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- The Alfred Sun, Allegany County, New York, Wednesday, August 12, 1908
Mary Bassett Clarke
Mary Bassett Clarke was born in Independence, N.Y., Nov. 18, 1831, was the daughter of John Chandler and Martha St. John Bassett, died in Westerly, August 2, 1908. She was the seventh of a family of fourteen children, twelve of whom lived to group up. At her death she was the middle one of seven survivors of the family. She was married to William L. Clarke of Hopkinton September 8, 1859, and they lived together as husband and wife almost 49 years. Upon their marriage the young couple came to his home at Ashaway, where they lived until about ten years ago, when they came to the farm near the White school house, where she died, leaving beside her husband, one son, Charles W. Clarke, and one grandchild, Miss Jessie Clarke, and brothers and sisters as follows: John C. Bassett of Andover, N.Y., no 82 years of age; Frank M. Bassett, also of Andover; George H. Bassett of Woodland, N.Y.; Mrs. Betsey Kingsbury of Rushford, N.Y.; Mrs. Julia Chrisman of Walton, N.Y.; and Mrs. Eliza E. Stillman of East Boston, Mass.
Mrs. Clarke was a memb3er of the Seventh-day Baptist church at Ashaway and was loyal to it, interested in all its work, and active with voice and pen in behalf of it and the principles for which it stands. She was of a literary and poetical turn of mind, beginning to write for publication over the pen name of ?Ida Fairfield,? when only fifteen years of age, and contributing both prose and verse to the Rural New Yorker. But after a little she used her own name, and most of her published writings appeared in the Seventh-day Baptist publications. In later life she collected and published a volume of her writings. All her writings breathed the sweetness of character which was evident to all who came in contact with her, showing a real trust in the goodness of the All Father, and a spirit of love for her fellows. She will be missed in a wide circle, but especially in the church and social life of her own neighborhood.
After a long and distressing illness, borne with patience and resignation, she closed her eyes in that rest from which none ever wake to weep or grieve. Many feel to sympathize with the bereaved husband and son, and also feel the sense of personal loss ? Westerly Sun.
The Magazine of Poetry, Volume 6
By Charles Wells Moulton
Mary Bassett Clarke
Mrs. Mary Bassett Clarke, was born in Independence, N.Y., November 18th, 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 ?Ida Fairfield,? in the Flag of our Union. 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, 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 ?Autumn Leaves? (Buffalo, 1894).
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Bassett Family Association Database
1831 - 1908 (76 years)