John D. Bassett - The Ground Hogger of Henry County

J. D. Bassett, Sr.

Goundhog Day has been an interesting, but very community oriented event for many years.

My research indicates that in Franklin County, Groundhog Day was an exciting event, with people and civic groups gathering together to celebrate and have some good humored fun.

A local businessman and Mason in Rocky Mount named Rob Angell would organize the Ground Hog day event there. He was the proclaimed "Guardian of the Ground Hog", and the organizers and fans were called "Admirers of the Holy Ground Hog" and sometimes simply "Ground Hoggers". This event was such a big deal, apparently Mr. John D. Bassett was a fan. Mr. Bassett as you may know, was the primary founder of Bassett Furniture Company.

I stumbled across an interesting letter that Mr. Bassett once submitted, and he makes a good humored approach to trying to convince more haste from Roanoke County in its efforts to connect Roanoke to Henry County. He utilizes his friendship with Rob Angell in his remarks as well. 

The letter is transcribed below, enjoy! It is easy to find on the VirginiaChronicle.com website, if you want to see the original.


Road Through Henry.

Bassett, VA June 24, 1918

To the Editor of The World News:

I should like to express through your good paper a few of my thoughts on building a sand clay road from Roanoke, VA., through Franklin County to the Henry County line, on the National Highway.

This would give this part of the State and other points south an outlet by Roanoke, through the valley to Maryland. The writer lives in Henry County and we are proud to say that we have the good roads spirit in this section. We will soon built the often spoken of sand clay road through this county to the, Franklin County line, over the route known as the National Highway, and I understand Franklin County will, extend this road through to the Roanoke County line having already begun. as I understand, the work. Hurrah for this grand old county. Why not Roanoke County begin work and extend this improved road from the Franklin County known to Roanoke city and beyond if improvement is needed in that direction. This is a very important road to be Improved, and by so doing we might be able to hold together the route chosen several years ago as the National Highway.

We Henry County people want to go to Roanoke and see you good folks and also to see what your city looks like. We understand you have a splendid city, and we want to go over there and see whether or not we have been correctly informed. Why not the good citizens of Roanoke city get busy. Get my friend, Rob Angell on the job. He is the four minute man and does things. I understand he went from Franklin County, and all the Franklin fellows are hustlers. Mr. Angell, I have been told, has implicit faith in the Franklin County ground hog, and this so much the better. I believe in the ground hog, too, and it takes the fellows who believe in these animals to do things.

Will you good people of Roanoke help us make a road so we can visit your city.

Yours truly,
JOHN D. BASSETT

• As an aside, I wondered what a "four minute man" was as Mr. JD was speaking about. Interesting topic in itself. I even found a book about it.
  
  
• Speaking of Ground Hog Day....
  I always get a kick out the Bill Murray movie.
  
  
• If you want more information about Bassett, check out Tom Perry's book: