Person Page - 133

     John married Mary PATE, daughter of Elias PATE and Nancy BROWN, on 17 August 1845 in Shelby County, Alabama.¹

     Ruby Burt WELCH, daughter of William Pressley WELCH Jr. and Lotte Lucille BURT, was born on 14 December 1911 in Selma, Dallas County, Alabama.

Ruby Burt WELCH died on 23 October 1989 at age 77. She was buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama.¹

     Jessie Hicks was born in 1885.

Jessie married Dr. William Elbert BURT, son of Henry McKenzie BURT and Margaret Mims CURRY, circa 1908 in Talladega County, Alabama.

Jessie Hicks died in 1972.

     Henry McKenzie BURT, son of Dr. William Elbert BURT and Jessie Hicks, was born in 1909 in Talladega County, Alabama.

Henry McKenzie BURT died in 1981.

     Amanda BROWN, daughter of Asa Madison BROWN and Emily Catherine Rottenberry, was born in 1845 in Alabama.

     Benjamin Humphreys BROWN, son of John Humphreys BROWN and Melinda Martin, was born on 18 April 1886 in San Saba County, Texas.¹

Benjamin married Bertha Lee Godwin on 13 July 1912 in Abilene, Texas.¹

Benjamin Humphreys BROWN died on 6 February 1971 in Cross Plains, Callahan County, Texas, at age 84.¹ He was buried in Cross Plains Memorial Park.

     Mary Margaret (--?--) was born on 7 May 1837 in South Carolina.¹ She was also known as Maggie.

Mary married Dr. Albert BROWN M.D., son of Edmund BROWN Jr. and Appy Barfield, circa 1853 in Kemper County, Mississippi.¹

Mary Margaret (--?--) and Dr. Albert BROWN M.D. appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 8 August 1860 in Philadelphia, Kemper County, Mississippi. The household was listed as Albert Brown, a 40-year-old physician, and his wife, Margaret, age 23. Both were born in South Carolina. Dr. Brown had $120,000 in real estate and another $60,000 in personal property. Living with them were their children: Ellen, 6; Jane, 4; Henry, 3; and Phil G. only one month old. All were born in Mississippi. Also living with them was Albert's father Edmund, age 75, and Peter Newcomb, a 26-year-old farmer from Virginia. He had personal property valued at $1,800.²

Mary Margaret (--?--) and Dr. Albert BROWN M.D. appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 11 July 1870 in DeKalb, Kemper County, Mississippi. The household was listed as Albert Brown, a physician, age 50, and his 33-year-old wife, Maggie. Dr. Brown had real estate valued at $4,000 and personal property valued at $2,500. Both were born in South Carolina. Their children were: Ellen, 16, and Janie, 14, at school; and twins Alice and Alicia age 2. Also in the household were 24-year-old Appy Lloyd of Mississippi, and 25-year-old farmhand Warren Goodman from Alabama. There were two domestics, Leatha Brown, a 40-year-old white female from South Carolina and Fannie Brown, a 12-year-old black female from Mississippi. Another daughter, 5-year-old Mary (Maggie) Brown, was living in the nearby household of J. R. and Louisa Davis.³

Mary Margaret (--?--) and Dr. Albert BROWN M.D. appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 18 June 1880 in DeKalb, Kemper County, Mississippi. The household was listed as A. Brown, a 62-year-old physician born in North Carolina; his 43-year-old wife M. M. born in South Caroliina; daughters Maggy Brown, 15; and twins A. H. and A. A., 12. The children were all born in Mississippi. Also in the household were two servants, mulatto Olivia Ellaby, 53, and a black male, Marier Rupert, 50.⁴

Mary Margaret (--?--) died on 2 February 1885 in Kemper County, Mississippi, at age 47.¹ She was buried in Blackwater Baptist Church Cemetery.

     Wilmer Wilson BASSETT Jr., son of Wilmer Wilson BASSETT and Ruby Henry BURT, was born on 5 March 1915 in Monticello, Jefferson County, Florida. He was graduated in 1937 in the University of Florida. He went to work as an agricultural extension agent in Lake County, Florida, and as a 4-H representitive at the University of Florida. He served as president of the Florida Dairy Industry Association.

