BASSETT-BOYCE BIOGRAPHY, YATES CO., NY

Copyright (c) 1999 by Bonnie Bunce (bmbunce@juno.com).

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Excerpt from HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF YATES COUNTY, NEW YORK by Stafford
C. Cleveland published in 1873 in Penn Yan, New York, pages 155-159 (as
well as additional excerpts from the other pages indicated in brackets)
in the chapter on the Town of Barrington.

            BASSETT-BOYCE  

    The father of Allen Bassett was Justus Bassett of Connecticut, and his
mother Beulah Tuttle of the same State.  In 1800 the father died in Great
Barrington, Massachusetts, where they had taken up their abode, leaving
their children, Polly, Julia and Allen.  The widow afterwards married
John Boyce of Hillsdale, Columbia county, New York, whither the family
removed.  They came to Barrington, (then Wayne), in 1812.  Three children
were added to the family by the second marriage, Clorinda, Chauncey and
Harriet.  They settled on lot 16 where Mr. Boyce died three  years later,
leaving the mother's oldest son, Allen, the dependence of the family.  He
has therefore had a large experience of life in a new country, and has
borne himself bravely and well in the battle of life.
    Polly, the elder sister, married Hiram Bishop of Hillsdale, settled in
Barrington, and had seven children, who reached adult age and married: 
Sally, Betsey, Louisa, William, James S., Emily and George W.  Emily
married Alexander Patten, and resides at Hornellsville.  They all reside
beyond the limits of Yates county.  Julia Bassett married Orrin Bishop of
Hillsdale, and settled near her mother and brother in Barrington, where
he died leaving four children, Philemon, Mary A., Beulah E. and Harriet. 
Philemon married Caroline Bigelow of Barrington, and died, leaving his 
widow and one child, Charles P.  This boy was a drummer in the 33d
regiment of N.Y. Volunteers, enlisting at the age of twenty, and serving
in the Army of the Potomac, through all its campaigns and all its
principal engagements, until Grant conquered at Richmond, after which he
was honorably discharged.  [From p. 970:  "Caroline [daughter of John W.
and Mary (Shannon) Bigelow] married Philemon Bishop.  They had a son
Charles, who married Lois, daughter of Samuel V. Miller."  From pp.
702-03:  "Lois D. [daughter of Samuel V. (1814-     ) and Adaline (Vorce)
Miller] married Charles P. Bishop of Barrington, and they reside at
Monterey, Schuyler Co."]  Mary A. Bishop married George P. Lord of
Barrington.  They reside at Urbana and have seven children.  Beulah E.
Bishop married Joseph Westcott of Dundee, a son of James M. Westcott. 
[From pp. 1103-04:  "From pp. 1103-04:  "First Christian Society of
Starkey and Barrington. . . . The preachers of this faith have been:  Ira
Brown, . . . James M. Westcott, . . . The trustees, aside from those
already mentioned, have been:  Addison B. Lewis, Allen Bassett, . . .
James M. Westcott."  From p. 1075:  "James M. Westcott, son of Samuel
Westcott and Cynthia Bates his wife, was born in 1809 in the town and
county of Otsego, N.Y.  His parents were natives of Rhode Island.  His
father died in Rushford, Alleghany Co., in 1856, at seventy-five, and his
mother is still alive in 1872, at eighty-two.  They had four sons and
four daughters, and James M. is the oldest son. . . ."  "In 1831" James
"married Mary, daughter of Samuel Burt of Livonia, Livingston County. 
Their children were Joseph B., Martin R. and Ruth."]  They have four
children, Mary, Corinne, Ella and Ruth.  [From p. 1075:  "Joseph B., born
in 1832, [son of James M. and Mary (dau. of Samuel Burt of Livonia,
Livingston Co.) Westcott], married Eliza B., daughter of Orrin Bishop of
Barrington.  He is a lawyer, and now a clerk in the Revenue Department at
Washington. Their children are Mary B., 
Carrie, Ella and Ruth."] Harriet D. Bishop married Martin R. Westcott, a
brother of Joseph, and resides in Urbana, and has two children, William
W. and James M.  [From p. 1074-75:  "Martin R., born in 1837, [son of
James M. and Mary (dau. of Samuel Burt of Livonia, Livingston Co.)
