BASSETT, EDWARD AND ELIZABETH (MORTIMOR)
Edward Bassett (see William Bassett story for early history) was living at Defiance, Ohio with uncles, cousins and friends such as the Mortimors and Gardners, preparing for their long journey to McPherson County Nebras-ka, where government land was available for homesteads.
In 1847, Edward married Sara Ann Morti-mor (daughter of John Mortimor, a lawyer). John William was born to them and Sarah died. Edward stayed with the John Morti-mors, who helped care for baby John. In 1850, Robert Mortimor married Mary Gardner who was to become the midwife who deliv-ered most of the babies born during their journey and after in McPherson County. She died in 1899 and was buried in Eclipse Cemetery, Hooker County, with the Bassetts.
In 1852, Edward married Elizabeth L. (Betsy) Mortimor, Sarah's younger sister and in 1853 Thomas Malon was born. Later that year, they left Ohio and traveled to Lime Spring, Iowa by covered wagon train where they would spend 4 or 5 years. John died in the winter of `54 or `55 and was the first person to be buried there in open prairie. Sarah M. was born to Edward and Betsy in the fall of 1855 in Howard Co., northeastern Iowa. Sometime between `55 and `60 they left Lime Springs enroute to Hamburg in south-western Iowa where they would remain until 1880. Nathan Elias was born in `60 or `61, Ellsworth Robert in 1863, Clara Jane in `66 and Edward Ulyssis in `73, all in Hamburg, bringing the family's children to seven. They had spent 25 years or more coming this far that many of their children were grown and married while in Hamburg to others from the group, Iowans, Missourians, and even some intermarriages. Robert Mortimor died in 1875 but wife, Mary went on with the group. A number of babies were born within the group on the wagon train. Some of the members decided to stay in Iowa and others from other areas joined.
John William married Adeline Fleming in Atchison County, Missouri in 1872. They had a son, Benjamin Bertis and were divorced sometime later.
The wagon train left Iowa in about 1880 for Red Willow Co. Nebraska, following the rivers and settled at McCook along the Republican River. John William married Elcie Jane Springer (a migrant from Milan, Missouri) in 1883, Bessie Maud was born and died when only a few months old and buried near McCook. Frank Eugene was born in 1885, Cora Alice in 1888.
The wagon train left in 1888 on the last leg of the journey to McPherson County, where land was being grazed by some large ranches as “free range''. John Brott, Whitwater Ranch, Cody's North Ranch, Chauncey Tucker, Huffmans, Swiggardts, and Quinns were some who had been in the area for several years. They welcomed the settlers and hired many of them as ranch hands. They also sold them cattle and horses. There were no fences so the children herded the stock to keep them from straying away. They learned to fear and cope with rattle snakes. The folks came to a large valley with a lake in nor-thwestern McPherson county and where the four counties of Hooker, Grant, Arthur and McPherson corner and decided to settle there. Edward and Tom Malan picked a site in the west end of the valley and built up close to one another. All buildings and corrals were made from squares of sod laid in brick fashion. They built a blacksmith shop and did work for everyone in the area. Nathan Bassett built in the east end of the valley and others selected sites over the valley and in the hills to the north. The valley became known as Bassett Valley. Wells were dug for water and it was raised with a bucket on a rope. For fuel, they gathered buffalo and cow chips and piled them in large piles for winter use. The chips made a hot fire but didn't last long, and the ashes almost equaled the fuel in volume. The ashes were sometimes used as scouring powder for kettle bottoms.
The first school was a 12'X14' sod struc-ture, built in 1893 with three windows and a door. Books were supplied from whatever could be found in the homes of patrons. Furniture was home made and the black-board was just brown wrapping paper. The teacher, Edna Winherst, furnished pencils to the children. She had taken a homestead near “Old Baldy Hill'' in northeastern Arthur County. She was hired to teach six months for $25 a month and boarded with Quinns east of the valley, returning to her homestead on weekends. She later married Harry Pinker-ton, foreman of the Whitwater Ranch.
A postoffice was established in northeast-ern ARthur County, which was named Lena. In 1893 and in 1895 a store was built there making supplies available.
Edward and Betsy lived out their lives in the valley among their children. Edward died in 1903 and Betsy in 1913. They were buried in the Eclipse Cemetery, which is east of the Tucker Ranch buildings on a hill overlooking the South Dismal River. A church was built there in 1916.