Robert Bassett

Citations

1. [S17] Donald Lines Jacobus, History & Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield, pages 35-37 - He was chief drummer of the New Naven Colony troop June 1654. He was a carpenter. He took the oath at New Haven in 1644. He was town drummer in 1645. He moved to Stamford in 1651. In 1653, brought to New Haven for "riotess support of Baxter and sedition and fiery speech aimed at tyranny of the Colonial Government." He later removed to Hempstead, Long Island where he spent the remainder of his life.
2. [S1009] The Bassett Family Associarion of America
   , pages 17-20.
3. [S1010] Amos Canfield, Westchester County, N.Y., Miscellaneous Notes.
4. [S1441] Theresa Hall Bristol, Westchester County, NY, Miscellanea, page 398 - P. 255 - “I Robert Bassett, late of the Towne of Westchester, now living in Statford, Conn., to Joseph Hunt of Westchester, land in Westchester which I have or ought to have as the sole heir of my father, Robert Bassett, dec'd late inhabitant of Westchester ;vi. Land drawn in the East Neck, Feb. 7, 1650, and land drawn May 25, 1656 [etc.], Sept. 24, 1691.
5. [S1440] Descendants and Antecedents of Dr. Wayne Smith & Elizabeth Bell and Richard Alfred Bury & Elida Maud Morden, page 75 - Robert, a carpenter and shoemaker, was Town Drummer in New Haven in 1645 calling people to meeting on Sunday and other days, summoning the militia on training day, etc., for which he received £4 per annum. This income plus his income from shoemaking and work at the shipyard did not provide very well for Robert and his family and when a group of sailors arrived at his home and “called for sack,a” Robert got a clever idea. The law did not allow people to sell small quantities of liquor without a license, so Robert decided to sell large quantities to the sailors. Soon the sailors were drunk and fighting. Robert and some of the sailors were thrown in jail. At his court hearing, the judges did not buy his theory about large quantities and fined him £5. He never paid it and soon moved to Stamford.
   He had a house in Stamford in 1650. He was Chief Drummer in the New Haven Colonial Troop in Jun-1654 and
   
   In 1653 the Stamford settlers chafed under the limited franchise they enjoyed under the jurisdiction of the New Haven Colony and they issued a formal protest over rates and other grievances. A commission appointed to settle the controversy found a hotbed of disaffection, led by Robert Bassett and John Chapman. They were requested to appear in New Haven before the governor. Before this happens, a John Baxter is arrested and Robert leads an attempt to free him by force. One person is killed and another wounded and Bassett is arrested and to be tried for seditious conduct, expressing himself against the government, actively raising and carrying on an insurrection in both colonies, attempting to raise volunteers against the Dutch without authorization and having “been a ringleader in these ways of disturbance and undermining the government of this jurisdiction; and all this, contrary to his oath of fidelity.”
   At a Stamford Town meeting the day before the General Court was to convene, Bassett came into conflict with the Stamford authorities. Immediately after the meeting had been opened, Bassett, the readiest speaker of the disaffected party, springs to the floor, and with great excitement demands to know what this meeting means. “To choose deputies for the general court at New Haven” answers the officer of the town.
   “We acknowledge no New Haven court here,” replies Bassett.
   “We took our title from the New Haven jurisdiction, and are here to make proof of our loyalty”, was the answer.
   “But we know no laws but England’s, and shall heed no authority but hers.”
   “My authority is from England” replies the law officer.
   “Give us then English law. Let us have our votes. There is no justice in your New Haven tyranny” replied the reformers.
   “But we cannot violate the fundamentals of the government to which we owe allegiance, “solidly replies the right worthy deputy, Francis Bell.
   Bassett rises to his utmost height, appears most menacing in tone, looks and gestures and says “We have no English laws or rights; we have no votes; we have no liberties; we have no justice here; we are mere asses for fools to ride, and our backs are well nigh broken. You make the laws when you please and what you please; you execute them as you please; you lay what rates you please, and give what reasons you please. We are bond-men and slaves, and there will be no better times for us till our task-masters are well out of the way.”
   In spite of this fiery oratory, when brought before the general court, Bassett is humble, provides apologies and implicates his associates. Although the charges were serious, the defendants got off lightly, having recanted. Bassett was fined £20 and had to provide a £100 bond against future misbehavior.
   
   He moved to Hempstead, L,I. NY about 1658.
6. [S1445] Diane Rapaport, Tales from the Courthouse - Drinking with the Drummer - http://www.americanancestors.org/PageDetail.aspx