BASSETT, William Henry

Notes:

Charles Henry II and William Henry Bassett filed claims on the Trout Creek area, the original cabin of Charles Henry II being the site of the Rex Bassett home. William Henry succeeded Mr. Lusher as postmaster and built the general merchandise store. The four brothers, along with a fifth, Fred, ran a stage coach line from Beaver Canyon to Yellowstone Park, called the Gentile Valley-Oneida County Stage and Express for the first few of these early years when the homesteads weren't too profitable. But relative posperity must have come as exhibited by the homes the brothers built. Mary Ellen, sister of William, was a schoolteacher and was persuaded to come to teach school in Lago, especially since her husband, Lorenzo Barnes Rodeback had come to build their homes. They bought a section of property from Joseph Wright and moved their family from Cedar Fort, Utah.

Charles II and William Bassett were the only two who stayed and lived out their lives in Lago. They were half brothers, Charles being the son of Permelia Mindwell Dayton, first wife of Charles Henry Bassett I: William was the son of Mary Knight, second wife.

William Henry was born in Salt Lake City on 14 March 1858. At the age of eighteen he was sent to Cedar Fort, Utah to manage the Z.C.M.I. store. It was there he met the twin daughters of Bishop Cook. Janette and Marette . He courted Marette and married her on 2 October 1876.They were the parents of seven children, Lutie, Grantley, Harry, and Clarence born in Cedar Fort; Sophoronia, Ross, and Adelia were born in Lago, Idaho

In 1881 Will and his brothers started operations of a stage freight line from Beaver Canyon (near Spencer Idaho) to Yellowstone Park and other places. The family spent their summers in the park and the winters in Cedar Fort until the Bassett Brothers homesteaded in Lago, Then they would spend their winters there.

In the spring they would round up their horses, which were around 60 head, and take their families and travel to the Park for the summer. Their home in Beaver Canyon was so near the railroad tracks that the house would shake and rumble when a train went by.

William H Bassett with his brothers Charles H Bassett Jr, and C.J. Bassett continued to operate this stage line until about 1889 at which time they disposed of the business.

Until the time of his death Mr. Bassett gave his whole time to his farming and stock raising operations in Gentile Valley which he had established and built up along with the stage and freight business at Beaver Canyon.

Some years after closing his business at Beaver Canyon, Mr Bassett established a general merchantise Store at Lago in Gentile Valley. After the Bassett Store was built the post office was moved from the Lusher home to the store. The store and post office were somewhat of a community center for this rural section and his home a large factor in the community social life.
Mr Bassett passed away on December 29, 1929 following an automobile accident. He was buried in the Lago Cemetery.

Marette was very active in community and church affairs. She was an accomplished seamstress and did exceptionally fine handwork. She loved sewing for others. She made beautiful wedding gowns for her two oldest daughters, Sophronia and Lutie. She also gave very freely of her time in helping other members of her family.

She passed away on 10 May 1931. She was buried by her husband in the Lago cemetery.

Gems of Our Valley 1977 pg 339-340

William married COOK, Marette (Twin) on 2 Oct 1876 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Ut. Marette (daughter of COOK, Henry Freeman and STROBRIDGE, Sophronia) was born on 17 Mar 1856 in Cedar Forte, Utah, Ut; died on 10 May 1931 in Lago, Caribou, Id; was buried on 13 May 1931 in Lago Cemetary, Caribou, Id. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Lutie Marette was born Aug. 1877 at Cedar Fort, Utah, now kmown as Cedar Valley. She was born in the home of her grandfather, Bishop Henry Freeman Cook. Brigham Young had sent H.F. Cook from SLC to serve as bishop, which he did from 1861 to 1881.
Her father William H. Bassett was sent there to manage a store for Z.C.M.I. It was here that he met the twin daughters of Bishop Cook, Janette and Marette. He courted Marette and married her Oct.7, 1876. Lutie is the oldest of their 7 children.

