Bassett family

[azenor]

Hello All,

I'm hoping someone can help with my BASSETT family of St.Ives.
I have Thomas BASSETT b.c1720 married to Elizabeth FREEMAN on May 15 1765 in St.Ives.
I had been given the birth year of Thomas as 1720 early on in my research by another researcher but do not have the source of that information.

Was Thomas born in St.Ives in 1720? Who were his parents? I've pretty much exhausted all my resources for Thomas and believe he is the key to another dilemma I have with this family, namely did he have a son named Thomas?

Hoping someone may be able to help.
Best Wishes,
Julia

[crida]

Hello Julia
From a St Ives marriage transcription I have
Thomas Basset Labourer married Elizabeth Freeman 15 May 1765.
Also from a St Ives transcription, I can see the following children who could be theirs

Elisabeth bap 15 June 1766
Martha bap 29 Nov 1767
Mary bap 15 Nov 1769
Ann bap 7 Feb 1774
Catherine bap 23 Oct 1785

No sign of a Thomas but there are gaps between these children so maybe the family moved away from the parish for a while.

I can check the transcribed records for you in case the original PRs have extra information. I can also look for a baptism of Thomas in St Ives around 1720.

What else do you know about the possible son Thomas?

Crida

[Cornish Terrier]

There is not a lot to go on here regarding your Thomas BASSETT so the task may be a little difficult - but that does not mean we cannot find an answer for you.

Given we are not sure of just where he may have been born I tried a search of IGI to try and find some clues.

(Remember also that some PRs have gaps where information has been lost )

The most likely candidates for your Thomas (from IGI) seem to have been all baptised at St Enoder yet I can find no record of a 1720 birth/baptism.

The only real candidates appearing in IGI are as follows:-

Thomas s/o Emanuel BASSET bp. 22nd April 1717 St Enoder
Thomas s/o John & Alice BASSET bp. 17th February 1732 St Enoder
Thomas s/o William & Elizabeth BASSET bp. 2nd February 1734 East Newlyn

Between 1651 and 1812 IGI records only 13 events (Marriages aside) for the BASSETT family of which two are deaths.

One of these deaths is that of Ann (see Crida's list) who was baptised in 1774 and died (buried?) 17th February 1775.

The second is that of George BASSETT bp. 6th June 1802 and died (buried?) 28th June 1805.

The last recorded baptism for a BASSETT at St Ives in IGI is that of Thomas in 1810.

In every case (from the earliest record in IGI) the parents are Thomas and Elizabeth.

The following entry from Phillimore & Taylor Marriages for St Ives may be of help:-

8th June 1783 Thomas Bassett, lab., of Cardiff, & Elizabeth Glanvill

Let's see if that might be of any use.

BASSETT is not a name that I would associate greatly with the West Penwith area but the family did hold lands a little further East, I believe. (The Bassetts of Tehidy springs to mind.)

Let me know what you think and tell me if this is of any help.

Anything more that can be found to help will, of course, be useful.

[azenor]

Hi Crida,
I have children of Thomas And Elizabeth Freeman as :

Thomas born c.1759 (doesn't fit with the marriage of Thomas and Elizabeth Freeman)
Elisabeth bap 15 June 1766
Martha bap 29 Nov 1767
Mary bap 15 Nov 1769
Ann bap 7 Feb 1774
Jane baptism unknown

Catherine bap 23 Oct 1785 was the daughter of my Thomas BASSET who I would like to be the son of Thomas BASSETT born 1720.

Thomas BASSET born c1759 married Elizabeth GLANVILLE in St.Ives June 8 1783. The Phillimores Marriage index says Thomas was 'of Cardiff' and a number of researchers have assumed him to be born there which is possible but I have no proof.

Children of Thomas BASSET and Elizabeth GLANVILLE were:
BASSETT Thomas (1783-1784)
BASSETT Catherine (1785-)
BASSETT Robert (1797-1874)
BASSETT Edward (1800-)
BASSETT George (1802-1805)
BASSETT Susanna (Susan Sukey) (1805-1891)
BASSET Nancy Thomas (1808-)
BASSET Thomas (1810-1895)

(I descend from Thomas BASSET bap 1810.)

I guess I'm trying to make a link between Thomas BASSET and Elizabeth GLANVILLE's family and Thomas BASSETT and Elizabeth FREEMAN's family as well as trying to find the parents of Thomas BASSETT born 1720.

If you are able to take a look at the original records I'd be delighted incase there is any further clue there.

Many Thanks for your post.

[azenor]

Yes, there were two distinct BASSETT families in Cornwall but there is no known connection between the BASSETTs of St.Ives and the BASSETT familes who became mineral lords at Tehidy.

Jeffrey BASSETT in the USA has a DNA project where he is trying to make the links between the different branches of BASSETT familes worldwide - interesting stuff and as you point out, the trail gets difficult after Thomas BASSETT and Elizabeth GLANVILLE.

I guess I will have to pursue that Cardiff link although I was hoping he was just working in Cardiff at the time of the marriage rather than being born there.

[crida]

Hello again

Julia
I will have a look at the PRs for you - probably next week - although I may go to the Archive tomorrow if it rains! I will look for baptisms of Thomas 1720 and 1759 and check both the marriage entries. Keep your fingers crossed that the microfiche is readable.

Cornish Terrier
According to GENUKI in relation to St Ives
"The IGI coverage for this parish is 1651 - 1812; the parish is NOT believed to be fully included in the LDS Church's International Genealogical Index (IGI)."
(I have not checked this out)

Will report when I have done the look ups.

Crida

[Cornish Terrier]

Do not be disheartened - because Thomas was 'of Cardiff' at the time of his marriage does not necessarily mean he was born there.

And the fact we have not yet found a baptism for him in Cornwall is also not something to be deeply concerned about just yet.

I think I mentioned that many PRs for Cornwall appear to be incomplete, especially when we are looking at online transcriptions.

Zennor and Towednack are two examples where certain parts of the PRs are missing or were destroyed for certain years.

An alternative is to try to locate Bishop's Transcripts for those Parishes and years to see if some records survived.

Wills and other Deeds are the next option so I suggest we start thinking about those options and pursue any avenue possible to try and track down the information required.

And, when checking Wills, do not confine yourself to the Bassett name - it is often possible that the person you are looking for may be mentioned in the Will of a different (possibly related) family and that is where the answer may be found.

Keep on the job and I will continue to help as best I can.

[crida]

I managed to look at the 2 marriages today. Nothing very helpful but a few snippets.
The witnesses at the 1765 marriage were William Freeman and John Freeman. Also both the bride and groom signed the register.
The witnesses at the 1783 wedding were quite hard to read but looked like Benj C Cornwell and Jas Watts. The second person witnessed some other weddings so may not be significant. The bride and groom at this wedding made their marks.
I will have a look at the baptism records next week.

Crida

[Cornish Terrier]

Thanks for your good work Crida - it is most appreciated.

As for IGI coverage of St Ives - yep, I did know about that problem and it is just that - a problem.

Have just done a very quick search of the 1653-1753 burials for St Ives (as provided by John C Tanner) and there are NO Bassett burials recorded during this period.

This is a problem that we will overcome.

My cousin Nancy did not nickname me 'Cornish Terrier' for nothing.

[azenor]

Outstanding information Crida!
You say:
The witnesses at the 1783 wedding were quite hard to read but looked like Benj C Cornwell and Jas Watts

The father of Elizabeth Glanville was Benjamin Glanvill, perhaps Cornwell was Glanvill?
But.... Jas Watts is very interesting, I'm assuming that to be James Watts. I was told some time ago by a family member that our family had links with the Isles of Scilly but I had never made such a link. A quick search if the IGI reveals a number of children baptised on Scilly in the mid 18th century named James WATTS.
(The name WATTS also crops up in Wales but I'll worry about that later).

A further look in the IGI for the Isles of Scilly shows a family of William and Mary BASSET all baptised on the Isles of Scilly. Could this be a connection with Thomas BASSET born c1759 maybe?

[crida]

I will have another look at the entry. Benjamin's signature was very difficult to read - possibly as he was not used to writing very much!
Not sure about the James Watts connection - I will see if he was a regular witness at weddings.

Crida

[Cornish Terrier]

The James Watts (as witness) was possibly a Churchwarden or the Parish Clerk.

In many Parish Records you will see the same person as witness to numerous marriages and it is often one of the above mentioned from what I understand.

And now you mention it - I do believe I recall meeting some of the Watts family during my visits to the Scillies.

Whether there is a connection to St Ives, or not, I cannot tell you.

Just had a check of Zenobia's website for Indexes to St Ives Wills that she has abstracted but can find no entries for Bassett.

Have checked 'Dee's Wills' also with no luck.

Must remember that both Zenobia and Dee have been only abstracting Wills as they get particular Volumes.

However, I also just accessed a site for the Cornwall Record Office and did a check on Bassett Wills.

There was one at St Just and a couple at Madron and Penzance but the bulk of the Bassett Wills that I found indexed were from St Enoder, St Dennis, Probus and places such as that much further East from St Ives.

We shall just have to keep working away at the problem until we find some answers.

[crida]

I have checked the marriage witnesses - using a magnifying glass this time!
The first could be Benjamin Glanvill but it is difficult to read.
The second witness is Jas Wallis and I have found him as a witness at quite a few weddings so I think it is likely he is the parish clerk. Sorry to have sent you on a wild goose chase thinking the name was Watts.
I started to look at the baptisms for 1859-1861. Thomas Bassett did not jump out at me but the writing is cramped and difficult to read so I will check again - with the magnifying glass. I hope to do this on Thursday.

Crida

[Cornish Terrier]

Thanks Crida - I will await your next and see what information you can provide other than that already given.

Will try to look at it asap but some things may get delayed for a little while.

I will certainly do my best.

[azenor]

Thank you for checking again Crida.
So, Jas Wallis being a parish clerk could be consistent with Thomas BASSETT not having family in the area or, of course, everyone is working, at sea, down a mine, etc. and cannot attend the wedding.

BTW - Thomas was born c.1759 not 1859-1861.

The WATTS lead wasn't entirely wasted though as I have found that family on the Scilly Isles which is interesting.