Wilmer served in the the U.S. Army during World War II between 1942 and 1945 in Europeon Theatre. He was a Lieutenant Colonel in the 65th Field Artillery "Thunderbolt" Battalion serving in Africa, Sicily, Normandy and Germany. He was with the First Armored Field Artillery on the beach at Normandy. He earned a bronze star.¹

Wilmer Wilson BASSETT Jr. died on 6 December 1996 in Gainsville, Alachua County, Florida, at age 81.

His obituary appeared 10 December 1996 in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, published in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Memorial services for Mr. Bassett, 81, owner/operator of Bassett's Dairy Farm, Monticello, Florida, will be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, December 10, 1996 at First Presbyterian Church of Gainesville, Florida, with Dr. Robert Battles officiating. There will also be a Funeral Service in Monticello, Florida at 11:00 on Monday, December 9, 1996 at First Presbyterian Church of Monticello, Florida with the Reverend Douglas Hughes and Dr. Robert Battles officiating. Burial will be in Rose Lawn Cemetery, Monticello, Florida, under the care of Williams-Thomas Funeral Home, 404 North Main Street, Gainesville, Florida 32301.

Mr. Bassett, who lived in Gainesville, Florida, died on Friday, December 6, 1996 in Gainesville. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Bassett Memorial, University of Florida Foundation, Inc. Share, P.O. Box 110170, Gainesville, Florida 32611; First Presbyterian Church, 300 SW 2 Avenue, Gainesville, Florida 32601; First Presbyterian Church, 290 East Dogwood Street, Monticello, Florida 32344 or the Monticello Opera House, Washington Street, Monticello, Florida 32344.

Survivors include spouse, Melda Hamilton Bassett of Gainesville, Florida; children, Lucy Trawick (Dr. Steve Trawick), Pensacola, Florida; Mary Caar (Mrs. Frank Caar), Boca Raton, Florida; Wilmer Wilson "Bill" Bassett III, Monticello, Florida; John Collins Bassett, deceased; Carolyn Gosselin (Mrs. Robert Gosselin), Orlando, Florida; stepchildren, Lynda Lee Hopkins (Mrs. Cliff Hopkins), Hilton Head Island, South Carolina; Cheryl Lee Duhaime (Mrs. Ross Dehaime), Orlanta, Florida; 14 grandchildren, John Bassett Trawick, Virginia Carol Trawick, Kathryn Lee Trawick, Stephanie Stapel Trawick, Elizabeth Copeland Bassett, Carolyn Collins Bassett, Joseph WIlson Bassett, Frank J. Caar III, Catherine Collin Caar, Laurean Bassett Caar, Robert Christian Gosselin, Lucy Caroline Gosselin, Jason Trent Hopkins.

     Ray Simpson BASSETT, son of Wilmer Wilson BASSETT and Ruby Henry BURT, was born on 12 June 1925 in Monticelllo, Jefferson County, Florida.¹

Ray served in the U. S. Army Air Corps in Italy during World War II. He was a pilot of a Lockheed P-38 Lightning aircraft, flying 18 unarmed photographic reconaissance missions from Peretola Airfield near Florence, Italy with the 12th Air Force, 3rd Photo Reconaissance Group, 4th Photo Reconaissance Squadron between February and May 1945.²

Ray Simpson BASSETT moved from Jacksonville, Florida to Ocala, Florida, 1971 He lived in Ocala until his death.³

Ray Simpson BASSETT died on 17 May 2007 in Jacksonville, Florida, at age 81.⁴ He was buried in Roseland Cemetery, Monticello, Jefferson County, Florida.

Ray's obituary was printed on 20 May 2007 in the Ocala Star-Banner newspaper, published in Ocala, Florida. "Ray S. Bassett, 81, of Ocala, FL, passed away on Thursday, May 17, 2007 at St. Luke's Hospital in Jacksonville, FL. A native of Monticello, FL, he had made Ocalla his home since 1971, moving from Tallahassee, FL. He was part owner of North Florida Transport in Summerfield, FL and stock holder of Bassett Dairy in Monticello. He served in the U. S. Army Air Corps during WWII. Survivors include: daughter, Cile MacKinnon of the Villages, FL; two sons, Ray S. Bassett, Jr. of Okeechobee, FL and Robert A. Bassett of Tallahassee; three brothers, H. Burt Bassett of Tallahassee, Curry J. Bassett of Punta Gorda, FL and James C. Bassett, Sr. of Perry, FL; seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Visitation will be held from 2-5 PM, with a service at 4:30 PM Sunday, May 20, 2007 at Heirs Funeral Home. A graveside service will be held the following day, Monday, May 21, 2007 at 12 PM at Roseland Cemetery, Monticello, FL; In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to National D-Day Museum at 945 Magazine Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 701301."

