BASSETT-L Archives

From: Gordon <>
Subject: [BASSETT] William Bassett the Pilgrim
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2000 11:24:59 -0600

Here's a clear text copy of emailed
previously sent - transmitted scrambled.
Please review, correct and add to it.
Together we can get a fairly accurate record
of our William.

BACKGROUND ON WILLIAM BASSETT THE PILGRIM
Compiled and edited by Loyal Gordon Bassett
from several sources, February, 2000.

SURNAME
The Bassett surname is believed to be
associated with the English word meaning "the
short man" or the French word meaning "of low
physical stature". The family name may have
its origins in Normandy, France. The name
sometimes is spelled "Bassit", "Bassite" or
"Basset".

BASSETT HISTORY
The earliest Bassett record in England is of
Thurstine de Bassett, who came from Normandy
in 1066, as Grand Falconer of William the
Conqueror. His name is in the Doomsday Book
and in the Battle Abbey Roll. Thurstine
built Beaupre Castle, near Cowbridge in
Glamoragn, Wales, soon after the battle of
Hastings. His son Lord Ralph Bassett was
Chief Justice of England, under Henry I
(1068-1135). The Bassetts of England are
probably descended from this family but we
have no records that show any line.
(Bassett-Preston Ancestors, 1930, p 23)

The surname name is thereafter notable in
England. Another Bassett castle is at Tehidy
Park in Camborne, Cornwall; this line had
large incomes from mining. There are several
villages in England named "Bassett" and there
were many Bassetts who were Barons. Sir
Thomas Bassett and Sir Francis Bassett were
major generals to the King. Two other
Bassetts, Alan and Thomas, were among the
King's counselors at the signing of the Magna
Charta. (Bassett Family book DAR Library,
Washington DC)

WILLIAM BASSETT IN ENGLAND
William was baptized October 24, 1600 in
Stepney, England. He probably was the son of
William from Bethnal Green, England and
descends from this family. He is of the
Sandwich, England and Bethnal Green,
Middlesex line. {"Saints and Strangers",
G.F.Williston, and "The Pilgrim
Reader"}(Geocities.com/~valerie reports his
parents are Walter and Sconsolate Bassett and
was born 1590 in Sandwich, Kent, England.
Sara-Jane Tarr reports under
Familytreemaker.com that Cecilia Light may be
his mother. Also reported birth abt 1572 in
Sandwich, Kent, England by Jeff Manson.)
"… no proof has yet been discovered as to the
parentage of our William Bassett in England.
The Leyden records indicate that he came from
Sandwich, Kent County near the Dover Coast."
(Buell Burdett Bassette1611, July 29, P12
report of the 2nd Reunion Bassett Family,
1898, from Steven Bassett)

WILLIAM BASSETT IN LEYDEN, HOLLAND
William Bassett, a Leyden Separatists, was a
drayman and a master mason from Sandwich,
Kent. He was a widower of Cicely Bassett, and
he was betrothed in Leyden in 1611 to Mary
Butler, with William Brewster, Roger Wilson,
Anna Fuller, and Rose Lisle as witnesses, but
Mary died before the marriage.
"On the 19th of March, 1611, were affianced
Wm. Bassett, drayman, from Sandwich in
England, the widower of Cecilia Light,
accompanied by Roger Wilson and Wm. Brewster,
his friends, and Margaret Butler.' ... the
bride died before the 3rd calling and was
interred April 9, 1611."
(From "The Bassett-Preston Ancestry",
Preston, 929.2 B2948P, Burton Library,
Detroit Public Library (researched June 13,
1998), Records from the City of Leyden,
Holland. From Steven Bassett)

VOYAGE TO AMERICA
William Bassett's original trip to America
was delayed. He was on the ship "Speedwell"
and it developed a leak and could not
continue with the "Mayflower". The
"Speedwell" became unseaworthy and both ships
returned to port. The "Speedwell" proved to
be unfit for anymore sea duty and a
replacement ship could not be found. So the
"Mayflower" left alone in August. The
following spring the ship "Fortune" was found
and hired to make the trip with "Speedwell's"
passengers and others. Wm. Bassett then
sailed with the "Fortune" to Plymouth.
"One (of 35) of the passengers arriving on
the FORTUNE was the much-married master mason
WILLIAM BASSETT who was forced to give up his
place in the original MAYFLOWER to wait for
the next departing ship."
(http://members.tripod.com/~MEJPA/MYMAYFLOWERS.html)