In those days there were many Indian scares. A rock fort was built for protection of the saints. It was about a half-acre square and the wall was wide enough for a steer to walk on top. The church was inside and provisions were stored and kept replentished for emergency use. She doesn't remember having to go there for protection herself but remembers her mother telling of being snatched up on the middle of the night and carried into the fort after the town had been warned the Indians were on the war-path.

When she was about four years old, her father and his brothers started operating a stage and freight line from Beaver Canyon (near Spencer, Idaho) to Yellowstone Park and other places. Summers were spend in the Park and winters in Cedar Fort.

The Bassett brothers homesteaded land in Lago, Idaho. When she was seven, her father moved his family to Lago and they spent a few more summers in the Park and winters in Lago. In the spring, Lutie's father along with others would round up their horses, which were around sixty head, and take their families and travel to Yellowstone for the summer. Their home in Beaver Canyon was so near the railroad tracks that the house would shake and rumble when a train went by.

Indians were also present in the Park, but they were not hostile. Lutie remembers one evening when her father was away and her mother was watching the children play, they looked up and was an Indian with his face pressed against the window pane. They looked at their mother but she showed not a sign of fear so they went on about their play as if nothing had happened. They had been taught to do this and when their mother seemed unafraid they thought there was nothing to be afraid of. However, experiences with the Indians in Cedar Fort had made them apprehensive and she remembers her mother always kept a pistol hearby and slept with it under her pillow when her father was away.

When wash day came along, they would take their clothes and tubs and soap to the hot springs to wash. The children went swimming in the warm pools while the folks did the washing in the varied degrees of water from warm to boiling. While the clothes were drying, the families sat in the shade of trees and ate their lunch.

Horse back riding was a pleasant pastime. She remembers her father and mother galloping down the road lined with stately pines. What a striking couple they were, mounted on beautiful horses - mother in fancy riding habit riding side saddle.

When it came time for school days, the family remained in Lago. Summers were spend attending the "Winn Elliott School" located on Whiskey Creek. With her two cousins, Don and Hattie Bassett, she walked three miles to school - occasionally the three rode Don's old black horse, Billy. Don took delight in tormenting the girls by going up the steepest banks and down the steepest hills. One day Billy surprised Don by putting his head down and they all went tumbling off head first.

As Lutie grew older and anyone needed help, they would call on Lutie. She spent two summers in Bear Lake helping her mother's sister, Aunt Hannah Quayle, cook for haymen. In those days they had a large crew of men for all three meals.

When she was sixteen, she went to Salt Lake City and helped her Aund Nett with her large family and attended school two winters. She passed the entrance exams to the University of Utah. All arrangements were made to enter when word came from her father that her mother was ill and she was needed at home. She came home by train to Franklin where a railroad stopped. She was met there by her father with a team and wagon.

The next year Lutie, Don and Hattie attended the A.C. at Logan. Lutie studied teacher training and received her certificate.

Again someone needed help so she packed her clothes and was off to Pocatello to help Aunt Holly with her newly born twin boys, Red and Willis.

Now it is 1899 and Lutie is a school teacher. she taught in Lago four years, Grace one year, and Cleveland two years. When she was teaching in Cleveland, her future husband came for her every Friday night with a fancy high-spirited team and a little black topped buggy. As they forded the river going to and from Cleveland, she recalls water running in the bottom of the buggy and they lifted their feet to keep them dry. The salary was thirty-five dollars a month. Twelve went for board and room. One year she received fort-five dollars per month and she made the down payment on her father's first white-topped buggy. She also bought a rocking chair for her mother shich is in her possions today. About this time, she homesteaded a place which is now the Ziegler place.

Her parents decided to wait until she was old enough to make up her own mind about joining the church. Therefore she was twenty years old when she was baptized in Trout Creek by Willard Hubbard and Jonathon Gibbs. Soon after this, she started work in the MIA. She was president for twelve years. She also worked on the Stake board. They traveled as far as Ivans with team and buggy to make their stake visits.

