(1) "Report of the Second Reunion of the Bassett Family Association"- New Haven, 1898, p.12; "Bassett- Preston Ancestry"- Belle Preston, New Haven, 1930, p.23
(2) Ibid

m.1. ELIZABETH ______ (d. before 1650)
2. Mary Tilden (bpt. 1610 Tenterden, England, m.1. Thomas Lapham (d. 1648), living in Bridgewater 28 Mar. 1690)
will 3 Apr.-12 May 1667 Bridgewater, MA

William arrived at Plymouth in 1621 on the "Fortune". He received three lots of land beyond the fort to the west in the 1623 division of land in Plymouth. William was made a freeman before 1 Jan. 1632/3 when the General Court asked the colonists to pay taxes. He was assessed a relatively high tax the first year and a relatively low tax the secon. He stayed in Plymouth until 1638 when he moved to Duxbury. He and Miles Standish were alternately representatives to the General Court.

When a division of the cattle of the colony was made 22 May 1627, the sixth lot, consisting of "the lesser of the black cowes came at first in the Ann, the bigest of the two steers, and two shee goats" went to 13 people among whom were William and Elizabeth Bassett, Willyam Bassett Jr., and Elyzabeth Bassett Jr.

William was on the coroner's jury on 2 Mar. 1635/6 and was on the jury for small causes five times between 7 Mar. 1636/7 and 3 Sept. 1639. He was the Duxbury deputy to the Plymouth court five times between 2 Jun 1640 and 7 Jun 1648 and was on the committee to lay out land six times between 3 Sep 1638 and 5 Oct 1640. William was also on the committee to admit newcomers to Duxbury on 7 May 1638. He was on the Plymouth grand Jury on 5 Jun 1638 and 6 Jun 1654 and was on the committee to settle the bounds between Duxbury and Marshfield on 2 Mar 1640/1. William was also on the council of war for Duxbury on 27 Sep 1642 and was the constable in Duxbury on 3 Jun 1652. William was fined 5/ for neglecting "to mend guns in seasonable times".

In 1645 Duxbury was granted a plantation to the west which was purchased from Massasoit for seven coats, nine hatchets, eight hoes, twenty knives, four moose skins and ten and a half yards of cotton cloth. William and the other settlers had a grant of a house lot of six acres. This area was incorporated into the town of Bridgewater in 1656. On 6 Apr. 1640 William was granted 100 acres of upland from the town of Duxbury.

William was a large land holder and was a blacksmith and gunsmith. He was a volunteer in the war against the Pequot Indians in 1637 along with his son-in-law Peregrine White under Lt. William Holmes and was a member of Capt. Miles Standish's Military Company in 1643.

On 3 Jun 1652 William gave "his son-in-law Leiftenant Perigrine White" forty acres of upland with the meadow adjoining. On 16 Jun 1656 "William Bassett Senior of Duxburrow now living at Bridgewater" made a deed of gift of his Marshfield lands to his "two sons there living viz: Perigrine White and Nathaniell Bassett". On 8 November 1666 William Bassett, who described himself as a blacksmith of Bridgewater, sold four lots to John Sprague of Duxbury, and William's wife Mary gave her consent, John Sprague being her husband's son-in-law

"The last Will of William Bassett Sr. exhibited at the Court holden at Plymouth, the 5th day of June A.D. 1667, on the oates of Mr William Britt and John Carey; the 3rd of the 2nd month A.D. 1667; The last Will of William Bassett Sr., 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 been that thou mightest have been more comfortably provided for", but it being demanded of him by one which was acquainted with his mind, about the disposing of his estate; whether his mind was as formerly, that he would give his movable goods with his chattells, to his wife? Answered, Yea it was his mind, and that she should have the house and ground till she died, if she married not; and then he would give it to his son, William's son; and his tools to his son Joseph; and being demanded about his books, which he formally took care about? Answered, He could not now do it, To satisfy as far as we may; Present them with him;

We have set to our hand as witnesses to the above writing as far as we know.

An Inventory of the Movable goods of William Bassett Sr. of Bridgewater, deceased, was taken the 12th of May 1667, by William Brett and John Willis, and "exhibited to the Court held at Plymouth the fifth day of June 1667... Mary the Relict of the above said William Bassett took oath to the truth of this Inventory this 25th of May 1667 before me, Thomas Hinckley Assistant:... a pair of bellowes, an Anvill, a vice, tongs and hammers and coal shovels, a feather bed and bolster and sheets, one other smal feather bed, 2 pillows, 2 blankets, 4 guns, 1 buggy..." As well as numerous books: "Ainsworth on the 5 books of Moses, a Commemtary on the Romans, a Concordance, a Commemtary, Wilson on the Romans, Mayer on the Evangelists, Rogers, his treateses, Harris on the Beatitudes, Wilson's Dixonary, Ursinus, Knight's Concordance, Madyer's Exposition, 2 smale books on Prelacy, Weams, his explanation of the ceremonial Law, Dike, on the deceitfullness of the heart, Mr. Robinsons observations, a Treatice of precious faith..."(<b1)

Mary appears in the Bridgewater records as late as March 28, 1690, under grandson William Bassett' land, thus: "Imprimis sixe acors of lands wheare Widdow Bassett now liveth on the North side of the river."(2)

Issue-

Ref:

(1) "Mayflower Decendant"- Vol.16, pp.162-3
(2) Plymouth Colony Records- Vol. I, p. 230L R

Additional Source:

"Bassett-Preston Ancestry"- Belle Preston, New Haven, 1930, pp.23-4
The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633- Robert Charles Anderson, NEHGS, 1995
Court Records, Laws and 17th Century Texts, Plymouth Colony Archive Project < http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/users/deetz>

b.c.1628
m.1. DORCAS JOYCE(b. 19 Sept. 1640 Yarmouth, MA, d. of John Joyce)
2. Hannah ______ (d. 1709)
d. 16 Jan. 1710
will 10 Jan. 1709/0

Nathaniel settled in Marshfield and later in Yarmouth by 1684. "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/ or be bound to a post with the offense posted on the forehead for 2 hours." Nathaniel was constable in Yarmouth.

Ref: