Hon. Theophilus Bass

   Another name for Theophilus was Theo.

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