OUR LINE OF WILLIAM BASSETTS, <1600 – 1664

 

 

A.                                                                             William Basset = Cecily Light

          _______|

         |

         ?

         |

1.                                                                         William Bassett, Sr. = Elizabeth [-?-]

                                                                                                   ________|

                                                                                                  |

2.                                                                          William Bassett, Jr. = Mary Raynsford

                                                                                                                              |______

                                                                                                                                                |

                                                                                           Thomas Lewis = Sarah Bassett

                                                                                                                                               

 

A.                         WILLIAM BASSET

 

WILLIAM BASSET married (1) CECILY LIGHT.  She died and William Basset of Sandwich, Kent, England became engaged in Leiden, Holland to MARY BUTLER of Norwich, Norfolk, England, but she died 19 Mar. 1611 before the publication of the third banns.  On 26 July 1611 William Basset became engaged to MARGARET OLDHAM of England.  They were married 12 Aug. 1611 in Leiden.

 

The above data was taken from Johanna W. Tanmel, The Pilgrims & Other People from the British Isles in Leiden, 1576 – 1640 (1989):[1]

 

-                                Besset, Willem (Willem Basset of the Fortune[?] of Sandwich, England, Hodman, widr. (widower) of Sisle Lecht (Cecily Light), ace. (accompanied), by Rogier Wilson (Roger Wilson) and Willem Bruystaert (William Brewster of the Mayflower) his acq. (friends) betr. (betrothed) 19 March 1611 to Mayeken Botler (Mary Butler) of Norwich in England, ace. (accompanied) by Anna Foller (Ann Fuller of the Mayflower[?]) and Roos Leyt (Rose Jennings nee Lisle) her acq. (acquaintenances).  The bride died before the publication of the third bann.[2]

 

-                                Basset, Willem (Willem Basset of the Fortune[?]) widr (widower) of Sisle Lecht (Cicily Light) ace. (accompanied) by Rogier Wiltson (Roger Wilson) and Eduwaert Sodert (Edward Southworth) his acq. (friends) betr. (betrothed) 26 July 1611, mar. (married) 12 Aug. 1611 to Margriete Oldum (Margaret Oldham) of England, ace. (accompanied) by Wybram Pantes (Wybran Pontus nee Hanson) and Elysabeth Neel (Elisabeth Buckram nee Neal) her acq. (friends).[3]

 

The former record also appears in Buell B. Bassette, One Bassett Family in America (1926), 1, with the further information that Mary Butler was buried 9 Apr. 1611 “as the records of St. Peter’s Church in Leyden show.”

 

The latter record is confirmed by Samuel G. Drake, Result of some Research among the British Archives for Information relating to the Founders of New England, made in the years 1858 – 1860 (1865), 86.

 

Thus we conclude that this William Basset, hodman (a bricklayer’s laborer), formerly of Sandwich, Kent, England, was a widower in Leiden, Holland, in 1611 but we have no data on his children.  The following is based on the assumption that William Bassett (see ¶1. below) baptized at Stepney, Middlesex, England (Fig. 1[4]) 24 Oct. 1600 was a son of the above William Basset who was living at that time in the Pilgrim neighborhood of Bethnal Green, Middlesex (Fig. 1).[5]

 

 

1.         WILLIAM BASSETT, Sr.

 

WILLIAM BASSETT, Sr., baptized 24 Oct. 1600 in Stepney, married (1) ELIZABETH [-?-] [6] before  1623 since William drew 2 acres in the 1623 Division of Land in Plymouth,[7] married (2) MARY (TILDEN) LAPHAM after 1651 and before 12 Dec. 1664, died in Bridgewater, Plymouth Colony, between 3 Apr. and 12 May 1667.  It is not known if William married Elizabeth in Plymouth or before emigrating.  If the latter, she could have been one of the 7 out of 35 Fortune passengers unaccounted for.[8] Elizabeth appeared in no record after 1627.  Mary was a daughter of Nathaniel and Lydia (Huckstep) Tilden and the widow of Thomas Lapham.[9] She was baptized in Tenterden, Kent, England in 1610.[10] Mary’s mother, Lydia (Huckstep) Tilden, married (2) Timothy Hatherly in 1642.  He died in 1664, leaving £5 to his step-daughter Mary, wife of William Bassett, Sr.  Mary was living in Bridgewater 28 Mar. 1690.  William was a blacksmith and armorer.  He resided successively in Plymouth, Duxbury, Sandwich and Bridgewater.[11]

 

It is generally agreed that William Bassett arrived in Plymouth in early July 1621 aboard the Fortune, Thomas Barton, master, and that he was a Leiden Separatist.

