Bassett Family Association Database

Calice Bessette

Male 1836 -


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  • Name Calice Bessette 
    Born 10 Apr 1836  St. Mary's Province, Quebec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    _UID A4F056AE137EA74CB727679BA60F8287BAE4 
    Notes 
    • He moved to Ticonderoga, New York, in 1900.

      1860 Federal Census of Orwell, Addison County, Vermont (11 Jul 1860)
      Calice Bassett 24 M L C 675 200 Wheelwright
      Margaret 24 F L C
      Napoleon Mania? 19 M L C Wheelwright

      1870 Federal Census of Orwell, Addison County, Vermont (2 Aug 1870)
      Calice Besset 33 M Canada 2000 500 Wheelwright
      Margaret 34 F Canada Keeping House
      Virginia 9 F Vermont
      Cordelia 8 F Vermont
      Malvina 6 F Vermont
      Calice Jr. 4 M Vermont
      Albert 1 M Vermont
      Julia Shaney 67 F Canada
      Joseph Benet 20 M Vermont Carriage Painter

      1880 Federal Census of Orwell, Addison County, Vermont (3 Jun 1880)
      Calice Bessette 44 M CN CN CN Head Wheelwright
      Margaret 45 F CN CN CN Wife Keeps House
      Virginia 18 F VT CN CN Daughter School Teacher
      Cordelia 16 F VT CN CN Daughter At Home
      Melvina 14 F VT CN CN Daughter Attending School
      Calice Bessette 12 M VT CN CN Son Attending School
      Albert 11 M VT CN CN Son Attending School
      Louis 9 M VT CN CN Son Attending School
      Amelia 6 F VT CN CN Daughter Attending School
      Hannah 3 F VT CN CN Daughter

      Sketches of Addison County, Vermont

      Calice Bessette, a manufacturer of carriages and wagons, has been established in Orwell, Vt., since 1860. He is a native of St. Mary’s Province, Quebec, Canada, where he was born on April 10, 1836. He is the fourth generation from France. His father, Albert J. Bessette, came from Canada with his family and settled in Burlington, Vt., in 1847. Calice Bessette went to Lowell, Mass., in 1856, where he spent one year, after which he went to Shoreham, Vt., where he remained there years, where he learned his trade, that of blacksmithing and carriage-making at the shop of Antoine Decelle. After this he came to Orwell, Vt., where he worked for Eleazer Abbey for two months, and then purchased the business, and by close application to busi8ness, and by manufacturing a superior quality of work, he has made the business in all of its branches a decided success and a credit to himself and the town. He not only supplies a steadily increasing home demand, but fills orders for special customers at a distance, shipping some of his best work to the large cities. He sustained heavy losses by fire in 1869, but has rebuilt his works on a much larger scale than before, and now employs on an average ten men the season through. He now owns and occupies a commodious and elegant residence adjoining the factory.

      History of Addison County, Vermont
      History of the Town of Orwell

      Calice Bessette’s carriage and wagon factory is the prominent business interest of the town. The business was established by Eleazer Abbey, father of Gideon Abbey, in 1825, who conducted it until Mr. Bessette succeeded him, May 15, 1860. Business increased rapidly with the latter and was flourishing when, December 31, 1869, the buildings took fire and were entirely consumed, together with the stock and tools they contained, causing a loss of $10,000 over and above the insurance, which was only $1,800. The factory was soon rebuilt, however, and business resumed, which has increased till Mr. Bessette now employs twelve men, and does an annual business of about $20,000 in the manufacture and repair of all kinds of wagons, carriages, and sleighs.
    Person ID I1300  14B Jean Besset of Quebec
    Last Modified 7 Jan 2014 

    Father Joseph Albert Bessette,   b. 24 Mar 1806, Marieville, Quebec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Mother Sophie Dumas 
    Married 30 Jan 1827  Sainte-Marie de Monnoir, Quebec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F158  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Margaret Cheney 
    Children 
     1. Virginia Esther Bessette,   b. 1861, Addison Co., Vermont Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 10 Feb 1936, Saratoga Springs, New York Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 75 years)
     2. Cordelia Bessette,   b. Abt 1864, Addison Co., Vermont Find all individuals with events at this location
     3. Melvina Bessette,   b. Abt 1866, Addison Co., Vermont Find all individuals with events at this location
     4. Calice Bessette, Jr.,   b. Abt 1868, Addison Co., Vermont Find all individuals with events at this location
     5. Albert Bessette,   b. Abt 1869, Addison Co., Vermont Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1958  (Age ~ 89 years)
    +6. Lewis Napoleon Bessette,   b. 9 Jun 1872, Orwell, Addison Co., Vermont Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 30 Apr 1928, Rutland, Vermont Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 55 years)
     7. Amelia Bessette,   b. Abt 1874, Addison Co., Vermont Find all individuals with events at this location
     8. Hannah Bessette,   b. Abt 1877, Addison Co., Vermont Find all individuals with events at this location
    Family ID F501  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Laura E. Belden 
    Family ID F502  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart