Frances Cornelia Bascom (1822 - 1903)

Born 30 Nov 1822 in Genoa, Cayuga, New York, United States

Ancestors

Died 2 Jun 1903 at age 80 in Ludlowville, Lansing, Tompkins, New York, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Donna Harris [send private message]

Biography

Frances Bascom was born in New York.

Frances Cornelia Bascom was born November 22, 1822 in Genoa, Cayuga County, New York, United States^[1] and christened on March 4, 1823 in Lansing, Tompkins County, New York,^[2]the daughter of Rev John Bascom and Laura (Woodbridge) Bascom^[3] and one of their four children to have survived infancy. She was educated at Mrs. Emma Willard's Seminary, Troy, New York, and taught school for many years. She had moved back to Ludlowville, before 1860^[4] where she had lived earlier in her life, and she lived there for the rest of her life.^[5] She died, aged 80 on June 2, 1903 in Ludlowville, Tompkins, New York^[6] and was buried in Lansingville Cemetery, Lansingville, Tompkins County.^[7]

Career

Frances was a teacher in schools in Vermont, Massachusetts, some of the Southern States and in the Homer and Aurora academies in New York. About 1850 she was living in Ludlowville and teaching there, until about 1895 when she retired.

Obituary

The Ithaca Daily Journal

Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York.

Wednesday, June 3, 1903

FRANCES CORNELIA BASCOM – Died, in Ludlowville, June 2, 1903, Miss Frances Cornelia Bascom, aged 81 years. The passing away from earth of a personality so unique as that of the subject of this notice is an event of more than transient interest in this community where she had so long dwelt. Miss Bascom was born in the town of Genoa, Cayuga County, November 30, 1822. Of rare intellectual gifts she, with her two sisters, was educated at Mrs. Emma Willard's Seminary for girls at Troy, N. Y., which was one of the pioneer institutions for the higher education of women. She was a fine Latin, Greek, French and German scholar and was for many years a most successful teacher having been connected with schools in Vermont, Massachusetts, some of the Southern States and the Homer and Aurora academies in this State. Being compelled by an affection of the eyes to resign the more arduous duties of her profession she returned to the home in Ludlowville to which her mother had removed with her family of four children soon after her husband's death. In this little hamlet for the past half century Miss Bascom has exerted a powerful influence for good. Never, until within the last half dozen years, without a few pupils she earnestly endeavored to impress upon all with whom she came in contact the great truth that the service of the Divine Master is the only worthy aim in life. Under her instruction several boys were prepared to enter college and it was considered quite a distinction to be promoted from the village school to "recite to Miss Bascom." After her mother's death some thirty years ago, although possessed of a very limited income she received several homeless boys into her family, giving her time and energies to their education and support. She exemplified in her own life the principle of "plain living and high thinking" – reducing her personal expenses to the lowest terms while always contributing liberally to church and missionary causes and constantly engaged in strenuous labor in order to obtain the means to help others. Her bother, the Rev. John Bascom, several years president of Madison University, Wisconsin, and now professor of Political Economy in Williams College, is the only surviving member of her family. M. L. T.

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1900", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSGL-RKT : 30 November 2021), Cornelia F Bascomb, 1900
2. ↑ "New York Births and Christenings, 1640-1962", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HWFT-96PZ : 21 January 2020), Frances Cornelia Bascom, 1823.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC1Y-DHB : 24 December 2020), Frances C Bascum in household of Laura Bascum, Lansing, Tompkins, New York, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCHM-G97 : 18 February 2021), Cornelia Bascum in entry for Laurie Bascum, 1860.
5. ↑ "New York State Census, 1875," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VT8Q-MX2 : 18 February 2021), Cornelia F Bascon, Lansing, Tompkins, New York, United States; citing p. 23, line 18, State Library, Albany; FHL microfilm 856,516.
6. ↑ "New York, State Death Index, 1880-1956", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGRS-DV9Y : 3 March 2022), Francis C Bascom, 1903.
7. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #89349397 Photo of gravestone, obituary

See also

• Bascom, Bradford W. Bascom Genealogy, http://www.bascomgenealogy.com/gedcom/p7.html#I0154