Obed E. Bassett (1853-1927)

BASSETT

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 11/3/2022 at 22:34:13

Obed E. Bassett
(November 4, 1853 – June 10, 1927)

Obed E. Bassett, who is engaged in general farming in Reading township, was born in Defiance County, Ohio, on the 4th of November, 1853, and is the son of Elias and Jane Bassett, the former a native of England, while the latter was born on the Emerald Isle. The father was a farmer by occupation, and when a young man crossed the Atlantic to the new world. After residing
in Ohio for some years be decided to cast in his lot with the residents of Iowa, and in 1853 arrived in Winneshiek County. He
also lived in Decatur County, this state, and in 1873 was called to his final rest. In his family were eight children, of whom six sons and a daughter are yet living.
Obed E. Bassett grew to manhood in Iowa and in the district schools he pursued his education, enjoying the pleasures of the
playgrounds with all the zest of his youth. The first land which he ever owned was a tract of eighty acres on section 15, Reading Township. This formed the nucleus of his present valuable possessions. As opportunity has afforded he has added to his farm until, he now owns three hundred and eighteen acres of land in Reading township. He has from sixty-five to one hundred acres
planted to corn and sixty-live acres to small grain and the rich soil of Iowa yielded to him a splendid return for the care and cultivation he bestows upon it. He has also quite extensively engaged in stock-raising, having a large drove of hogs, while from fifty to one hundred head of cattle are found upon his place each year. All that he possesses has been acquired through his own efforts and well has he gained the title of a self made man. It was on the 26th of February, 1880, that Obed E. Bassett was united in marriage to Miss Lovina Gammon, of Decatur County, Iowa, and unto them have been born two children, Horace W. and Laura F. Mr. Bassett usually gives his political support to the Republican party, but is not bitterly aggressive. He has never been an aspirant for office, preferring to devote his energies to his business interests. His life has been characterized by unflagging industry. Realizing that there is no easy road to wealth, he set to work to accomplish through his own efforts the advancement which he desired and gradually he has worked his way upward. As the architect of his own fortunes he has built wisely and well. [Source – Biographical Record of Calhoun County, Iowa, by S.J. Clarke, 1902, p.443]