Born: April 2, 1745, Cecil County, Maryland. Died: August 15, 1815, Kent County, Delaware. Veteran of the American Revolution. Delegate at the Constitutional Convention. U.S. Senator, 1789-1793; Chief Justice of the Delaware Court of Common Pleas, 1793-1799; Governor of Delaware, 1799-1801 (He resigned to accept John Adams’ appointment to the 3rd Circuit Court); Judge, U.S. 3rd Circuit Court, 1801-1802. This was one of the “midnight judges” appointments by President John Adams after his defeat by Thomas Jefferson. Bassett’s tenure ended quickly, July 1, 1802, when Jefferson’s Congress repealed the law that had established his seat on the 3rd Circuit Court. Led the convention to draft a new State Constitution for Delaware, which was approved in 1792.
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