James Bass

Prominent among the citizens of Webster county who have witnessed the marvelous development of this section of the state in the last half century, and who have, by honest toil and industry succeeded in acquiring a competence, and are now able to spend the sunset of life in quiet and retirement, is the gentleman whose name introduces this sketch. For many years he was actively engaged in agricultural pursuits, but is now living a retired life in Dayton.

Mr. Bass was born in North Carolina April 27, 1832, a son of Edward and Mary (Saffley) Bass, who were of German descent. His paternal grandfather fought for American independence in the Revolutionary war, and participated in the battle of Bunker Hill. From North Carolina the family removed to Indiana when our subject was three years old, and in 1855 his parents came to Iowa, purchasing a farm of two hundred and forty acres of land in Boone county and later forty acres of timber land. The father, who was born January 17, 1789, died February 3, 1883, and the mother passed away July 15, 1886.

This worthy couple were the parents of the following named children: Jesse married Polly Landreth and both died in Boone county; Patsy became the wife of Fennel Landreth and both are now deceased; Hannah married Thomas Landreth and they spent their last days in Webster county; Matilda is the widow of Matt Cole and makes her home at Mineral Ridge; Betsy married David Spark, of Boone county, and both are now deceased; James is the next of the family; John married Maggie Getzman and lives in Ogden, Boone county; Sarah first married Jesse Maguire and second David Landreth and died at Missouri Valley Junction.; David married Maggie Conrad and they reside near Boone; and Rachel, deceased, was the wife of Cyrus Haller.

James Bass was reared and educated in Owen county, Indiana, pursuing his studies at a subscription school, the building being made of logs. He laid aside his books at the age of fourteen, and then assisted his father in the operation of the home farm until he attained his majority. In the fall of 1852 he came to Webster county, Iowa, and by working as a farm hand managed to secure enough capital to purchase eighty acres of government land, for which he paid from one dollar and a quarter to one dollar and a half per acre. This was situated seven miles northeast of Dayton and became his homestead.

In 1857 Mr. Bass was married in Boone county, Iowa, to Miss Cassie Halloway, who was also born in North Carolina, March 24, 1837, and died February 3, 1901. Her parents were natives of North Carolina, and there the mother died, but the father came to Boone county, Iowa, and made his home with our subject until his second marriage just before the Civil war. He died in February, 1881, and was buried in Beem cemetery, Webster county. By his first union he had six children, four sons and two daughters, but Elizabeth, wife of William Fry, of Yell township, Webster county, is the only one now living. Two sons were killed and another died while taking part in the Civil war.

Mr. Bass had nine children, namely: (l) Mary Jane is now the wife of Taylor Scott, of Gowrie and has seven children, Hubert, Nellie, Grace, Clifton. Cassie, Wilson and Leo. (2) Rachel A. is with her father. (3) Addie is the wife of Thomas Bragg, a farmer of Gowrie and their children are Alva and Mina. (4) Sherman, a resident of Dayton, married Julia Casebolt and has three children, Orville, Effie and Fay. (5) Grant married Cora Guthrie and has two children, Halsey and Sylva. (6) Miles, a farmer of Yell township, married Jennie Nelson and has two children, Raymond and Marie. (7) Mina and (8) Elsie are both at home with their father. (9) Ella is the wife of Dr. L. E. Estick of Rockwell City, and they have one child, Lewis Howard.

There was an Indian scare in this section of the state right after the Spirit Lake massacre and about three hundred men. including Mr. Bass, organized under the command of Johnson McFarland and Joe Thrift for the purpose of defending the settlers. They marched from Boonesboro to Hooks Point and on to Homer, and from the last named place were ordered to Webster City, where they spent three days and nights. The companies were then disbanded and the men returned to their homes.

In 1863 Mr. Bass volunteered to fight against the Indians under Captain Williams of Fort Dodge and went to Chain Lake on the boundary line between Iowa and Minnesota, where they established barracks, building stockades and several houses with port holes, through which they could fire on the red men and still be protected. At that time there were two other posts between Chain Lake and Spirit Lake, Captain Ingams being in command of one of these, and each day during the entire time spent there communication passed from one post to the other. At the end of six months the company marched back to Fort Dodge and was disbanded.

Mr. Bass joined the regular service in 1864, enlisting on the 18th of November, in Company K, Sixteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Stattman. Being too late to join General Sherman on the march to the sea, they were ordered to Nashville, and on arriving in that city were quartered on the seventh story of the Jolly Coffer House, where they spent the night and were given a very poor supper and breakfast. The next morning the company to which our subject belonged was detached from the regiment and its members assigned to different regiments, Mr. Bass becoming a member of the One Hundred and Thirty-second New York Infantry. As soon as he drew his gun he was placed on the picket line and bullets were flying thickly about him in less than two hours. He was detailed as guard at Fort Negley one day and night, and at Fort Lookout the following day and night. He saw a negro brigade make a charge on the rebels, and then shell the woods all one night. The soldiers were often compelled to wade in the swamps around Nashville where the water was almost neck deep, although the weather was bitter cold, it being between Christmas and New Years, and would make piles of rails and brush on which to stand in order to keep out of the water. When Hood was driven out of Nashville the Union troops went in pursuit, but their supplies were cut off by the rebels and for seven days had only two days' rations. On the night of the seventh day, Mr. Bass and his messmates secured three ears of corn when the mules were fed, and parched one-half of the amount for their supper, saving the remainder for breakfast next morning. The same evening our subject noticed one man eating a piece of raw backbone as he was marching along, so famished had the soldiers became. Mr. Bass and his comrade marched all that day with nothing to eat except the ear and a half of corn which they shared between them. Our subject participated in the battles of Kingston and Goldsboro, North Carolina, and at the latter place rejoined his old regiment under the command of General Sherman. With his command he next marched to Raleigh, where they remained two weeks before Johnston finally surrendered, and then took part in a two days' review at that place. They proceeded to Washington, D. C., by way of Richmond, and took part in the grand review in the capital city. With his command Mr. Bass then went to Louisville, Kentucky, where he remained until discharged from the service July 19, 1865. Fortunately he was never wounded, but during the battle of Louisa Fords a bullet split the rail he was carrying for breastworks between his hands and almost knocked him over. Besides the battles mentioned he took part in a number of minor engagements, and was always found at his post of duty, valiantly defending the old flag and the cause it represented.

After his return home Mr. Bass engaged in farming until March, 1896, when he laid aside active labor and removed to Dayton. In business affairs he has steadily prospered and is to-day the owner of eight hundred acres of valuable land in Webster county. He also owns the American House; half a business block north of the hotel; and other property in Dayton, including a nice residence on Main street, where he makes his home. He also has a business lot in Stratford, Hamilton county. Although now nearly seventy years of age he has never made a deed or given a mortgage, but is still the possessor of all the property which he has purchased. Starting out in life for himself with no capital his success is due entirely to his Own industry, perseverance and good management, and he well deserves the prosperity that has come to him. Fraternally Mr. Bass is an honored member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and politically is a staunch supporter of the Democratic party.

SOURCE: S. J. Clark Publishing Company, The Biographical Record Of Webster County, Iowa, p. 575-7