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John Spencer Bassett

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John Spencer Bassett

Birth
Tarboro, Edgecombe County, North Carolina, USA
Death
27 Jan 1928 (aged 60)
Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia, USA
Burial
Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
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Educated at local public schools and Jefferson Davis Military Academy in LaGrange, NC. Graduated Trinity College in 1888. Graduated from John Hopkins University in 1894. Returned to Trinity as a history instructor. Founded a secret society, known as 9019, for upperclassmen; this organization founded the South Atlantic Quarterly (1902-). Bassett served as the editor for 40 months. His positive remarks about Booker T. Washington in an article in the October 1903 Quarterly raised protests and demands for his resignation as editor and removal from Trinity's faculty. He offered to resign if the trustees asked but they voted in favor of his remaining in behalf of academic freedom.

In 1906, he accepted a position at Smith College because it offered a lighter workload, more opportunity for research & a higher salary. Although he published extensively, his most famous book was "A Short History of the United States", published in 1913; it went through several editions & was used nationwide as a collegiate level text.

In 1919, he was elected secretary of the American Historical Association and remained in that post until his death from a car accident in Washington, DC.

The John Spencer Bassett Papers 1770-1978 are located in the Library of Congress. They include letters that John & Jessie wrote to each other & their children, his diaries & journals (1905-1927), lectures & speeches, research files and general correspondence.

The John Spencer Bassett Papers 1867-1928 (Bulk 1895-1990) consisting of four boxes is located at the Smith College Archives.

Prof J S Bassett of Smith College Killed by Trolly [sic]
Widely-Known Educator and Historical Writer Victim of Accident at Washington – At Smith Since 1906
Washington, Jan 27 – (AP) – Prof John Spencer Bassett of Smith college, Northampton, Mass., widely known as an educator and writer on historical subjects, was killed here today by a street car.
Prof Bassett was struck by the car as he was approaching the Cosmos club here. As he was not a frequent visitor at the club no one was able to identify him at the time. He was placed on a passing motor truck and taken to a hospital, where he died.
Prof Bassett was in Washington in connection with the raising of an endowment fund for the American Historical association, of which he was secretary.
---
Prof Bassett at Smith College Since 1906
Northampton, Jan 27 – John Spencer Bassett, 60, professor of history at Smith college since 1906, was born at Tarboro, NC September 10, 1867, the son of Richard Baxter and Mary (Wilson) Bassett. He received the degree of A B from Trinity college, Durham, NC in 1888, and the degree of PhD from John Hopkins university in 1894. He married Jessie Llewellin of Durham, NC August 10 1892. Prof Bassett was professor of history at Trinity college, Durham, NC from 1893 to 1906, when he came to Smith college. He was editor of the South Atlantic Quarterly from 1902 to 1905, lecturer at Yale university in 1907 and 1908 and lecturer at New York university in 1909.
Prof Bassett was a fellow of the Royal Historical society of London and member of the American Historical association, the National Institute of Arts and Letters, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Massachusetts Historical society and the American Antiquarian society.
Prof Bassett’s Courses
Two courses were being given by Prof Bassett at Smith, one on the political and social history of the United States in recent times, and the other on American participation in the World war and the problems arising out of it. He spent his sabbatical leave of absence last year in Europe, studying and gathering material for new books. At Geneva he observed the work of the League of Nations, and a book by him on the work of the League is to be published soon by Longman’s British publishers.
Prof Bassett was a member and active participant in the work of the Northampton Historical society. A member of the society said today that Prof Bassett came to the treasurer recently with a check he had received for speaking before a women’s club. The proceeds of the check were deposited as a nucleus of an endowment fund, and it had been suggested that the fund be named the Bassett fund. Prof Bassett was a member of the First church, the Northampton club and the Century club of New York. He was known to the townspeople as a man of brilliant mind and high attainment, and of kindly and congenial personality, whose friendship was valued highly. His gift of making the fruits of research interesting made him in demand for addresses before study clubs, as well as an important contributor by lectures and articles to historical investigation. His course were among the most popular at Smith college. The loss of Prof Bassett will be keenly felt, both at the college and in the community.
Mentioned for United States Senator-ship
Prof Bassett was prominently mentioned in 1922 for the Democratic candidacy for United States senator to run against Senator Henry Cabot Lodge. He was not without political experience, though he never held political office. During the presidential campaign of 1920, he was chairman of the Democratic advisory committee and was one of the men who furnished Gov Cox, Democratic nominee, with material for his speeches. In that campaign, he was the friend and adviser of Chairman Hull of the Democratic national committee. In relation to his suggested candidacy, Prof Bassett was spoken of as a forceful speaker and excellent debater, well qualified to take the stump against Senator Lodge. He studied jurisprudence under Woodrow Wilson at Johns Hopkins university.
Prof Bassett’s Books’
Among Prof Bassett’s best known works are: “Life of Andrew Jackson,” “A Short History of the United States and “Our War with Germany.” Prof Bassett edited “The Southern Plantation Overseer as Revealed in his Letters,” and “The Correspondence of Andrew Jackson,” among other like volumes. Others of his works are: “The Federalist System” (Harper’s), in the “American Nation” series; “Middle Group of American Historians” (Macmillan); “Lost Fruits of Waterloo” (Macmillan); “Plain Story of American History” (Macmillan).
Prof Bassett leaves his widow and two children, Margaret, who graduated from Smith college in 1924 and is now in New York city, where she is engaged in literary work, and Richard, who is an artist with a studio in New York. It is understood he is now in Florida.
Prof Bassett was the second Smith college professor within a month to meet accidental death. Prof Harry N Gardiner was killed by an automobile here on the night of December 29.
(Both articles, The Springfield Weekly Republican, Thursday 2 February 1928, p12)
Educated at local public schools and Jefferson Davis Military Academy in LaGrange, NC. Graduated Trinity College in 1888. Graduated from John Hopkins University in 1894. Returned to Trinity as a history instructor. Founded a secret society, known as 9019, for upperclassmen; this organization founded the South Atlantic Quarterly (1902-). Bassett served as the editor for 40 months. His positive remarks about Booker T. Washington in an article in the October 1903 Quarterly raised protests and demands for his resignation as editor and removal from Trinity's faculty. He offered to resign if the trustees asked but they voted in favor of his remaining in behalf of academic freedom.