 

In the 1623 Division of Land in Plymouth, William Bassite drew 2 acres that “lye beyond the first brook to the wood westward” (Fig. 2).[12]  Today this home lot would be located on the west side of Main Street about 400 feet north of the Samoset House on the westerly side of Court Street. William Palmer (see my article Our Palmer Line, ¶1., to be added to this website) also drew 2 acres in this division of land to passengers on the Fortune in 1621.[13]

 

Willm Basset was one of the 55 Plymouth names in the 25 Oct. 1626 list of Purchasers for £1,800 of all the “said stock, shares, lands, marchandise, and chatles” which had belonged to the Adventurers.[14]  This list was an important one for, in general, these people were privileged above all others in future land grants in the colony.[15]

 

“At a publique Court held the 22^th of May [1627] it was concluded by the whole Companie, that the cattell wch were the Companies, to wit, the Cowe, & the Goates should be equally divided to all the psonts of the same company & soe kept untill the expiration of ten yeares after the date above written:”

6.                     The sixt lott fell to John Shaw & his companie Joyned:

1.  to him                                                                                     8.  Elizabeth Bassett

2.  John Adams                                                                       9.  Willyam Basset Junor

3.  Eliner Adams                                                                   10. Elyzabeth Basset Junor

4.  James Adams                                                                    11.  ffrancis Sprage

5.  John Winslow                                                                   12.  Anna Sprage

6.  Mary Winslow                                                                 13.  Mercye Sprage

7.  Willm Basset

To this lot fell the lesser of the black Cowes Came at first in the Ann wth which they must keepe the bigest of the 2 steers.  Also to this lott two shee goats.[16]

 

In July 1627 an agreement was entered into by the citizens of New Plymouth for a monopoly in the trade of beaver skins and other commodities. There were 30 signers to this, William Bassett being one and William Palmer another.[17]

 

In 1628 William Bassett, William Palmer and Samuel Fuller signed a covenant “between the Colony of New Plymouth in N.E. of the one party and William Bradford, Capt. Miles Standish and Isaac Allerton and such others as they shall take as partners & undertakers with them of the other party.”     [18]

 

On 25 Mar. 1633 “According to an order in Court held the 2d of January, in the seaventh yeare of the raigne of or Soveraigne lord Charles --- the p’sons here under menconed were rated for public use, to be brought in by each p’son as they are heere under written, rated in corne at vi^s p bushell, at or before the last of November next ensuing.”  In this list there were 88 names, William Bassett being the fortieth with a rate of £1/07/-.  Only five citizens of Plymouth paid a higher tax than William.  He also was rated at £1/07/- on the 27 Mar. 1634 list.

 

Under the heading, “the Names of the Freeman of the Incorporacon of Plymouth in New England, An: 1633,” is a list of 68 freemen, the 28^th name being William Basset.

 

On 1 July 1633 the Court issued 20 grass mowing orders.  The one to William Bassett read “That Will Bassett mow at the ende of his owne ground.”

 

On 2 Mar. 1635/6 Will Bassett was one of the jury of 12 men “to enquire after the death of John Deacon.”  They reported:  “Having searched the dead body, we finde not any blowes  or wounde, or any other bodily hurt.  We finde that bodily weakenes, caused by long fasting & wearines, by going to & fro, with the extream cold of the season, were the causes of his death.”

 

On 7 Mar. 1636/7 Willm Basset was listed 32^nd in a list of 123 men in “The Names of the Freemen.”

 

On 20 Mar. 1636/7 there were 36 hay mowing orders issued for Plymouth, Eele River & Duckbury.  One read: “To Francis Sprage and William Basset, the same hey ground they had the last yeare; and that Mr. Brewster have that which was not cutt by them the last yeare.”

 

About this time William Bassett and his family removed to Duxbury.

