He(r)man A Bassett

M, #11401, b. 1810, d. 1876
Pedigree
Father*Samuel Chipman Bassett b. 23 Sep 1779, d. 1816
Mother*Anna Harmon b. 26 Mar 1783, d. 23 Mar 1849
ChartsBassett (paternal side) - William Bassett (1)(Immigrant 1621)
ReferenceB64.6
Note DNA proves that He(r)man is a descendant of William Bassett of the Fortune. There are various proofs that Oliver Harmon Bassett is the son of Samuel Chipman Bassett and Anna Harmon and that there was another son of that union. Oliver was married to Lucy Celesta Stanton. Their daughter Semira specifically says that her mother married her father's brother Herman.
     It is interesting to note that someone else also had Lucy married to both Oliver Harmon and Herman.
Christensen triviton@msn.com on an Ancestry tree (no longer there) has this Lucy Celesta Stanton married to both a Heman and an Oliver Harman. 
DNAbassett* He(r)man A Bassett is a descendant of William Bassett of the 1621 Fortune per dna kit #9466 - see http://bassettbranches.org/ and click on DNA Project then the Excel spreadsheet to find see the kit number. 
Birth*1810 He was born in 1810 at Vermont How I chose 1810 as his birth year.
1808 - age 52 b.MA in 1860
1809 - age 15 in Oct 1824 when he chose guardian
1810 - age 58 b.VT in 1868 voting register
1811 - age 39 b.VT in 1850
1814 - official LDS bio says 1814 Guildhall, Essex Co, VT
1814 - per son who says that his father died 1876, age 62
     At one end of the span, we can rule out 1814: We have proved that the date/place of the LDS bio is wrong because his father was never in Essex Co VT. His parents were married in Rutland Co VT on 9 Apr 1809, and moved from there to Ohio in 1814. We *can* safely assume that this is the Heman of LDS history because the LDS bio says that he died 1876 in Philadelphia, and that is also what his son Ralph says in his "Life Sketch". It is very possible that the LDS bio info came from Ralph's Sketch, and equally possible that he was inaccurate about his father's age.
     At the other end of the span, we can rule out 1808: Since the 1860 census has the place wrong, it is probable that it was *not* Heman who gave the information, and that whoever did, didn't know the facts.
     That leaves 1809-1811: If his mother was pregnant when she married, he could have been barely 15 by the time he chose his guardian, or if she got pregnant right after marriage he could have been "almost 15", and as teenagers are inclined to do, said he was 15 when he was actually just shy of his birthday. That is more likely since we have two other records that make his birth year in the vicinity of 1810. This is why I have chosen 1810 as his birth year. 
(Witness) Census18201820 He is assumed to be one of the household of Aaron Daniels in the 1820 census, pg 108a, Mentor, Geauga Co. (now Lake Co.), Ohio, who has 4m0-10 (Oliver & Heman, and two by Daniels) 1m10-16 (Robert) 2m16-26 (Samuel & ?) 1m45+ (Aaron) 3f10-16 (Lydia, Olive, & ?) 1f26-45 (Anna) 3 in agriculture. 
Event-Misc*11 October 1824  On 11 October 1824 at Geauga Co., Ohio, He(r)man A Bassett had the following misc event: Herman Bassett age 15 orphaned chose Sebastian Adams as guardian - SLC film 20250 probate record vol A pg 573 - Sebastion is his uncle, being married to his mother's sister Eunice.
"At a court of common pleas begun and held at Chardon in and for the County of Geaugua and the State of Ohio, on the eleventh day of October in the year one thousand and eight hundred and twenty four before the Honourable George Tate(?) president and Vene(?) Stone, John M Stone, Solomon Kingsbury Esquires appointed judges sitting as a court of probate, Herman Bassett (then something crossed out) a minor orphan aged fifteen years came into court & made choice of Sebastian Adams as his guardian, whereupon the court appointed the said Sebastian guardian accordingly and ordered that the letters of guardian bequeathed to him on his entering into bond of one hundred with Hurcules Carell(?) as surety. On the 16th day of October A.D. 1824 the said Sebastian filed his bond (agreeably to law and the above order) in the office of the clerk of this court and letters of guardianship were granted to him accordingly." 
Event-Misc1830  In 1830 at Kirtland, Lake Co., Ohio, He(r)man A Bassett had the following misc event: ordained an elder in the springtime per Who's Who in the Doctrine & Covenants. 
Event-MiscOctober 1830  In October 1830 at Kirtland, Lake Co., Ohio, He(r)man A Bassett had the following misc event: baptized into the [Mormon] church per Who's Who in the Doctrine & Covenants. 
Event-Misc3 June 1831  On 3 June 1831 at Kirtland, Lake Co., Ohio, He(r)man A Bassett had the following misc event: warned by Joseph Smith per Who's Who in the Doctrine & Covenants. 
Event-Misc6 June 1831  On 6 June 1831 at Kirtland, Lake Co., Ohio, He(r)man A Bassett had the following misc event: revelation taking Heman's missionary calling from him and giving it to Symonds Ryder per Who's Who in the Doctrine & Covenants. Although he was no longer an official part of the church, it seems that he stayed with the Saints, being in many of the same places. 
