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- The Meriden Daily Journal, Connecticut, Thursday, 21 May 1891
Barber and Mesmerist
The Career of Edwin C. Bassett, as Old and Well-Known Hartford Man.
The death of ex-Councilman Edwin C. Bassett of Hartford, yesterday, at his shore cottage at East River, Madison, was caused by pneumonia. He was a retired barber, aged sixty-nine and leaves a family.
It was in 1844 that he first had a barber shop of his own on State street in Hartford, and there he continued during all, or nearly all, the rest of his business as a barber. He was affable and good-natured, and always had a good line of customers. Very early in the local history of animal magnetism (of late years called hypnotism) Mr. Bassett became in interested experimenter in that mystic wonder-realm, and so successful was he that he gave exhibitions in American hall, of the astonishing facts. He had such control over some of his ?subjects? that he could affect them at a distance.
Once, seeing from his shop a many walking along Central row, on the other side of the City hall square, he said to a customer seated in one of his barber?s chairs, ?What?ll you bet I can?t stop that man, now without saying a word??
?You can?t do that, Bassett,? answered the customer.
?You see, Said Bassett.
The man, who was walking unconcernedly along, on the south side of the square, didn?t see Bassett, but suddenly he stopped, standing ?stock Still,? squarely on the walk, to the surprise of other people meeting or passing him.
After keeping hi there a minute, for his customer to see and admit the wondrous power (of mind over matter), and of mind on mind), Mr. Bassett said:
?Now I?ll let him go on again? and lo, then and there, the man who had thus been suddenly and mysteriously stopped by the unuttered wish of an unseen man at a distance, as suddenly resumed his interrupted walk.
At another time, to convince another skeptic, he made a boy at a distance produce and throw a snowball, without calling to him, or even letting himself be seen by the boy ? and there were several such curious instances. Mr. Bassett floored the skepticism of the late David Clark, in one of his audiences, by letting Mr. Clark take two figures out of a number of figures, and then silently willing, from his standing place by Mr. Clark?s side, one of the boys on the exhibition stage to call out the right numbers.
Later Mr. Bassett became an enthusiastic aeronaut. He made several balloon ascensions, some more successful that other, and altogether became quite a prominent figure in the community.
After going out of the barber business he became the traveling agent in the West, of the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance company ? in which business he continued several years, until the state of his health obliged him to retire.
Waterbury American, Connecticut, Friday, 24 March 1865
Life Insurance
We learn that the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Co., of Hartford, have appointed Mr. E.C. Bassett their Special Agent for this State. The appointment is a good one, as he is a gentleman well versed in the business of Life Insurance, and will represent the largest and best Company in the world. The Company commenced business in 1847, without any capital. At present its assets amount to over $7,000,000, being an increase of a million and a quarter in one year, and it has, since its organization, paid losses to the amount of $4,000,000, and dividends to the extent of $3,000,000. It issued during the year 1864, 9,000 policies ? the largest number, it is believed, ever issued by a Life Company, within one year. The receipts of the Company, in premiums, were over $2,000,000, and its receipts, in interest, were $626,339.95. Its whole number of policies now in force is 28.896, the largest of any company in existence. It has paid to policy holders an average annual dividend of Fifty per cent. for nineteen years. This is a record of unexampled prosperity which its own activity and enterprise has secured. Mr. Bassett is now in Waterbury, and will remain for a few days for the purpose of receiving new members, and all who wish to secure the benefit of Life Insurance on the Mutual plan, will do well to avail themselves of this opportunity. He may be found at the Scovill House.
1850 Federal Census of Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut (19 Sep 1850)
Edwin C. Bassett 28 M Massachusetts Barber
Caroline M. 28 F Connecticut
Lucinda Hubbard 50 F Connecticut 1500
Julia C. Bassett 4 F Connecticut
Mary J. 7/12 F Connecticut
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Bassett Family Association Database
1822 - 1891 (69 years)