| Notes |
- He worked at his trade of carpenter in many places including Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa and Belvidere, Illinois, In 1857 he moved to Iowa and settled on a farm. In 1864 he sold his farm and moved to Waverly, Illinois. At Waverly, he engaged in the hardware and iron trade for two years. In 1867 he was employed by the Cedar Falls and Minnesota Railroad (now known as the Illinois Central RR) constructing bridges. In 1868 and 1869, he built grain elevators at different towns along the railroad. From 1870-1880 he followed the building trade. In 1882, he took a trip through the Dakotas. In Hand County, South Dakota, he secured "a claim" of 160 acres of government land, built a shack and lived there for 7 months on the wild prarie. His only neighbors were coyotes and wild animals. In 1884, he secured a title to his claim from the government which was signed by Grover Cleveland. From 1872 to 1876 he served as Aldermand from the Third Ward of Waverly. He was a member of the following: Tyrell Lodge, No. 116, A.F.& M. at Waverly; 1864 became a member of Jethro Chapter, No. 24, Royal Arch Masons of Waverly; early 1870 joined Baldwin Commandery, "Knights Templars" at Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County, Iowa. He served in appointive and elective offices in the first two orders mentioned above. As of 1901, his widow and children were residing in Waverly, Iowa.
|
Bassett Family Association Database
