Charles E. Bassett (1847 - 1896)

Born 30 Oct 1847 in New Bedford, Massachusetts

Died 5 Jan 1896 at age 48 in Hot Springs, Arkansas

Biography

Charles Bassett was involved in the "Wild, Wild West," part of the westward expansion of the United States. Join the Wild Wild West Project.

Pvt Charles Bassett served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: February 15, 1865
Mustered out: November 18, 1865
Side: USA
Regiment(s): 213th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company I

Charles E Bassett was born 30 October 1847 in New Bedford, Massachusetts the son of Benjamin, a sailmaker, and Julia (Norton) Bassett.^[1] His parents separated and he lived with his father Benjamin in Philadelphia.^[2] He enlisted with the 213th Pennsylvania Infanty, Company I, on 14 Feb 1865^[3][4] and mustered out 18 November of that year.

From late 1865 to 1873 Charlie Bassett roamed the west holding various jobs ranging from miner to buffalo hunter.^[5] In 1872 he and Alfred Peacock opened the Long Branch Saloon which he later sold and was owned by a number of well-known Dodge City residents. In 1873 he was elected the first Sheriff of Ford County, Kansas serving two terms. Term-limited, he was succeeded in 1877 by Bat Masterson who promptly appointed him under-sheriff.^[6] On May 12, 1878 he was appointed Marshal of Dodge City following the murder of Marshal Ed Masterson (Bat Masterson's brother) but resigned in November 1879. Newspapers of the day reported, "Ex-Sheriff Chas. E. Bassett, accompanied by Mysterious Dave [Mather] and two other prospectors, started out last week in search of 'greener fields and pastures new.' They went in a two-horse wagon, after the style in the days of 49."^[7]

Gold panning in Colorado was not successful for Charlie and he was then in New Mexico and Texas briefly returning to Dodge City in 1881.^[8] He then moved to Kansas City as manager of Webster and Hughes Marble Hall Saloon but when the Dodge City War broke out Charley was back in Dodge City. The establishment of the Dodge City Peace Commission in 1883, including Charley, helped maintain an unsteady end to the war. Charley returned to Kansas City, opened the Senator Saloon which earned him the nickname "Senator" but it quickly failed and he was back to bartending in another saloon.

Suffering greatly from rheumatism, he went to Hot Springs, Arkansas hoping for relief but there passed away 5 Jan 1896.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ Vital Records of New Bedford Massachusetts, Vital Record Transcripts, NEHGS, Boston, 1944, Vol 1 p 44
2. ↑ DeMattos, Jack. "The Dodge Citians: Charles E. Bassett," NOLA Quarterly (Vol. XIX, No. 4), October–December 1995. This was one of 24 articles, by different writers, reprinted in the book Outlaws and Lawmen of the Old West: The Best of NOLA (Edited by Robert K. DeArment), Cave Creek, AZ: True West Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-935269-29-0.
3. ↑ Register of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M233, 81 rolls); Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, 1780’s-1917, Record Group 94; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
4. ↑ Pennsylvania (State). Civil War Muster Rolls and Related Records, 1861–1866. Records of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, Record Group 19, Series 19.11
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Kansas City Star, January 7, 1896, Obituary
6. ↑ Dodge City Times, September 29, 1877.
7. ↑ Dodge City Globe, Dodge City, Kansas, April 27, 1880 p 3 Subscription
8. ↑ Dodge City Globe, Dodge City, Kansas, 13 Sep 1881 Subscription

See Also:

• U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865 - "History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-1865."
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Death Certificates Index 1803-1915. "Benjamin Bassett, Sail Maker, January 2, 1872
• Dodge City Times, November 10, 1877.
• Dodge City Times - December 15, 1877.
• Dodge City Times, March 16, 1878.
• Dodge City Ford County Globe, May 14, 1878.
• Dodge City Times - October 8, 1878.
• Dodge City Times, October 12, 1878.
• Ford County Globe (Dodge City), October 29, 1878.
• Lea, Tom. The King Ranch, Boston: Little Brown and Company, 1957 - p. 366.
• Dodge City Ford County Globe - April 27, 1880.
• Dodge City Ford County Globe - September 13, 1881.
• Kansas City Journal, September 22, 1881.
• Charlie Bassett at Wikipedia