He left home at an early age (14) and worked for a time in the mills in Waterville, ME. [1] He then went to California fo a while, and was said a mule driver for in the area of death valley. It is said that he was in the area of San Francisco about the time of the great earthquake. When he returned to Maine he became an electrical engineer at the mills in Waterville. He lived in Benton Station accross the river from Waterville. [5]
1910 federal census for Waterville, 7th Ward, Kennebec Co., ME, 80 Grove St., p. 160B [6]
Henry W. Basford, male, head, age 31, b. ME, father b. ME, mother b. ME,
dynamotender-power house, first marriage, married 6 years
Mary W., female, wife, age 26, b. ME, father b. ME, mother b. ME, first marriage, married 6 years, 1 child, 0 living
1920 federal census for Benton, ED 45, Kennebec Co., ME, Pleasant St., p. 10B [7]
Henry Basford, male, head, age 40, b. ME, father b. ME, mother b. ME, mill-Indian Mill
Mary W., female, wife, age 36, b. ME, father b. ME, mother b. ME
Chester E., male, son, age 8, b. ME, father b. ME, mother b. ME
Clarence H., male, son, age 5, b. ME, father b. ME, mother b. ME
1930 federal census for Benton, ED 13, Kennebec Co., ME, Barton St., Apr 1930, p. 5A [4]
Henry H. Basford, male, head, age 50, b. ME, father b. ME, mother b, ME, married,
age 24 at first marriage, electrician?
Mary W., female, wife, age 46, b. ME, father b. ME, mother b, ME, married,
age 19 at first marriage
Chester E., male, son, age18, b. ME, father b. ME, mother b, ME, single
Clarence H., male, son, age 12, b. ME, father b. ME, mother b, ME, single
Maitland E., female, daughter, age 9, b. ME, father b. ME, mother b, ME, single
Basil S., male, son, age 8, b. ME, father b. ME, mother b, ME, single
He married Mary Whitney GIBBS, on 2 Jun 1903 in Fairfield, ME. [8], [3] Born on 3 Aug 1883 in Fairfield, ME. [3] Mary Whitney died in Benton, ME, on 19 May 1947. [3]