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Bassett-Little Family Papers
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Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
May Virginia Bassett Little was born March 10, 1913, and died Sept. 4, 1994. She was the daughter of Dr. Arthur E. Bassett (1886-1951), a dentist and prominent Swarthmore, Pa., resident, and Vernon Rose (Waddell) Bassett (1887-1955).
Arthur E. Bassett was the son of Franklin Lippincott Bassett (1855-1929) and Anna Elgar (Hallowell) Bassett, Philadelphia Quakers. Anna was the daughter of John Elgar Hallowell (1838-1856) and Anna Wilson Townsend (1836-1878). John Elgar Hallowell was the son of Benjamin Hallowell (1799-1877), renowned Quaker educator. Anna Wilson Townsend was the daughter of Edward Townsend (1807-1896), a Philadelphia Quaker dentist involved in the education of African-Americans, prison reform, and a school for the blind. He served as warden of Eastern State Penitentiary in 1870-1881.
Franklin Bassett graduated from Swarthmore College in 1876 and practiced dentistry in Philadelphia. The family transferred their memberships from Philadelphia Monthly Meeting (Hicksite) to Swarthmore Monthly Meeting in 1895 and lived on 513 Walnut Lane. In 1914, the family removed to Salem Monthly Meeting. N.J. Anna Bassett returned to Swarthmore Monthly Meeting in 1949 and died in the Hickman Home in West Chester.
Vernon Rose Waddell (1889-1955) was the daughter of James A. Waddell and May Virginia Rose. Her mother died in 1895, and Vernon first lived with her mother's parents and sister at 422 Harvard Avenue, Swarthmore, and subsequently with her mother's other sister, Vernon (Rose) Geddes who lived across the street at 417 Harvard. Vernon and her husband, Frank H. Geddes raised her namesake as their own daughter. Their son, F. Bramwell Geddes, married Vernon Waddell Bassett's cousin, Alice Worth. Vernon Waddell attended Swarthmore College in the Class of 1912 and married Arthur Bassett in 1910. Alice Worth Geddess graduated in the Class of 1908, and her husband, F. Bramwell Geddess, was in the Class of 1905.
While Arthur Bassett remained a member of the Society of Friends until his death in 1951, Vernon, who had been raised a Baptist, became a member of Swarthmore Presbyterian Church. Vernon and Arthur Bassett moved to 307 N. Chester Road in 1916, where they lived the remainder of their lives.
The extended Swarthmore family also included Vernon's uncle, Herbert T. Bassett, and his wife Mary Ramsay Bassett (Swarthmore Class of 1912) who lived in the Ramsay family home on North Chester Road. Virginia's sister, Barbara, married David West Cochrane. He was the long-time clerk of the Swarthmore Camera Shop.
Virginia Bassett married Ralph V. Little, Jr. (1909-2001) in 1937. An electrical engineer, he was the son of Ralph V. Little and Helen Druary Little who also lived in Swarthmore and were members of the Swarthmore Presbyterian Church. Ralph graduated from Penn State University in 1933 and worked for RCA in Camden. Virginia and Ralph lived in Swarthmore for fifteen years and had three children: Donald Townsend, Shirley, and Janet. They moved to Ohio in 1957. In 1974, they moved to Central Pennsylvania, and in 1985, to a retirement home in Blue Bell, Pa.
The collection contain papers of the Bassett and Little families who resided in Swarthmore, Pa., in the first half of the twentieth century. In the 1980s, May Virginia Bassett Little (1913-1994) created a series of family scrapbooks accompanied by short memoirs and excerpts from her diaries. Her father was a birthright Quaker, and the family had deep roots in Swarthmore College and the Borough of Swarthmore. Her husband, Ralph V. Little, Jr., (1909-2001), also was raised in Swarthmore. Their son, Donald Townsend Little, continued his mother's interest in autobiography and compiling family history.
The scrapbooks were published with annotations and writings by Donald T. Little, Virginia's World & Pathways Beyond (2008). Volume 2 contains additional biogrraphical information about Vernon and Arthur Bassett and other family members.