 

On 2 May 1637 “At a Court of Assistants,” an agreaement was reached, “that the heigh wayes, both for horse, cart and foote, shalbe as followeth :… the heighway leadeing from Xpofer Wadesworths to be continued through Francis Sprague and Willm Bassets, being his garden or orchard to the east side.  Also, we allowe a heighway from the cutt betweene Willm Bassets & Francis Sprage, to goe to Ducksborrow towne; the heighway to be continued from Willm Bassets garden or orchard through John Washburnes ground to Willm Palmer’s gate.

 

“Bradford Govnor, The xxiiij^th of June Anno Dui 1637.  Anno Carot R Angl C:xiijo: William Bassett of Ducksburrow hath in writing under his hand & Seale freely remitted and released unto Mr. Raph Partridg of the same all his Right and title into so much of the lott of his land lying in Ducksburrow aforesaid as is now enclosed by the said Mr. Partridg To have & to hold the said land to the said Ralph Partridge his heires and Assignes forever & to their onely pp use & behalfe.”[19]

 

On 2 Jan. 1637/8 Francis Sprague was fined 6 shillings & 8 pence for beating William Halloway (fined 5 shillings), late servant of William Basset.  Witness: William Halloway (see ¶v. below).

 

On 5 Mar. 1637/8 “At a Court of Assistants, William Basset was deposed to the last will and testament of William Palmer, thelder deceased” (see my article Our Palmer Line, ¶1, to be added to this website).  He had witnessed the will 7 Nov. 1637 and taken the inventory 13 Nov. 1637.

 

On 7 May 1638 William served on a committee to admit newcomers to Duxbury.

 

On 3 Sept. 1638 “At a Court of Assistants, Mr. Collyer, Jonathan Brewster & Wm Basset are to lay out some land grants on Greenes Harbour River.”  The job was reported completed on 28 Oct. 1640.

 

On 4 Mar. 1638/9 “Mr. Alden, Willmm Bassett, and Joshua Pratt are appoynted to view & lay forth Mr. Partrich lande.”

 

On 6 Apr. 1640 Willm Bassett, of Duxborrow, is granted one hundred acres of upland, with meddow conveynient to be layd to yt, lying betweene the lands graunted to M^r Comfort Starr and the Beaver Pond, & to begin at the creeke by the iland of there aboute, and M^r Alden, to be added to M^r Collyer, M^r Patrich, and Jonathan Brewster, to view it and lay it forth.”

 

On 1 June 1640 “At the Genall Court, “under the heading “Committees for the sev Townes,” Willm Bassett and Xpofer Waddesworth were the deputies for Duxborrow.”[20]  William Bassett was re-elected in 1643, 1644, 1645 and 1648.  Capt. Myles Standish served with him in 1644 and John Alden during the last three terms.

 

On 6 June 1643 Mr. David Offley was ordered to pay William Bassett, planter, x^li for the trouble of bringing him to Court as a juryman when no action had been entered.

 

In a 1643 List of 76 Freeman in Duxborrow age 16-60, both W^m Bassett Sen and Jun were listed.

 

On 27 Feb. 1643/4 John Atwood of New Plymouth, gent, had in his inventory “1 broken peece at W^m Bassetts.”  Presumably it was a metal piece awaiting repair at the blacksmith shop in Duxbury.

 

On 6 Mar. 1648/9 “William Basset of Duxbery, Seni, having been presented at the General Court holden at Plymouth aforesaid, the 4^th of October, 1648, for not mending of guns in seasonable time, acording to order of Court, is fined for his neglect heerin five shillings.”

 

On 9 June 1650 Edmund Weston of Duxburrow, administrator of the estate of Tho. Howell, bricklayer, dec’d., sold to John Barker of Marshfield a parcel of land in Marshfield, beyond the South River and bounded “videlect from the marked tree of William Bassetts the Iland or necke of Land lying in the mersh on the south side of the said tree; and the Meaddow Land lying before the said Iland beginning att the homack wher William Bassett leaves; to the head of a Cove.”

 

On 3 June 1652 “Wm Bassett Senior of Duxborrow hath freely given unto his son in law Leiftenant Perigrine White forty acares of upland on which the said leiftenant White now liveth.”  William was the Duxbury constable at that time.

 

On 7 Mar. 1652/3 William Bassett and Mr. [John] Howland jointly held one share as Dartmouth purchasers.

 

On 9 June 1653 “William Bassett Senior, for neglecting to publish and make knowne an order directed to him from the counsell of warr, prohibiting provisions for being transported out of the collonie, is fined ten shillings.”  This would indicate that he was constable of Duxbury at this time.

