Henry William Bessac (1876 - 1952)

Born 29 Jul 1876 in Dover, Mazomanie, Dane, Wisconsin, United States

Ancestors

Son of Henry William Bessac and Virginia Gore (Bagnall) Bessac

Husband of Nell Stebbins (Hurd) Bessac — married 1909 in Lodi, San Joaquin, California, United States

Descendants

Died 14 Jul 1952 at age 75 in Lodi, San Joaquin, California, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Bret Bessac [send private message]

Biography

Freemason Past Master Morning Star Lodge No. 68; past high priest of Royal Arch Chapter No. 28; inspector of the twenty-sixth Masonic district, which includes six lodges as follows: Morning Star No. 68, San Joaquin No. 19, Delta No. 471, Stockton No. 498, Lodi No. 267, Valley Lodge of Linden No. 135. While inspector Mr. Bessac organized two Masonic lodges in Stockton, Delta No. 471 and Stockton No. 498. He is also a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason.

1910 Census - Elkhorn, San Joaquin, California 1880 Census - Minneapolis, Ottawa, Kansas Burial in Stockton Rural Cemetery ^{[1] [2]} He worked as a Superintendent-Principle-Teacher from 1905 to 1945 in San Joaquin Co., CA; Superintendent of Schools for San Joaquin County from 1923-1931. ^[3]

When Harry W. Bessac was elected county superintendent of schools of San Joaquin County in 1922, a man was selected thoroughly qualified to fill the position with distinctive ability, whose heart is in the educational work before him. First of all, Mr. Bessac is an educator by training, bringing to the cause of education not only a well-trained mind, but a fund of practical knowledge backed by years of successful teaching. He was born at Dover, Wisconsin, on July 29, 1876, and when a small boy was taken by his parents to the state of Washington, where he attended the public schools of Montesano; later, in 1889, when his parents removed to Los Angeles, California, he attended the grammar and high schools. Mr. Bessac then came to Stockton in 1897 for the purpose of taking a course in the Normal School and upon receiving a teacher’s certificate, taught in Placer County for five years, when he became associated with the Western School of Commerce of Stockton. On September 1, 1902, this school was incorporated with the following officers: J. R. Humphreys, president; T. H. Wolfenbarger, vice-president; and Harry W. Bessac, secretary; and for the next ten years he was a successful instructor, officer and part owner of this institution. Mr. Bessac then became the principal of the Washington School of Stockton; later of the Jackson School, the largest grammar school in Stockton, and on December 1, 1921, was appointed superintendent of rural schools of San Joaquin County, a position of responsibility and because of his wide experience in all branches of educational work he is recognized as a leader, and a man in whom the public has every confidence. He is a member of the executive board of the Elementary Teacher’s Association of Stockton.

The marriage of Mr. Bessac occurred in Stockton and united him with Miss Nell Hurd, a native of Stockton and a descendant of a pioneer family. Her maternal grandfather, Dr. Kerr, crossed the plains in 1849 and opened the second drug store in Stockton and practiced medicine for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Bessac are the parents of three children: Marion R., Arthur H., and Francis B.

Fraternally he is one of the leading Masons of the district. The Bessac’s have been prominent in Masonic circles for two generations. His father, Henry W. Bessac, who resides at Riverbank, is a past master of his lodge, and a Mason of more than fifty years standing. In the spring of 1922, Mr. Bessac became a candidate for the office of county superintendent of schools in San Joaquin County, and was elected November 7, 1922, taking office January 8, 1923. ^[4]

GEDmatch DNA Match

Nell Hurd and Harry Bessac are the most recent ancestors for Bret Bessac GEDmatch WW7580824 and Virginia Bessac GEDmatch NC3140851. Estimated number of generations to MRCA = 1.5, based on sharing 1760.3 cM across 46 half-match segments. Largest segment = 122.1 cM

• DNA Ancestry.com Match Confirmation of Parents

Paternal and maternal relationship is confirmed by an AncestryDNA test match between Virginia Bessac matched to her cousins once or twice removed to descendants of 3 different sibling lines Virginia (Bessac) Johnson E.S. Shared DNA: 152 cM across 8 segments Longest segment: 36 cM; Richard Bessac Karen Bessac Shared DNA: 245 cM across 8 segments Longest segment: 69 cM; Eugene Bessac Parker Landon Shared DNA: 177 cM across 9 segments Longest segment: 30 cM, twohandz Shared DNA: 211 cM across 10 segments Longest segment: 43 cM & Byron Landon Shared DNA: 128 cM across 6 segments Longest segment: 36 cM ^[5]

23&Me DNA Match

His relationship to his parents is also confirmed by Bret Bessac a descendant of Harry Bessac and Living a descendant of Virginia (Bessac) Johnson sharing 2.45% of DNA across 30 half-segment matches using 23&Me.

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/25012852/harry-william-bessac
2. ↑ US Census
3. ↑ https://www.sjcoe.org/Superintendent/PastSuperintendents.aspx
4. ↑ Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta. Source: Tinkham, George H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page 495. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic Record Co., 1923.
5. ↑ https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:DNA_Confirmation#AncestryDNA

• Park, George and Benjamin L. Bessac, with additions by Henry William Bessac and Florence Wilson Bessac. A Biological Sketch of the Life of John William Bessac with some account of his family. Riverbank Press: 1976.