William Bassett (d. 1667) explained

William Bassett (c. 1590  - 1667) was an English artisan, a migrant to North America.

Bassett came to Plymouth on the ship Fortune in November 1621, possibly as a single man, according to author Charles Banks. During his long life he was involved in many colony governmental activities and business ventures, being one of the original members of the "Purchaser" investment group of 1626. In his later years he described himself as a blacksmith, but Banks indicates that in addition to being a worker in metals, he was also a gunsmith.^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

According to one author, in records of the time, his last name was apparently also spelled as "Basset", and he uses Basset for him in his book. Other historical records show his name spelled "Bassett".^{[3] [4] [5]}

English origins

Nothing is known of his life in England, although he was believed to have been born in England sometime before 1600, and possibly as early as about 1590, since he was betrothed twice in Leiden in 1611.^{[3] [4] [5]} He was a Pilgrim from St. Peter's parish, Sandwich, Kent.

Life in Leiden

At some point Bassett was a Leiden Separatist and was recorded there as a master mason from Sandwich, Kent.^[5] Although some historians disagree, most sources agree that William Bassett from Sandwich, Kent lived in Leiden in 1611 and was betrothed there to Mary Butler, and William Brewster, Roger Wilson, Anna Fuller, and Rose Lisle were to be witnesses, but Mary died before the marriage. He was then betrothed on July 29, 1611, to Margaret Oldham, with Edward Southworth, Roger Wilson, Elizabeth Neal, and Wybra Pontus as witnesses, with their marriage being August 13, 1611.^{[3] [4] [5]}

Life in New England

William Bassett arrived in Plymouth in November 1621 on the ship Fortune^[6] most probably with his wife Elizabeth, although Banks states he was unmarried upon arrival.^[1]

In the Land Division of 1623 he was allotted two acres indicating he had taken a wife before that date. Wife Elizabeth and his children William and Elizabeth were in the 1627 division, but his wife died later.^{[2] [3] [4]}

In Governor William Bradford's Letter Book,^[7]

Notes and References

1. Charles Edward Banks, The English ancestry and homes of the Pilgrim Fathers who came to Plymouth on the "Mayflower" in 1620, the "Fortune" in 1621, and the "Anne" and the "Little James" in 1623 (Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1962) p. 106
2. Eugene Aubrey Stratton, Plymouth Colony: Its History and People, 1620-1691, (Sale Lake City: Ancestry Publishing, 1986) pp. 242-243
3. A genealogical profile of William Basset, (a collaboration of Plimoth Plantation and New England Historic Genealogical Society accessed 2013) http://www.plimoth.org/media/pdf/bassett_william.pdf
4. Robert Charles Anderson, Pilgrim Village Family Sketch: William Bassett (A collaboration between American Ancestors and New England Historic Genealogical Society) http://www.americanancestors.org/pilgrim-families-william-bassett
5. Eugene Aubrey Stratton, Plymouth Colony: Its History and People, 1620-1691, (Sale Lake City: Ancestry Publishing, 1986) p.242
6. Eugene Aubrey Stratton, Plymouth Colony: Its History and People, 1620-1691, (Sale Lake City: Ancestry Publishing, 1986) pp. 276
7. Governor William Bradford, Governor William Bradford's Letter Book) John Kemp (Introduction)