Bassett Family Association Database

Carroll Phillips Bassett

Male 1863 - 1952  (88 years)


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  • Name Carroll Phillips Bassett 
    Born 27 Feb 1863  Brooklyn, New York Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    _UID B28624181ACE8B42A19936374CFA24538D43 
    Died Jan 1952 
    Notes 
    • Charleston News and Courier, South Carolina, January 28, 1952
      Carroll P. Bassett

      CAMDEN, Jan. 27 (Special) ? Carroll P. Bassett, 89, a resident of Summit, N.J., and for many years a winter resident at this Camden home, Goodie Castle, died Wednesday, according to word received here.
      Mr. Bassett had been connected with winter activities in Camden for more than 32 years.
      He was a civil engineer and was one of the members of the fame Essex Troop of Newark, N.J.
      He is survived by his wife, the former Miss Margaret Kenny; two sons, Carroll K. Bassett and William Bassett, and a daughter, Mrs. R. Watson Pomeroy.


      History of Union County, New Jersey (1897)
      by F.W. Rigord
      Carrol Phillips Bassett
      Carrol Phillips Bassett, son of Caroline Phillips and Allen Lee Bassett, was born February 27, 1863, at Brooklyn, New York. He was graduated from the Newark Academy, and in 1879 entered Lafayette College, from which institution he was graduated, as valedictorian, in 1883, with the degree of Civil Engineer. He pursued post-graduate study, receiving the degree of Mechanical Engineer in 1884, and, after study in Europe, his alma mater conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, in 1888. He is a member of the Phi Delta Theta college fraternity, and has been active in its executive work, having filled various offices of its general council, including the presidency in 1887-1889. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa; a life member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, a member of the Philadelphia Engineers' Club, and of the New England Water Works Association.
      In social life he is a member of the Essex Country Club, Essex Club, Highland Club, Blooming Grove Park Association, and the Baltus Roll Golf Club.
      In the exercise of his profession as civil engineer he has designed and constructed water-works, sewerage systems and sewage-purification plants in many towns in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. He was president of the New Jersey Sanitary Association, 1892-1893, and is the author of "The Conservation of Streams", "Inland Sewage Disposal", and other technical papers. He is a regular lecturer on hydraulics and sanitation at the University of New York and at Lafayette College, and is retained as consulting engineer by several water companies.
      He is largely interested in and director of the following corporations: The Mountain Water Company, the Commonwealth Water Company, the West Orange Water Company, the Mountain Electric Company; also the Mutual Building and Loan Association and the First National Bank, of Summit. Mr. Bassett resides at "Norcote", Summit, New Jersey.

