Richard Bassett (Delaware politician)

Richard Bassett
Judge of the United States Circuit Court for the Third Circuit
In office February 20, 1801 – July 1, 1802
Appointed by	John Adams
Preceded by	Seat established by 2 Stat. 89
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
4th Governor of Delaware
In office January 9, 1799 – March 3, 1801
Preceded by	Daniel Rogers
Succeeded by	James Sykes
Chief Justice of the Delaware Court of Common Pleas
In office March 4, 1793 – January 15, 1799
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	James Booth Sr.
United States Senator from Delaware
In office March 4, 1789 – March 3, 1793
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	John Vining
Personal details
Born	Richard Bassett (1745-04-02)April 2, 1745 read law
Signature

Richard Bassett (April 2, 1745 – September 15, 1815) was an American politician, attorney, slave owner and later abolitionist, veteran of the

Born on April 2, 1745, in

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

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

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

References

Sources

• 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
  .

• National Portrait Gallery; portrait courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery.

External links

• Richard Bassett at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
• Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States

• United States Congress. "Richard Bassett (id: B000226)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Biography by Russell Pickett
• Delaware's Governors
• The Political Graveyard
• Judges of the United States Courts
• National Archives
• Biography of Bassett Archived November 28, 2020, at the Wayback Machine in Soldier-Statesman of the Constitution at the United States Army Center of Military History