Fort Bend County, Tax Collector
Clement Newton Bassett, the present Tag Collector of Fort Bend County, was born in Richmond, Texas, on the 7th of January 1842. His father, Clem N. Bassett, Sr., was a. native of Virginia. and came to Texas in 18361 first stopping on the San Jacinto River at Lynchburg, where he married Miss Julia Lee Beale, also a native of Virginia. This was soon after the battle of San Jacinto, and the young people at once came to Richmond, Fort Bend County, and made that place their permanent home. Mr. Bassett was in the legal profession, and entered into the practice of law at Richmond successfully, and, at one time represented his district in the State Legislature. He died in Houston of cholera in 1848. His wife survived him until 1888, and died at Richmond.
The grandmother of the subject of this sketch on his father’s side was Miss Bacon, a relative of Nathaniel Bacon, the instigator and leader of the famous “Bacon’s Rebellion,” the first decided stand against British authority in the American Colonies, The grandmother on the mother’s side was a Miss Lee, about first or second cousin to General Robert E. Lee.
At the commencement of the great civil war, in 1861, Mr. Bassett joined the “Terry. Rangers” and was sworn into the Confederate States service at Houston, September the 7th, and at once went to the front. At the time be was but nineteen years of age, but participated in every battle in which his command was engaged, and was twice wounded. After the war he returned to Richmond, and in 1869 married Miss Lida Moore. She survived only about one year, and in 1885 Mr. Bassett married Miss Libbie Mitchell, daughter of Captain John C. Mitchell of Richmond. He was the first sheriff elected after the close of the “Jaybird and Woodpecker” feud. They have five children living. He is now in his first term of office, and was elected without opposition.