Gift of Donald T. Little, 2011-2016, 2021
Received in 10 "magnetic" binders with one bound acidic scrapbook and a folder of loose photographs. The memoirs and scrapbooks were reproduced with annotationsa and additions by her son, Donald T. Little, in 2008. For preservation purposes, the manuscript material was removed and acid-free photocopies made of the scrapbooks. This material is stored as RG 5/277 which was originally cataloged as the May Virginia Bassett Little Album Collection. In 2011, Donald Little added a family tree compiled by his mother and an original photo albumm of the Rose family of Swarthmore. Two additional oversized scrapbooks and related travel diaries added to the collection in 2012. Donald Little deposited additional photo albums and his personal papers in 2013, 2014, and 2016. The collection was renamed Bassett-Little Family Papers, and a new finding aid produced. The original photographs were removed from the binders and stored with Picture Collections as PA 154.
After a photocopy was made of the entirety, the original photographs in May Virginia Bassett Little's scrapbooks were removed to PA 154 and a detailed inventory created. The photograph albums compiled by Donald T. Little were added to PA 154 as well as a small photo album of Rose Family Photographs, ca. 1904-1905, mostly taken in Swarthmore, Pa. Two cased photographs were removed to PA 107: A tarnished daguerreotype of Elizabeth Clark Townsend, dated 1873, and an ambrotype of a seated woman, possibly Ruth Korns.
People
- Little, May Virginia Bassett, 1913-1994
- Little, Donald Townsend
- Bassett family
- Little family
- Townsend family
Subject
Place
- Publisher
- Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
- Finding Aid Author
- FHL staff
- Finding Aid Date
- 2016
- Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Use Restrictions
-
Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce items in this collection beyond the bounds of Fair Use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder or their heirs/assigns. See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-RUU/1.0/.
Collection Inventory
Virginia's memoirs, from childhood to engagement, 1913-1936, with additions exerpted from her diaries
Physical Description1 folder
Compiled for her grandson, Derek Little. Life in Swarthmore, then trip to Germany in 1929.
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
Typed copies of letters, 1933-1936, she wrote to her parents
Physical Description1 folder
Swarthmore Presbyterian Church
Physical Description1 folder
In the early 1990s, Virginia excerpted her diaries 1938-1940, to give her children her memories and perspectives of their childhood. Donald was born in Swarthmore. After a series of temporary moves, the family settled on Haverford Place in Swarthmore
Physical Description1 folder
Covering the period from 1943-1944
Physical Description1 folder
Covering the period from 1945-1947. Becomes more involved with puppetry
Physical Description1 folder
Summary of family activities for year 1951 and excerpts from diaries. Virginia began her puppet shows
Physical Description1 folder
Activities in Swarthmore, 1952
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Activities in Swarthmore, 1953. Final diary excerpted in July 1994.
Physical Description1 folder
Mimeographed letter to family with details of their life in Shaker Heights in 1958
Physical Description1 folder
In a brief autobiography, Virginia relates that she has compiled a scrapbook with photographs of her grandparents and made albums for each of her children
Physical Description1 folder
Typed copies of letters 1946-1955 from Virginia to her parents and a letter from her mother
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Typed copies of letters, 1955-1956
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In 1955, Virginia took a puppetry course in Folktale Puppet Studio Vermont. Virginia became interested in puppets when her children were small
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Virginia became president of the organization in 1982. Mimeographed copy.
Physical Description1 folder
Account of a pleasant weekend spent with family and a thank-you note. A second copy included, with cover letter from sister-in-law Margy (2001)
Physical Description1 folder
Also Christmas letter from her sister-in-law that mentions the death
Physical Description1 folder
Clippings, etc., on land developed by members of the Waddell family. Vernon Bassett inherited a share in 1934
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
Biographies of Vernon Rose Waddell (1879-1955) and Arthur Edward Bassett (1886-1951), compiled and written by Donald T. Little in collaboration with May Virginia Bassett Little, Barbara King Bassett Cochrane, and James Waddell Bassett.
Physical Description1 folder
Unless otherwise noted, this series contains photocopies made before dismantling from acidic albums. Virginia Little created the albums in the 1980s-1994, collecting and identifying family photographs from from various sources including a nineteenth century Townsend album. For preservation purposes, the original photographs were removed to PA 154.
