Constructing a HouseAndrew William Ernest Bassette was born in November 1857 in Hampton, the youngest of three sons and a daughter of Burrell Bassette and Fannie Bassette. Whether he was born free or a slave is not known. The family was so poor that when Bassette entered Hampton Institute early in the 1870s, the other students laughed at his patched and tattered clothing. Following his graduation in 1876, Bassette taught in schools in Greensville, Sussex, and Surry counties before returning to Elizabeth City County and teaching there for at least a dozen years. On several occasions he voluntarily took cuts in his small salary to enable the school districts to extend the short school term.