He sailed on the "Fortune" in 1621, arrived
November 19. This was the second ship to
reach Plymouth.
"The (ship's) company included a few more
from Leyden ... William Bassett, the much
married master mason, with his third wife..."
("Saints and Strangers", p 191). "Saints: (9
men, 2 women, 1 child): Bassett, William (c.
1590-c.1655)- master mason, of Bethnal Green,
Middlesex. Married Leyden, 1611, to 2nd
wife, Margaret Oldham; later married 3rd
wife; Purchaser, 1626; removed to
Bridgewater, 1649. (p444)

Elizabeth Bassett arrived in the second ship
to reach Plymouth, "The Fortune", with her
husband, at least it is thought so. If not
she came in the "Ann" or the "Little John"
which came in 1623, in which case William and
Elizabeth probably married on this side at
Plymouth in the same year, for their first
child was born in 1624. (From Steven Bassett)
"On the 29th of July, 1611, were affianced
William Bassett, an Englishman, the widower
of Cecelia Leight, accompanied by Roger
Wilson and Edward Southworth, his friends and
Margaret Oldham." On August 13, 1611, the
wedding bells rang and they were married, the
great John Robinson the pilgrim pastor, no
doubt officiating. There are many who claim
that this William is the same William who may
have started for America with the first
pilgrims, as described in the next paragraph,
and who finally came in the Fortune in 1621.

1620, July 22. Vol. I, P 317 Southeastern
Massachusetts: The author says, "The family
bearing the name of Bassett is one among the
oldest in Massachusetts, as well as one of
prominence and eminent respectability." He
says further, " William Bassett left Delft
Haven in the ship Speedwell July 22, 1620,
and went to Southhampton, England, with the
other Pilgrims. There the "Mayflower" was
waiting for them and after the Company was
divided between the two vessels, "Speedwell"
and "Mayflower", they set sail for America on
August 5, 1620. The "Speedwell" was found to
be leaking and both ships put into Dartmouth
for repairs and again set sail on August 21,
1620. The "Speedwell" again commenced to leak
and with such immigrants as could not be
accommodated in the "Mayflower", about 20 in
all, including Robert Cushman and William
Bassett, returned to London". (Note-the
authentication of this historic event has not
been found.)

1621, Nov. 19, P 127 Bradford History: This
is a memorable day of surprise and rejoicing
for Plymouth for the Fortunes arrives with 35
more Pilgrims, "mostly lustly young men but
sadly lacking in provisions" as Bradford
says. Our William was one of them and if he
was lacking in eatables, etc., he did not
forget his provisions of books, a large
library for those days, which attests to his
scholarly education. Perhaps he had his
blacksmith tools also for this was his trade,
as will appear.

1633, March 25. Vol. I, Plymouth Colony, P1:
"The Names of the Freemen of the
Incorporation of Plymouth in New England, An:
1633, " we find a list of 68 freemen, the
28th name being "William, Bassett." This is
the oldest freemen's list of record in
America.
(From Steven Bassett)

WILLIAM BASSETT FAMILY
Marriage #1 to Cecilia Light (Leight, Lecht)
before 1611 in England
Engaged to Mary Butler in March 19, 1611 in
Leyden, Holland
Marriage #2 to Margaret Oldham July 29,1611
in Leyden, Holland
Marriage #3 to Elizabeth Tilden about 1620 in
Leyden, Holland
Marriage #4 to Mary Tilden after June 5, 1651
in Plymouth, MA

Only children with Elizabeth:
1.William
2.Elizabeth
3.Joseph
4.Sarah
5.Nathaniel
6.Jane
7.Ruth
(Sources: Title: Ancestral File (TM), Author:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, Publication: July 1996 (c), data as
of 2 January 1996, Repository:, Note: NAME
Family History Library, ADDR 35 N West Temple
Street, CONT Salt Lake City, UT 84150 USA
Records of William Spooner of Plymouth, MA &
his descendants Thomas Spooner, 1883
The Family of Nathan Bassett of Chatham, By
Robert Ray King, of Munich, Germany (FTM CD
#117)
(Plymouth Colony Its History & People
1620-1691 by Eugene Aubrey Stratton) From
Steven Bassett

