| Notes |
- Indiana Biography Volume III (1931)
Elmer Bassett, member of a family that has been in Shelby County since
the year 1820, was born and reared on a farm. After leaving home he contrived
the opportunities and means to study law, and for nearly thirty years has been
a prominent member of the Shelbyville bar.
Mr. Bassett is a great-grandson of the pioneer Bassett family
in Shelby County. This pioneer was Nymphas Bassett, who was born in Vermont,
March 7, 1785, and when twenty-four of age married Thankful Ann Bruce. They
lived in Ohio until 1820, when they came to Indiana and settled in Mari
Township of Shelby County. Nymphas Bassett and wife had ten children, and they
and their descendants have constituted what are known as Nymphas Bassett's
family, which for years made a regular practice of holding reunions. Members
of this family are now scattered well over the country from the Atlantic to
the Pacific Coast.
The third child and son of Nymphas Bassett was Sylvester Bassett, who
was born March 24, 1814, and died in 1902. He married, December 23, 183
Susan Monroney, and of their nine children the second child and oldest son was
James M. Bassett.
James M. Bassett was born in Shelby County, April 12, 1840, and was
one of the well-to-do farmers and stock men of the county. He was township
trustee of Marion Township. James M. Bassett married, October 1, 1861,
Clarinda Norville, to whom were born seven children: William N., George,
Elmer, Curtis, Walter, Hayes and Clancy.
Elmer Bassett was born in Shelby County January 10, 1867, and attended
the common schools of the county, afterwards completing a business course in
the Central Indiana Normal College at Danville. For two years he was employed
as a clerk in the Census Bureau at Washington and while there attended night
classes of the National University. He was graduated from the law department
in 1902 and in the same year was admitted to the Indiana state bar. For two
and a half years he was associated with the Shelbyville law firm of Hord &
Adams. He was elected prosecutor of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit, comprising
Rush and Shelby counties, and after two years of experience in this public
office he engaged in private law practice and has been one of the very busiest
successful attorneys of Shelbyville. In 1920 he was elected prosecut
Shelby County for the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit and again served for t
years.
Mr. Bassett married Miss Minnie E. Ford, of Shelby County. He is a
member of the Shelby County Bar Association. He is affiliated with the Masonic
fraternity, is a past grand chancellor of the Grand Domain of Indiana and a
past supreme representative of the Knights of Pythias order; also a member of
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Modern Woodmen of American, Independent
Order of Red Men and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. Politically he is a
Republican and has been chairman of the city committee, and is recognized as
one of the influential members of his party in Shelby County. During the World
War he acted as fuel administrator for the county and joined other patriotic-
minded men in promoting the success of the various war drives. He was a four-
minute speaker in the Liberty Bond campaigns. Mr. Bassett is a director of the
Farmers National Bank of Shelbyville. He is a Methodist.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1867 - 1939 (71 years)