Joseph P. Bassham
SOURCE: The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889
Contributed by Michael Brown
18 Oct 1998
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SEBASTIAN COUNTY
page 1289
Joseph P. Bassham, farmer and mechanic, is a son of Jonathan and Delilah
(Payne) Bassham, both of whom were born in Franklin County, Va. The father was
a soldier in the War of 1812, and was a cabinet-maker by trade, and in
connection with this calling followed the occupation of farming. After his
marriage he moved to West Virginia, where he made his home until 1839, when he
came to Johnson County, Ark., and here he and wife spent the remainder of
their lives, dying in 1848, at the age of fifty-two, and 1857, at the age of
fifty-five, respectively. Three of their eleven children are living, Joseph P.
being the fifth of the family. He was born in Tazewell, West Va., May 12,
1827, and while growing to manhood was engaged in farming and learning the
cabinet-maker's trade. He received quite an extensive education for his day,
and in 1847 was married to Sarah A. Bell, a daughter of Henry P. and Susan
(Holmes) Bell, and by her became the father of eight children: Elizabeth E.,
Henry J., Luretha A., William O., Donana A., Minnie L., Katie and James. Mrs.
Bassham was born in Tennessee, and died in Little Rock, Ark., in 1865. Mr.
Bassham was married the following year to Miss Emily Redding, by whom he has
one child, Samuel. This wife died in 1868, and he took for his next wife Mrs.
Mary J. Rachels, nee Morris, a daughter of Ira L. Morris. They have a family of
ten children: Thomas L., Sarah D., Nannie B., Mary L., James A., Jesse I.,
Martha A., C. B., Alice C. and an infant. His son, William O., is a Methodist
minister, and his wives have been members of that church. In 1849 he came to
Sebastian County, and in 1852 went to California and engaged in mining and
farming for about two years. He then returned to Arkansas, and he and a
brother opened a cabinet shop in Clarksville, which they managed until [p.1289]
1857. Mr. Bassham then returned to Sebastian County, and October 8, 1863,
enlisted in Company F, Second Arkansas Volunteer Infantry, United States Army,
and was appointed orderly. He was made second lieutenant February 25, 1864,
and was promoted to first lieutenant July 6, of the same year, which position
he held until he was mustered out of service at the close of the war. He was
at Jenkins' Ferry and Prairie De Hand. In December, 1866, he returned to
Sebastian County, where he has since made his home, and has been engaged in
farming. He owns 157 acres of land, with about seventy acres under
cultivation, and is a Republican in politics, and a member of the Masonic
fraternity.