"Dedicated to my Family." Genealogical information and photographs of family members, beginning with her grandparents to 1941
Physical Description1 folder
"Dedicated to my Family." Photo album with labels covers the years 1942-1968
Physical Description1 folder
Photo album covering childhood of her son Donald, 1939-1949
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Includes photographs collected by Virginia's mother, Vernon. Includes Swarthmore homes and Swarthmore College. Donald T. Little compiled additional biographical material which is included in Vol. 2.
Physical Description1 folder
Album to accompany the Autobiography of May Virginia Bassett (Series 1)
Physical Description1 folder
Photocopy and extensive hand-written notes in original album
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Little, Geddes family and homes in Swarthmore
Physical Description1 folder
Early memories, diary of a trip to Canada in 1904
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Arthur Bassett was Virginia's father. Donald T. Little compiled additional biographical material which is included in Vol. 2. Arthur was a descendent of Benjamin Hallowell, and his father was a graduate of Swarthmore College. In 1893 the family moved to Swarthmore, first to a house on N. Chester Rd and 1893 to a new house at 513 Walnut Lane.
Physical Description1 folder
Note from Donor that he removed the pages in 2005 from a bound album. Photographs mounted on black paper. Frank Rose was a sister of May Vernon Rose Waddell (Virginia's mother).
Physical Description1 folder
Contains a brief autobiorgraphy of Ralph Little who grew up at 133 Park Avenue. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, he worked for RCA and was in early days of television and Theater Television.
Physical Description1 folder
An album created for the occasion of Eastern State Penitentiary tour and picnic hosted by the Worth-Spackman families. Typed Ms. The original photographs removed to PA 154. Cartes de visite returned to their slots in the Townsend family album. This manuscript includes the memoirs of Edward Townsend (1806-1896) who served as warden of Eastern State 1870-1881. A photocopy of the album was placed in PG7, Townsend family.
Physical Description1 folder
Vernon Bassett, her daughter Virginia, and grandson made the driving trip by way of the developing interstate highway system.
Physical Description1 folder
Two diaries in student composition books of Vernon Bassett and one written by her grandson Donald Little.
Physical Description1 folder
Accession FHL 2017.040. Donor's labeling and order retained. Includes primarily family correspondence
Including "round-robin" letter to Western relatives
Physical Description1 folder
Including DAR recommendation
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While visiting in Vermont
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Clippings and list of courses, etc.
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1 folder
1935, while visiting Lillian Waddell (her half sister) in Perth, Ontario
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Leanore was a long-time friends from Swarthmore
Physical Description1 folder
Camp in the Poconos
Physical Description1 folder
"Tanta" was Vernon Rose Geddes, Vernon Rose Waddell Bassett's sister. Vernon's mother died in childbirth and Vernon first lived with her grandparents and the her aunt. Tanta was like a grandmother to Vernon's children.
Physical Description1 folder
On vacation in Ocean City, NJ
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Vernon Bassett traveled with daughters Virginia and Barbara, "Tanta" Vernon Rose Geddes and Aunt Eugenia.
Physical Description1 folder
Vernon was visiting her son's home in California
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1 folder
Birth of son Donald, etc.
Physical Description1 folder
Includes photograph of the bride
Physical Description1 folder
Virginia was a camp counselor at Camp Indian Rrun. Includes photographs at Camp
Physical Description1 folder
Early letterswere written from summer camp.
Physical Description1 folder
While on their European vacation from son Waddell, Arthur Bassett and others
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While on their European vacation from son Waddell, Arthur Bassett and others
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Camp Memories and Photo Album of Barbara Bassett's summer at Camp Indian Run
Physical Description1 folder
Leanore Perkins (1911-2002) was a childhood friend of Virginia. Ms excerpts written about their activities and friendship. Leanore was the daughter of Joseph and Mary Perkins who became members of Swarthmore Monthly Meeting in 1930. She worked at the Swarthmore Public Library beginning in 1950. Includes photographs of Virginia's wedding party and of Crum Creek, Swarthmore, which was taken in 1930s by Arthur Bassett.