Westcott] married Harriet, sister of the wife of his brother.  He is a
farmer in the town of Wayne, and was an efficient soldier in the Union
service.  He was first a soldier of the 44th N.Y.V., afterwards served in
the 105th N.Y.V., and was 
nearly three years in the organization of the Sharp Shooters.  He took
part in eighteen battles.  Their children are William W., James O. and
one other."] 
    Allen Bassett married Druzilla W. Eddy, and settled near the maternal
homestead, where she died in 1829, leaving four surviving children.  Mr.
Bassett's mother died the same year.  [From pp. 1103-04:  "First
Christian Society of Starkey and Barrington. . . . Among the members of
this church have been the following:  Allen Bassett and wife, . . . "] 
The children of the first marriage were Zenecia F., Palmer H., Julia and
Richard A.  
Zenecia F. married James Thayer of Milo.  [From p. 705:  "James [son of
Simeon (1782-1856) and Elizabeth (Lucas) (1786-1862) Thayer] married
Zenecia, daughter of Allen Bassett of Barrington.  He is a substantial
farmer on lot 33.  They have four surviving children, James A., Emeline,
Laura and Fancelia.  James A. married Alice, daughter of James Lawrence. 
They have one child, Mary A. Emma married John B. Haas, of Sunbury, Pa.,
and has a daughter Eva P.  Mary A. died in 1867."]  Palmer H. married
Susan J. Smith, and resides in Dundee.  They have had two children,
Charles E. and Fred P.  Charles E. was a member of the Brass Band of
Dundee, and thought but a lad of fifteen accompanied them when they
enlisted, and went to Norfolk, Va., during the war of the Rebellion,
where they were stationed as a Post Band.  He there died, and was much
lamented by his associates and friends, to whom he was greatly endeared
both by reason of his personal and 
musical accomplishments.  He was proficient with several musical 
instruments, but his favorite was the tenor drum.  His monument stands in
the Dundee Cemetery, a broken column, with his drum and the flag of the
Union, representing his untimely death and its accomplishments.  Palmer
H. Bassett canvassed the county of Yates for the sale of this book. 
[From pp. 1103-04:  "First Christian Society of Starkey and Barrington. .
. . Among the clerks of the society, Daniel Husted was first chosen,  . .
. Palmer H. Bassett  . . . [served as clerk after 1856]."]  Julia married
Andrew Wortman of Barrington, in 1845.  They have three children, Huldah
A., Eugene A. and Cassie L.  Huldah married Henry Freeman, and they
reside in Steuben county.  [From pp. 748, 750:  "Andrew [son of William
(1779-1850) and Anna (Swarthout) (1783-1860) Wortman] married Julia,
daughter of Allen Bassett, and resides in Barrington.  Their children are
Huldah, Eugene, C. Loella, and an infant.  Huldah married Henry Freeman,
and moved to Urbana.  They have two children, Charlena and an infant."] 
    Richard A. married Mary A. Hendrickson, and has two children, Edward P.
and George W., and resides at Warsaw, Indiana.  He entered the military
service during the late war as First Lieutenant of Company B, 126th
Regiment N.Y. Volunteers, of which he was subsequently Captain.  He
shared the hard fortunes of that regiment through the war, and after the
battle of Gettysburg was Captain of the Provost Guard before Richmond,
where he participated in the closing scenes of the war.  
    Allen Bassett married for his second wife, Jemima C. Mann, of Truxton,
N.Y., and they have eight adult children, Ansem L., Druzilla J., Erasmus
E., George W., Helen C., A. Carlton, Charles M. and Frances A.  Ansem L.
is a fur merchant at Cleveland, Ohio, where he married Angia Cook.  He
has no children.  Druzilla J. lives at home single.
    Erasmus E. was unmarried, and was a volunteer in Company B, 126th
regiment, and fell at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863, at the age of
twenty-seven, while bearing the colors of the regiment, which he had
taken from the hands of a fallen comrade a few moments before, while
making a charge to recover a piece of artillery.  He was Sergeant while
his brother was acting Captain in this battle.  He was buried in the
cemetery of the Methodist Church in Barrington, near his brother George
who fell at Antietam.