He was betrothed on 29 July 1611 to Margaret
Oldham, with Edward Southworth, Roger Wilson,
Elizabeth Neal, and Wybra Pontus as
witnesses, and they married 13 August 1611.
"On the 26th of July, 1611, were affianced,
and on the 13th August were married Wm.
Bassett, Englishman, widower of Cecilia
Light, accompanied by Roger Wilson and Edward
Southworth, his friends, and Margaret Oldham,
young maid from England"
(From "The Bassett-Preston Ancestry",
Preston, 929.2 B2948P, Burton Library,
Detroit Public Library (researched June 13,
1998), Records from the City of Leyden,
Holland, quoted by Steven Bassett)

He married in Leyden a third time to
Elizabeth (Dexter, p. 165), and he brought
her and their son William to Plymouth. Wife
Elizabeth and children William and Elizabeth
were in the 1627 division, but the wife died
later. Bassett married at Plymouth a fourth
wife after 5 June 1651 Mary (Tilden) Lapham,
for on that date Timothy Hatherly proved the
will of Thomas Lapham, deceased. The widow
Lapham, being weak, was not able to appear in
court (PCR 2:169). Earlier, 22 June 1650,
Mary Lapham, widow of Thomas Lapham of
Scituate, confirmed the sale of land in
Tenterden, Kent, to Thomas Hiland (MD 10:199;
PCR 12:194). The will of Timothy Hatherly
dated 12 December 1664 (MD 16:158-59), left
L5 to the wife of William Bassett, "my wifes
Daughter," and thus Mary would have been the
daughter of Nathaniel Tilden of Scituate.
(Submitted to the Rootsweb WorldConnect
Project by Harry C. Hadaway, Jr.
)


THE PILGRIM WILLIAM BASSETT IN AMERICA
William first settled in Plymouth then in
Duxbury (1638) and finally in Bridgewater, of
which town he was an original proprietor. He
died there in 1667. He was comparative
wealthy, being a large landholder, only four
in Plymouth paying a higher tax in the year
1633. He had a large library, from which it
is inferred that he was an educated man. In
1648, he was fined five shillings for
neglecting "to mend guns in seasonable times"
- an offense of not a very heinous character
- but it shows that he was a mechanic as well
as a planter. His name is on the earliest
list of freeman, made in 1633; he was a
volunteer in the company raised in 1637, to
assist Massachusetts and Connecticut in the
Pequod War; a member of the committee of the
town of Duxbury to lay out bounds, and to
decide on the fitness of persons applying to
become residents and was representative to
the Old Colony Court six years. When William
died, he left books by Robinson and
Ainsworth, a concordance, commentaries,
sermons and religious histories. (Jeffery
Bassett)

"William Bassett was one of 35 who came in
1621, in the Fortune, landing in November.
He remained in Plymouth until 1638, then to
Duxbury when for several years he and Captain
Miles Standish were alternately deputies of
the town to the General Court."
"He became a large land holder and had the
largest library owned by any of the
Pilgrims. He was a blacksmith and "armorer".
"He was a volunteer in the war against the
Pequots in 1637: a member of Captain Miles
Standish's Military Company, 1643."
"He married, probably in England, Elizabeth
(Neil?), who died before 1650, he married
after 1651, Mary (Tilton) Lapham, who was
baptized in Tenterden, England, 1610,
daughter of Nathaniel Tilton and widow of
Thomas Lapham".
(From "History of the Town of Plymouth", Wm
T. Davis, J.W. Lewis & Co.,
Philadelphia, 1885 Page 27, from Steven
Bassett)

