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

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