     Henry Burt BASSETT, son of Wilmer Wilson BASSETT and Ruby Henry BURT, was born on 30 September 1916 in Jefferson County, Florida. He was also known as Burt.

Henry served in the U. S. Navy during World War II between 1941 and 1945 in the Pacific. He was a captain and career naval officer, 1941-1968. During the war he was a lieutenant and pilot of TBM "Avenger" torpedo bombers aboard the USS Gambier Bay CVE-73, Squadron CV-10. He participated in many South Pacific campaigns including Saipan, Phillappine Sea, Leyte Gulf, Tinian, Guam, Pelelieu and the Palau Islands.

He graduated from flight training in June 1942 and was stationed as a flight trainer in Corpus Cristi, Texas. This helped to build his flying skills by increasing his flying hours. He left Corpus Cristi for San Diego in Sep 1943 along with his wife, Louise. They first dropped off their young child with grandparents in Florida. He was first aasigned as a fighter pilot, but motion sickness caused by aerial acrobatics mad this impossible so he was quickly swtiched to the TBM Avenger torpedo bomber in VC-10 squdron in Astoria, Washington. As one of the most experienced lieutenants with over 1000 flying hours he was assigned as the squadron's executive officer or second in command. They were assigned to the escort aircraft carrier U. S. S. Gambier Bay. VC-10 was a combination squadron of 16 FM-2 Wildcat fighters and 12 TBM Avenger bombers. Since all of his flying hours were in trainers he had to get his first carrier landing practice in San Diego.

The 15 Jun 1944 landing on Saipan was Gambier Bay's first action. Burt led the TBM division in ground support operations, supporting the Marines. In addition to torpedoes, the Avenger could also be armed with bombs and rockets, as well as machine guns. It had a three-man crew including the pilot, radio operator/navigator, and rear machine gunner.

Prior to the 25 Oct 1944 Battle of Leyte Gulf the Avengers were mainly used for anti-submarine patrols carrying depth charges. During the battle Burt's plane was struck in the opening moments and the tail suverely damaged. The Gambier Bay was sunk after taking heavy damage from Japanese naval gunfire. It sunk with over 800 men escaping alive. They were left floating in shark infested waters for two days and only 700 were rescued. Burt was forced to land at Dulag, an abandoned former Japanese land strip on Leyte.^1,2

Henry Burt BASSETT died on 13 July 2007 in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida, at age 90.³ He was buried in Roseland Cemetery, Monticelllo, Jefferson County, Florida.

His obituary appeared 15 July 2007 in the Tallahassee Democrat, published in Tallahassee, Florida. Henry Burt Bassett Sr., 90, died Friday, July 13, 2007, at his home in Tallahassee. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. EDT Wednesday at Beggs Funeral Home in Tallahassee. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Louise S. Bassett Endowment Fund with Big Bend Habitat for Humanity.

Burt Bassett was born in 1916 in Monticello to Wilmer W. and Ruby Burt Bassett Sr. After attending Davidson College and graduating from the University of Florida, he began U.S. Navy flight training in Pensacola in 1940. During World War II he served as executive officer of Composite Squadron 10 on the aircraft carrier Gambier Bay, which was sunk from enemy ship fire during the Battle of Leyte Gulf.

His experience as a bomber pilot during the battle is one of the stories recently recounted in The Last Epic Naval Battle: Voices from Leyte Gulf, by David Sears. For his service, Burt was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, three air medals and the Presidential Unit Citation. After the war, he continued as a career naval officer, achieving the rank of captain before retiring in 1969.

Highlights of his career included command of Anti-Submarine Squadron Thirty Two at NAS, Quonset Point, R.I., command of Fleet Airborne Electronics Unit, Atlantic Fleet, Norfolk, Va., and command of Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, Puerto Rico. Upon retirement, he joined his brother, Wilmer Bassett Jr., in operating Bassett's Dairy in Monticello.

