Son of Levi Beckwith and Lucinda Starkweather.

This is a memorial to Orson S. Beckwith. More information needed as to burial location. It seems most likely that he is buried in Evergreen cemetery with his family.

Louisa Jane Scott married 1st Elias Bassett 24 Sep 1854 in Oakland Co., Michigan. They had two children, Lillie and Elias W. Bassett. Elias left Michigan for Illinois and was inducted into the service during the Civil War. He never returned home and Louisa thought he had died. She remarried to Orson S. Beckwith abt 1865 in Michigan. They had one son Orsen White Beckwith b. 1866 in Three Rivers, St. Joseph Co., Michigan. By 1870 they are in Gage Co., Nebraska.

In 1876 Louisa Jane Beckwith purchased property in Beatrice, Gage Co., Nebraska. (Deed found by Tom Baker.)

"Elias Bassett

Nebraska City News, Friday, 21 Dec 1888

An Enoch Arden Case

The death of E. Bassett on Sunday last brought out a rather peculiar Enoch Arden case, except that the original couple were reunited.. In the latter part of the '50s Mr. Bassett was married and lived happily with his family in a small town in Illinois. When the call was made for volunteers in the civil war Mr. Bassett responded and served until the troops were mustered out, but from what we have been told when he returned to his old home his wife and children had disappeared. He had been reported dead, and after waiting some time the wife married again. He could obtain no trace of his lost family, so he started on a long search for them. For years he was the driver of the sixteen-horse band wagon for "Yankee" Robinson and afterwards was with Dan Rice. In every town he visited he searched for his family but without avail. After he had abandoned all hope of ever finding them he drifted west and attending divine services in a small town in Missouri he met his wife. The parties then came to Nebraska City where there was a happy reunion, with the exception of husband No. 2, who regretted exceedingly to leave his wife. His parting was indeed sad. He, too, had been a soldier, and had lost a leg for Uncle Sam. From here husband No. 2 went to Beatrice to live with his son, who was engaged in business at that place. At one time Mr. Bassett, it is said, was very well fixed in regard to worldly possessions".

(Husband No. 2 refers to Orson S. Beckwith who was living in the City of Waverly, Lancaster Co., Nebraska at time of June 27, 1885 census.

Reponse from National Archives received by Kathy Beals in 2005. Dependent's original no. 672785, Louisa Bassett, Widow of Elias Bassett, Can no. 2645, Bundle no. 58. A copy of her application states: that on 3 Mar 1898 in Ada Co., Idaho, Louisa Bassett, aged 64 yrs. of Boise City, Ada Co., ID. declared under oath that she was the widow of Elias Bassett who enlisted under the name of Elias Bassett in Co. C - 77th IL. Vols and was discharged at Bloomington, IL. He died 18 Dec. 1889 at Nebraska City, NE.(16 Dec. 1888.) That she was married under the name of Louisa J. Scott to said Elias Bassett on 24th day of Sept. 1854 by Jacob Bowen at Addison, Michigan, and that neither of them had ever been married before. She is without other means of support than her daily labor, and she has no children of the soldier now living under 16 years. She has not heretofore applied for a pension. Her post office address is Boise City, Idaho.

Application was received on 19 Mar 1898, with attorney listed as P. O'Farrell. On 2 Jul 1898 a request for the full military and medical history of Elias Bassett was sent to Louisa, and nothing of any later date was in the file which was stamped as abandoned.

Response: there was no Elias Bassett could be found on the rolls in Co. C of 77th Volunteers.

Kathy wrote: Louisa didn't exactly lie on her application, since she stated that she had not remarried since the death of Elias Bassett. They must have divorced, but that question was not on the form, nor was the question of whether she had ever remarried.

1890 Veterans Schedule for Louisa Bassett as a widow living in Waverly precinct, Lancaster Co., Neb. in June showed Elias Bassett was in the 69th IL. Inf. as a private, enlisted 1861, discharged 1865, 4 yrs. 4 months. She stated that she has been a widow 1 yr. six months.

(There is a discrepancy as far as which Company of volunteers Elias was in.)

+++++++

1860 Census, Constantine Twp., St. Joseph Co., Michigan

Orson S. Beckwith 49 Vt p. 384

Lura A. 35 Pa

Barbara 16 Mi

Lydia 12 Mi

Louisa 6 Mi

Mary 4 Mi

Alice 11/12 Mi

++++

I know a little about the children of his first wife. There is some chance he had a wife before Lura Ann.

(From Scott on message board.)