A veteran of the War of 1812, often referred to as America’s second revolution, was honored in a ceremony Friday morning, June 27, by the Brig. General Thomas A. Smith Chapter of United States Daughters of 1812. Grave markers honoring the service of Private Henry Basye were presented to descendants Chuck and Randy Basye before an audience of 61 people. Twenty-three of Pvt. Basye’s descendants attended the ceremony.

The ceremony was held inside on the Basye farm due to recent rainy weather. The grave markers will be placed on Pvt. Basye’s headstone, located about a quarter-mile from the ceremony, at a later date.

Henry Basye was born on May 12, 1777, in Culpeper County, Va., one of seven children born to Edmond and Nancy Mauzy. At the time of his birth, the American Revolution had been in full swing for more than two years. Henry’s father, Edmond, and his maternal grandfather, Henry Mauzy, fought in America’s War of Independence. Edmond was a private in the Culpeper Militia. He had completed his enlistment and was on his way home when he died of smallpox at the age of 33, when Henry was just six years old.

On December 22, 1796, at the age of 18, Henry married Elizabeth James, 17. Together they had 11 children.

Henry served in the 5th Regiment Militia in Virginia. Two of his sons, Captain Richard T. Basye and Thomas J. Basye, served in the same regiment at that time. The regiment spent most of the War of 1812 mobilized to protect the Norfolk, Va., region from British naval attacks.

Henry’s eldest son, Richard, hosted French General Lafayette at Jeffersonton, Culpeper County, Va., during his visit to the United States in 1824-1825 as part of his Farewell Tour.

In 1832, Henry moved to Pike County, Ohio. Four of his five daughters married and stayed in Virginia, along with one son, Sherrod. Another son, John, settled in Kansas. The rest settled in various parts of Missouri, including Fayette, Rocheport, Marceline, and Platte City. Michael Mauzy Basye settled on the land where Friday’s ceremony took place after purchasing the farm in 1852.

Henry Basye died of smallpox on February 5, 1857. Later that month, his son, James, also died of smallpox.

Representatives from Daughters of 1812 Chapters, Joel J. Adcock, of Springfield, Mo., and Captain Thomas Fristoe, of Columbia, were joined by special guests, Missouri State President Daughters of 1812, Sally Bueno; Missouri and Illinois State President Society of 1812, Stephen Hyatt; Ira P. Nash Society of 1812 President, J. Wayne Merrill; Hank Hammons, President of M. Graham Clark, Sons of the American Revolution; and Carol Hyatt from Illinois, Daughters of the American Revolution.

The color guard was furnished by M. Graham Clark, Sons of the American Revolution, in their Revolutionary War uniforms.

Following the ceremony, attendees were invited to the historic Union Schoolhouse, which has been preserved by the Basye family.