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- Elijah Bassett was clerk for General Payne and later deputy sheriff of Bracken County, Kentucky. He went to Hopkins County, Kentucky about 1841, where he stayed five or six years, then returned to Bracken County, Kentucky to serve as sheriff. In 1850, he obtained a license to run a tavern in Brookville. He returned to Hopkins County, Kentucky in Dec 1855. He was shot and killed by a rifle shot in an ambush.
1850 Federal Census of Bracken County, Kentucky
Elijah Bassett - 36 - M
Mary O. - 32 - F
Thomas K. - 13 - M
Henry R. - 11 - M
John A. - 9 - M
Sarah J. - 7 - F
Elijah A. - 3 - M
1860 Federal Census of Madisonville, Hopkins County, Kentucky (9 Jul 1860)
E. Bassett - 46 - M - Kentucky - Farmer 3,000 7,000
Mary O. - 42 - F - Kentucky
John A. - 19 - M - Kentucky - Farm Laborer
Sarah J. - 16 - F - Kentucky
Elijah - 13 - M - Kentucky
W.D. - 10 - M - Kentucky
James - 8 - M - Kentucky
Jno. A. - 6 - M - Kentucky
A.O. - 1 - M - Kentucky
W.B. Brarison - 35 - M - Kentucky - Farm Laborer
Hopkins County, Kentucky
Volume I - 1988
Elijah Bassett
Elijah Bassett, who was born in Bracken County, KY, in 1813 was the son of Captain John Stout Bassett and Jane Rogerson. Elijah served as clerk for General Payne and later as deputy sheriff of Bracken County. He came to Hopkins County in 1841, but after five or six years returned to Bracken County where he served as sheriff and later operated a tavern in Brookville. In 1855 he returned to Hopkins County where he farmed near Anton. He married Mary O'Rear Pearl, daughter of John Margness Pearl and Sarah Ann Blackerby in Bracken County and they had five children who lived to be adults: Thomas Karr, John Amos,, Sarah Jane, James F. and Gustavus Adolphus. Six children died young. Elijah was shot and killed near the end of the Civil War and his wife, who had been in poor health, died four months later in February, 1865. They are buried in the Bassett Cemetery near Anton.
Their oldest son, Thomas Karr Bassett, was in the Confederate Army and was taken prisoner while visiting his sick mother in October 1864. Despite being captured in uniform, he was executed in Hopkinsville after a drumhead court in reprisal for Confederate raids by Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest. He was 25 years old and is buried in the family cemetery near Anton.
John Amos Bassett studied medicine under his uncle, Dr. James Bassett, and graduated from the medical department of the University of Louisville. He practiced medicine for many years in Providence. He married Virginia Wetzel and had a daughter, Frances. After the death of his first wife, he married Martha Frances Givens, also of Hopkins County, and they had four sons: John Thomas, James Gustavus, Maurice Kirby and Edgar Barbour Bassett. Dr. John Bassett died in 1912 at age 71.
Sarah Jane "Sallie" Bassett was born in 1853 and married Sylvester Haywood Willams. Their children were Sylvester, Mollie, Melissa, Atriss O'Rear, Martha and Amos. The Williams family lived near Providence and Sallie died in 1925.
James F. Bassett, who was born in 1852, died soon after his marriage to Helen Head Gist in 1891.
A separate article tells of Gustavus Adolphus Bassett, the youngest child of Elijah and Mary O'Rear Pearl Bassett.
Submitted by Wm. Kerr Bassett.