Marriage* He married (__________) Englebert Check places in Mormon history - maybe they married somewhere along the trail from OH to Jackson/Clay county MO. 
(Witness) History1 May 1834 He(r)man A Bassett witnessed It was in 1834 that Joseph Smith formed and led a paramilitary unit known as Zion's Camp on a 900-mile march from church headquarters in Ohio to western Missouri, in an attempt to restore the Missouri Mormons to the lands from which they had been driven. This trail started in Kirtland, Ohio (left May 1st), and proceeded via Akron, Mansfield, and Dayton, Ohio; Richmond, Indianapolis, and Clinton, Indiana; Paris, Decatur, Springfield and Pittsfield, Illinois; Louisiana, Moberly, and Richmond, to near Liberty, Missouri. on 1 May 1834. 
Deed13 October 1834 He bought land on 13 October 1834 at Clay Co., Missouri: NW 1/4 of SW 1/4 section 9 twnshp 51 north, range 32 west (pg 9 of first plat book) - from several index sources -
"Heman Bassett purchased two lots in Gallatin Township in 1834 and resold them the first week in January, 1835 (39)
(39) Deed Recod Book F, p. 28. The deed books do not contain a record of his purchase indenture, but he sold his land December 10, 1836."
     Note that the deed book and page cited is wrong, see sale entries.1 
Deed*15 October 1834 He bought land on 15 October 1834 at Clay Co., Missouri: NE 1/4 of SE 1/4 section 8 twnshp 51 north, range 32 west (pg 9 of first plat book)
"Heman Bassett purchased two lots in Gallatin Township in 1834 and resold them the first week in January, 1835 (39)
(39) Deed Recod Book F, p. 28. The deed books do not contain a record of his purchase indenture, but he sold his land December 10, 1836."
     Note that the deed book and page cited is wrong, see sale entries.1 
Deed5 January 1835 He sold land on 5 January 1835 at Gallatin Twnshp, Clay Co., Missouri: "Heman Bassett purchased two lots in Gallatin Township in 1834 and resold them the first week in January, 1835 (39)
(39) Deed Recod Book F, p. 28. The deed books do not contain a record of his purchase indenture, but he sold his land December 10, 1836." NE 1/4 of SE 1/4 section 8 twnshp 51 north, range 32 west (pg 9 of first plat book).
     Looking up the actual deeds, the sale is actually in Deed bk D pg 24-25 (SLC 955264) not Deedbook F. -
This indenture made and entered into this 7th day of January [1835] by and between Heman Bassett and Mary Bassett his wife of the first part and Alvah Hancock [same place] of the other part. $53, 40 acres. Heman signed and Mary made her mark. 
Deed7 January 1835 He sold land on 7 January 1835 at Gallatin Twnshp, Clay Co., Missouri: "Heman Bassett purchased two lots in Gallatin Township in 1834 and resold them the first week in January, 1835 (39)
(39) Deed Recod Book F, p. 28. The deed books do not contain a record of his purchase indenture, but he sold his land December 10, 1836." NW 1/4 of SW 1/4 section 8 twnshp 51 north, range 32 west (pg 9 of first plat book).
     Looking up the actual deeds, the sale is actually in Deed bk D pg 23-24 (SLC 955264) not Deedbook F. -
This indenture made and entered into this 7th day of January [1835] by and between Heman Bassett and Mary Basset his wife of the county of Clay and State of Missouri of the first part and Hiram Abbot [same place] of the second part. $65, 40 acres. Heman signed and Mary made her mark. 
(Witness) Historybetween 1838 and 1839 He witnessed The troubles that broke out in Missouri during August 1838 were the beginning of the end for the Mormons in Missouri. By November of that year the general expulsion from Missouri was well under way, and by spring 1839, nearly all the Mormons in Missouri had fled to Iowa and to Illinois. In the spring of 1839, Smith again set up church headquarters at a new settlement in Illinois named Nauvoo.
between 1838 and 1839. 
Census1840*1840 He was the head of the household in the 1840 census, pg 48 #396-4987, Sangamon Co., Illinois, with Heman Bassett 1m20-30 (Hemon) 2f0-5 (Mary & Martha) 1f20-30 (___ Englebert). Where is Madison who would be 6 years old?. 
CityDir*1842 He was found in the city directory: in 1842 at Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, p. 81 – Heman Bassett, housewright, h. Sumner St. (source: http://connellodonovan.com/boston_mormonsA-I.pdf pg 91.) 
Marriage* He married Mary Chambers. 
CAUTION* He(r)man A Bassett and Mary Chambers have the following CAUTIONARY INFORMATION: One LDS IGI record shows "abt 1851" for the marriage to Mary Chambers; another shows 25 Oct 1888 in Manti, Sanpete Co., UT, and a third shows Heman Bassett m. Nancy CRANDALL 24 Oct 1888 same location. While a multiple marriage is possible, he was in his 60's in 1888 so the dates are highly suspect. 
Event-MiscJanuary 1848  In January 1848 at Keokuk, Lee Co., Iowa, He(r)man A Bassett had the following misc event: 1st Monday, first municipal election was ordered. The officers elected at that time were as follows...aldermen... Herman Bassett, from the Second Ward per Story of Lee County Iowa (1914) Vol 1 chapter IX http://iagenweb.org/lee/History/1914/8-9.htm. 
