Biography of A F Bassham, Fulton Co, AR

***********************************************************
Submitted by: Michael Brown <michael@grnco.net>
        Date: 26 Sep 1998
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
***********************************************************

page 267

A. F. Bassham is the present efficient sheriff and ex-officio
collector of Fulton County, Ark., and is well-known throughout the county as a
man of ability and honor. He was born in Lawrence County, Tenn., January 25,
1859, and is a son of S. H. and Elizabeth (Ray) Bassham, who were born in
Tennessee and Alabama, September 9, 1829, and January 1, 1830, respectively.
The former grew to maturity and was married in his native State, being there
engaged in the pursuit of farming, but after the late war, in which he served
on the Confederate side, he emigrated to Arkansas, in 1874, where he followed
the same occupation, but is now residing in Salem. He is a Democrat, and he and
wife are members of the Free-Will Baptist Church. His father, Richard Bassham,
was a native and a farmer of Tennessee, and was married to a Miss Pennekuff,
who died in Lawrence County, Tenn. In all probability the maternal [p.267]
grandfather, Benjamin Ray, was a native of Alabama. A. F. Bassham was reared to
the age of fourteen years in Tennessee, since which time he has been a resident
of Fulton County, Ark. Being desirous of supplementing the primary education
which he received, in the vicinity of his home, with a more thorough knowledge
he entered the graded school at Mountain Home, Ark., where his career was
marked with rapid advancement. Now thoroughly qualified to enter upon a
professional career, he engaged in teaching school, and was one of the popular
educators of Fulton County for several years. He gave up this work, however, to
assume the responsible duties of his present office, to which he was elected
September 3, 1888, by the Democratic party, of which he has always been an
active member. He is a Master Mason, and is secretary of Viola Lodge No. 399;
also belonging to Salem Lodge No. 28, I. O. O. F. October 15, 1881, he was
married to Miss Allie Brown, who was born in 1862, and by her has an
interesting little family of three children: Frederick, Maude and William. Mr.
Bassham owns a good farm of 120 acres.