Born in Canada in 1827. He received his education in Wabash College, Indiana, and the Cincinnati Law School. He came to Iowa in 1856, studying law with John A. Kasson in Des Moines. He located at Fort Dodge in 1858 where he practiced his profession. In 1861 he was a lieutenant in a company of cavalry raised at Fort Dodge which was attached to the Army of the Potomac. He was disabled by wounds in battles and had to resign in consequence. Upon his return to Fort Dodge in 1863 Lieutenant Bassett was elected to the State Senate for the northwestern district consisting of twenty-eight counties and represented more than one-third of the territory of the State in the Tenth and Eleventh General Assemblies. For nearly twenty years Mr. Bassett was the general agent for the leasing and sale of the lands embraced in the Agricultural College grant, disposing of nearly 200,000 acres of lands. He died in California on the 6th of February, 1896.

Born in Canada in 1827. He received his education in Wabash College, Indiana, and the Cincinnati Law School. He came to Iowa in 1856, studying law with John A. Kasson in Des Moines. He located at Fort Dodge in 1858 where he practiced his profession. In 1861 he was a lieutenant in a company of cavalry raised at Fort Dodge which was attached to the Army of the Potomac. He was disabled by wounds in battles and had to resign in consequence. Upon his return to Fort Dodge in 1863 Lieutenant Bassett was elected to the State Senate for the northwestern district consisting of twenty-eight counties and represented more than one-third of the territory of the State in the Tenth and Eleventh General Assemblies. For nearly twenty years Mr. Bassett was the general agent for the leasing and sale of the lands embraced in the Agricultural College grant, disposing of nearly 200,000 acres of lands. He died in California on the 6th of February, 1896.