He moved to Tallahassee in 1976 and worked as a customer relations representative for the Capital City Bank Group. He also returned to school, obtaining his master's degree in history from FSU. Burt was active in his community, serving as president of the Monticello Kiwanis Club, and as a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and the Tallahassee Christmas Connection.

He also served Meals on Wheels for over 20 years. He was an avid traveler, and together with his loving wife, Louise, visited every state capital in the United States and over 70 countries worldwide.³

     Curry Jemison BASSETT, son of Wilmer Wilson BASSETT and Ruby Henry BURT, was born on 21 January 1921 in Monticelllo, Jefferson County, Florida. He was the manager of the family dairy farm.
During World War II he was exempted from military service as the manager of the family's 1000 acre dairy farm with 200 milking cows and the packaging and distribution of the milk to the public and military installations in the "Big Bend" area of Florida.¹

Curry Jemison BASSETT died on 15 April 2010 in Florida at age 89.² He was buried in Roseland Cemetery, Monticelllo, Jefferson County, Florida.

His obituary appeared 19 April 2010 in the Herald Tribune, published in Sarasota, Florida. Curry Jemison Bassett Sr., 89, of Punta Gorda, formerly of Monticello, died April 15, 2010.

Visitation will be from 2 to 3 p.m. today, with services to follow, at Burnt Store Presbyterian Church in Punta Gorda. Interment will be in Roseland Cemetery in Monticello. Arrangements are by Roberson Funeral Homes, Punta Gorda Chapel.

Survivors include his wife of 41 years, Bertie; children Stephen of Charlotte, N.C., Tammy Leopard of Lakeland, Curry Jr., of Ocala, Bill of Chattanooga, Tenn, Ruby Burt McCowan of Fort Smith, Ark, and Scott of Fort Pierce; a brother, Jake of Perry; 12 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.²

     Bishop Edmund GIBSON was bishop of London.

Bishop Edmund GIBSON, son of Edmund GIBSON and Jane Longhorn, was born in 1669 in Bampton, Westmorland, England.

Bishop Edmund GIBSON died on 6 September 1748. He was buried in All Saints Church, London, England.

     Virginia ABNEY, daughter of Cincinnatus ABNEY and Mahulda Thomason, was born in 1854 in Louisiana.¹

Virginia ABNEY appeared on a census, enumerated 22 June 1860, in the household of Mahulda Thomason in Red Mouth, Richland Parish, Louisiana.²

Virginia ABNEY appeared on a census, enumerated 11 August 1870, in the household of Mahulda Thomason in Rayville, Richland Parish, Louisiana.³

Virginia ABNEY appeared on a census enumerated 1880 in Richland Parish, Louisiana. The household was listed as James Gwin, a 70-year-old farmer and his wife, Malinda. Living with them was their son Andrew, 25, and grandsons Willliam Covington, 18, and William Carpenter, 16. Their housekeeper was a 25-year-old M. J. "Jinny" Abney.

     Mary A. ABNEY, daughter of Cincinnatus ABNEY and Mahulda Thomason, was born in 1858 in Louisiana.¹

Mary A. ABNEY appeared on a census, enumerated 22 June 1860, in the household of Mahulda Thomason in Red Mouth, Richland Parish, Louisiana.²

Mary A. ABNEY appeared on a census, enumerated 11 August 1870, in the household of Mahulda Thomason in Rayville, Richland Parish, Louisiana.³

     Lord Thomas Chesterfield ABNEY, son of Cincinnatus ABNEY and Mahulda Thomason, was born in 1851 in Louisiana.¹

Lord Thomas Chesterfield ABNEY appeared on a census, enumerated 22 June 1860, in the household of Mahulda Thomason in Red Mouth, Richland Parish, Louisiana.¹

     William G. ABNEY, son of Cincinnatus ABNEY and Mahulda Thomason, was born in 1856 in Richland Parish, Louisiana.¹

William G. ABNEY appeared on a census, enumerated 22 June 1860, in the household of Mahulda Thomason in Red Mouth, Richland Parish, Louisiana.¹

     Henry C. ABNEY Jr., son of Henry Clay ABNEY and Lenora Lassiter, was born in 1858 in Louisiana.

Henry C. ABNEY Jr. appeared on a census, enumerated 19 June 1860, in the household of Henry Clay ABNEY and Lenora Lassiter in Richland Parish, Louisiana.¹