In 1906, he accepted a position at Smith College because it offered a lighter workload, more opportunity for research & a higher salary. Although he published extensively, his most famous book was "A Short History of the United States", published in 1913; it went through several editions & was used nationwide as a collegiate level text.

In 1919, he was elected secretary of the American Historical Association and remained in that post until his death from a car accident in Washington, DC.

The John Spencer Bassett Papers 1770-1978 are located in the Library of Congress. They include letters that John & Jessie wrote to each other & their children, his diaries & journals (1905-1927), lectures & speeches, research files and general correspondence.

The John Spencer Bassett Papers 1867-1928 (Bulk 1895-1990) consisting of four boxes is located at the Smith College Archives.

Prof J S Bassett of Smith College Killed by Trolly [sic]
Widely-Known Educator and Historical Writer Victim of Accident at Washington – At Smith Since 1906
Washington, Jan 27 – (AP) – Prof John Spencer Bassett of Smith college, Northampton, Mass., widely known as an educator and writer on historical subjects, was killed here today by a street car.
Prof Bassett was struck by the car as he was approaching the Cosmos club here. As he was not a frequent visitor at the club no one was able to identify him at the time. He was placed on a passing motor truck and taken to a hospital, where he died.
Prof Bassett was in Washington in connection with the raising of an endowment fund for the American Historical association, of which he was secretary.
---
Prof Bassett at Smith College Since 1906
Northampton, Jan 27 – John Spencer Bassett, 60, professor of history at Smith college since 1906, was born at Tarboro, NC September 10, 1867, the son of Richard Baxter and Mary (Wilson) Bassett. He received the degree of A B from Trinity college, Durham, NC in 1888, and the degree of PhD from John Hopkins university in 1894. He married Jessie Llewellin of Durham, NC August 10 1892. Prof Bassett was professor of history at Trinity college, Durham, NC from 1893 to 1906, when he came to Smith college. He was editor of the South Atlantic Quarterly from 1902 to 1905, lecturer at Yale university in 1907 and 1908 and lecturer at New York university in 1909.
Prof Bassett was a fellow of the Royal Historical society of London and member of the American Historical association, the National Institute of Arts and Letters, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Massachusetts Historical society and the American Antiquarian society.
Prof Bassett’s Courses
Two courses were being given by Prof Bassett at Smith, one on the political and social history of the United States in recent times, and the other on American participation in the World war and the problems arising out of it. He spent his sabbatical leave of absence last year in Europe, studying and gathering material for new books. At Geneva he observed the work of the League of Nations, and a book by him on the work of the League is to be published soon by Longman’s British publishers.
Prof Bassett was a member and active participant in the work of the Northampton Historical society. A member of the society said today that Prof Bassett came to the treasurer recently with a check he had received for speaking before a women’s club. The proceeds of the check were deposited as a nucleus of an endowment fund, and it had been suggested that the fund be named the Bassett fund. Prof Bassett was a member of the First church, the Northampton club and the Century club of New York. He was known to the townspeople as a man of brilliant mind and high attainment, and of kindly and congenial personality, whose friendship was valued highly. His gift of making the fruits of research interesting made him in demand for addresses before study clubs, as well as an important contributor by lectures and articles to historical investigation. His course were among the most popular at Smith college. The loss of Prof Bassett will be keenly felt, both at the college and in the community.
Mentioned for United States Senator-ship
Prof Bassett was prominently mentioned in 1922 for the Democratic candidacy for United States senator to run against Senator Henry Cabot Lodge. He was not without political experience, though he never held political office. During the presidential campaign of 1920, he was chairman of the Democratic advisory committee and was one of the men who furnished Gov Cox, Democratic nominee, with material for his speeches. In that campaign, he was the friend and adviser of Chairman Hull of the Democratic national committee. In relation to his suggested candidacy, Prof Bassett was spoken of as a forceful speaker and excellent debater, well qualified to take the stump against Senator Lodge. He studied jurisprudence under Woodrow Wilson at Johns Hopkins university.
Prof Bassett’s Books’
Among Prof Bassett’s best known works are: “Life of Andrew Jackson,” “A Short History of the United States and “Our War with Germany.” Prof Bassett edited “The Southern Plantation Overseer as Revealed in his Letters,” and “The Correspondence of Andrew Jackson,” among other like volumes. Others of his works are: “The Federalist System” (Harper’s), in the “American Nation” series; “Middle Group of American Historians” (Macmillan); “Lost Fruits of Waterloo” (Macmillan); “Plain Story of American History” (Macmillan).
Prof Bassett leaves his widow and two children, Margaret, who graduated from Smith college in 1924 and is now in New York city, where she is engaged in literary work, and Richard, who is an artist with a studio in New York. It is understood he is now in Florida.
Prof Bassett was the second Smith college professor within a month to meet accidental death. Prof Harry N Gardiner was killed by an automobile here on the night of December 29.
(Both articles, The Springfield Weekly Republican, Thursday 2 February 1928, p12)

Inscription

John Spencer Bassett/Historian and Teacher/Son of Mary JaneWilson/and/Richard Baxter Bassett/Born/Tarboro North Carolina/September 10 1867/Died/Washngton D C/ January 27 1928



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