      Biographical History of Union County
      Carroll Phillips Bassett
      As a civil engineer, graduating from Lafayette College in 1883, Mr. Bassett was for a number of years engaged in the design and construction of water works and sewerage systems, sewerage disposal plants and in city planning all over the United States, winning high reputation. During the last quarter century, however, he has been engaged in the financing and management of public utility corporations in New Jersey, his principal interests being in the vicinity of Summit and Lakewood. Mr. Bassett is a son of Allan Lee and Caroline (Phillips) Bassett. Allan Lee Bassett was of New England Colonial ancestry, the family farm near New Haven descended from father to son for several generations. Caroline (Phillips) Bassett was descended from Pennsylvania Quaker parentage, and was connected with the Gregg and Maris families. After their marriage they resided in Brooklyn for a time, but in 1866 Captain Bassett moved to New Jersey, living in Essex county until his death in 1892. Captain Bassett published "The Northern Magazine" until it was taken over by the Putnams. He was active in real estate matters for several years, and in 1879 became the first president of the Prudential Insurance Company of America. Later he was president of the Newark (New Jersey) Board of Trade, and at one time chairman of Essex County Republican Committee. During the Civil War he was captain of a company in the famous 23rd Regiment of Brooklyn, and with that regiment saw service at Gettysburg.
      Carroll Phillips Bassett was born in Brooklyn, New York, February 27, 1863. After the removal of the family to Newark, New Jersey, he entered Newark Academy from whence he graduated in 1879. He then became a student at Lafayette College, receiving the degree of Civil Engineer, with the class of "83". He returned the following year for post-graduate work, and was awarded the degree of Mechanical Engineer, in 1884. The next year he founded the firm Bassett & Nute, civil engineers, at No. 784 Broad street, Newark, but a year later Mr. Nute retired from the firm to go West, and from that time until 1895, Mr. Bassett continued along a business which attained large proportions. He was connected with engineering operations related to municipal improvements all over the United States, and took prominent rank among the engineers of this country.
      In 1895, Mr. Bassett withdrew from active engineering work and has since confined himself largely to the financing and management of public utilities. For thirty years he has been president and treasurer of Commonwealth Water and Light Company, of Summit, New Jersey, that company owning and operating the Commonwealth Water Company and the Commonwealth Electric Company, Mr. Bassett being the principal owner. For twenty-nine years he has been treasurer, and for the past ten years, 1912-1922, president of the Lakewood and Coast Water and Electric Company, that company owning the Lakewood Water, and the Lakewood and Coast Electric companies. This corporation is located at Lakewood, New Jersey. Mr. Bassett has also been for many years interested in the hotels and land interests of that popular winter resort as treasurer of the Lakewood Hotel and Land Association, owning the Laurel House and Laurel in the Pines hotels. He is also president and principal owner of the Summit Development Company and of the Commonwealth Land Company, both of Summit. He has been for many years a director of the First National Bank of Summit, and was formerly for several years a director of the Lakewood Trust Company of Lakewood, New Jersey.
      In earlier manhood Mr. Bassett was a member of the Essex Troop of Newark, New Jersey, and is a present member of the University Club of New York City, the Canoe Brook Country, and Highland clubs, of Summit, New Jersey, Baltusrol Golf Club of Short Hills, New Jersey, Down Town Club of Newark, New Jersey, the Lakewood Country Club of Lakewood, New Jersey, Calvary Protestant Episcopal Church, Summit, and since 1880 has been a member of the college fraternity, Phi Delta Theta. He filled the office of president of the General Council, the highest office in the fraternity in which he was long active in promoting its growth and prosperity. During the World War period, 1917-1918, he was chairman of Summit Chapter of the American Red Cross, and vice-president of Summit Defense Organization.
      Mr. Bassett married, in Grace Episcopal Church, Newark, New Jersey, April 14, 1904, Margaret Condit Kinney, daughter of Thomas Talmadge and Estelle (Condit) Kinney, of Newark. Mr. and Mrs. Bassett are the parents of three children: Carroll Kinney, born September 27, 1905; Estelle Condit, born September 21, 1907; William B., born December 22, 1908. The family home is "Beacon Hill", Summit, New Jersey.

      1870 Federal Census of Clinton, Essex County, New Jersey (6 Jun 1870)
      Allan L. Bassett - 42 - M - Connecticut - Farmer 36,000
      Anna S. - 42 - F - New York - Housekeeping
      Allena - 9 - F - Connecticut - At home 4500 2000
      Carroll D. - 7- M - Connecticut - At home 4500 2000

      1880 Federal Census of Newark, Essex County, New Jersey
      Allen L. Bassett - 53 - M - CT-CT-CT - Head - Insurance
      Annie S. - 52 - F - NY-IR-IR - Wife
      Allena P. - 19 - F - NY------ - Daughter
      Carrol P. - 17 - M - NY------ - Son - At college
      Sarah M. Trimm - 45 - F - IR-EN-IR - Other
      Austin H. Striker - B - 14 - M - NY-NJ-NJ - Other

      1930 Federal Census of Summit, Union County, New Jersey (30 Apr 1930)
      Carroll P. Bassett - 67 - M - NY-CT-PA - Head - Civil Engineer - Developer of Real Estate
      Margaret K. - 60 - F - NJ-NJ-NJ - Wife
      Carroll K. - 24 - M - NJ-NJ-NJ - Son - Sculptor
      Estelle C. - 22 - F - NJ-NJ-NJ - Daughter
      William B.K. - 21 - M - NJ-NJ-NJ - Son
      Also six servants
    Person ID I1267  1B John Bassett of Connecticut
    Last Modified 28 Sep 2021 

    Father Colonel Allan Lee Bassett,   b. 28 Feb 1827, Near Birmingham, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 14 Dec 1892, Newark, Essex County, New Jersey Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 65 years) 
    Mother Caroline Phillips,   b. 1828,   d. 1865  (Age 37 years) 
    Married Dec 1853 
    Family ID F266  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Margaret Condit Kinney,   b. 28 Oct 1865, Newark, New Jersey Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Married 14 Apr 1904 
    Children 
     1. Carroll Kinney Bassett,   b. 27 Sep 1905, Elberon, New Jersey Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Mar 1972, Montpelier Station, Orange County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 66 years)
     2. Living
    +3. William Burnet Kinney Bassett,   b. 22 Dec 1908, Elberon, New Jersey Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 31 May 1991, Kershaw County, South Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 82 years)
    Family ID F498  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart