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- Crosby County Biographies
Crosby County History Book 1876-1977
Roger M. Bassett and family came here in 1882 from New York. This family consisted of the father, 36, the mother, 31, and the children 12, 8, 6, 4 and 2, respectively. The father had been identified with the largest mercantile houses in New York and close application to business had nearly exhausted his health; their home had been one of comfort and luxuries; their object here was restored health, comfort if it could be had and the financial benefits the country was renowned for.
Roger Bassett became acquainted with Colonel Campbell at the XIT ranch at Colorado City, when that was made the XIT supply point and for a time was under him as assistant manager. At the conclusion of that connection it was evident that his business experience and thoroughly restored health and energy could be turned to better account elsewhere than on the ranch and that in time his family would want to return to their old environments. This influenced him to Chicago, but it was not until well established in a business connection there and the children were outgrowing their childhood did the family leave Texas except for occasional visits; meantime the Texas interests had been well looked after by Harry Smith and the boys. When it came time to leave, the second son, Julian, found his attachment so strong for the ranch and farm that he chose to remain. Left here at 16 years of age with his "cousin Harry" as he called Mr. Smith, he devoted himself to the business, this had always been more attractive to him than his school and he learned more by observation than from books, he was frugal and always tradiing and in that way had acquired some individual stock; his recreation was wrestling, bronco busting and hunting.
Julian finally liquidated the business, accomplishing the work of a capable man of business.
To gratify his mother, he then went to Chicago for the benefits of city life. He secured a good position with McCormack Harvester Company, met Chicago society; however, at the end of two years, he had tired of this life and wanted broader opportunities. The Klondike was then a new field that looked profitable, so with his sleeping bag and Arctic outfit, he started for Seattle. The party he expected to join left before his arrival, so he abandoned that venture and joined his brother in the electrical business in California. This was new to him and for the first time, Julian "dropped his stake".
Never weaned from Texas, he returned to his old camping ground, arriving there broke. John Beal, who had succeeded John Brown as manager, gave him a mount on the Three H Ranch and here, he started a career for himself. His wages went for unbroken horses, as he could pick them up. He rode, traded. and before long had a brand of his own.
Trading horses, breaking broncos and cowboy's wages was slow money making for a boy of ambitions and Julian concluded to look up more capital; he went to Chicago and got a favorable introduction to the Coonley brothers by E.P. Bailey. He interested them in a small investment in sheep; his services to go in against their money. He returned with $5,000, invested it in 1800 head of Hank Smith's sheep, and with Will Reagan as a herder, he drifted for two years where free range was available. The close attention and good management he gave this business brought results very satisfactory to the investors.
Julian Bassett gives the following account of the development of the Coonley-Bassett Livestock Company in the June 19, 1936 edition of the Crosbyton Review.
"We organized the C.B. Livestock Company including myself, E.P. Bailey and the Coonleys. (Avery, John Stewart, Howard and Prentiss) with a capital stock of $100,000. I had $20,000 stock in the company, I came back to Texas to invest it. I got in touch with Lewis Lester of Canyon City, Texas, and bought a ranch in Bailey County where I increased our sheep to 2,500 head. At the end of the year, I went back to Chicago to make a report."
"Avery Coonley was president of the company and I served as vice-president and general manager. The other men of the company came out to see their investment. I met them at Portales, New Mexico. We inspected two or three ranches and finally decided to buy the "Two-Buckle" (The Kentucky Cattle Raising Company in Crosby County which included about 125,000 acres. It was a coincidence that this property also included the four leagues of Crosby County School Land located in Bailey and Cochran Counties)."
It was in the course of development of these ranchlands that Crosbyton came about.
Through extensive advertising and liberal terms buyers were attracted to this locality. A company office was established at Emma, at that time the county seat and nearest post office.
Bassett stated that he named two towns in Crosby County, Lorenzo for Lorenzo E. Dow and Idalou for Bassett's two sisters, Ida and Louise.
In November 1916, John R. Rails bought 7,621 acres adjoining Rails townsite from C.B. Livestock Company at $32 an acre. The same year Santa Fe bought the Crosbyton South Plains Railroad. In the first six months of 1917 both Bassett's personal property and the remainder of the C.B. Livestock land was sold to Sidney Webb.
Bassett in turn bought 374 sections of rangeland from Webb and established the Block Y Ranch which included the townsite of Dryden, 13 miles from the Rio Grande. The Bassetts lived in El Paso, Gila, New Mexico and finally settled in San Antonio.
