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- Genealogical Society of Boone County and Central Missouri
Lawrence Bass
The subject of this biographical sketch is the son of George P. and Susan (Wiseman) Bass. He was born on the old Wiseman place, January 2, 1830. He is one of a family of eleven children -- nine sons and two daughters -- of whom five sons and two daughters are now living. When a small boy his parents removed from the old home, in the vicinity of Ashland, to a farm in Howard county, where Lawrence lived and labored until seventeen years of age. The next three years were spent in learning the saddlery business, but not liking the trade, he has never followed it. In the spring of 1850 Mr. Bass started for California by the overland route, reaching his destination in the month of July following. He remained in California and Nevada until 1875, making several business trips East, at one time bringing with him from Colorado a herd of 2,000 cattle. While in the West, he was actively engaged in freighting, mining, and trading in stock. In the spring of 1876 he moved to the A. E. Ellis farm, where he now resides. He is a member of the firm of Bass, Johnston, Brooks & Harris, Ashland. The firm is known as the Trade Centre. They have a branch store at Guthrie, in Callaway county. Mr. Bass is also a member of the Ashland Mill Company; also a stockholder in the Ashland Bank, and one of the directors. He was one of the originators of the Boone county stock sales. He has been an extensive sheep-raiser, having large flocks in Texas. His experience in business is of wider range perhaps than that of any other capitalist or trader in his locality. Mr. Bass was married November 17, 1870, to Miss Sallie Ellis, only daughter of A. E. Ellis, of Boone county. They have had three children -- two sons and one daughter -- of whom only one, the youngest son, is living. Mr. Bass has had many adventures during his extensive travels, the most thrilling of which perhaps was a shipwreck off the coast of British Columbia in 1858. The vessel was a total wreck. Mr. Bass and several others escaped in an open boat. He is an affable gentleman, kind and courteous in his manners, and is justly honored and esteemed by all who know him.
Columbia Missourian, Thursday, 17 November 1938
Mackay Millions Grew From $10,000 Stake of Boone Countian
A $10,000 stake by a young Missourian who later became a resident of Boone County was the opportunity from which grew the Clarence Mackay millions. Mackay was president of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, until his death in New York Sunday.
The story of John Mackay?s friendship with Lawrence Bass, father of Derby Bass, who lives on a farm ten miles south of Columbia, is related in a scrapbook kept by Mrs. Lawrence Bass. In it she tells the tale of the Mackay rise in an account written shortly after her husband?s death in January 1903.
In the early 1950?s Lawrence Bass left his home near Rocheport and went to Virginia City, Nev., where he set up a feed and livery business.
Virginia City was a mining town, full of young and ambitious prospectors. One of these was John W. Mackay, a young Irish immigrant. Mackay and Bass became close friends, and the prospector made his headquarters at the latter?s livery stable when he was not at work.
He confided to Bass one time that if he had the backing he was sure he could develop a mine which would pay large dividends. Bass then, largely out of friendship, loaned the young prospector the $10,000 with which the famous Comstock lode was developed, returning to Mackay and his partners more than $150,000,000.
Mackay never forgot his friend, Mrs. Bass writes, and the two corresponded until the turn of the century, just a short time before Bass?s death.
Mr. Bass returned to Missouri in 1872, settling down then on the farm which is still operated by his son.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1830 - 1903 (72 years)