What a beautiful and happy bride Lutie made. She and Hiram Swenson were married at the home of the bride's parents, by the bride's father who was Justice of the Peace, on the 23rd day of April, 1901. Her mother made her wedding dress. It was a heavy brocaded silk with basque waist, leg-o'-mutton sleeves and a high collar trimmed with ruching.

The first year they lived at Joe Swensen's where on July 24, twins, a boy and a girl, were born prematurely and died. Later they lived on the corner where Oleorenshaws lived. They then built their own home over the hill on Whiskey Creek. It was a four room home built by Barnes Redeback, an uncle of Lutie's. Three children were born there, Nola Jenkins, Lorette Hansen, and Raymond Swensen.

When their oldest daughter was old enough to go to school they would put her on the old white horse and send her up over the hill to school three miles away. What a relief it was to Lutie when sh would finally see the horse's ears come up over the hill in the afternoom bringing her daughter home from school.

Around 1911 they bought the Lusher place and moved over on the east side of the hill. After a few years in the Lusher house, they decided to move the home from whickey creek over the hill. THis was accomplished with hard wood rollers on a track pulled by one horse on a stump puller. On the steeper places of the hill, they applied brakes by tieing wagon loads of rocks to the house. Then the house was on top of the ill everyone was invited to a very enjoyable party. They accomplished the task of moving the house without breaking a window or even cracking the plaster. Hitt Rodeback, son of the man who build the house, was the instigator of the moving plan.

When Lorette was ready for high school, Lutie moved to Logan with her three children. In the summer of 1924, she renewed her teachers certificate and taught school in Lago for two years. In 1929, her father died and Lutie and her husband took over the store and post office which her father had run for a long time. Her husband was appointed postmaster and she assistant postmistress. Over the years, her father had collected many many things which were stored in the basement of the store. The following spring they held a gigantic sale. What a sale it was! People came from all over the country and were not disappointed. There were hundreds of yards of materials - laces, bolts of ribbon, shoes, socks, underwear, and barrels of dishes of all kinds.

March 17, 1932 was a day of sorrow for her family because her husband passed away. He died on Thursday and was buried on Sunday. Then it seemed as if fate had more hardship in store for because her home burned down on Monday. All that was saved were the clothes they had on, a cedar chest, and her father's rocking chair. Then she moved into part of her parent's old home,which was now her sister Adelia's home. She lived there two years then built a new home where the old one had been. She and Raymond and his family lived here. She also build a small post office and moved everything up near her home.

As time went on, happy days were again Lutie's. On November 20, 1942, she married Alfred Hansen. She sold the store to Raymond and moved the postoffice back to Alfred's house. She and Alfred ran the post office. She retired in 1947, then Alfred became postmaster until the Lago office was discontinued.

She had six children, three now living; thirteen grandchidren, ten great grandchildren, five step-children and thirteen step-grandchildren.

What a beautiful life, all the ideals of womanhood have been so beautifully exemplified.


(This article was written by Lutie as her life history in order to be placed in a book of rememberance - She did not know at the time that the real purpose her daughter had in mind was for a M.I.A. program "This Is Your Life". The article was placed in the Grace Herald Thurdsay, March 1, 1956. Lutie passed away March 11, 1957.)

SLGC: NOTE BIC

Lutie married Swensen, Hyrum on 23 Apr 1901 in Lago, Bannock, ID. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Lutie married HANSEN, Alfred Peter on 10 Nov 1942. Alfred (son of HANSEN, Lars Peter Fredrick Hiram and MICKELSEN, Dorthea) was born on 30 Nov 1896 in Lago, Bannock(Caribou), Id, USA; died on 28 Jan 1983 in Soda Springs, Caribou, Idaho; was buried on 1 Feb 1983 in Lago Cemetary, Caribou, Id. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Harry married GARDNER, Matilda Mae on 4 Jan 1906 in Mendon, Cache, UT. Matilda was born on 21 Jul 1879 in Mendon, Cache, Ut; died on 8 Feb 1962 in City Cemetary, Pocatello, Bannock, Id; was buried on 11 Feb 1962 in City Cemetary, Pocatello, Bannock, Id. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

James married Becksted, Margaret on 6 Aug 1915 in Lago, Bannock, Idaho. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Sophronia married Harris, Byron Mcgee on 23 Feb 1910. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Roscoe married Critchlow, Inez on 10 Dec 1913. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

As a distinct shock to residents of the entire valley came the news of the death of Mrs. Adelia Bassett Hansen, wife of Alfred Hansen, who succumbed Friday morning at 3am in the Caribou County Hospital following major surgery at 8am.

