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    Bassett, Joel B.

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    Territorial Council 1857 (District 11)

    Party when first elected:  Republican

    Counties Served:  Carver, Davis (defunct), Hennepin

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: ??/??/1817
    Birth Place: Wolfboro, New Hampshire
    Birth County: Carroll
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death: ??/??/1912
    Gender: Male
    Religion: Quaker
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Minneapolis
    Occupation (when first elected): Lumberman

    EDUCATION

    New Hampshire Country Schools; Elementary School;
    New Hampshire Academy; Secondary; 2 Years

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    County Board/Commissioner: Hennepin County, Minnesota (County Commissioner, One of the First Ones); 1852 to 185? [Appointed]
    Judge: Hennepin County, Minnesota (Probate Judge, First One in Hennepin County); 1852 to 1??? [Elected]
    Municipal Mayor: St. Anthony, Minnesota; 1857 to 1857 [Elected]
    U.S. Executive Branch: United States Bureau of Indian Affairs, Chippewa Indian Agent, Minnesota (Appointed by President Andrew Johnson); 1865 to 1869 [Appointed]
    Municipal Council/Aldermen: Minneapolis, Minnesota (Council Member, 5th Ward); 04/09/1872 to 04/06/1874 [Elected]
    Municipal Council/Aldermen: Minneapolis, Minnesota (Council Member, 5th Ward); 04/03/1877 to 04/01/1878 [Elected]

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Miss Carpenter (she died in 1892)
    Children: One child: W.L. (son)
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
    Daniel Bassett, Jr.  - Brother

    GENERAL NOTES

    He was of French ancestry.

    He moved to Maine when he came of age and worked at lumbering in the pineries and mills for about twelve years. He came to St. Paul, Minnesota in 1849. He moved to St. Anthony, Minnesota in 1850.

    He sold his farm in 1856.

    "He was one of the original Republicans of St. Anthony." (Holcombe, R.I. Minnesota in Three Centuries, Vol. 2.)

    "Judge Bassett was one of the notable band, who met in St. Anthony in 1856 and organized the Republican party in Minnesota." (Atwater, Isaac. History of the City of Minneapolis, Vol. 1, 1893, p. 541.)

    He was an unsuccessful Whig Party candidate for the Minnesota Territorial Council in the 1854 and 1855 elections.

    Religion provided by Atwater, Isaac. History of the City of Minneapolis, Vol. 1, 1893.

    Total Days Served: 329

    SESSIONS SERVED

    8th Territorial Legislative Session (1857)

      Session Details
    Body: Territorial Council
    District: 11
    Elected: 1/7/1857
    Residence: Minneapolis
    Term of Office: 1/7/1857 to 12/1/1857 (Special Election)
    Counties Represented: Carver, Davis (defunct), Hennepin
    Occupation: Lumberman
    Party: Republican Party Notes: "He was one of the original Republicans of St. Anthony." (Holcombe, R.I. Minnesota in Three Centuries, Vol. 2.) "Judge Bassett was one of the notable band, who met in St. Anthony in 1856 and organized the Republican party in Minnesota." (Atwater, Isaac. History of the City of Minneapolis, Vol. 1, 1893, p. 541.)
    Committees:
    • Printing (Chair)
    • Territorial Affairs
    • Territorial Roads
    Session Notes: His official term start date is uncertain due to the special election. The date listed is the first day of the 1857 territorial session. His official election date is uncertain. He was elected to finish the term of D.M. Hanson who died while in office. The date listed is the first day of the 1857 territorial session.

    OTHER INFORMATION

    No other information has been entered for this legislator. These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

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