Julian Bassett married Cora Drake August 1, 1915. They settled in Crosbyton for a short time. The Bassetts had four children, Elizabeth Bassett Newton, Martha Bassett Williams, Lois Bassett Carpenter and Roger Julian Bassett.
Julian Bassett died December 9, 1947. Cora wrote in 1958, "Until the day of Mr. Bassett's death, he always regretted moving from Crosbyton and the rich rolling plains of the Panhandle, for they had meant more to him and were really his 'home' and the land he loved more than any other in all the world".
Julian Marcus Bassett, one of the "oldest timers" in Crosby County did much for its prosperity and development. At 38 years of age he was the individual owner of large tracts of land and other real estate, a highly improved, well-stocked dairy farm of over 300 acres and 6,000 head of cattle, was president of First National Bank of Crosbyton, vice-president and general manager of Crosbyton South Plains Railroad Company, vice-president and manager of C.B. Livestock Company and president of Crosbyton Telephone Company. He made one trip to Europe, accompanied by his mother and business frequently took him to the large city, mostly he attended closely to local business interests.
The New Handbook of Texas, Volume I
Julian Marcus Bassett (1874-1947)
Julian Marcus Bassett, rancher, land promoter, and principal founder of Crosbyton, Texas, was born in New York City on December 4, 1874, to R.M. and Fannie Louisa Bassett. He was brought to Texas in 1882; the family settled in Crosby County. He left the area to work for the McCormack Harvester Company in Chicago but returned after two years to work as a cowboy on the Three H Ranch.
While delivering cattle to market in Chicago, Bassett contracted with the Coonley Brothers (Avery, John Stuart, Howard and Prentiss) to invest in a sheep ranch in Crosby County. The successful partnership resulted in the founding of the CB Livestock Company in 1901. The company purchased the Two-Buckle Ranch (qv) property and used the Bar N Bar brand. The company began to sell its ranchlands in 1908, and the town of Crosbyton was founded. Bassett served as the first postmaster. By 1910 he was also working as the general manager of the Crosbyton-South Plains Railroad, vice president of the Crosbyton South Plains Townsite Company, and a copartner in the Crosbyton Company. He was president of the First National Bank of Crosbyton and of the Crosbyton Telephone Company, and he owned the Bassett Land Company. These companies promoted Crosbyton and two additional townsites, Lorenzo and Idalou, located in Crosby and Lubbock counties. Crosbyton, the most successful of the towns, reached a population of 1,200 by 1917.
Bassett married Cora Belle Drake on August 1, 1915; they had four children. The family moved in 1916 to San Antonio, where Bassett purchased the Block Y Ranch and the townsite of Dryden in Terrell County. He was less successful with this promotion and moved to Gila, New Mexico, in 1928. He returned to Dryden in 1930 and operated a store there until the late 1930s. He died on December 9, 1947, and was buried in the Crosbyton Cemetery.
Crosbyton Founder Dies at San Antonio
Lubbock Avalance Journal, December, 1947
Crosbyton, December 19 (Special) - Julian M. Bassett, 74, former resident and founder of the town of Crosbyton, died about 1:40 a.m. Friday morning at his home in San Antonio, according to information received by King Funeral home of Crosbyton.
Funeral services are planned for 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the Crosbyton Methodist church. Burial will follow in Crosbyton cemetery, the site of which was originally donated to the city by Bassett. The body is scheduled to arrive in Crosbyton Sunday morning.
He is survived by his wife, a son and three daughters, but specific information on the survivors was unavailable today.
Bassett came to Texas from Vermont with his parents in 1888, settling in the southwest part of Crosby county in what was then known as Yellow House canyon. He received his schooling in a Quaker school at Estacado.
In 1900, he bought the Bar-N-Bar ranch in Lam county, but sold his interests there after about a year. Returning to Crosby county, he purchased and became manager of the Two-Buckle ranch, then known as the C.B. Livestock company. In 1908, he laid off the side of the present city of Crosbyton and built the railroad between Crosbyton and Lubbock, later selling the railroad to its present owners, the Santa Fe. He moved to Dryden in Terrell county in 1918, buying business interests in both Dryden and San Antonio. He has lived alternately in both towns from that time until the present.
Bassett's body will lie in state at King Funeral home in Crosbyton between its arrival from San Antonio and the time for the funeral Sunday afternoon.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1874 - 1947 (73 years)