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- Col. Erskine Birch Bassett
Col. Erskine Birch Bassett was born in Stephensport, Kentucky on June 23, 1867. He was the eighth of ten children born to James Hervey and Georgiana Houston Bassett. His paternal grandparents were Jeremiah Vardiman and Tryphena Birch Bassett and his maternal grandparents were Dr. Robert and Mary Frank Houston. He was named for his great-grandfather, Thomas Erskine Birch, who fought with John Paul Jones in the Revolutionary War and was an Anglican priest and later a teacher in Virginia and Kentucky. Col. Bassett's ancestors came to Kentucky shortly after the revolution and settled in Mason County. The Bassetts lived in what is now Bracken County and later moved to Harrison and then Breckinridge Counties. In 1877 Col. Bassett's family moved to Louisville and he was educated in the local public schools.
In June, 1887, Bassett moved to Hopkinsville, and opened a dry goods store here. He was the first merchant to introduce modern advertising methods and Bassett & Co. was to become one of the leading retail stores in the city.
The newly arrived merchant took an active part in public life in Hopkinsville. In April, 1888, he helped organize and was elected president of Hopkinsville's first business organization, the Commercial Club. He was one of the founders of the present Chamber of Commerce and wrote its constitution.
As Commissioner of Western State Hospital he built the system of waterworks for the institution without cost to the state was responsible for the installation of the refrigerating plant there. He was a Regent of Western State Normal College, a leader in the Republican party and a member of the Methodist Church.
In addition to his civic activities Col. Bassett also had a long and distinguished military career which began in Louisville in 1883 when he joined the famous Louisville Legion. After he moved to Hopkinsville he joined Co. D. of the Kentucky State Guard. After his Spanish War services he was appointed by Gov. Beckham to the rank of Major in the 3rd Kentucky Infantry and took an active part in quelling many of the civil disturbances that broke out in the state. He was largely instrumental in breaking up the activities of the "night riders" who brought a reign of terror to the western part of the state. For his services he received the thanks of Gov. Willson by public proclamation and was promoted to Lt. Col. On Nov. 10, 1910, he was named Acting Adjutant General of Kentucky and in that capacity he reorganized the 1st Regiment at Louisville and established an officer's training school for the National Guard.
After serving in the Mexican border incident he was promoted to full colonel and sent overseas in World War I where he was awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French and recommended for a full generalcy. After the war, Col. Bassett returned to civilian life and was elected the first Commander of the local American Legion Post.
Col. Bassett died of a heart attack on March 10, 1945, and was buried with full military honors on March 19 at Riverside Cemetey.
Col. Bassett was married to Hallie Elizabeth Brown from Louisville and they had five children: James Stanley, Walton Cross, Estelle (Mrs. Henry Edwin Morton), Margaret and Elizabeth Murray (Mrs. William Whitfield Radford). Descendants who are still living in Hopkinsville are Margaret Morton White (Mrs. Harvey O'Neal White), Jonathan Carter White and Judge Edwin Morton White and his children Nicholas Bassett and Amelia Carter White.
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Bassett Family Association Database