On 8 November 1666 William Bassett, who
described himself as a blacksmith of
Bridgewater, sold four lots to John Sprague
of Duxbury, and Bassett's wife Mary gave her
consent, John Sprague being her husband's
son-in-law (Ply. Colony LR 3:66). In his
will, dated 3 April 1667, sworn 5 June 1667,
William Bassett mentioned his unnamed wife
(Mary swore to his inventory), his son
Joseph, and his son William's son William (MD
16:162); the inventory shows an interesting
collection of books. On 2 June 1669 William
Bassett of Sandwich, oldest son of William
Bassett sometime of Bridgewater, deceased,
confirmed land to his youngest brother,
Joseph Bassett of Bridgewater (Ply. Colony LR
3:140). William Bassett, Sr. also had a
daughter Sarah, who married Peregrine White,
q.v.; a daughter Ruth, who married John, son
of Francis Sprague, q.v. (TAG 41:178); and a
daughter Elizabeth, who married Thomas
Burgess in 1648 (PCR 8:6) and divorced him in
1661 after he was brought to court for an act
of uncleanness with Lydia Gaunt (the first
divorce in Plymouth Colony), and the Court
allowed Elizabeth to keep small things "that
are in William Bassett's hands" (PCR 3:221).
On 6 June 1683 Goodwife Sprague and her son
John agreed about land which formerly
belonged to John
Sprague's grandfather Bassett (PCR 6:109).
Ruth (Bassett) Sprague married a man whose
surname was Thomas (TAG 41:179). William, Sr.
also had a son Nathaniel Bassett.
Robert Ray King, "The Family of Nathan
Bassett of Chatham," NEHGR 125:7, has to do
with Nathan Bassett, the son of Nathaniel
Bassett and his wife Dorcas Joyce, daughter
of John. (Note: In correspondence, Robert S.
Wakefield questions whether it was the same
William Bassett in all four marriages, and it
is a surprisingly large number of Englishmen
sharing a name with someone else that was
resident in Leyden, from Steven Bassett)
"On the 9th of November, the "Fortune", a
vessel of fifty-five tons, unexpectedly
arrived with thirty-five passengers, having
sailed from London early in July. The names
of the passengers were as follow: ...
William Bassite (2) ..."Page 34
"Thirty-three acres were granted to those who
came in the "Fortune". ... Nineteen acres,
extending from First or Shaw's Brook to the
Wollen-Mill Brook, or Second Brook, were
granted to ... Wiliam Bassite ........... 2"
Page 39
"On the 22nd of May 1627, it was "concluded
by the whole company that cattle which were
the companies, to wit, the cows & the goats,
should be divided by lot to all the psons of
the same company, and so kept until the
expiration of the ten years after the date
above written. That the old stock with half
the increase should remain for the common
use, to be divided at the end of the said
term or otherwise as occasion falleth out,
and other half to be their own forever." "6.
The sixth lot fell to John Shaw and his
company joined ... 7. William Bassett, 8.
Elizabeth Bassett, 9. William Bassett, Jr.
To this lot fell the lesser of the black cows
which came at first in the Ann, with which
they must keep the biggest of two steers.
Also to this lot was two she goats" Page 46
"The General Court was composed of all the
freemen of the colony. They chose the
officers of the government and made the
laws. The first list of freemen in the
records is found under date of 1633, as
follows: ... William Bassett"
(From "Ancient Landmarks of Plymouth",
William T. Davis, A. Williams & Co., Boston,
1833, from Steven Bassett)

1642, Sept. 27. Vol. II, Plymouth Colony,
P62: The General Court meets to provide
defensive and offensive war on the Indians
under Miantinomo who have been reported to be
getting up a conspiracy to kill English in
the land. Duxboro is represented by Capt.
Miles Standish, John Alden, William Bassett
and five others, Plymouth having only seven
representatives, ... Eight towns were
assessed 25 Pounds 5 shillings for the
soldiers expenses.

1648, March 6. Vol. II, Plymouth Colony,
P182: "William Bassett of Duxbury, Seni,
having presented at the general Court holden
at Plymouth aforesaid, the 4th of October,
1648 for not mending of guns in seasonable
time, acording to order of Court, is fined
for his neglect heerin five shillings'"

