| Notes |
- 1930 Federal Census of Fremont, Rockingham County, New Hampshire (28 Apr 1930)
George A. Bassett 35 M NH NH NH Head Dairy Farmer
Nellie P. 27 F MA CN VT Wife
Joseph A. 5 M NH NH MA Son
George H. 3 5/12 M NH NH MA Son
(Married at 31 & 24)
(Living on Bassett Road)
The Rockingham News, November 16, 2001
Nellie Bassett
FREMONT - Nellie Bassett, 99, of Scribner Road, died Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2001, at Colonial Poplin Nursing Home, after a lengthy illness.
She was born Oct. 12, 1902, in New Bedford, Mass., the daughter of the late Clarence and Pearl (Evarts) Davis and has resided in Fremont since 1918.
Mrs. Bassett and her late husband ran the Lockfield Farm for more than 50 years.
She was active with the National Grange and the Ladies Group of People's United Methodist Church, Fremont.
She was the oldest resident of Fremont and was awarded the Boston Post Cane in April.
Mrs. Bassett enjoyed oil painting and taught rug hooking in her younger years.
The widow of George Bassett, who died in 1937, she is survived by one daughter, Elizabeth Stanley of Fremont; 10 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildrdn; one sister, Viola Horton of Crescent Beach, Fla; and several nieces and nephews.
There are no calling hours.
Graveside services will held in Village Cemetery, Fremont, at the convenience of the family.
Memorial donations may be made to the Fremont Athletic Association, c/o Gerry Robinson, 100 Scribner Road, Fremont, NH 03042.
Arrangements are by the Brewitt Funeral Home, Raymond.
The Rockingham News, Friday, May 4, 2001, Plaistow, New Hampshire
New Boston Cane holder named
By Collen Lent
FREMONT - The year was 1902. It was the progressive era in American history.
Theodore Roosevelt was in his second year as president. Women mourned the death of feminist and social reformer Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
Nellie (Davis) Bassett of Fremont took her first newborn breath. As the town's oldest resident, born on October 2, 1902, Bassett was bestowed teh Boston Post Can Award by the Fremont Board of Selectmen last month. Norine Emerson, who held the cane from 1990 to 2001, died in March of this year, passing the honor to Bassett.
According to Matthew Thomas, Fremont's town historian, the tradition of celebrating local elders originated nearly nine decades ago. "Back in 1909 the Boston Post came up with an advertising scheme," said Thomas.
The now defunct newspaper gave out ebony and brass canes to over 400 New England municipalities, which, in turn, were handed to the town's oldest male resident. In the 1930's women were included in the tradition.
A healthy percentage of the original canes are buried in attics or have been discarded, according to Thomas. "Many towns have lost their Post canes. When the residents died the canes disappeared," he said. To ensure the preservation of the symbolic piece of history, Fremont has modified the ritualized ceremony. After the Boston Cane was presented to Bassett, it was displayed in the town hall for public viewing and safety. Meanwhile, Bassetts' framed award certificate hangs above rows of Beanie Babies in her room at the Colonial Poplin Nursing Facility.
"I'll be 99 in next October," said Bassett this week, adding that she was surprised to learn that she was the town's oldest citizen. Moving from Newton, Mass. to Fremont as a teen-ager, Bassett admitted that being a former city girl required her to adjust to the slower pace of country life. "I love Fremont. I didn't like it at first. I learned to love Fremont," she said candidly. When asked if the town has changed since her first arrival, Bassett replied "Oh my gracious, yes. Not a bit of the same."
According to Bassett, the town had a mer 325 residents that worked the land. Heidi Carlson, administrative assistant to the Fremont Board of Selectman, said the 2000 town census records 3,510 residents. A post office, two country stores, and a one-room library were the major buildings Bassett remembers frequenting during her youth. Meanwhile, the Grange was hub of community activity, said Bassett, referring to the years before the moving motion picture and television were introduced to American life.
The National Grange, comprised of mostly farmers, was originally founded in 1867 and encouraged local chapters to adopt its family-oriented, alcohol-free, fraternal principles. Bassett recalled, "We had the meetings. They held socials once in a while. We had square dances. Just get togethers-that's all for a good time." As Bassett (Davis at the time) was getting acquainted with comunity life in Fremont, she met her husband George A. Bassett.
"He was a big farmer. My grandmother and grandfather had him all picked out for me," said Bassett. Married in 1923, George and Nellie Bassett raised three children - Joseph, George, and Elizbabeth and continued to work their Scribner Road farm, earning the N.H. Dairy Farm Family of the Year in 1942. After nearly 50 years of marriage and hard work, Nellie's husband died in 1973.
Elizabeth "Betty" (Bassett) Stanley survives her two older brothers and father. Referring to her daughter, Bassett said she is proud of "Betty who has followed in her father's footsteps," as an active member of town government. "She's a part of Fremont. She's done everything," said Bassett, sitting across from a framed excerpt from a past annual town report, thanking Stanley for her decication to the town.
According to Carlson, Stanley served a quarter of a century as the town clerk, was the School District treasurer, assisted the fire department, and is the current deputy town clerk. Likewise, Bassett said Elizabeth's father served as a selectman for 21 years.
"The Bassett family has had a very admirable record of community service to the town of Fremont," said Thomas, referring to their involvement in local agriculture, the creation of the People's United Methodist Church, and public office.
Stanley talked about her mother from a more personal perspective. In addition to mastering rug hooking, Nellie is a talented oil paint artist who has used the canvas to record historical changes in Fremont's landscape, according to her daughter.
"Ever since I was a little girl, I liked to paint," said Bassett. Referring to one of her creations, Bassett said with a smile, "I did one of the blacksmith shop. My grandson liked it so much, he took it." Bassett continued her thought by adding that she was three children, 10 grandchildren, and 25 great grandchildren - whose photographed faces smile at her from the bureau in her room.
Elizabeth described her mother in a single sentence, "She was just here for all of us."
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Bassett Family Association Database
1902 - 2001 (99 years)