Mrs Hansen was born at Lago September 3, 1894, a daughter of William Henry and Marrett Cook Bassett.

She attended grade school at Lago and High school at Thatcher. She also attended Idaho Tech, now the University of Idaho South at Pocatello, one year. She clerked in her fathers store for 8 years and was cashier in the Keith O'Brien store in SLC for 2 years. She organized the first girls basketball team in Lago which team was not defeated for 2 years. In Aug 1918 (error) she married Alfred P. Hansen and has made her home in Lago since. She served as president, counseler, and secretary of the Lago ward relief society, a sunday school teacher and secretary of the HYN club.

Bud (Clarence) remembers: Ma was about 5'6" of slim build, never put on much weight, maybe because she had to work so hard, packing water, washing clothes in the old fashion hand washers, feeding hired men. We had a big garden and she canned the produce. No electricity until 1929. Just can remember living in the "old Morehead" place up at the saw mill site on the hill in Lago. Then Dad rented and ran the WH Bassett place (grandpa's) and moved into their home. They lived in one end and we the other. In 1928 Dad bought the place. In 1929 grandpa died in a car accident, but grandma (Met) remained with us. We kids had the responsibility of getting in her wood and coal, gather her eggs and be generally useful. The W.H.Bassett store was then sold to Hyrum Swenson, Ma's brother-in-law. Grandma passed away in 1934. By then Ma, who was always active in the church, was Relief Society president and kept busy doing service for her neighbors. Dallas and I kept busy with our own private bird santuary. We had hawks and magpies and woodpeckers. We kept them in our tree house. Then one night we found two baby owls. We just stuck them in the chicken feed box. Later that evening Ma went to feed the chickens and she could see those huge eyes sticking up and got quite a fright. She wouldn't let us keep them and the babies were returned to their nest. I remember us kids were sent to Grandma Hansen's and when we came home Phil was there. That was Sept. of 1924. When we went to Grandma's, her girls and Emil were there and we had to milk cows and pack milk. When the aunts scubbed the floor they made us sit on the chair until it was dry. It was not easy to get around Lago in the early days. Trout Creek would flood and cause extra miles going around instead of over the bridge. We got water in the house in 1931 or 32. After Grandma Bassett died we got a bathroom out of part of her kitchen. When the plummer came and went downstairs to hook up the fixtures (only he and I were there) we found a bottle of Ma,s juice that had fermented and the plumber drank until he passed out down in the basement. When Ma and Dad came home they found him in the basement- he returned the next day to finish the job.

When I was in high school I remember that Ma went up to see a doctor in Pocatello. She was having trouble using her arms. He told her to change her deoderant. Stan was born 1934. In about 1937 Ma had surgery for a cyst on her ovary by Dr. Kackley in Soda Springs, By the time I graduated and left home her arm was bothering her quite a bit. In Feb. of 1942 while at work at Vega Air Craft in Burbank, California I recieved a telegram that Ma had passed away following surgery for breast cancer.



Name:
William Bassett, written 02 Dec 2006, requested by Stephen A Hansen. Since never having met Adelia, Stephen asked Bill, a 1st cousin, once removed, to share his impression of her.

