BASSETT, EDWARD AND ELIZABETH (MORTIMOR)

by Thelma Bassett Pearman

Entry F18 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

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.