 

William and his family removed to Bridgewater probably as early as 1655 (Fig. 3).

 

On 16 June 1656 “I William Basset senir of Duxburrow now liveing Att Bridgwater for Divers Reasons …. Doe give up all my proper and whole Interest in my land lying upon the South River …. Unto my two sonnes there liveing viz. Perigrine White and Nathaniell Bassett.”

 

On 12 Mar. 1656/7 “Its agreed upon by the Towne of Bridgewater that there shall be five woulfe traps made & completely finished, the first two traps by Goodman Bassett.”

 

Willam Bassett, Seni^r was one of ten in a List of Freeman in Bridgwater ca. 1658.

 

In his 12 Dec. 1664 will, Timothy Hatherly mentioned William’s wife, Mary (Tilden) Bassett.  Lydia Tilden, Mary’s mother, had married (2) Timothy Hatherly.[21]

 

On 8 Nov. 1666 William Bassett, blacksmith, of Bridgewater sold to John Sprague of Duxbury, husbandman (see ¶1.v below), for £40 four lots of upland containing fourscore acres and five acres of meadow, with dwelling house, cowhouse, stable, barn, outhouse, orchard and garden.

 

On 3 Apr. 1667 William Bassett on his death bed dictated his will (Fig. 4) “The last Will and Testament of William Bassett sen^r exhibited to the Court holden att Plymouth the fift Day of June Ann^o: Dom 1667, on the oathes of Mr. William Brett: and John Carey.

 

On 12 May 1667 an inventory was taken of the moveable goods of William Bassett of Bridgewater deceased.  It was “exhibited to the Court called at Plymouth the fift Day of June 1667” (Fig. 5).  “Mary the Relect of the above said William Bassett tooke oath to the truth of this inventory this 25 of May 1667 before me Thomas Hinckley Assistant.”  William Bassett Junir was appointed administrator of the estate 5 June 1667.

 

Pertinent accounts of William Bassett, Sr., include:

 

·             Robert C. Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633 (1995), 1:127-130.

 

·             Buell B. Bassette, One Bassett Family in America (1926), 1-10.

 

·             Eugene A. Stratton, Plymouth Colony: Its History & People, 1620-1691 (1986), 242-243.

 

·             F. A. Virkus, ed., Magazine of American Genealogy, 25:207.

 

·             Frederick Freeman, The History of Cape Cod: The Annals of Barnstable Co. (1858), 2:333-335, fn. 2.

 

·             Nahum Mitchell, History of Early Settlement of Bridgewater in Plymouth Colony (1840), 111.

 

·             Amos Otis, Genealogical Notes of Barnstable Families (1888), 1:45-48.

 

·             Annie A. Haxtun, Signers of the Mayflower Compact (1897), 3:17.

 

·             Plymouth County Wills & Inventories in Mayflower Descendant (1914), 16:162-163.

 

·             Royal R. Hinman, Catalogue of the Names of Early Puritan Settlers of the Colony of Connecticut (1852), 160-161.

 

·             Charles E. Banks, The English Ancestry & Homes of the Pilgrim Fathers (1929), 106 and The Planters of the Commonwealth, 1620-1640 (1930), 50.

 

The children of William, Sr., and Elizabeth Bassett were:[22]

 

i.                              WILLIAM BASSETT, Jr., born ca. 1624 in Plymouth, married MARY RAYNSFORD ca. 1652, died 10 June 1670 at Sandwich, Barnstable Co. [see ¶2. below].

 

ii.                           ELIZABETH BASSETT, born ca. 1626 in Plymouth, married (1) THOMAS BURGESS, Jr. 8 Nov. 1648 in Sandwich, may have married (2) WILLIAM HATCH, died 1670 in Swansea, Plymouth Colony.  Thomas died after 1687. [23]

 

Elyzabeth Bassett Junor was one of those named in the 22 May 1627 Division of the Cattle (see ¶1. above).

 

On 10 June 1661 Elizabeth divorced Thomas after he was brought to court for an act of uncleanness with Lydia Gaunt.  This was perhaps the first divorce in Plymouth Colony.  The Court decree gave Elizabeth one third of Thomas’ property and 40s worth of bed and bedding “that are at William Bassetts.”[24]

 

Elizabeth resided at Sandwich.  No record of children.

