John C. Bass; E. Carroll Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller Aug 2001


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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 and
his 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 troops
in 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 Wards
Three 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.  They
have 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.