Michael Bassett

by


Michael Bassett was born about 1705. He was the son of Michael Bassett of New York. His mother may have been Helena Alst and his father may have been the mariner who was admitted to the freemanship of New York in 1725.

In April 1728, he married Albany native Elizabeth Schermerhorn at the Albany Dutch church. By 1750, eleven children had been christened in Albany where he received services and was an occasional baptism sponsor.

This Bassett family made their home in the second ward - perhaps in a house recently vacated by Elizabeth's father.

Michale Bassett was a gunsmith who also had charge of the Albany fire engine. He was paid a number of times from the city treasury. In 1728 and 1739, he was a firemaster. In 1738, he was named "resident agent" in the Seneca country. In 1743, he was named Albany gatekeeper. From the 1720s to 1780s, he was an Albany mainstay whose modest holdings were valued on city assessment rolls. In 1742 and 1763, his name appered on a list of Albany freeholders.

In his seventies at the outbreak of hostilities, perhaps Michael Bassett "the elder" was one of the gunsmiths appointed to "appraise arms" by the Albany committee in May 1776.

Michael Bassett died in the winter of 1786 and was buried on February third.


biography in-progress


notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of Michael Bassett is CAP biography number7257. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources. His eldest son (b. 1728) was named Michael and appears to have survived him.




first posted: 7/15/07