 

iii.                        NATHANIEL BASSETT, born ca. 1628 in Plymouth, married (1) DORCAS JOYCE before 1672, married (2) HANNAH [-?-] ca. 1661, died testate 17 Jan. 1709/10 in Yarmouth.  Dorcas was a daughter of John & Dorothy (Cochet/Crotchet) Joyce of Yarmouth.  Dorcas was born ca. 1640 in Yarmouth, died 10 June 1707 in Yarmouth.[25] Hannah died in 1709/10.  Nathaniel settled in Marshfield and afterwards in 1684 in Yarmouth.[26]

 

On 2 Mar. 1651/2 “Nathaniel Basset and Joseph Prior, for disturbing the church of Duxburrow on the Lord’s day, were sentenced each of them to pay twenty shillings fine, or the next towne meeting or training day both of them to bee bound unto a post for the space of two hours, in some public place, with a paper on their heads on which theire capital crime shall be written perspecusly, soe as may bee read.”

 

Nathaniel Bassett took the Oath of Fidelitie at Duxborrow in 1657.[27]

 

He was a constable at Yarmouth.  He resided there near the first meeting-house.

 

iv.                        SARAH BASSETT, born 1630[28] in Plymouth, married before 6 Mar. 1648/9 Capt. PEREGRINE WHITE, died 20 Jan. 1711/12.  Peregrine was born 7-10 Dec. 1620 aboard the Mayflower in Cape Cod Harbor at what is now Provincetown, the first white child born in New England.  Peregrine died 20 July 1704 in Marshfield (Fig. 6A & 6B).

 

Peregrine’s parents were William & Susanna White.  William White died 21 Feb. 1621 in Plymouth.  Susanna married (2) Edward Winslow 12 May 1621.  About 1638 the Winslows with young Peregrine and his older brother Resolved moved to Green Harbor, now called Marshfield.[29] There the Winslows established what was almost a feudal manor, naming it Careswell, a large estate later occupied in part by Daniel Webster, who was buried there in the old Winslow Burying Ground.[30] Peregrine’s mother, Susanna, was buried there in 1680.  In her later years Peregrine had visited her daily.  He made these visits on a black horse and wore a coat with buttons the size of silver dollars.[31]

 

In the 1627 Division of Cattle the third lot fell to Capt. Standish and his companie joyned to him:

         2.  his wife Barbara Standish                                       8.  Edward Winslow

         3.  Charles Standish                                                             9.  John Winslow

         4.  Alexander Standish                                                      10. Resolued White

         5.  John Standish                                                                    11. Perigrine White

         6.  Edward Winslow                                                           12. Abraham Peirce

         7.  Susanna Winslow                                                          13.  Thomas Clarke

To this lot fell the Red Cow wch belongeth to the poore of the Colonye to wch they must keepe her Calfe of this yeare being a Bull for the Campanie.  Also to this lott Came too she goats.

 

On 7 June 1636 Peregrine White was one of 30 voluntaries to join with those of Massachusetts Bay and Connecticut to fight the Pequot Indians.

 

On 27 Sept. 1642 Peregrine was appointed auncinet-bearrer (i.e., ensign) of the “train band” (i.e., Town company).  The Court had met to provide defensive and offensive war measures against the Indians under Miantinomo who had been reported to be preparing to kill all the English in the Land.

 

On 23 Oct. 1643 Peregrine White of Marshfield sold to Mannasses Kempton of Plymouth land at Eel River given him the previous year by his step-father Edward Winslow.  Peregrine’s brother Resolved witnessed the deed.

 

On 6 Mar. 1648/9 Peregrine White and his wife Sarah, both of Marshfield, were fined for fornication before marriage.

 

In 1649 Peregrine White and William Holloway were indicted for fighting.

 

On 3 June 1652 “Wm Bassett senior of Duxborrow hath freely given unto his son in law Leiftenant Perigrine White forty acares of upland on which the said leiftenant White now liveth.”

 

Recognition of Peregrine as the first English child born in New England was given on 11 Oct. 1655 when “in Respect that hee was the first of the English that was borne in these ptes …… The Court have graunted unto him two hundred Acrees of Land Lying and being att the Path that goes from Bridgwater to the bay adjoyning to the Bay line.”