"1651, October 15 This is the day when the
Court fines Nathaniel Bassett of Duxboro, son
of William Bassett, "for disturbing the
church of Duxboro on the Lord's Day." The
fine was 20 Shillings or be bound to a post
with the offense posted on the forehead for 2
hours." Nathaniel was 23 years old.
Sometime after 1651 William Bassett takes his
second wife Widow Mary Tilden Lapham of
Scituate. Mary outlived her second husband
William Bassett and appears in the
Bridgewater records as late as March 28, 1690
(Vol. I, P 230L R), under grandson William
Bassett' land, thus: "Imprimis sixe acors of
lands wheare Widdow Bassett now liveth on the
North side of the river."
"1661, June 10 The Court grants the suit of
Elizabeth Burgess, daughter of William
Bassett, for a divorce from her husband
Thomas Burgess. This is the first record of
a divorce granted in the Colony. They lived
together for 13 years but he was not
faithful."1667, May 25, Vol. II, Part 2, P39,
Plymouth Court, " Mary the Relect of the
above said William Bassett tooke oath to the
truth this Inventory this 25 of May 1667
before me Thomas Hinckley Assistant:" No
inventory of land or dwelling appears of
record. The inventory shows four guns at
least and perhaps some swords. At any rate
one of the swords is said to be on exhibit in
Pilgrim Hall, Plymouth.

Genealogy of Wm. Bassett
Grand Rapids Public Library
September 21, 1996
(from Steven Bassett)


>From "Americana Illustrated", pages 275 -
276, Grand Rapids Library
William Bassett - Until his death in 1667 he
held a position for which his birth and
talents befitted him, and was close in the
councils of the dignitaries of the colony.
He was three times married, his third wife,
Elizabeth Tilden, and he was the father of
the following children: William; Elizabeth;
Nathaniel; Joseph; Sarah; and Jane. (From
Steven Bassett)


WILLIAM BASSETT WILL

The Will of William Bassett, Sr
Mayflower Descendent
Volume 15, 1914, Page 162
[fol. 37] "The last Will " of William Bassett
senir exhibited to the Court holden att
Plymouth the fift Day of June Amo: Dom: 1667,
on the oaths of Mr William Brett and John
Cary"
"The third of the 2cond Month Amo: Dom: 1667
"The Last Will" of William Bassett senir
being very weake and sicke and having spoken
to his wife and said wife I must leave thee
but I shall leave thee with the Lord; if God
had lengthened out my life It might have bine
that thou mightest have bine more Comfortably
provided for but it being Demauned of him by
one which was acquainted with his mind about
the Deposing of his estate; whether his mind
was as formerly; That hee would give his
moveable goods with his Chattles to his wife
Answered yea it was his mind; and that shee
should have the house and ground till shee
Died; if shee Married not; and then he would
give it to his son Williams son; and his
tools to his son Joseph; and being Demaunded
about his bookes which hee formerly took care
about; Answered hee could not now Doe it; to
satisfy as farr as we may; prsent they with
him wee have sett to our hand as witnesses to
the above writing soe farr as we know Witness
heerunto
William Brett
John Carey"

>From Al Myers, via Internet, October 26, 1998
()

DESCENDANTS OF WILLIAM BASSETT
Some descendants of William Bassett are
mentioned during this period
Nathan
Nathan Bassett, son of Nathaniel and Dorcus
(Joyce) Bassett, the progenitor of the
Bassetts of Chatham and Harwich, is said to
have been born in Yarmouth 25 Sept. 1677: he
died in Chatham in 1728. He married 7 March
1709/10, Mary Crow or Crowell, the daughter
of Thomas and Deborah Crowell of Yarmouth,
who was born 2 Dec. 1688 (May.Desc.,
vol.9,p.252-253).
Shortly after marrying, Nathan settled in
Monomoit which was incorporated and renamed
Chatham about the time he settled there. A
notation in the Proprietors' Book of Records
of Chatham describes the boundaries of the
property which he bought. Although no date is
given, the entry was
Probably made in 1714: "laid out to Nathan
Bassett a parcell of land to ye westward of
ye Indian Meeting House, bounded east by ye
land left for ye Indian Meeting House, north
by ye highway to a tree marked on four sides,
with N.B. cut in it; thence set S.W. to ye
pond next Harwich then by ye pond to range
set between ye pond to ye other pond, and
then by it to ye first mentioned land,
allowing a highway through between ye ponds"
(Josiah Paine Manuscripts, p.84, in the
possession of the New England Historic
Genealogical Society).
This land lies on the Chatham-Harwich
boundary south of Queen Anne Road near West
Harwich. The ponds mentioned are now called
Mill Pond and Ministers Pond. Nathan died in
1728, as his wife Mary was apponted
administratrix of his estate 27 Nov. 1728
(Barnstable County Probaytes, vol. 4, p.
454). The estate was not settled until after
the death of Mary. Her will, dated 5 Nov.
1741and proved 6 May 1742, lists seven
children.
Source: The Family of Nathan Bassett of
Chatham, By Robert Ray King, of
Munich, Germany (FTM CD #117)

