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- 1880 Federal Census of 58th District, Whitman County, Washington
George Bassett 35 M IA IA IA Head Farmer
Alice 26 F IA IA IA Wife
Gertrude 5 F WT WT WT Daughter
George 3 M WT WT WT Son
Len 10/12 M WT WT WT Son
Ah Fong 27 M CH CH CH Other Servant
(CH - China, WT - Washington Territory)
1900 Federal Census of Fletcher, Adams County, Washington (28 Jun 1900)
George W. Bassett 54 M Dec 1845 IA VT CN Head Farmer
Alice 49 F Jun 1850 OH EN EN Wife
Linn 24 M Jul 1875 WA IA OH Son Farm Laborer
Charles S. 20 M Sep 1879 WA IA OH Son Farm Laborer
Carrie 15 F Jun 1885 WA IA OH Daughter At School
Esther 13 F Dec 1886 WA IA OH Daughter
Alice G. 9 F Oct 1890 WA IA OH Daughter
(Married 28 years, 8 children, 5 living)
1920 Federal Census of Washtucna, Adams County, Washington (3 Jan 1920)
George W. Bassett 74 M IA VT CF Head Retired Farmer
Alice C. 69 F OH PA EN Wife
Georgina A. 24 F WA IA OH Daughter Nurse
An Illustrated History of the Big Bend Country Embracing Lincoln, Douglas,
Adams and Franklin Counties, State of Washington (190
Hon. George W. Bassett, a leading business man of Washtucna, than whom
few men now living have been more closely identified with the early history of
the Northwest, is a native of Clinton county, Iowa, born December 31, 1845. He
is the son of G.B.O. and Mary (Smith) Bassett, the father a native of Vermont
and the mother of Canada. After their marriage the parents settled in Iowa,
remained there until 1854, then removed to Filmore county, Minnesota, where
they lived until 1866. With the Captain J.L. Fish expedition, they then
removed to Helena, Montana, and in 1872 came to Walla Walla, Washington. They
returned to Minnesota in 1878, where the father died during the same year. In
1889 the mother returned to Walla Walla, and now, at the age of eighty-seven,
she is living with her son of whom we write. Our subject is of English, Welsh
and Irish blood, his father having been of English-Welsh and his mother of
Irish extraction. He is a member of a family of ten children, four of whom now
live. Two brothers, Judge H.S. Bassett and G.B.O. Bassett, live at Preston,
Minnesota, and another S.S. Bassett, is an attorney of Spokan
Mr. Bassett received a grammar school education in Iowa, which was
supplemented by a course in the Cedar Valley seminary at Osage, Iowa. In 1866,
in company with his parents, he came to Montana, where he prospected and mined
until he came to Walla Walla in 1869. During that same years he went on a tour
to Salem, Oregon, and Olympia, Washington, then returned to Walla Walla and
taught a term of school. The spring following he engaged in the business of
buying horses in the territory of Washington and selling them in Montan
making his last trip in that business in 1872, when his father and moth
returned with him to Walla Walla. Returning to Montana he engaged in mining
until 1874. On August 24 of that year, he was married at Virginia City,
Montana, to Alice C. Lancaster. Then he came again to Walla Walla and engaged
in the freighting business, traversing Washington, Oregon and Idaho, until
1877, when he took a position as clerk in a store. Two years later he came to
Washtucna, took land and in July, 1893, platted the town site of Washtucna. In
1879 he brought his family to the place where he has since live
Upon coming to the present site of the town, he engaged in the stock
business and has followed it, in connection with his other enterprises, to
date. As Washtucna was a convenient stopping place for travellers going south
to Walla Walla, Mr. Bassett opened an inn, about the time he had his ho
there, which inn became one of the most popular hostelries in eastern
Washington. Mr. Bassett has acquired three thousand acres of land in the
immediate vicinity of his town, and annually harvests an enormous quantity of
grain and hay. His residence, which is in Washtucna, is the finest in t
town.
Since the raising of wheat became an established industry of the
country, our subject has been engaged more or less in speculating in th
commodity. In 1901 he engaged in the hardware and farm implement business, but
also continues to manage his farming operations.
Mr. Bassett's wife is the daughter of David and Mary (Pool) Lancaster,
both of English birth. Early in life they came to the United States and
settled in Michigan, where Mrs. Bassett was born. Besides Mrs. Bassett, they
reared two other children, Gertrude A., and James W., both of Los Angeles,
where the brother is an employee of the Wells Fargo Express Compan
The subject of our sketch has been active in politics ever since
attaining his majority. He is a life-long Republican, and in 1885 he was
elected to the office of county commissioner of Adams county, which office he
held two consecutive terms. In 1882 he was appointed the first postmaster in
Adams county, and retained that office until 1894. In 1903 he was elected a
member of the State House of Representatives. He is a Mason and a member of
the Presbyterian church.
Mr. and Mrs. Bassett have been parents of eight children, only four of
whom are now living. They are L.L., married and living in Washtucna; Charles
S., Esther and Georgia, who live with their parents.
CELEBRATE GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY (1924)
On Sunday, July 27, Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Bassett, pioneer settlers and
founders of the town of Washtucna 46 years ago, celebrated their 50th wedding
anniversary in the lovely Bassett grove which was a part of their timber
culture. About 200 relatives, friends and neighbors, many who came from towns
miles away to commemorate the occasion, brought basket dinners which we
spread on the long table provided and beautifully decorated for the occasion
with golden glow and yellow gladioli, the point of interest being a huge white
wedding cake in the center of the table, trimmed with a small white wedding
bell on the top. Dinner was served at one, preceded by a community sing of old
fashioned songs. After dinner an unusually nice program of musical numbers was
given. The family tree, on which was arranged pictures of various members of
the family taken many years ago, was much enjoyed as was the poster story of
the life of Mr. and Mrs. Bassett. Mr. and Mrs. Bassett were the recipients of
many gifts in gold, most of these being in gold coins. These alone amounted to
ninety-one dollars. Mr. Bassett crossed the plains by ox team in 186
FUNERAL SERVICE IMPRESSIVE, JUNE 1927
Life long pioneer friends, sons and daughters of pioneer families of
eastern Washington, journeyed long distances to join with relatives and friends
of our little community in paying the last respects to the founder of the town
of Washtucna, that grand old man, Mr. G.W. Bassett. Funeral services we
conducted by Rev. M.E. Dunn of Portland, who for the past 25 years, has been a
close friend of Mr. Bassett. A mixed quartette composed of Mrs. Fred Theil,
Mrs. John A. Gray, Mr. J.M. Sitton and Mr. Osterhout with Miss Emma Erma
Moesle accompanist, rendered "Sweet Hour of Prayer", "Is a Light in the
Window", and "Abide With Me". The duet, "So Will I Comfort You" was sung by
Mrs. Fred Thiel and Mr. Osterhout accompanied by Miss Moesle. The beautiful
floral tributes filled all the available spaces in the room wherein the body
reposed, the walls being solid masses of flowers. Fully 500 people attended
the last rites and the spacious Bassett home was filled to overflowing, the
large porch crowded and several hundred stood on the porch steps and lawn. The
series were very impressive, the Rev. Dunn eulogized Washtucna's first citizen
in glowing terms and paid tribute to the great love Mr. Bassett held for his
home, the love he held for his country, the great love for his church, and a
deep love for his fellowman, strongly admonishing his hearers to mold their
lives in much the same channel. The services begun at 9 am, Thursday, June 9,
and at 11 am the funeral cortege formed and proceeded to Walla Walla, W
where internment was made in Mountain View cemetery at 3 pm. The Masonic order
conducting the services at the grave.
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