A Genealogy Report For WILLIAM M BASSETT - INGenWeb

William M Bassett Direct Relations
- Mary E., wife, age 72, {1848} born Indiana, father born IN, mother born Ohio.
Living on Buckeye St, Bloomfield, Davis,Iowa. Roll: T625_485 Page: 18A ED: 1 Image: 0884 Roll T625-485, page 18A.
{Note: TJ Walker family lived at Locust & Buckeye.}
1930 US Census
William M Bassett, Gender: Male, Age: 78 Marital Status: Married, Race: White, Birthplace: Indiana, Estimated Birth
Year: 1852 Immigration Year: , Relationship to Head of Household: Head Father's Birthplace: Indiana Mother's Birthplace:
Ohio. Military Service: NO. Owns home value:$2000, Age at first marriage: 22. Parents' birthplace: IN/OH. Owned a
radio: NO, can read & write.
- Jennie Bassett, Gender: Female, Age: 75, Marital Status: Married, Race: White, Birthplace: Iowa, Estimated Birth Year:
1855, Immigration Year: ,Relationship to Head of Household: Wife, Father's Birthplace: Tennessee, Mother's Birthplace:
Tennessee. First maried at 22.
Event: CENSUS Event Date: 1930 Event Place: Bloomfield, Davis, Iowa. 408 South buckeye, Bloomfield, Davis, Iowa; Roll:
T626_651; Page: 10B; Enumeration District: 20; Image: 0647. Taken 16 April 1930. [Question as to where the middle
initial M came from?]
Enumeration District Number: 20 Family Number: 323 Sheet Number and Letter: 10B Line Number: 90 NARA Publication:
T626, roll 651 Film Number: 2340386 Digital Folder Number: 4584395 Image Number: 00650.
BIOGRAPHY:
1. Family lived for 4 years [ca 1875-1879] in Mercer County MO, moved to Davis County IA in 1879,
and to Bloomfield, Davis County, in 1903. They were farmers.
2. Note from Blanche Battin/JOHNSON, about 1988: "They (William & Priscilla BASSETT) farmed (I think in Davis
County). Lived 4 years in Mercer Co., came to Davis Co. 1879 and to Bloomfield 1903. Priscilla had asthma, which Ora
inherited, as did Lolla, altho she did not have [line ends...] After Priscilla died Wm married again three times. The first
marriage did not work out and he lost considerable money during it. The second marriage was to a comfortable
grandmotherly woman I knew as "grandmother". The last time was to have someone to take care of him. I remember him as
a nice fellow with white hair who had a big vegetable & strawberry garden."
3. Member of the Wesley Chapel M.E. Church, along with Lewis BOWLING, Nathen PUFFER,; Lewis, Uriah, Amos, Josiah,
and Mell ROIMNGER; William M. MILLSAP, A.K. DUCKWORTH.
http://iagenweb.org/davis/Newsletter/Vol_XX_No_4.pdf
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~iabiog/davis/d1882/d1882-b.htm#Bassett,%20W.%20M.
History of Davis County, Iowa.
Bassett, W. M., farmer, section 9, postoffice Bloomfield; was born in Ripley county, Ind., March 29, 1851. When he was three
years old his father, William, came to Lyon county, Iowa, where he grew to manhood on a farm and was educated in the
common schools and Cornell College. In 1874, he went to Mercer county, Mo., and in 1878, settled on his present farm in
this county, where he owns 145 acres of well improved land, a comfortable house surrounded with evergreens, a large barn
and orchard of eight acres, with a great variety of small fruits. He was married April 15, 1873, to Miss Princilla H. Puffer of
Linn county, daughter of Chas. Puffer, Esqr. They have two children: Ora B. and Frank L. In politics Mr. B. is a
greenbacker. He is a genial man and highly thought of. [Note: Wrtiten prior to 1884 birth of son - Austin Edwin Bassett]
BIOGRAPHY:
HISTORY: Linn County, Iowa From the A.T. Andreas Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa, 1875 *Copyright. All
rights reserved.LINN COUNTY The surface of the country in Linn County is undulating, and, like Jones County, is broken
into low, conical hills, with intersecting valleys running in every direction, while the general inclination is to the southeast
and south, the water-shed being near the south bank of the Wapisinicon River, and extending nearly parallel with it. The soil
is good, the whole county well watered, and the climate conducive to health. Well water is peculiarly pure and sparkling. The
people are cheerful, busy and properous. [sic] All professions are well sustained, and industry is well rewarded. EARLY
SETTLEMENT The first cabin within the limits of Linn County was built by John Mann, in Linn Grove, on what is known as
Upper Big Creek, in February, 1838. It is said (though disputed by some) that he was the first white settler.
RESOURCES There is but very little waste land in Linn County. The soil is exceedingly fertile being of a rich, dark sandy
loam, and of great depth. Corn, oats, wheat and potatoes are good crops – some of them superior, - while no country is
better for grazing. Tobacco, sweet potatoes, grapes and sorghum are cultivated to a considerable extent. Fruits are good,
especially the small fruits and berries. Apple trees do not do so well, but we believe the difficulty is not in the soil, nor in the
climate, but in making a wrong selection of the kind of fruit trees, and with not raising them from the seed without
transplanting, and then grafting upon the undisturbed stalk. Linn County annually exports a large quantity of wheat, corn,
flaxseed, oats, barley, pork, wool, hides, beef, etc. The timber is more abundant than in most prairie counties, and it is of a
superior quality. Nearly one-third of the county is covered with beautiful groves of hickory, oak, walnut, sugar maple, linn,
elm, ash and other kinds of salable timber for manufacturing purposes and for fuel. Clay exists in various parts sufficient to
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