Nathaniel
William removed to Duxbury in 1638. In 1645
he was one of the original proprietors of
Bridgewater which was incorporated in 1656.
He died there in April 1667. His will,
dictated on his death bed "the third of the
second month " (i.e. April), was probated at
Plymouth 5 June 1667 (The Mayflower
Descendant< hereafter May. Desc., vol. 16, p.
162-163). One of William Bassett's seven
children was Nathaniel Bassett, born in
Plymouth about 1628, who married Dorcas
Joyce, the daughter of John Joyce of
Yarmouth. He lived in Duxbury and later
settled in Yarmouth where he died 16 Jan.
1709/10, mentions nine living children, among
them this son Nathan Bassett to whom he gave
a small amount of property.

Page 23 - " William Bassett, married in
Leyden, Netherlands, 1611, Margaret Oldham,
having previously married Cecil Lecht, and
came in the Fortune 1621, with wife, and had
William; Nathaniel; Joseph, m. Martha, d. of
Edmund Hobart; and Jane, m. Thomas Gilbert of
Taunton. In the division of cattle, 1627,
his wife is called Elizabeth. He afterwards
moved to Duxbury, and
finally to Bridgewater."
(From "One Bassett Family in America", Buell
Burdett Bassette, 1926, L929.2 B2948B ,
Burton Library, Detroit Public Library
(researched June 13, 1998), quoted by Steven
Bassett)

William Bassett of Duxbarrow gave his son in
law Lt. Peregrine White 40 arces of Upland.
On 16 June 1565 William Bassett of Duxbarrow,
now living at Bridgewater, gave his lands in
Scituate to his two sons Peregrine White and
Nathaniel. (Mayflower Familes Through Five
Generations, Volume 13, p6).

Wife Elizabeth and child, William 1627, Sons
Nathaniel and Peregrine White had land deed
from William in 1656. Daughter Elizabeth
married November 8, 1648 to Thomas Burgess of
Sandwich. William died at Bridgewater 1667
bequeathed to wife Mary and sons William and
Joseph.
From" Genealogical Register of Plymouth
Families"
R929.374482 D299g 1975 same as above from
"The Pioneers of Massachusetts" plus below:
had children William; Nathaniel; Joseph
married to Martha, daughter of Edmund Hobart
of Hingham; Sarah married Peregrine White;
Elizabeth married Thomas Burgess, Jane
married Thomas Gilbert of Taunton.

From" Genealogical Register of Mayflower
Families"
Grand Rapids Library (From Steven Bassett)

MISCELLANEOUS

William Bassett, an Englishman, married at
Leyden, Holland, August 31, 1611,
Margaret Oldham, previously married to Cecil
Light/Lecht, (Leyden Record). Came to America
1621 on the ship "Fortune", from 1622, he
resided in Duxbury; gunsmith: deputy, Resided
at Sandwich in 1650 (Plymouth Colony Record),
Removed to Bridgewater.
>From "The Pioneers of Massachusetts"
R929.3744
Page 81 (From Steven Bassett)

William Bassett, the immigrant, came to
Plymouth in the ship "Fortune" in 1621. He
removed to Duxbury in 1638. In 1645 he was
one of the original proprietors of
Bridgewater which
Was incorporated in 1656. He died there in
April 1667. His will, dictated on his death
bed "the third of the seconf month" {i.e.
April} was probated at Plymouth 5 June 1667.
(From Steven Bassett)