 

On 16 June 1656 Peregrine received from his father-in-law, William Bassett, Sr., lands lying on the South River in Scituate.

 

Apparently Peregrine resided in Marshfield all his life except for a brief period around 1656 when the above deed places him in Scituate.

 

On 2 June 1662 Leiftenant White’s name appeared on a list of 32 who were granted land “as being the first borne children of this goument.”

 

“According to a graunt of the Court bearing date June, 1662 and by Court order bearing date 1671, Leiftenant Peregrine White and John Nelson layed out one thousand acrees of land, lying neare the Old Indian Way att Teticutt River, about a mile westerly, where Namassakett River runs into Teticutt, and soe runs easterly, marked by the river syde, ten lots of one hundred acres in a lott, running halfe a mile in length southerly, and one hundred lotts in breadth.”  Included in the list of ten granted 100 acres each were Leiftenant Perrigrine White and William Bassett.[32]

 

On 28 Nov. 1671 Peregrine White & Ephraim Little witnessed the will of Ralph Chapman of Marshfield.[33]

 

On 27 Jan. 1671/2 Peregrine White & Philip Lenard (see my accompanying article Leonard Siblings Henry, James, Philip, Sarah & Thomas in America & Some of their Descendants, ¶3.) took the inventory of the estate of Ralph Chapman, Sr., late of Marshfield.[34]

 

When his eldest son was to be married, Peregrine not only deeded to “son Daniel White of Marshfield in consideration of his intended marriage my dwelling, barn, outhouses and lands in Marshfield and a share of the enlargement recently granted, from the day of my decease,” but he also provided for his own wife and daughters: “except I died before Sarah my wife, she may enjoy the new end of my dwelling …. Daniel shall pay to my two daughters Sarah and Mercy White £20 each when they are 18 or marry.”  The deed was dated 19 Aug. 1674 and acknowledged the same day.

 

In 1675 Peregrine’s half-brother Josiah Winslow bequeathed to Peregrine his Spanish rapier and buff belt with silver clasps.

 

Peregrine was a Justice of the Peace in June 1688.

 

He was admitted to the Marshfield Church: “Capt. Peregrine White the first born Child of New England born November 1620 was admitted into this Church May 22 1698 In the 78^th year of his age.  Mat. 20.6.7.”

 

The Boston Newsletter of 31 July 1704 carried the following obituary: “Marshfield, July, 22 Capt. Peregrine White of this Town, Aged Eighty three years, and Eight Months; died the 20^th Instant.  He was vigorous and of a comly Aspect to the last; Was the Son of Mr. William White and Susanna his Wife; born on board the Mayflower, Capt. Jones Commander, in Cape Cod Harbour, November, 1620.  Was the First Englishman born in New-England.  Altho’ he was in the former part of his Life extravagant; yet was much Reform’d in his last years; and died hopefully.”

 

Three autographs of Peregrine are known to exist (Fig. 7).[35]

 

 

v.                           RUTH BASSETT, born ca. 1633-1635 married (1) 8 June 1655 in Duxbury JOHN SPRAGUE, married (2) [-?-] THOMAS, died between 22 Mar. 1693/4 and 1 Jan. 1700.  John was born ca. 1635, died 26 Mar. 1676 in Pawtuxet, Rhode Island, presumably from wounds suffered 19 Dec. 1675 in the Great Swamp Fight of King Philip’s War.  John was the son of Francis & Anna Sprague.

 

Ruth’s parents, Wilm & Elizabeth Bassett, were in lot #6 along with ffrancis & Anna Sprage at the time of the 1627 Division of Cattle.[36] According to Goodwin, Francis Sprague was licensed as an inn-holder in Duxbury.  He continued to be so until 1666, though often before the court.  He killed Hatherly’s mare, beat Bassett’s servant, drank “overmuch,” sold liquor illegally, etc.  In 1669 he was succeeded by his son [i.e., John] who was much like him.[37]

 

John spent hours in the stocks for “highly misdemeaning himself in the house of James Cole of Plymouth, near unto or on the evening before the Sabbath Day, in drinking gameing, and uncivill reveling, to the dishonor of God and the offense of the govment, by his gameing and bringing his mare uncivilly into the parlour of James Cole aforesaid.”[38]

 

On 27 Apr. 1661 Francis Sprague of Duxbury deeded his dwelling house and land to his son John with the provision that John would not take possession until his father’s death.