    George W. enlisted at the opening of the war in the 33d regiment.  He
was Sergeant Major, and followed all the fortunes of the Army of the
Potomac till he was killed at Antietam, September 18, 1862, by a fragment
of a bursting shell, while making a charge.  He died at the age of
twenty-four, and was a young man of much promise, having nearly completed
his law studies in the office of Judge Henry Welles, when he responded to
the call of his country.
    Helen C. Bassett, born in 1842, is a Preceptress in Starkey Seminary,
and Charles M. and Frances A. are students in that institution. 
Archibald C. resides with his parents.  The father at the age of
seventy-three, is still a man of vigorous habit, and one of the most
useful and respected citizens of his town.  It remains to speak of his
mother's children by her second marriage.
    Clorinda Boyce married James Longcor, and settled in Barrington.  They
had two children, Beulah Ann and Harriet A.  Beulah Ann married Cyrus
Sunderlin, and died in Pennsylvania. [From pp. 1103-04:  "First Christian
Society of Starkey and Barrington. . . . Among the members of this church
have been the following:  . . . Clarinda, wife of James Longcor, . . ."] 
Harriet married Clinton Walling of Starkey.  They moved to Rockford,
Illinois, where she was left a widow with three children, Emma, Sarah and
Clinton.  She is the matron of the Female Seminary at Rockford.  [From
pp. 919-20:  "Mary, born in 1791 [daughter of Samuel and Catharine
(Slaughter) Kress], married Levi Walling of Starkey, and had five
daughters, Rebecca, Alvira, Mary, Susan and Elizabeth.  They moved to
Rockford, Ill., where Mrs. Walling lives a widow.  Leah, born in 1795
[daughter of Samuel and Catharine (Slaughter) Kress], married Jacob
Walling.  Their children were Hannah, Catharine, Sarah A., Clinton,
Amanda, and Samuel."]
    Harriet Boyce married Asa Wortman of Barrington.  They have seven
children, Emily, William, Ezra, Chauncey, Andrew, Charlotte and John A. 
Of these, Emily married James Baskin of Starkey, and resides in Tyrone. 
William married Susan Huson of Starkey, and lives in Barrington.  Ezra
married Mary Horton of Barrington, and died leaving three children,
Samuel, Herbert and Ezra.  Chauncey married Anna Cole and lives in
Barrington. [From pp. 747-749:  "Asa [son of William (1779-1850) and Anna
(Swarthout) (1783-1860) Wortman] married Harriet Boyce and resides in
East Barrington.  Their children are Emily, William, Ezra, Chauncy,
Andrew, Charlotte and John.  Emily married James Baskin of Tyrone.  They
have one child. William married Susan, daughter of Nathaniel Huson, and
resides in Barrington.  Ezra married Mary Horton, and died leaving three
children.  Chauncy is married and resides in Barrington."] 
    Chauncey Boyce married Betsey Bunce of Barrington, settled at first on
the maternal homestead, and afterwards moved to another location.  He was
a man of ability and note in his town, and was Supervisor when he died in
1850.  His term was filled out by Lodowick Disbrow.  His children were
Maria A., John, Edmund, Melissa and Margenia, two of whom are not
married.  Maria married Mr. Fletcher [Heald] of Otsego, lives in Tyrone
and has four children.  John married Lucretia Baskin of Starkey, and
moved to Iowa.  Edmund married Susan Baskin of Starkey, and lives in
Barrington.  They have two children, Francis E. and Helen.  John Boyce
was the first settler where Lodowick Disbrow lives.  [From p. 160: 
"Jonathan Taylor of Barrington is a son of Francis Taylor, who moved into
Milo in 1810 . . . from Otsego county. . . . Jonathan married for a
second wife, the widow of Chauncey Boyce."]  [From p. 932, 940: 
"Elizabeth [daughter of James and Byer (Morse) Raplee/Roblyer, natives of
New Jersey] married William Baskin, of Irish birth, who became a wealthy
citizen of Starkey, and both died well advanced in years.  They had
fourteen children.  The survivors were Stephen, Edwin, James, John,
Daniel S., Robert, George, William, Margaret, Ann, Lucretia and
Elizabeth."]