Physician and Ohio Civil War Surgeon H.M. Bassett and Family, Manuscript and Photographic Archive

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American Historical Ephemera and Photography

By Cowan's Auctions

Nov 19, 2020

Set Reminder 2020-11-19 10:00:00 2020-11-19 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : American Historical Ephemera and Photography https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/cowans/american-historical-ephemera-and-photography-5894
Cowan’s Auctions, a Hindman Company, is pleased to present the November 19 Fall Auction, featuring over 400 lots of historically significant photography, manuscript material, artwork, and other ephemera dating from the 18th through the early 20th century, including the Civil War. Cowan's Auctions dawnie@cowans.com

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• Lot Description
  Group of 3 large ring binders, 1 small ring binder and 3 other scrapbooks relating to the Bassett family and their extended relatives. All contain a note that these be given to Robert Cochems Basset at his death, signed R.H. Bassett. They are very well organized, most likely by R.H. Bassett, and where possible, photographs are labeled; letters indicate writer and recipient, and sometimes topic (i.e., death of mother). One standard ring binder focuses on Robert Hiram Bassett's mother, Etta (Luetta) Melendy Bassett. There are 20 letters and 6 telegrams of condolence after her death. There are nearly 40 letters to Etta during her life. There are also photos of she and the family: one 8 x 10 in.; one 4 x 6.5 in tintype; a 3.5 x 5 in. oval; 2 cdvs; an albumen image from a cabinet photo and cdv of Hiram Bassett, Etta's husband. There are 11 more photos of Etta; 12 group images; plus 1 each of Fred, Mae and Charles and Clark together. One group shows cousins R.P. Melendy, E.M. Bassett and J.H. Bassett dressed in similar outfits. There is a silver gelatin photo of the family burial plot plus a few other images.One somewhat unusual item in this group is a report to the family from the Iowa Hospital for the Insane for Etta Melendy's condition, dated Feb. 5, 1872. About half of the letters to Etta are from her father, Peter Melendy, one on Iowa Senate Chamber letterhead. This notebook also contains newspaper clippings and poetry that Etta apparently collected. Etta's Diploma from the Mount Pleasant Female Seminary, 14.5 x 17.75 in. on vellum. A pocket in the rear has miscellaneous items such as Etta's pocket calendar converted to a date book (1938); an oval albumen with "F.M. Hoyt?" on verso; and essays written by Etta white attending the Seminary.A scrapbook [8vo, green cloth with 3/4 leather, gilt on front "A Tribute to the Memory of Wife and Mother"] also seems to relate to Etta. Affixed to the front pastedown is an oval image of Mrs. Peter Melendy (Martha Fleming Coddington) (1828-1867, m. 20 Oct. 1896). Etta was 15 when her mother died, and she seems to have never really gotten over it. There are newspaper obituaries, Martha's school certificates, a long letter regarding Martha's state of mind when dying; several photos (various sizes) of Martha's grave; 28 pages of newspaper clippings, most poems or essays about death; 6 pages of miscellaneous items, including a wedding invitation; 7 pages of obituaries of Peter Melendy's death; plus miscellaneous items.A second standard ring binder relates primarily to Hiram Morton Bassett, MD, Etta's husband and Robert Hiram's father. There is an engrossed memorial for Dr. Bassett, giving his Masonic Record, approx. 16 x 21 in. Robert's baby book is tucked in here (born 2 March 1911), with notes to 1916. A smaller copy of the Masonic memorial and some newspaper obituaries follow. There is a memorial from the Iowa Hospital for the Insane, where Dr. Bassett was First Assistant Physician. A letter sent to friends informs them of the name selected for his son (Elmer Melendy Bassett). There are eight letters either to or from Dr. Bassett. One of these is to Peter Melendy, asking for his daughter's hand in marriage: "...I have been interested in Etta with an interest only satisfied in living her. I told her so, before she left Mt. Pleasant, I had the assurance that my affection was reciprocated. And we are engaged....We hope for your approval...."Much of this notebook is composed of certificates and diplomas: Notary Public - 1885-1888, 1884-1885, 1877-1879, and 1872-1875; certificate as Volunteer Observer for the Iowa Weather Service for 10 years (as of 1885); Appointment as Surgeon of the 121st Ohio Volunteer Infantry (10 Apr. 1865); appointment as Assistant Surgeon of 113th Ohio Vol. Infy.; Muster-Roll, muster out, 121st OVI (June 1865); Discharge paper from 121st OVI; Muster-Roll, muster in, 121st OVI plus another partial muster in roll; copy of discharge from 121st OVI. A Physician's Certificate for the State of Iowa states that he graduated from Western Reserve Medical College in Cleveland in Feb. 1863; Diploma from Western Reserve (1882); Diploma, M.D., vellum.The third ring binder concerns Robert Hiram Bassett. There are photos of his 83rd birthday (4); his retirement party (7); there are 7 letters and 5 telegrams of congratulations on his retirement, including one from George M. Humphrey, Sec'y. of Treasury (an Ohioan); photos from 1955 (2), 1952 (2) 1950, 1953 plus certificates of service that were given on several of these occasions; pages of photos by year: 4 miscellaneous later images; 2 groups of men at job sites; 5 small photos, 4 of which deal with fishing; 1913-1915 (8); 1911-1912 (3); 1913-1920 (4); 1904-1906 (4); 1907-1910 (4); page of childhood pictures; one page with a cyanotype and a photo dated 1896; plus certificates as Mining Engineer (1947); diploma as Engineer of Mines; diploma from Red Wing High School; diploma University of Minnesota College of Engineering (1907) (address was by Secretary William H. Taft); class photo (1907?); sports team (baseball) photo; photo of fieldwork, School of Mines of a dozen men with transits; various other programs, banquet menus, grade cards, examination certificates. The last are 11 documents related to establishing his birthday, since apparently there was no birth certificate (they decided it was 2 January 1885).A small binder (5.5 x 7.75 in.) contains financial information.A Memorial for Henry Cochems is in a leather folder with his name in gilt on the front, purple watered silk endpapers and a 10-page biography/eulogy on his life. With Robert Bassett's bookplate.A notebook (ca. 8 x 11 in.) has "Henry F. Cochems / Harvard Law" written on the front pastedown. Inside are two "blue books" with legal notes/cases and 108 typed pages with a Table of Contents of what appears to be business law cases.
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