 

On 3 May 1664 John Sprague was granted also his father’s land at Namskakett (Middleborough).

 

On 8 Nov. 1666 John Sprague of Duxbury, husbandman, for £40 bought land from his father-in-law (see ¶1. above).

 

John & Ruth lived in Marshfield.  In 1683 widow Ruth Sprague registered an agreement with her son John Sprague whereby John acquired a small parcel of land which was formerly his grandfather Bassett’s land.

 

A descendant of John & Ruth Sprague was Sir Winston Churchill.[39]

 

vi.                        JOSPEH BASSETT, born ca. 1635, married (1) his step-sister MARY LAPHAM ca. 1658, married (2) MARTHA HOBART 16 Oct. 1677 at Hingham,[40] died in 1712.  Mary was born ca. 1641 in Scituate, MA, died in 1676.  Her mother, Mary (Tilden) Lapham, married (2) ca, 1651 William Bassett, Sr. (see ¶1. above).[41]  Martha was the youngest daughter of Edmund & Elizabeth Hobart of Hingham.  Martha was baptized in Hingham 1 June 1647.[42]

 

Joseph moved to West Bridgewater with his parents ca. 1655.  He had “sixt acors of upland for a garden next unto his Father running in length North & South.”  He also had 20 acres of upland “being at Mattfield.”

 

On 3 July 1668 it was agreed to lay a foundation for a “Ware to catch the Alewifes (i.e., herring) herein the Towne River & yt Joseph Bassett & his companie is to lay and make the foundation of the ware at Satuccut to catch the Aleifes there and the Town is to se them paid for it.”

 

As a Bridgewater proprietor in 1668, Joseph held right #41 for a planned distribution of land four miles from the center of Bridgewater but the actual distribution was not made until 5 Feb. 1682/3.

 

On 1 June 1669 Joseph Bassett was sworn in as constable of Bridgewater.

 

On 2 June 1669 “William Bassett of Sandwich  …. The eldest son and heir of William Bassett sometimes inhabitant of … Bridgewater … now deceased” confirmed to “Joseph Bassett of Bridgewater my youngest brother” land in Bridgewater granted him by his father in his lifetime but not legally confirmed.

 

On 7 June 1670 Joseph Bassett and Robert Latham were named “Surveyors of the Highwaies” for Bridgwater.

 

On 8 July 1670 “It was agreed upon by the Towne mett together that the Cedar Swamp shall be all laid out.”  Joseph Bassett was one of those who “weare to be paid for their paines by their severall Companies.”

 

2.                           WILLIAM BASSETT, Jr.

 

WILLIAM BASSETT, Jr., born ca. 1624 in Plymouth, married MARY RAYNSFORD ca. 1652 in Boston, died 10 June 1670 at Sandwich, Barnstable Co.  Mary was born 1 June 1632 in Boston, Mass., baptized 17 June 1632 and died 12 Apr. 1664 at Falmouth [see my article Our Raynsford Line to be added to this website for Mary’s ancestors and her second marriage to James Percival ca. 1652].

 

In Aug. 1643 in Duxboro Wm Bassett Jun, age 19, was listed as a male “able to beare Arms.”  He was one of 80 in the Duxboro list.

 

William settled in Sandwich in 1644.[43] He and James Skiff came from Duxbury.  The locations of their houses are shown in Fig. 8 (#10 & #9, respectively).  William was a trader and “licensed to draw wines.”

 

On 24 Feb. 1652 William Bassett was one of the jurors appointed to lay out a road from Sandwich to Plymouth.[44]

 

On 2 Mar. 1657/8 the Plymouth Colony Court authorized “William Bassett, the cunstable of Sandwich,” to confiscate the property of delinquent taxpayers (Fig. 9):[45]

 

About 1661 William Bassett was superseded by Marshall Barlow as constable of Sandwich.  William was fined £10/- “for spreading false reports of the marshal.”  George Barlow had been assessing fines and penalties upon theQuakers.[46]

 

On 2 June 1662 Willam Bassett’s name appeared on a list of 32 who were granted land “as being the first borne children of the goument.”

 

In 1665 William Bassett & Richard Bourne were appointed to “view and purchase some lands desired by Edmund Freeman & Thomas Butler, lying towards Saconeesett.”[47]

 

On 5 June 1667 “Tres of adminnestration were graunted unto William Bassett, Junir, to adminnester on the estate of William Bassett Senir, deceased.”

