Leason Bass,
Marion Twp.
This family comes of Irish stock on the father's side and German on the
mother's, the BASS family having come from Ireland and settled in Virginia
in the 17th century. Jordan Bass, the grandfather of Leason, was born and
grew to manhood in that State, where, on the breaking-out of the
Revolutionary war, he entered the patriot army, and served until the
American Colonies became a free and united country. He then settled in
North Carolina, where he was married and resided until death. In 1818, his
wife with her son Henry, moved to Fayette Co., Ind., and to Shelby Co. in
1821, where she died. Henry Bass was born in North Carolina Aug 6, 1792,
and served as a soldier in the war of 1812. He was married in that State
to Judia Fox, a native of North Carolina, born July 20, 1797. She was the
daughter of Michael and Mary Fox, natives of North Carolina, of German
descent, who settled in Shelby Co. in 1821, where both lie sleeping in
Liberty Graveyard. The following children were born of this union -- Jordan,
John (deceased), Michael (deceased), Lucy (deceased), Lewis (deceased), Lyndon, Elizabeth, Leason, Barbara, (deceased), Philip (deceased), Hiram,
and Elias (deceased). Mrs. BASS died Aug 23, 1839, and Henry was again
married, to Mrs. Elizabeth Daily, nee Harson, who died Oct 11, 1865, her
husband surviving her two years, and dying March 11, 1867. When Henry Bass
started from North Carolina, he was a poor man, he and his family coming in
the same wagon with Adam Rhodes and family to a settlement near
Connersville, where he lived until 1821, when having previously entered 80
acres of land in sec 29, Addison Township, Shelby Co., he settled on it
that year, and lived there three years, when he sold it, and in 1824,
entered land in Sec. 34, Marion Township, on which he resided until his
death. The whole country at that time was a vast forest, with perhaps a
small clearing every few miles, and, to such men as Henry Bass, Shelby Co.
owes it's wonderful growth and development, and it('s) conversion from a
wilderness into a smiling garden, teeming with life and wealth. He was a
member of the Christian Church and died in that faith. In many ways he was
very eccentric, and subject to the same failings that all humanity are
heirs to. He was straightforward in his dealings and scrupulously honest,
paying his debts to the last farthing and exacting the same from his
debtors. He left his children in good circumstances, the merited reward of
long years of toil. The subject of this sketch was the eighth in the
family, and was born in Shelby Co., Ind., Sept 3, 1829; grew to maturity on
the old homestead, and received a limited education in the primitive log
schoolhouse of the early days. He was married in Marion Township, Aug 30,
1857, to Miss Elmira Nigh, daughter of John and Cynthia Nigh, who died in
this county. Mrs. Bass was born in Shelby Co. Sept 28, 1934, and has had
the following children: William, Huldah, Judia, Clara, Grant (deceased),
Lilly and Verla (deceased). Mrs. Bass belongs to the United Brethren
Church, is an energetic, economical woman, and watches with loving care
over that home which Providence has placed in her charge. After his
marriage, Mr. Bass received from father 80 acres of land, on which he
settled. To this he added as the years sped by until he is now the owner
of about 500 acres of fine land. His home farm is one of the best in the
township, and he is considered one of the leading farmers of the county. A
view of his place will be found in the atlas, also portraits of himself,
wife and father. Mr. Bass has always been a hard worker, ambitious to
accumulate property and to excel as a farmer, and few men have been more
successful in accomplishing what they have undertaken. He is a shrewd
dealer, with wonderful energy and strength of character, relying solely on
his own judgment and never failing to fulfill every promise or obligation,
no matter what may be the sacrifice entailed. In politics, a firm
Republican, he still believes in freedom of opinion; is polite and
courteous toward every one, and is a worthy type of those progressive,
enterprising farmers whom "Old Shelby" may justly feel proud of claiming as
her citizens.
Atlas of Shelby Co., Indiana, Chicago: J.H.
Beers & Co, 1880, p 48. Indexed by Maurice Holmes and Robert T. Gordon, 1975. The reproduction of this book has been made possible through the
sponsorship of the Shelby County Historical Society, Shelbyville, Indiana, 1994.
Submitted by Virginia Flesher
Biography Index
Main Page