Physical Description1 folder
Notebook on cross-country trip to California by car, Barbara, Jim, and Vernon Little
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
Removed to PA 154. James A. Waddell m. 1st Frances Shattack, one daughter Lillian A. Waddell. M. 2nd May Virginia Rose, one daughter Vernon Rose Waddell who married Arthur E. Bassett.
European trip, summer of 1929. Includes a small notebook kept by Vernon Little with rough notes and an envelope of snapshots.
Physical Description1 folder
Written about the 1929 European tour with Vernon Rose Bassett and her two daughters, Virginia and Barbara. Annotations by Barbara written in 2002 who was 12 years old at the time. Eugenie Rose (1875-1947) married John P. Street.
Physical Description1 folder
Includes Barbara King Bassett's fingerprints 1932.
Physical Description1 folder
Correspondence with Vernon Bassett and her uncle, Ed. A. Waddell, etc., concerning property she and sister Lillian inherited from their father, James A. Waddell, which was sold in 1945.
Physical Description1 folder
Copies of documents in the National Park Service Archives concerning the property in the Everglades. Also, summary and Donald Little's correspondence. 2014
Physical Description1 folder
David West Cochrane and Barbara King Bassett.
Physical Description1 folder
Donald Little's autobiography in three volumes with supporting papers. Accession FHL 2016.006
Bound baby book. Includes informal snapshots and 8 x 10 of the extended family taken when Donald was an infant.
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
Boy Scouts, etc.
Physical Description1 folder
Swarthmore troop were involved in project to rebuild a surplus Navy landing craft. Clippings, correspondence, report on project, etc.
Physical Description1 folder
Includes a letter to his parents, 1957; 1982 reunion
Physical Description1 folder
Don Little was in Class of 1956 but graduated in Class of 1957 at George School. Remove to SHS archives?
Physical Description1 folder
Matriculated in fall of 1957. Memorabilia from freshman year.
Physical Description1 folder
Summer job at Silver Bay, NY
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Earned B.S., Class of 1964. Includes student paper written for Professor T. Canby Jones. Correspondence from Jones.
Physical Description1 folder
Student Christian Union trip to South, 1962. Articles, writings
Physical Description1 folder
Draft, application as CO, divinity school. Performed SS obligation as employee of mission board
Physical Description1 folder
TMs, topics on religion, autobiography at age twenty-three. His self-published 3 volume autobiography is based on his papers and includes details of his life at all stages.
Physical Description1 folder
Writings, ephemera, postcard notes to fiancée. Decided that he would fulfill his alternate service through service with the Presbyterian Board of Missions rather than entering the ministry.
Physical Description1 folder
Navajo mission owned by Board of National Missions of the Presbyterian Church. Don worked in the electrical power house, completing his alternate service commitment as a conscientious objector. Polly Little worked as a registered nurse. They were featured in an article in the Wilmington College alumni magazine, Nov. 1964
Physical Description1 folder
While newlyweds in Arizona. Letters from Polly's family and other friends and family. Don had considered entering the ministry.
Physical Description1 folder
Active in Presbyterian Church in Rochester, Ganado Mission and Board of National Missions
Physical Description1 folder
Donald supervised a construction project for the Presbyterian Board of Missions. Correspondence and related articles concerning great fire, snapshots, postcard
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
School, membership, and professional records. Association of Physical Plant Administrators,
Physical Description1 folder
Employment including Xerox in Rochester, NY, 1966-1972; Kalamazoo College as Director of Physical Plant, 1972-1979; Connecticut College 1979-1986 as Director of Physical Plant where he also worked with the New London revitalization project and built a passive solar house in 1981
Physical Description1 folder
The family moved to Kalamazoo in 1972. His father lost his job in 1977 and moved to Central Pennsylvania. Family reunion. In 1984, his parents sold Locust Farm, and moved to a retirement community outside Philadelphia. Donald continued his education, established a consulting business, and was involved with various non-profits.
Physical Description1 folder
Correspondence, notes
Physical Description1 folder
Correspondence, notes. Donald and Polly Little adopted a daughter in 1974.
Physical Description1 folder
Compiled by Virginia Bassett Little for her daughter, 1964. Removed from binder, additional pages added with Donald Little history.
Autobiography in three published volumes.