Biographical Sketches of Hopkins County, Kentucky
John A. Bassett, M.D., was born in Bracken County, Ky., March 18, 1841, son of Elijah and Mary O. (Pearl) Bassett, the former a native of Bracken County, Ky., the latter of Fauquier County, Va., and both of English origin. Elijah Bassett was married in his native county. When a youth, he was employed in the county clerk's office with Gen. Payne, for several years. When he attained his majority he was appointed deputy sheriff under his father, and held that position about four years. In 1841 or 1842 he moved to Hopkins County, Ky., where he bought a farm, and engaged in farming for five or six years. In 1847 he returned to Bracken County, and was appointed sheriff, which office he held for several years. He then engaged in general merchandising and in the tobacco business at Brookville, until December, 1855, when he again removed to Hopkins County, Ky., where he engaged in farming until 1862. He then came to Providence, Webster Co., Ky., where he resided until his death in October, 1864, in his fifty-second year. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity. Our subject, at the age of eighteen, commenced the study of medicine, under his uncle, Dr. James Bassett, of Providence, and while pursuing his medical studies taught school a part of the time for about three years. In the winter of 1863, and 1864, he attended the Missouri Medical College at St. Louis, Mo. In 1864, he returned to Providence, where he has since practiced his profession. He graduated from the medical department of the University of Louisville, with the class of 1874-75. The Doctor was also interested in the drug business at Providence for about two years. He was first married December 31, 1868, to Miss Virginia F. Wetzell, a native of Providence, who bore him two children, one of whom - a daughter - is now living. Mrs. Virginia F. Bassett died January 20, 1871; she was a member of the United Baptist Church. Dr. Bassett's second marriage was, November 13, 1872, to Miss Martha F. Givens; a native of Hopkins County, Ky. Six children have blessed their union, of whom three sons are now living. The Doctor and wife are members of the United Baptist Church. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Select Master's degree, and has served his lodge as W.M. and in various other official capacities. He is a Democrat.
Hopkins County, Kentucky
Volume I - 1988
Gustavus Adolphus Bassett
Gustavus Adolphus "Gus" Bassett, youngest child of Elijah Bassett and his wife, Mary O'Rear Pearl, was born 11 Aug. 1855 in Bracken County, KY. He came to Hopkins County when he was four months old. When he was nine, his father, who had served as sheriff in Bracken County, was shot and killed. Four months later his mother died and Gus then lived with his sister, Sallie Bassett Williams.
On 25 Feb. 1879, Gus married Misher Izora "Odie" Cunningham, daughter of Joseph Misher Cunningham and Mary Louis Payne. Both of her parents died when she was very young and she was reared by uncle, Thomas Buford "Uncle Bufe" Payne. For the first year of their marriage, Gus and Odie lived on the Williams farm northeast of Providence but then bought their own farm on Clear Creek in Hopkins County. It was here that they reared their children and lived for the next 48 years until his death on 10 Mar. 1929. Later Odie moved to Benton, IL, and lived with her daughter. She died there 7 Jan. 1961 at the age of 102.
Their children were James Payne, Edgar Karr, Jeff, John Corliss, Karr Pearl, Beryl O'Rear and Lawrence Rogers Bassett. James Payne Bassett was born 12 Dec. 1879 and married Nancy Macy Baker on 25 Sept. 1906. They had three children: James Baker, William Kerr, and Marjorie. James Payne Bassett owned a livery stable in Providence and later had coal mines in Webster and Hopkins Counties. He was killed in a mine accident on 4 Nov. 1929. The next two little boys of Gus and Odie, "Little Eddie" and Jeff, died young.
They then had twin boys: John Corliss "Bill" and Karr Pearl Bassett, born 20 Sept. 1891. After World War I army service in the A.E.F., Bill worked for many years for St. Bernard and West Kentucky Coal Companies. Thereafter he served as Postmaster in Earlington for over twenty years. He was commander of the Earlington American Legion Post and also served as District Commander of the Legion. He was one of the founders and served as president of the Brown Meadow Lake Fishing Club. He married Elizabeth Noza Hearin on 7 July 1925. She began teaching school when she was a teenager and received her degree many years later from West Kentucky University after attending summer school almost every year. She was a devoted and talented teacher and served in the Earlington schools for most of her 50 year teaching career. Bill died on 20 Aug. 1965 and Zona on 17 Feb. 1985. They had no children. Karr married Mina Marie Van Metre on 8 Jul 1917 and they spent most of their married life in Washington state. He was Tax Assessor in Spokane for many years. They had four children: Winston Adolphus, Elanor Izora, Karlene Marie and Bette June. Karr died 24 Nov. 1963.
Beryl O'Rear Bassett, the only daughter of Gus and Odie, was born 28 Dec. 1893. She married on 5 Sept. 1914 Curtis E. Smith, who visited Providence as a member of the Benton, IL, Silver Cornet Band that played at the county fair. He became a lawyer and she worked in his abstract office for many years. They had two daughters, Berylene Bassett and Sue Carol. Beryl now lives with her daughter, Sue Smith Hawkins in Mobile, AL.
