Census of Randall Township, Kenosha County, Wisconsin
Reuben Bassett 43 M New York RR Laborer --- 1000
Sarah E. 35 F New York Keeping House
Lottie 18 F Wisconsin
Henry 15 M Wisconsin
Harvey 13 M Wisconsin
Deborah 8 F Wisconsin
George 3 M Wisconsin
CEMETERY INSCRIPTIONS AT MOUND PRARIE CEMETERY, TWIN LAKES, WISCONS
R. L. BassettHoward L. BassettDeborah Bassett
BornBorn Feb. 24, 1861Born Aug. 16, 1864
Jan. 12, 1822Died Apr. 13, 1862Died Nov. 24, 1855
DiedAE. 11 yrs 3 mos
Dec. 16, 1907-----------
-------------Harvey C. Bassett
S. E. BassettBorn May 1, 1857
BornDied Aug. 13, 1877
July 26, 1829AGED 20 years
Died-----------
July 28, 1908Henry Bassett
-------------Born Oct. 24, 1854
BASSETTDied Oct. 12, 1877
AE. 22 yrs & 11 mos
Lottie Bassett Richter
1857 - 1896
Reuben LeRoy Bassett
(From Kenosha County Commemorative Biographical Recor
Reuben Le Roy Bassett, one of the best known of the old settlers of
Kenosha county, who was station agent at Bassett for thirty years, and
postmaster for a like period, is now living retired. He was born in Washington
county, N.Y., Jan. 12, 1822, son of Henry and Deborah (Norton) Bassett, the
former of Martha's Vineyard, Mass., and the latter a native of Cambridge
township, Washington Co., New York.
The paternal grandfather of our subject was a native of England, and
was a sea-faring man. On coming to America he settled in Washington county,
N.Y., where he purchased a fine farm, later buying one on the Hudson river,
near Fort Miller, where he died at an advanced age. On the maternal side our
subject is a grandson of Elijah Norton, who was known as Capt. Norton, having
been a captain during the Revolutionary war. He was born April 9, 1759, and
married Rebecca Moore at Martha's Vineyard, Oct. 13, 1895; she was born Jan.
25, 1766. They had eleven children: Elizabeth, born Aug. 14, 1786; Deborah,
Aug. 12, 1788; Eunice, May 18, 1790; Robert, Sept. 26, 1792; Anna M., June 23,
1794, Reuben M., Sept. 20, 1796; Alexander, Feb. 11, 1799; Susanna B., Oct.
22, 1800; Rebecca, Jan. 23, 1803; Lydia, Jan. 8, 1805; and Delia, June 27,
1806. One of the above named sons, Reuben Norton, was the first mayor of
Racine, Wis., was the first president of the Western Union Railroad Company,
and threw the first shovelful of dirt when the grading of that road was commenced.
Henry Bassett, father of Reuben L., followed farming principally, but
also had other business interests. He was a captain in the war of 1812. He was
a pioneer of Randall township, coming here in 1842, and purchasing a farm of
120 acres, upon which, after improvements were made, he spent the remainder of
his life. He was born Aug. 19, 1785, and died Oct. 2, 1848, while his wife,
born Aug. 12, 1788, died April 4, 1872. Their children were: Eliza, born April
2, 1805; died Oct. 11, 1879; Sophie, born Aug. 22, 1807, died Aug. 24, 1807;
Emeline, born Sept. 14, 1808, died March 1, 1900; Mary Ann, born Nov. 1
1810, is deceased; Elnora, born Oct. 21, 1813, died March 5, 1904; Elij
Norton, born May 5, 1817, died June 30, 1903; John Henry, born July 23, 1819,
is deceased; Reuben LeRoy was born Jan. 12, 1822; Charles B., born April 24,
1824, died April 5, 1825; Edgar was born Jan. 14, 1826; Alexander, born May
29, 1828, is deceased; Helen F., born Nov. 6, 1830, is deceased; and Julia
Norton, born Nov. 6, 1835, is deceased. The family were members of the
Presbyterian Church.
Reuben LeRoy Bassett was reared in Washington county, N.Y., and there
received his education. He lived with his grandfather Norton from the time he
was twelve until he was sixteen years of age, then going to Troy, N.Y., where
he learned the coachmaker's trade with Eaton & Gilbert, a business which he
followed altogether about ten years. He came to Wisconsin in 1846, and located
at his father's place in Randall township for two years, after which he spent
two years in Racine, and while there erected a grain warehouse and a bridge
pier in Lake Michigan. After a time he sold out and returned to the home farm,
which has been his home ever since. The village of Bassett is mostly built on
this farm, and was named for the Bassett family.
On Jan. 5, 1854, Mr. Bassett married Mrs. Sarah Elizabeth Van Ness,
daughter of John and Lucy (Baldwin) Bessey, and to this union came seven
children: Henry, born Oct. 24, 1854; died Oct. 12, 1877; Harvey Church, born
May 1, 1857, died Aug. 13, 1877; Howard LeRoy, born Feb. 24, 1861, died April
13, 1862; Deborah, born Aug. 16, 1864, died Nov. 24, 1875; George was born
Jan. 15, 1868; Edgar, Oct. 11, 1870, and Sarah Elizabeth, Aug. 12, 1873.
George and Edgar are general merchants of Bassett. Sarah Elizabeth is the wife
of Samuel G. Barton, of Chicago, and they have two children, Elizabeth and
William LeRoy.
Mrs. Sarah Elizabeth Bassett had one daughter by her former marriage,
Charlotte Catherine, who married Benjamin Richter, both being now deceased.
They had two daughters and one son; Deborah, of Chicago; Maude, the wife of
John Barton, of near Rockford, Ill, and Reuben L.
Mrs. Bassett's parents were natives of New York State, and at an early
day removed to Michigan, and thence to Wisconsin, settling in the township of
Wheatland, Kenosha county, among the very first settlers of that township.
Mrs. Bassett's father, John Bessey, owned a tract of 640 acres of land in that
township, where he resided until his death. His wife survived him a number of
years, being eighty years old at the time of her death. They had a family of
eleven children, of whom but three are now living, namely: John Bessey;
Mariette, the wife of Harry Varguson, a farmer of Floyd county, Iowa, a
Sarah Elizabeth.
In addition to carrying on agricultural operations Mr. Bassett acted
as station agent at Bassett for over thirty years, and as postmaster for about
the same length of time. He has held various township offices, and was a
member of the Wisconsin Assembly for one term. He and his estimable wife are
honored and esteemed for their many sterling traits of character.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1822 - 1907 (85 years)