Bassett Family Association Database

Abraham Everett Bassett

Male Abt 1860 - Deceased


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  • Name Abraham Everett Bassett 
    Born Abt 1860  Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died Deceased 
    Notes 
    • The County Review, Riverhead, New York, November 30, 1917
      Bassett Is Alive; Was Declared Dead
      Disappeared From Westhampton Home 22 Years Ago; Wife Hasn?t Heard From Him
      He Was Alive November 10
      Justice Morschauser Directed Mutual Benefit Association to Pay
      Mrs. Bassett Insurance Money

      Abraham Ellsworth Bassett, who disappeared from this home at Westhampton about thirty-two years ago and who was declared legally dead by Justice Joseph Morschauser in the Supreme Court here on October 15, was alive as late as November 10, according to an affidavit made by Charles Carson, a towboatman of East Boston, who has been an intimate acquaintance of Bassett for more than 20 years.
      Carson states that he received a letter from Bassett on November 14, which was dated November 10, and which was written from Newport News, Va. Bassett was then employed as a cook on a barge running between Fall River and Newport News. Carson says the last time he saw Bassett was at the American House, East Boston, on October 25.
      Arthur McFarlane, a carpenter, of East Boston, made an affidavit that he knew Bassett and had lived in the same house with him in East Boston for several years and that he had seen and talked with the latter at the American House in that city on October 25.
      Herbert E. Higgins, of Summerville, Mass., an inspector of the Waterways Commission, who married Bassett?s sister, has sworn that he was speaking with Bassett at the American House in East Boston on October 1.
      Mrs. Sarah E. Bassett, wife of the missing man, brought an action at the October term of the Supreme Court here against the Mutual Benefit Association of Suffolk County to collect the $1,000 insurance policy covering the life of her husband. Mrs. Bassett testified that she was married to Bassett on June 20, 1882, and that she lived with him up to the time he disappeared, in or about the year 1885. She stated that he left Westhampton in the latter year and she had never heard of him since his departure. According to Mrs. Bassett?s testimony her husband came to Long Island from Norwich, Mass., and after his departure she made inquiries to ascertain where he was, but her efforts were unsuccessful. Mrs. Bassett declared that Everett Bassett, brother of her husband, had not heard from the latter for nineteen years and that his sister, Mrs. A.L. Moody, had not heard from him for a period of several years. The Mutual Benefit Association had no proof at that time to show that Bassett was alive, so Justice Morschauser decided that Bassett was dead and that Mrs. Bassett was entitled to the $1,000 and her directed that the association pay her the money forthwith. Mrs. Bassett had paid the assessments on the policy since her husband disappeared.
      After the trial of the action George W. Hildreth and John Bagshaw, attorney and secretary, respectively, of the Mutual Benefit Association, were informed that Bassett was alive and resided near Boston, so Secretary Bagshaw, acting under instructions from the board of directors of the association, went to Monemet and Summerville, Mass., and obtained the affidavits which show that Bassett was alive up to within a few weeks ago. It is also stated that a member of Bassett?s family had visited him within the past seven or eight years and that this relative had received postals form him within the past two years. The association withheld the payment of the insurance money pending an investigation of these reports.
      Lawyer Hildreth has obtained a court order for Mrs. Bassett to show cause at a special term of the Supreme Court in Brooklyn on November 30, shy the judgement declaring her husband legally dead and directing the association to pay her the insurance money should not be vacated.
    Person ID I13196  1A William Bassett of Plymouth
    Last Modified 6 Mar 2017 

    Father Eli E. Bassett,   b. 30 May 1834, Harwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 8 Mar 1901  (Age 66 years) 
    Mother Anna Ross Young,   d. Deceased 
    Married 1851 
    Family ID F03479  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Sarah E. 
    Married 1882 
    Children 
     1. Maria Bassett,   b. May 1883, New York Find all individuals with events at this location
     2. Florence Bassett,   b. Sep 1886, New York Find all individuals with events at this location
     3. Gertrude Bassett,   b. May 1890, New York Find all individuals with events at this location
    Last Modified 13 Mar 2017 
    Family ID F12148  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart