Bass, John C.

Submitted by Mike Miller Aug 2001

John C. Bass. While many of his activities since early manhood have identified him with the plantation interests of East Carroll Parish, Mr. Bass has given twenty or more years to public service. He is the present sheriff and was deputy sheriff of the parish from 1903 to 1912. From 1912 to 1920 he held the office of clerk of courts and in 1920 and again in 1924 was elected sheriff.

Sheriff Bass was born on the Tyrone Plantation located four miles from the Town of Lake Providence on the north side of the lake, on May 8, 1882. His parents were John C. and Josephine (Archabald) Bass, now deceased, his father passing away in 1920 at the age of seventy-six andhis mother in 1924, aged sixty-nine. John C. Bass was born in Hinds County, Mississippi, came to Louisiana when a young man and served eight years as sheriff of East Carroll Parish at first by appointment and then by election. He was also a member of the police jury and the Parish School Board and in education and character was well fitted for leadership in the affairs of the community. He had taught school when a young man, and as a Southern soldier fought for the cause of the South until finally as the result of repeated wounds was discharged on account of disability and for the rest of his life suffered the infirmities of a cripple. He was with a regiment of Louisiana troopsin the battle of Chickamauga. He served as commander of the local post of the United Confederate Veterans and attended all reunions of his old comrades. For a number of years he was master of the local lodge of Masons, attended the Grand Lodge of that order and he and his wife were members of the Methodist Church. Though handicapped physically, he was very competent and expert in the management of business affairs. Two years before his death his eyesight failed completely.

Of a family of five sons and five daughters, the only survivors are John C. and Baker A. The latter is a planter in East Carroll Parish. John C. Bass was educated in local schools and the University of the South at Kewanee, Tennessee, and after his college career took up the work of planting and pursued that occupation steadily until his first appointment as deputy sheriff. He owns the Roberta Plantation in WardsThree and Six. Mr. Bass enjoys such active recreation as hunting and he has a camp in the swamps of East Carroll.

He married Miss Margaret Montgomery, daughter of Vail Montgomery. Theyhave a daughter, Margaret. Mrs. Bass is a member of the Episcopal Church while he is a Methodist. He has served four consecutive years as master of the local Masonic fraternity and belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Monroe and the Knights of Pythias Lodge at Lake Providence.

A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), pp. 238-239, by Henry E. Chambers.
Published by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New
York, 1925.