An American Family History

History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts: Including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant by Alonzo Lewis, James Robinson Newhall Published by J. L. Shorey, 1865

William Basset was a farmer, and died 31 March, 1703. He had two sons;
William [Bassett, Jr.], who married Sarah Hood, 25 Oct. 1675; and
Elisha, whose wife's name was Elizabeth [daughter of John Collins].

His descendants remain. [He lived on Nahant street, on land which is still (1863) in possession of his descendants. He married Sarah, daughter of Hugh Burt, who died in 1661. He was an ensign in the company of Capt. Gardner, of Salem, in the Indian war, and was at the "swamp fight." For his services, the General Court made him a grant of land. Capt. William Bassett, supposed to be the same individual, was one of a council of war, with Major Benjamin Church, at Scarborough, Me. 11 Nov. 1689. His name often appears in the oldest town records of Lynn, where, in 1691, he is called Quartermaster Bassett. He died 31 March, 1703.

His son William [Bassett], who married Sarah Hood, as stated above, by Mr. Lewis, succeeded to the estate. This Sarah [Hood Bassett] was the same person spoken of under date 1692, as having been imprisoned for witchcraft. He also had a daughter Elizabeth [Bassett], who married John Proctor, of Danvers, who was executed for witchcraft. She was condemned, but pardoned. She had a second husband, named Richards.

His children, besides those named, were
Sarah, who married Thomas Elwell, of Gloucester, in 1675, and in 1701 lived in Salem county, N. J.;
Rebecca; John, born in 1653;
Miriam, b. 1655;
Mary, b. 1657, who was also imprisoned for witchcraft, in 1692;
Hannah, b. 1660, who married John Lilley, of Woburn;
Samuel, b. 1664; and
Rachel, b. 1666, who married Ephraim Silsbee.

Mary White Rowlandson,Talcot was captured by Native Americans during King Philip's War (1675-1676).