Religion* He: After Joseph Smith died, there was an individual named James J. Strang who claimed leadership of the church and received a large following for a time. It appears that Heman Bassett followed Strang for a short time. Information relating to Heman is found in the Strangite Newspaper, the Gospel Herald 15 Nov 1849 (p. 183 where he is ordained an elder) and 21 March 1850 (p. 7 where he is excommunicated). You note that in the 1850 census, he’s at Racine Co. Wisconsin. This was the headquarters of the Strangite Church until they went to Beaver Island on Lake Michigan. 
Census1850*1850 He appeared on the 1850 census as the head of household, pg 48b #396-418 , Racine District 1, Racine Co., Wisconsin, along with Mary Chambers, Madison Heman Bassett, Mary Kate Bassett, Martha Delsena Bassett and Manton Edward Bassett . His info on the census included Bassett, Heman 39 b.VT Teamster (no land.) 
Census1860*1860 He(r)man A Bassett appeared on the 1860 census as the head of household, pg 78 #688-627, Sacramento 2nd Ward, Sacramento Co., California, along with Mary Chambers, Mary Kate Bassett, Manton Edward Bassett and Ralph Lowe Bassett . His info on the census included Basset, Heman 52 b.MA farmer (no land.) 
Event-Misc*1868  In 1868 at Santa Clara Co., California, He(r)man A Bassett had the following misc event: "Heman was listed as Hermann Bassett in the Great Voting Register for Santa Clara County CA. He was listed as being 58 years old when he registered to vote in 1868, which would have him being born about 1810. He was listed as being born in Vermont in this record. Evidently, the family did not move to Santa Clara until 1868. They were more than likely in Sonoma County."2 
Photo* There is a photo of He(r)man A Bassett As of Sep 2012 the original of the photo linked on this page is in possession of descendant Kay Bassett who lives in Riverton Utah. It was in a box of photos from Pearl Bassett Loggi, Ralph Lowe's daughter - who is now deceased. Pearl is a sister of William Henry Bassett (Kay's grandfather) anddaughter of Ralph Lowe Bassett -oldest son of Heman Bassett.The photo is mounted on a board that says "Philadelphia" or "Philadelphia Studios". No year is visible. Based on clothing and other things, the likely date is 1870-1872. Kay says that there are no other items identifying Heman or written by him. It is thought that the listing that he died in Philadelphia came from the photo - not from any facts. It's far more likely he died in California or Nevada - or even Utah. 
Marriage*27 December 1872 He married Lucy Celesta Stanton aka Laah Ciel Manatoi, daughter of Daniel Stanton and Clarinda Graves, on 27 December 1872 "Dec 27th [1872] my Mother married my father's brother Herman Bassett" - possibly in Lincoln county NV since they were visiting relatives in Panaca about that time.3 
Death*1876 He(r)man A Bassett died in 1876 "My Daddy ... He always called himself 'A Blue Bell Yankee.' He died in Philadelphia the Centennial year of '76, aged 62." quote by He(r)man's son Ralph.
     CAUTION #1: this does NOT necessarily mean the Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. In fact, it probably doesn't. He(r)man was in CA, NV, and UT in his later years. There are the following places in those states with Philadelphia in the name.
*** Philadelphia Flat in Sanpete Co. UT
*** New Philadelphia (historical), Nye Co. NV. Now called Belmont, it encompassed the Philadelphia Mining District.
*** Philadelphia Canyon and Philadelphia Western Mine (aka Kimberly Consolidated Mine) both in Lander Co. NV.
*** Bunker Hill, Amador Co. CA has a variant name of New Philadelphia.
     CAUTION #2: Ralph may not have actually known where his father died. I suspect that in regards to his father's death, he may have heard something about Philadelphia and 1976, done some research and found the Herman who died there that year. Problem is, that particular Herman's middle initial was S and he was age 55 (so born 1821. way too late to be our guy). He is a miner, "nativity" Philadelphia. Being a miner is the only thing they have in common. Ralph has several things in his journal that are incorrect or missing. For instance, he said his mother was born in Kentucky, but three censuses say she was born in New York. He also doesn't mention that his father married again, in 1872, presumably right after his mother died (she was alive in the 1870 census).
     CAUTION #3: On the back of the photo previously mentioned it says "Philadelphia" or "Philadelphia Studios" and the likely date of the photo is probably circa 1870-1872 when he is known to be in the CA/NV/UT area. It doesn't make any sense that he would have gone to Pennsylvania then back to UT to marry Lucy in 1872, so the same Philadelphia that's on the photo, is probably where Ralph got the idea he died there.
     For all these reasons, I'm leaving out a place of death until his death or burial is found
     The Herman who died in Philadelphia is found in the Death Returns and Certificates of Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania (1803-1903), p. 73-74.4 
Relationships3rd great-granduncle of David Lee Bassett
Great-granduncle of Charles Henry "Charlie" Bassett

Family 1

(__________) Englebert
Marriage* He married (__________) Englebert Check places in Mormon history - maybe they married somewhere along the trail from OH to Jackson/Clay county MO. 
Children

Family 2

Mary Chambers b. bt 1818 - 1821
Marriage* He(r)man A Bassett married Mary Chambers. 
Children

Family 3

Lucy Celesta Stanton aka Laah Ciel Manatoi b. 8 Dec 1816, d. 4 Mar 1878
Marriage*27 December 1872 He(r)man A Bassett married Lucy Celesta Stanton aka Laah Ciel Manatoi, daughter of Daniel Stanton and Clarinda Graves, on 27 December 1872 "Dec 27th [1872] my Mother married my father's brother Herman Bassett" - possibly in Lincoln county NV since they were visiting relatives in Panaca about that time.3 
Last Edited5 Jun 2018

Citations

  1. [S1605] A History of the Latter-Day Saints in Clay County Missouri from 1833 to 1837, Max H Parkin.
  2. [S1596] James Jacobson Research Report done by Universal Genealogy Center.
  3. [S1604] Lyman Stephen Wood Journal (also with sketch by his wife Semira Bassett) - 45meg pdf available at http://www.bassett.net/genealogy/Bassett/LymanStephenWoodBio.pdf, Lyman Stephen Wood.
  4. [S1595] Autobiographical sketch by Ralph Lowe Bassett, in possession of Judy Bergstrom.