 

Wm Bassett held right #19 to undivided lands in the town of Bridgewater in 1668.  This right very likely represented a former holding of his father.  The land was not actually distributed until 5 Feb. 1682/3.  Before then William sold the right and it was then held by Isaac Harris.

 

On 2 June 1669 William confirmed land to his youngest brother, Joseph Basset of Bridgewater (see ¶1.vi. above).

 

On 28 Oct. 1669 William Bassett signed a bond along with Syseliah Fish and Stephen Skiffe[48] and on 27 Oct. 1684 he signed another bond with Zechariah.[49]

 

Mary Bassett, widow of William, was appointed administrator of his estate 11 Aug. 1670[50] (Fig. 10). On 9 Aug. the inventory had been determined by Mrs. Mary Bassett to amount to £184/10/-.

 

Pertinent accounts of William, Jr., and Mary Bassett include:

 

·             Charles E. Banks, History of Martha’s Vineyard (1925), 31.

 

·             James A. Rasmussen, Edward Raynsford of Boston: English Ancestry & American Descendants (NEH&GR, 1985), 299.

 

·             Amos Otis, Genealogical Notes of Barnstable Families (1888), 1:45 & 47.

 

·             Buell B. Bassette, One Bassett Family in America (1926), 10.

 

The children of William, Jr., and Mary Bassett were:

 

i.                              MARY BASSETT born 21 Nov. 1654 at Sandwich, married JOHN REDDING 22 Oct. 1676 at Chilmark, Massachusetts, died there.  On 8 Mar. 1670/1 Mary Bassett, Juni^r, made choise of Major Winslow to be her guardian, which was approved by the Court.[51] John was born ca. 1654, died 1716.[52]

 

ii.                           Col. WILLIAM BASSETT, Esq. was born ca. 1656, married RACHEL WILLISON of Taunton 9 Oct. 1675 in Sandwich, died 29 Sept. 1721 in Sandwich.

 

In 1667 William inherited the house and land of his grandfather William Bassett, Sr., in Bridgewater.[53]

 

On 8 Mar. 1670/1 Willam Basssett, Juni^r, made choise of M^r Hinckley to be his guardian, which was approved by the Court.

 

In the June Court 1673 Willam Bassett was fined 00:05:00 “for breach of peace, in striking 2 lads.”

 

Capt. W^m Bassett was in Benjamin Church’s small army which participated in Plymouth’s 1689 expedition to Maine in the French & Indian War. The colony later awarded Bassett £3 for his efforts.

 

On 25 Dec. 1689: “That Capt. Bassitt have 30^s p^r weeke as capt, and 5^shill p^r weeke for his assistance to the commissary.”

 

William was Chief Marshall of Plymouth Colony 1689-1692, representative from Sandwich of many years, Judge of the Court of Common Pleas and Register of Probate.

 

A grandson of William and Rachel, William Bassett, born 23 Nov. 1711, married 1 Dec. 1734 in Sandwich Lydia Smith (see my article Our Fuller Line, ¶5.1.b., to be added to this website)[54]

 

iii.                        THOMAS BASSETT, born ca. 1659, resided in Falmouth in 1703.

 

iv.                        SARAH BASSETT, born ca. 1662 in Sandwich, married THOMAS LEWIS (II), died probably in Middletown, Conn. [see my article Our Lewes/Lewis Line, ¶4., to be added to this website].

 

v.                           RICHARD BASSETT, born ca. 1665, resided in Falmouth.

 

vi.                        NATHAN BASSETT, born May-Nov. 1667, married MARY HUCKINS ca. 1690, died 1736.[55] Mary was born 3 Apr. 1673 and died 8 Nov. 1743.  She was a daughter of John & Hope (Chipman) Huckins of Barnstable.

 

Nathan & Mary resided in Sandwich and Falmouth.  They removed to Chatham about 1694.  Nathan was a blacksmith.  In all deeds he was called “gentleman.”  In 1724 he donated a site on Abel’s Hill for the Chatham church.  His will of 31 Jan. 1739/40 was proven 29 Jan. 1743.  The inventory of his estate was valued at £256/18/8. Mary’s will was also written 31 Jan. 1739/40.  It was proved 29 Nov. 1743.[56]