Lawrence Rogers Bassett was born on 23 Aug. 1896 and married Pauline Bullock on 3 Apr. 1923. They lived near Henderson, KY, where he had a large farm a few miles east of town. Lawrence died on 9 Feb. 1967. They had two children: Emma Jean and Robert Lawrence.
Gus Bassett was a hard worker and a good farmer; however, he managed to utilize his love of hunting and fishing and his gregarious nature to supplement the income from the usual corn and tobacco crops. His fish nets on Weirs and Clear Creeks provided fish to "peddle" in town along with hams, vegetables and his famous watermelons and cantaloupes. He enjoyed socializing with his adult customers but he delighted even more having some "Penny" melons for poor eager children who followed his wagon.
The Gus Bassett place on the Dalton Road was known for its hospitality. The annual family reunion brought Cunningham, Payne, Rogers, Smith, Tapp and other kin from Madisonville, Manitou and Nebo, but the Bassett farm was known best as a year-round gathering place for young people. The boys came to hunt and fish with the Bassett boys, and Beryl's friends came to see the boys. Gus Bassett was a tall, strong man and his wife, Odie, was a tiny but energetic woman. She stayed busy cooking and feeding the company that was always there to enjoy the good food of the family dinner table. When she died at 102, people said that she was proof that "Hard work never killed anyone." Gus was known not only to his children and grandchildren as "Pap" but also to the many young folk who made the Bassett farm their second home. He always said he had the best neighbors in the world: these included two land-owning Negro families, the Bishops and Rices.
Gus Bassett, a Democrat, a Mason and a Baptist, was an honest, honorable, generous and hospitable man who, like his wife, Odie, enjoyed living and sharing.
Submitted by Wm. Kerr Bassett
Letter addressed to Dr. Samuel Taylor Bassett, Louisville University (Med Dept) Louisville, Kentucky
Dr. Bassett was taking an advanced course in surgery.
Madisonville, Ky. Jan 12th, 1854
My dear Nephew
I rrec'd your kind letter yesterday with a great deal of hearth felt pleasure, and that pleasure us very much Heightened by the fact that you are the first of my brothers children that has written me a letter without my first writing them. My health has not been good for three or four years.
I have been troubled for that length of time with coal feet even in the very hottest weather, and a swimming head, but have appeared to be somewhat better for several weeks. I have been (as you have no doubt heard) very unfortunate wth my family.
Since I came to this country having lost your Aunt your cousin William, and your cousin Elizabeth Pearl - no Susan Niblick has been lying with rheumatism for some four or five years. She has not walked a step, and for a long time she has not been able to move an part of her, anymore than if she eats is fed to her like feeding a baby. She suffers indescribably everyday. We have set up with her every night for the last five or six weeks.
Amos has the chills all the Fall and Winter with some interruptions.
The other children that are here are in common health. Elijah had gone to Bracken County and so has Mr. Pearl, Elizabeth's widowed husband. Amos lives two miles from me, James 20 miles, Susan 5 miles, Emily lives with me, Jan 3 miles.
I have not rec'd a letter from any of your family since I have been in this country. About 3 years ago I saw a letter from your brother Wlliam in which he requested my son James to tell me to wrote to him a letter of my own inditing. In compliance with that request I wrote him a lengthy letter giving him a brief history of my family from the time I came to this country but I regret that I have not rec'd any from him since.
A young man from our Country (Mr. Ashby) informed me that he fell in company with your mother last Spring am brought me a very satisfactory account of your family.
I wrote to her shortly after he returned but have not rec'd an answer from her since. I regret exceedingly that it was not convenient for you to visit us before returning to Missouri but would request that you correspond with me and my family by letter and visit us early as practicable. Tell your mother and brother and sisters to write to me and my children, and visit us if it is possible they can, as persons as nearly related as we are should not neglect a practice through whith there is so much pleasure to be dreived at that is not completely in our power.
Your Uncle Affectionately
John Bassett
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Bassett Family Association Database
Abt 1813 - 1864 (~ 51 years)