American Founding Father and politician (1745?1815)
Richard Bassett
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In office
February 20, 1801 ? July 1, 1802
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Appointed by
| John Adams
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Preceded by
| Seat established by 2 Stat. 89
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Succeeded by
| Seat abolished
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In office
January 9, 1799 ? March 3, 1801
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Preceded by
| Daniel Rogers
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Succeeded by
| James Sykes
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In office
March 4, 1793 ? January 15, 1799
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Preceded by
| Office established
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Succeeded by
| James Booth Sr.
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In office
March 4, 1789 ? March 3, 1793
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Preceded by
| Office established
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Succeeded by
| John Vining
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Born
| Richard Bassett
(
1745-04-02
)
April 2, 1745
Cecil County
,
Province of Maryland
,
British America
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Died
| September 15, 1815
(1815-09-15)
(aged 70)
Cecil County
,
Maryland
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Resting place
| Wilmington and Brandywine Cemetery
Wilmington
,
Delaware
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Political party
| Federalist
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Relatives
| Richard H. Bayard
(grandson)
James A. Bayard Jr.
(grandson)
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Education
| read law
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Signature
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Richard Bassett
(April 2, 1745 ? September 15, 1815) was an American politician, attorney, slave owner and later abolitionist, veteran of the
American Revolution
, signer of the
United States Constitution
, and one of the
Founding Fathers
of America.
[1]
He also served as
United States Senator
from Delaware, chief justice of the
Delaware Court of Common Pleas
,
governor of Delaware
and a
United States circuit judge
of the
United States Circuit Court for the Third Circuit
.
Education and career
[
edit
]
Born on April 2, 1745, in
Cecil County
,
Province of Maryland
,
British America
,
[2]
Bassett pursued preparatory studies, then
read law
.
[2]
He was admitted to the bar and practiced law in
Delaware
.
[3]
By concentrating on agricultural pursuits as well as religious and charitable concerns, he quickly established himself amongst the local gentry and "developed a reputation for hospitality and philanthropy."
[4]
He was a member of the Delaware constitutional conventions of 1776 and 1792.
[3]
He was a member of the
Council of Safety
in
Dover
, Delaware from 1776 to 1786.
[2]
He served in the Delaware State Militia as a company captain of the Dover Light Horse Regiment from 1777 to 1781.
[2]
He was a member of the Delaware Legislative Council (now the
Delaware Senate
) in 1782.
[2]
He was a member of the
Delaware House of Representatives
in 1786.
[2]
He was a delegate to the
Constitutional Convention
in 1787,
[3]
and was a signer of the
United States Constitution
.
[3]
He was a member of the Delaware convention which ratified the
United States Constitution
in 1787.
[3]
He was in private practice in
Wilmington
, Delaware from 1787 to 1789.
[2]
Bassett was elected to the
United States Senate
from Delaware and served from March 4, 1789, to March 3, 1793, first as a member of the
Anti-Administration Party
and later as a member of the
Pro-Administration Party
.
[3]
[5]
Due to his name coming first alphabetically out of all 20 senators who commenced their first term on 4 March, 1789, Bassett is
the most senior senator to have served in the United States Senate
. Bassett was chief justice of the Delaware Court of Common Pleas from 1793 to 1799.
[2]
He was governor of Delaware from 1799 to 1801.
[2]
Bassett was nominated by President
John Adams
on February 18, 1801, to the
United States Circuit Court for the Third Circuit
, to a new seat authorized by 2 Stat. 89.
[2]
He was confirmed by the United States Senate on February 20, 1801, and received his commission the same day.
[2]
His service terminated on July 1, 1802, due to abolition of the court.
[2]
Later life and death
[
edit
]
After leaving the federal bench, Bassett became a
planter
in
Cecil County
.
[2]
While he was a slave owner, after converting to Methodism in the 1780s, he freed his slaves and campaigned for the state of Delaware to abolish slavery.
[6]
He died on September 15, 1815, on his estate
Bohemia Manor
in Cecil County.
[Note 1]
[3]
[2]
He was initially interred in Cecil County, and in 1865 his remains were re-interred in
Wilmington and Brandywine Cemetery
in
Wilmington, Delaware
.
Legacy
[
edit
]
Bassett was the grandfather of
Richard H. Bayard
and
James A. Bayard Jr.
, both United States senators from Delaware.
[3]
Bassett Street in
Madison, Wisconsin
, is named in Bassett's honor.
[7]
Bassettown, now
Washington, Pennsylvania
, was named in Bassett's honor by his cousin David Hoge.
[
citation needed
]
Note
[
edit
]
- ^
Some sources give his place of death as
Kent County
, Delaware.
References
[
edit
]
Sources
[
edit
]
- Conrad, Henry C. (1908).
History of the State of Delaware
. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Wickersham Company.
- Hoffecker, Carol E. (2004).
Democracy in Delaware
. Wilmington, Delaware: Cedar Tree Books.
ISBN
1-892142-23-6
.
- Munroe, John A. (1954).
Federalist Delaware 1775?1815
. Rutgers University, New Brunswick.
- Martin, Roger A. (1984).
History of Delaware Through its Governors
. Wilmington, Delaware: McClafferty Press.
- Martin, Roger A. (1995).
Memoirs of the Senate
. Newark, Delaware: Roger A. Martin.
- Scharf, John Thomas (1888).
History of Delaware 1609?1888. 2 vols
. Philadelphia: L. J. Richards & Co.
ISBN
0-87413-493-5
.
Images
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]
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