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- The immigrant ancestor of the Bassett family of Lynn, Massachusetts and Salem County, New Jersey, was William, who came to New England at the age of 11 in 1635. His parents, Roger Bassett and Ann Holland, were married in St. Martin's Church, Dorking, County Surrey, England, on 27 Apr 1623. The marriage record still exists there, as does the baptismal entry on 30 May 1624 for William, who apparently was their only child.
After the early death of her husband, Ann (Holland) Bassett married Hugh Burt. The marriage took place sometime after 3 Oct 1628, the day of burial of Ursellah Burt, Hugh's first wife.
Hugh Burt, his wife Ann, William Bassett and Edward Burt registered as passengers on the ship "Abigail" 17 Jun 1635. The family settled in the colony of Massachusetts Bay. Hugh Burt's name is found among the original inhabitants of Lynn who were given land in 1638. He received 60 acres.
William Bassett is said to have married, about 1646, Sarah Burt, the daughter of his stepfather, Hugh. No mention of her thus far has been found in ship passenger lists, nor is her baptism recorded with other of Hugh's children in St. Martin's Church. Early histories of Massachusetts mention the wife of William Basset of Lynn, stating that she was Sarah Burt, daughter of his stepfather. William and Sarah lived on Nahant Street, and this property was owned by their descendants when the History of Lynn, by Lewis and Newhall, was published in 1865.
During the Indian wars William Bassett was an ensign in Captain Gardner's company from nearby Salem. Later he became a captain. For his services in this capacity he was awarded by the General Court a grant of three acres 128 poles of land. In Lynn and Essex County records he was called "Quartermaster". He served many times on the jury for trials in the Quarterly Court, was a constable of Lynn, a selectman, and was among those citizens who signed for the purchase of land from the Indians in 1686. In 1669 he was a member of the Council of War with Major Benjamin Church of Scarborough, Maine.
All his children were born in Lynn, Massachusetts and were all living at the time William Bassett made his will 10 Feb 1701. William Bassett died 31 Mar 1703. The date of Sarah (Burt) Bassett's death is not known.
WILL OF WILLIAM BASSETT, proved and allowed 22 May 1703
"In the name of God everlasting Amen: I William Bassett Senr. of Lyn in ye County of Esex in Newengland being of good & perfect memory & Rationally Disposed And having attained to ye years of a good old age & being very sensable of ye decay of nature & ye many Distempers & Infirmities that do attend my outward (mein?) not knowing how soone my great & last chang may come have therefor taken this opportunity to settle ye affaires of my family & so leave this as my last will and testament. Impr: as for my precious mortall soul I freely resign it to him that gave it & to my Redeemer Jesus Christ which by his precious blood hath ransome my soul from Death. as for my body which is fraile I comend it to ye dust willing a decent Interment thereof suitable to my Rank & quality. Although worms my skin destroy yet in my flesh I shal see God - Amen. As for the disposall of my outward Estate which God of his Goodness hath given me - my will is that after my funerall charges & lawfull debts bee paid I bequeathe to my deare & loving wife who hath bin carefull of mee & industrious in her place for ye procurement of what outward Estate I have I bequeath unto her the Improvement of my whole Estate during her naturall life and all the moveable estate in my house which is mine to be at her disposall - as shee shall see cause: Item: I give to my eldest son willm Bassett all ye housing land meddowes marshes and movalbes within y bounds of Lyn township or Elsewhere to bee at his absolut disposall: further it is to bee under stood that my son willm Bassett is to pay out of such Estate all such Legasies as I shall give to ye rest of my children as followeth: Item: I give to my son John Bassett five pounds in mony: Item: I give to my son Elisha Bassett fivetie shillings in mony: Item: I give to my son Samuel Bassett fivetie shillings in mony: Item: I give to my daughter Elizebeth Bassett allias Richards forty shillings in mony: Item: I give to my daughter Sarah Elwell fortie shillings in mony: Ittem: I give to my daughter Merriam Sandy fortie shillings: Ittem: I give to my daughter Mary Ruck fortie shillings in mony: Ittem: I give to my daughter Rachel Silsbe fortie shillings in mony: Ittem: I give to my daughter Rebeckah Bassett fortie shillings in Mony: Ittem: I give to my Hannah Lille fortie shillings in mony -- and if any of ye above named Children Except my son Willm should then to be divided Equaly amongst them all. It is to be understood that these legasies are to be paid with-in a one yeare after my disease and my wives and my will is that neither str? nor waste be made But to the end foresaid. Ittom my will is that my son William Bassett bee sole Executtor to this my last will and testament. Heare unto I have sett to my hand and seale this tenth day of february in the yeare of our 1701. Sighned William Bassett with a seale--Wittnessed by Before sighning it is to be understood that my son William Bassett is to have my whole Estate as is above mentioned to him & his heirs for ever."
Witnesses: Samuel Johnson, Lois Rogers, Ezekiel Rogers.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1624 - 1703 (~ 78 years)