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Frederick J. Bassett, Source unknown
Frederick J. Bassett was born at Fairmont, Neb., September 9, 1894. He died at the Veterans hospital at Lincoln, Neb., June 28, 1937, at the age of 42 year, 9 months, and 19 days. He had entered the hospital only the day before and had been off duty less than a week.
Fred, the name by which he was familiarly known, spent the greater part of his life at Fairmont, where he was happily married to Miss Marie Lewis March 10, 1918. A beautiful family of six children was born to this union, Dorothy, Donna, Bonnie Mae, Dean, Donald, and Darrell. Bonnie May died in infancy. The other five remain a great comfort to their bereaved mother.
In September, 1917, he enlisted at Curtis, Neb., in Company C, Eighty-ninth Regiment, 355th Infantry, to serve in the World War, and went overseas in May, 1918, returning in April 1919, the war having ended. Though his Army life was brief, it was real and he experienced hard fighting at Argonne and Chateau Thierry, being severely wounded November 4, just seven days before the Armistice was signed. He carried a bullet in his back for a number of years, which was finally removed, but from the effect of which he never fully recovered and there is no doubt that this injury was the cause of his early, untimely death.
After returning home, following the war, he and his family lived at Fairmont, where he was engaged in farming, until about nine years ago, when he entered the government postal service and moved to Geneva to assume the duties of a city mail carrier, which position he held at the time of his death.
Fred, as everyone, saw the seamy side of life. He lost his mother at sixteen, a sister, Alice, a little later, his father soon after he moved to Geneva, and then his Army life tested his mettle as it did thousands of others, yet be it said to his credit, that he was a loyal citizen, discharging his duties faithfully on the field of battle and in his pursuits in time of peace.
He was a faithful and loving husband and father, his home and family being the center of his interests. How much he will be missed by the inner circle of loved ones and other near relatives and friends, only God and others who have had similar sorrows can know.
He was a Legionnaire, an honored member of the I. O. O. F., being a past noble grand, and also a member of the Rebekah lodge. He, together with his wife and daughter Dorothy, united with the Geneva Methodist church March 31, 1929, under the pastorate of Rev. H. C. Casey.
In addition to his immediate family, other relatives left to cherish his memory are two sisters, Mrs. Minnie A. Marsh, Colome, S. D., and Mrs. Bessie Myers, Ainsworth, Neb., and three brothers, Charles of St. Paul, Minn., Bert of Newberg, Ore, and George of Ainsworth, Neb.
Funeral services will be conducted by his pastor, Rev. W. H. Shoaf, assisted by Rev. E. W. Day, pastor of the Geneva Congregational church, Thursday afternoon, July 1. There will be a brief service at the home at 2, and the service proper will follow at the Methodist church at 2:30. The American Legion, the O. O. O. F. and Rebekah lodges will each attend in a body. Burial will be in the Geneva cemetery. The American Legion and the Odd Fellows will have charge of the services at the grave.
1920 Federal Census of Fairmont, Fillmore County, Nebraska (22 Jan 1920)
W.A. Louis 52 M IL NY IL Head Laborer Elevator
Endora 52 F PA PA PA Wife
Fred Bassett 25 M NE EN PA SonL Farmer Grain
Marie 22 F NE IL PA Daughter
1930 Federal Census of Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska (7 Apr 1930)
Fred J. Bassett 35 M NE EN IA Head Carrier U.S. Mail
Marie B. 32 F NE IL PA Wife
Dorothy F. 10 F NE NE NE Daughter
Donna M. 8 F NE NE NE Daughter
(Living at 328 North 10th Street)
1940 Federal Census of Geneva, Fillmore County, NE (28 Apr 1940)
Marie B. Bassett (Wd) 42 F Head NE Same
Donna 18 F Daughter NE Same Clerk Grocery Store
Dean 9 M Son NE Same
Donald 8 M Son NE Same
Darrell 3 M Son NE Same
Leonard Hetherington 21 M SonL NE Saline, NE Flour Packer Flour Mill
Dorothy 20 F Daughter NE Same Teacher Rural School
(Living at 1343 G. St.)
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