Bill writes:
Regarding my memories of Aunt "Dele", I can only remember that she was by far my favorite aunt, and that she was especially warm and friendly with me. I was something of a "problem" growing up and not all that well accepted, but never felt that way in Lago. As I recall, I spent several summers there, as a toddler visiting with my Mother, and then 4 or 5 summers between ages 6 and 13. I remember sacking wheat on the combine, driving a "bull-rake", riding the derrick horse, and pitching hay on the hay stack, and Phil taught me how to ride a horse (sort of). One summer I fell off the hay stack and broke my arm and Aunt Dele was my comfort...she arranged to get me to a doctor. All of the Hansens were good to me, even Phil, but I especially felt close to Aunt "Dele". She always had a smile and I can still see the warmth in her eyes as she put up with me. I also recall that all of my sisters and brothers (most of them grew up in Lago) felt the same about her. You have a wonderful grandmother.

Adelia married HANSEN, Alfred Peter on 31 Aug 1918 in Pocatello, Bannock, Id, USA. Alfred (son of HANSEN, Lars Peter Fredrick Hiram and MICKELSEN, Dorthea) was born on 30 Nov 1896 in Lago, Bannock(Caribou), Id, USA; died on 28 Jan 1983 in Soda Springs, Caribou, Idaho; was buried on 1 Feb 1983 in Lago Cemetary, Caribou, Id. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Jenkins, A. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: HANSEN, Emil Martin. Emil (son of HANSEN, Lars Peter Fredrick Hiram and MICKELSEN, Dorthea) was born on 29 Sep 1907 in Lago, Bannock (Caribou), Id, USA; died on 19 Mar 1973; was buried in Lago Cemetary, Caribou, Id. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From the local newspaper:
FLIER VISITS LAGO ON FURLOUGH
Lago, Bannock County, Idaho
T/Sgt. Dallas Hansen, son of Mr and Mrs Alfred Hansen, arrived home Wednesday for a 3--day furlough.
He participated in the D-Day invasion flights and completed 33 (actually 38) missions over Berlin and Hamburg (and many other cities in Germany and France)in a B-17 named "Coral Princess"
Dallas, enginer-gunner, was decorated with the distinguished flying cross and air medal with three oak leaf clusters. Last winter he returned from Alaska and the Aleutian islands
He married Arlene Thomas of Paul Saturday. He will be stationed somewhere in the states following his furlough.

Bud remembers:
It was he and Dallas's job to mow the lawn and cut the suckers around the trees. This was no easy task because the lawn was about 75 feet long and 50 feet wide. They had to use a push mower. Finally they each got a pet lamb and tied them out on the front lawn which cut down on the chore.

Dallas was always very social and outgoing. If there was a school play Dallas was always in it, and mostly in the lead.

He and Bud had a telegraph they built. They sent each other messages in Morse code. They built a tree house in the back yard and would sleep out there sometimes in the summer time.

Dallas never did like to milk the cows so it was his job to feed the calves and seperate the milk while Bud milked.
During the depression the crops were affected and there was not so much to do.

Bud and Dallas went to SLC to visit Aunt Lois Gattrel and Uncle Cryus. Uncle Cyrus was the Librarian at the state capital so they visited the capital building . Bud and Dallas went up into the dome and could see all over the town of SLC. This was about 1934 and the town was not too big. They went all over on the streetcars- to the temple and tabernacle and Saltaire, but they didn't go swimming.

In 1936 the boys had again saved their money for a trip and got to visit Aunt Clara in Los Angeles. They went at Christmas time. Uncle Lee took them on a ride through Hollywood so they could see the homes of the stars. They went and saw the Naval yards. That was the year they were installing escalators so they had to try that out at Macys. They attended the Rose Bowl parade. Lee and Clara showed them a wonderful time.

Bud and Dallas helped with the sheep drives. Everyone in the valley who had sheep would put them together and drive them to Lanes Creek (a pasture owned by Leon Swensen) a distance of about 45 to 50 miles. They walked and rode horses. It took about 2 weeks to make the trip. Bud says this was in the early 30's. The boys helped herd the lambs for sale. When the buyer purchased the lambs he offered to take the family to dinner. That was the boy's first experience in "eating in a cafe".

