Hon. Theophilus Bass

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• Name: Theo

Notes:

Theophilus Bass, was the first County-Circuit Clerk and Recorder of Taney County (now part of Stone County, Missouri), being appointed in 1837 by Governor Lilburn W. Boggs. Coming from a family with means, he was highly educated for one of that period, and was very industrious and had taken up the work of surverying. It was while surveying the "base line" with Nathaniel Boone (son of Daniel Boone) that he met, wooed and won Mildred Shannon, daughter of John David Shannon, of White River Township.

Theophilus Bass entered his land on White River (Missouri), just a little way from Forsyth, on August 23, 1845), comprising about 132 acres of Government land for which he paid $1,25 an acre, but turned in Government vouchers for surveyers services as payment. It was on both sides of the river and part of it became known and still is rememered as the Casey homestead (not related Caseys!). The land was sold to Levi Casey in April of 1848, for $1500 the year before Theophilus Bass died. Ill health may have been a factor in his selling this land for he was not quite forty years old.

Theophilus owned NW 1/4 on the West and the NE 1/4 on the East side of the White River, giving him a shore line of 1 3/4 miles on the west and 3/4 miles on the east side of the river, and which comprised the new Shepherd of the Hills Estates.

He lived on the south side of White River and held court at the mouth of Bull Creek. He was the sixth representative from Taney County to the 15th Gen. Assembly from Taney County, at Jefferson City, in 1848-49., and died while in office March 11th 1849. He was buried at Jefferson City, by Special Act of the Legislature and a tablet was erected to his memory.

The following is taken from the proceedings of the Session of 1848-49: "An Act to pay funeral expenses of Hon. Theopolis Bass" Introduced and passed in the Senate march 12, 1849. Mr Mares introduced a Resolution in reference to the death of Theo. Bass, which were read, rules suspended and adopted. Mr. Hicks, introduced a Resolution autorizing George P. Bass (brother) to draw the pay which is due Theo. Bass, late member of Taney County, deceased. Adopted (House). House adopted an Act to pay funeral expenses. Senate adopted following Resolutions relating to the death of Theopolis Bass, and have also adopted House resolutions on the same subject. The House concurred in the Resolitions from the Senate in reference to the death of T.B.

The inscription on the tablet in the Cemetery reads: "Sacred to the memory of Theopolis Bass, late Representative from Taney County, Missouri, who was born in Columbia, Murray County, Tennesse, on the 2nd of February 1811, and died on the 11th of March 1949. Erected by an Act of the General Assembly".

The Missouri Statesman, published at Columbia, Missouri, says on March 16th, 1849: "Mr. Theopolis Bass, a member of the Legislature from Taney County, and who has been seriously ill during most of the Session, died on Saturday night last. Mr. Bass, was a son of Mr. Lawrence Bass of this County."

In reading the preceedings of the latter part of this Session, Theopolis Bass, was absent for many days, unable to answer the roll call, but was reported from day to day as being sick and unable to atend the Sessions. At that day and age, distances were great, roads were bad, travel was light, and news was carried slowly and largely from "mouth to mouth". Mrs. Bass, (or as she was known later, Grandma Nelson,) did not know anything of her husbands death, until weeks later a horseman came riding to her doorway, leading another horse, and announced the death of Theopolis. The riderless horse was the one Theo. rode away to Jefferson City on when he went to attend the Legislature. On its return, it carried his saddle, saddle bags, clothing and gun and other belongings. The rider was believed to be one of his brothers from Boone county.

Theophilus married Mildred Catherine Shannon on 5 Nov 1840 in Forsyth, Missouri. Mildred (daughter of John David Shannon and Mary Polly Goode) was born on 17 Nov 1823 in White River Township, Independence County, Arkansas, USA; died on 17 Jul 1906 in Oto, Stone, Missouri, USA; was buried in 1906 in Nelson Cemetery, Oto, Stone, Missouri. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Mary Catherine Bass was born on 6 May 1843 in Taney Co. MO, USA; died on 10 Dec 1921 in Springfield, Greene, Missouri, USA.
2. James Theophilus Bass was born on 27 Aug 1844 in Taney Co. MO, USA; died in 1865 in Killed At Wilder Creek.
3. Nancy Elizabeth "Nannie" Bass was born on 12 Feb 1845 in Taney Co. MO, USA; died on 25 Apr 1923 in Troy, Doniphan, Kansas, USA; was buried in Troy, Doniphan, Kansas, USA.
4. John Shannon Bass was born on 26 May 1847 in Taney County, Missouri, USA; died on 2 May 1936 in Reed Springs, Stone, Missouri; was buried on 3 May 1936 in Ponce de Leon, Stone, Missouri.

Notes:

Parents: Peter Bass of Maryland and Sarah M. Jackson of KY.

Brothers Peter (b 1771) and Lawrence (b 1780) BASS moved from Bardstown KY to Davidson county, Tennessee about 1803. Peter had just married Anna Stone and Lawrence married Nancy Patton on Oct 15, 1803 (in Nashville?). Peters wife died in childbirth May 14, 1809 in Nashville where she is buried. Lawrence and Nancy had may have had son George in Nashville. Both families left shortly after 1810.

Notes in Bass Family Bible state that Peter Bass (abt 1769-18. May 1829 Smithland, Livingston, KY) came to Baltimore from Holland, was originally surnamed BEST, and was 99 years old when he died in 1829.

Home in 1840: Cedar, Boone, Missouri, 7 free white persons, 12 slaves.
1850: District 8, Boone County

Lawrence said to have had 13 children.
He was one of the "Commissioners" to locate a "Seat of Justice" in Boone County, Missouri. A town company was formed and called the "Smithton Company" which bought a tract of land, surveyed and laid out the town of Columbia.

Will, December 18th, 1852: "To My beloved wife Nancy Bass in lieu of her driver, the plantation on which we now recide, being the West half of section No one of Range No 12 and the west half of the North West quarter of section No eight all in township No Forty Six of Range No Eleven, containing in all about four hundred acres, during her lifetime of widowhood, together with all my slaves and their increase, during her lifetime or widowhood, should my wife Nancy Bass wish at any time to give or distribute any of our slaves to any of our children herinafter named she can do so by having them carefully appraised and the child or heir receiving the slave or slave shall receipt to my executor for the valuation of the said slave or slaves who shall charge the same to said child or heir, which amount shall stand agains said child or heir and be deducted out of his or her par of my estate on a final settlement, toghether with all my horses, cows, oxen, mules, sheep and hogs or stock of all kid which may be in possession of at the time of my death, also all the household and kitchen furniture, farming utensils of all kinds together with all other atricles not otherwise disposed of in this will during her lifetime in widowhood and at the death or marriage of my said wife all the property hereby divised or bequeathed to her as aforesaid, on so much or may remain undisposed of whall be sold or divided by my executor so as to make an equal division of all my estate amongst all of our children : Sarah Jackson, George P. Bass, Augustus Bass, John S. Bass, Peter Bass, Edwin Bass, Eli M. Bass, Parilee Duncan, Julyanne Stone and the heirs of Theophilus Bass and Thomas Bass, to their heirs and assigns forever.
Peter Bass and Edwin Bass, executors."
Probate June 20-23rd, 1856, Boone county, Missouri.

Lawrence married Nancy Patton on 15 Oct 1803 in Davidson Co., TN, USA. Nancy was born in 1786 in North Carolina, USA; died in 1874 in Henry, Missouri, USA; was buried in New Salem Baptist Church Cemetery, Ashland, Boone County, Missouri, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Peter married Sarah M. Jackson. Sarah was born in in Kentucky; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]