>From "Plymouth Colony" page 242:
William Bassett, of the Leyden Separatists,
arrived in 1621 on the "Fortune". In the
Leyden records, he is shown as a master
mason, from Sandwich ,Kent, England. He was a
widower of Cicely Bassett, and was betrothed
in Leyden in 1611 to Mary Butler, with
William Brewster, Roger Wilson, Anna Fuller,
and Rose Lisle as witnessess, but Mary died
before the marriage. He was betrothed on 29
July 1611 to Margaret Oldham, with Edward
Southward, Roger Wilson, Elizabeth Neal, and
Wybra Pontus as witnessess, and they married
13 August 1611. He married in Leyden a third
time to Elizabeth ______, and brought her and
their son William to Plymouth. Wife
Elizabeth and children William and Elizabeth
were in the division of 1627, but the wife
died later. Bassett married at Plymouth a
fourth wife after 5 June 1651 Mary (Tilden)
Lapham. On 8 November 1666 William Bassett,
who described himself as a blacksmith of
Bridgewater, sold four lots to John Sprague
of Duxbury, and Bassett's wife Mary gave her
consent, John Sprague being her husband's
son-in-law. In his will, dated 3 April 1667,
sworn 5 June 1667, William Bassett mentioned
his unnamed wife (Mary swore to his
inventory), his son Joseph, and his son
William's son William; the inventory shows an
interesting collection of books. On 2 June
1669 William Bassett of Sandwich, oldest son
of William Bassett sometime of Bridgewater,
deceased, confirmed land to his youngest
brother Joseph Bassett of Bridgewater.
William Bassett Sr. also had a daughter
Sarah, who married Peregrine White; a
daughter Ruth, who married John, son of
Francis Sprague; and a daughter Elizabeth,
who married Thomas Burgess in 1648 and
divorced him in 1661 after he was brought to
court for an act of uncleanness with Lydia
Gaunt the first divorce in Plymouth Colony),
and the Court allowed Elizabeth to keep small
things "that are in William Bassett's hands".
From Steven Bassett

>From "Hudson and Mohawk Valley", Grand Rapids
Library
The first of the name in America was William
Bassett or Bassite, who came in the "Fortune"
in 1621. The tradition is that he intended
joining the "Mayflower" pilgrims, but waited
for his bride. He was an educated man and
brought his box of books with him. He was
freeman in 1633; for six years
represented to the old colony court; help to
lay out Duxbury, and served in the Pequot
war. (From Steven Bassett)

Descendants of: "Pioneer" William Bassett
1 "Pioneer" William Bassett b. 1595 d. 1667
m. 13-Aug-1611 Elizabeth (Neil ?)(Tilden?)
William came on the Ship Fortune; resided at
Duxbury and Bridgewater, Mass.; was a
gunsmith and metal worker. The Bassett
family in Sandwich, England is Huguenot per
Barber's
"British Family Names"{-"The Trail of the
Huguenots...," G. Elmore Reaman (Toronto:
Thomas Allen Ltd., 1963, p.263)}
The Leyden, Holland record indicates that
"Pioneer" William Bassett came from Sandwich,
England, a master mason, widower of Cecelia
Light. William was Representative, 1640-44;
with Gov. Bradford and others he joined in
the purchase of Dartmouth and moved to
Bridgewater, Mass. in 1652. Arriving in
1621, he was one of the "purchasers", first
in Plymouth with his wife, Elizabeth, and
son, William, and daughter, Elizabeth, and
took part in the division of cattle in 1627;
then resided at Duxbury; then was among the
first settlers and a proprietor of
Bridgewater.
"Pioneer" William Bassett was baptised at
Stepney, 24 Oct 1600, per Charles Edward
Banks, "The English Ancestry and Homes of the
Pilgrim Fathers" (Balt.:De Puny, 1971),
p.106, who also states that he arrived in
America never married and married there
before the land division of 1623.
"The Mayflower Planters" (Balt.:Gen.Pub.Co.)
lists William who arrived on the Fortune in
1621 as
married to Margaret Oldham and settled in
Duxbury, an "iron monger from Bethnal, Co.
Middlesex," whose father is John Bassett.
Also see the "Genealogical Notes of
Barnstable Families." (Note: Mary and
Elizabeth are often the same name - Mary
Oldham may be Elizabeth Bassett.) Cf.
"Plymouth Colony," Eugene Stratton, pp.
242-3; "One Bassett
Family in America," Buell Burdett Bassette
(New Britain, Conn.: 1926), pp. 1-10.

Elizabeth: A footnote on "Gen. Notes of
Barnstable Families"
reports "His wife Mary presented the
inventory of his estate, May 12, 1667, and
took the oath required. The names Mary and
Elizabeth were formerly considered
synonymous, and it may be that Mary was not
his second wife." The text states "His wife
was named Elizabeth and it is stated by Judge
Mitchell that she was probably a Tilden."
>From Steven Bassett

Regards,
Loyal Gordon Bassett

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