Dallas saw the Army as a way to further his education, so he joined in 1939. He was sent to California for basic training. He had transfered by the time Bud got there in 1940.

On the 13 of February, 1942 Dallas was on a troop train that went thru Soda Springs. Unbeknowns to him, his mother, Adelia Dubois Hansen was having major surgery and passed away that day.

From Mary Ann Hildreth Hansen


Obituitary:

Dallas Alfred Hansen, 77, passed away on Thursday, April 17, 1997 at the Sunshine terrace (Logan, Utah)
He was born 25 April 1919 in Lago Idaho to Adelia Dubois and Alfred P. Hansen.

Dallas graduated from Thatcher High School in Idaho in 1937. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1939 and received an honorable discharge in 1945. He married Arlene Thomas and had twin sons. They were later divorced. He married Alta "Pat" Mathers, they had a daughter and a son, they were later divorced. He married Thelma Rasmussen (Bassett) in 1962 and became the "adopted" father of Thelma's five children. Their marriage was later solomized in the Logan LDS temple.

Dallas was very proud to have served his country as a "gunner" in the Air Corps in world war 11. He recieved numerous medals and displayed them on the many hats he wore throughout his life.

He worked for Utah Power & Light Co. for over 40 years. He was an operator at the Grace, Idaho and Salt Lake City plants and was superintendent at the Oneida Station in Idaho for several years before his retirement in 1981.

He was an active member of the Logan Eagles and Lion's Club for many years.

Dallas married THOMAS, Arlene on 12 Aug 1944. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Dallas married MATHER, Alta "Pat" on 19 Feb 1948. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Dallas married RASMUSSEN, Thelma on 20 Nov 1962. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Allen, Madge. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Meacham, Carol Beth in (Civil) in Soda Springs, Caribou, ID. Carol (daughter of Meacham, Elvin and Hubbard, Ora Mae) was born on 30 Jan 1932 in Bench, Caribou, Idaho; died on 21 Jan 1996 in Utah; was buried in Lago, Caribou, Idaho. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Schwartz, Barbara in Soda Springs, Caribou, Idaho. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Stanley Dee Hansen died March 23, 2017. His whole body was donated to science for the study of Parkinsons Desease per his request. His cremations were returned and buried 19 May 2018 in the Lago Cemetery (Idaho).

Stanley married CHRISTENSEN, Colleen on 17 Aug 1953 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake. Ut. Colleen (daughter of CHRISTENSEN, Austin Miller and JOHANSEN, Helen) was born on 14 Jun 1935 in Central, Bannock (Caribou), Idaho; was christened on 4 Aug 1935 in Central, Caribou, ID, USA; died on 25 Apr 2002 in Sandy, Salt Lake, UT, USA; was buried on 30 Apr 2002 in Central, Caribou, ID, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Stanley married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
Information from JeNene Hansen, sister, 6 Nov 2009

Buried:
To Stan Hansen from JeNene Hansen (sister)6 Nov 2009

It was good talking to you, too. We left Tuesday about 9:30 and got to Kansas about 4pm. We spent the night in Marysville and then they had his funeral (memorial) the next day. It was a lovely service. His ashes were on a table at the front of the church with some pictures of him. I believe he found his peace. The people in Summerfield couldn't have been nicer. It is tiny place - 199 people according to the computer. He will be in the cemetary there because that was his wish. It is beautiful farm country, much like Idaho without the mountains It is right on the Nebraska border. The vets at the Good Shepherd Vet Center where he lived were all so kind. They paid for our room (my roommate Kevin went with me) all our meals, made certain we got to the church and showed us the cemetary. When the VA comes through, they will have a miliary funeral for him. At the end of the service they played Taps and I was given a flag. As soon as we got home, I sent for a case for it. At the end of his life he had so much shortness of breath that he mostly watched movies, read and did crosswords. We got his movies and some books. It was sad to see his room. I guess we always have regrets. I wish his life had been easier and that I had been a better sister to him. I am so glad he is at peace and in a better place. Love, JeNene

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]