| Notes |
- 1870 Federal Census of Ross, Vermilion County, Illinois (August 11, 1870)
Henry Bass - 46 - Male - England - Farmer --- 2050
Harriet - 47 - Female - England - Keeping House
Mary B. - 16 - Female - Illinois
Fanny - 14 - Female - Illinois
Fred - 7 - Male - Illinois
Arthur S. - 3 - Male - Illinois
Thomas Bennett - 72 - Male - England - Retired Farmer 8000 ---
Rebecca - 77 - Female - England
Farmers State Bank
The Farmers State Bank, of Armstrong, is numbered among the dependable and well known banking institutions of Vermilion County. It was organized as a private bank in 1895 by Jp. Fraut, and was originally known as the Bank of Armstrong.
John W. Goodwine became the owner of the Bank of Armstrong after several years and the name was changed to the Goodwine Bank of Armstrong. In 1902 Arthur S. Bass, in partnership with his brother, Fred Bass, became owners of the bank and it then became known as Bass Brothers Bank. In 1904 it was incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois as the Farmers State Bank with a capital stock of $25,000. The first new officers were: Fred Bass, president; A.D. Bass, vice president; and John Anderson cashier. The directors were: Fred Bass, A.S. Bass, John Anderson, Guy C. Howard, A.C. Maury, D.M. Lane, and Staunton Foster.
In 1907 A.S. Bass purchased the interests of his brother in the bank and at that time was elected president, in which capacity he now serves. Dale Goodwine became cashier at that time.
The present officers (1929) of the Farmers State Bank, of Armstrong, are: Arthur S. Bass, president; Staunton Foster, vice president; and Dale Goodwine, cashier. The directors are: A.S Bass, S. Foster, A. Gilbert, D.M. Lane, and Earl Bass.
The Farmers State Bank has a capital stock of $25,000 and a surplus of $25,000.
History of Vermilion County, Illinois
Arthur S. Bass
Arthur S. Bass is recognized as one of the substantial business men of Armstong, where he is president of the Farmers State Bank. He was born in Middleport Township, Vermilion County, October 17, 1866, the son of Henry and Harriet (Bennett) Bass.
Henry Bass was born in England. He learned the draper’s trade from his father, Thomas Bass, a dry goods merchant. In 1851 Henry Bass came to the United States and settled in Vermilion County, near Potomac. He engaged in general farming and also conducted the first general store at Potomac. In 1879 he removed to another farm of two hundred and thirty acres southeast of Armstrong, where he remained until about 1906. He then retired and came to Armstrong, where he died in 1909. Mr. Bass was a republican and a member of the Methodist Church. His wife, also born in England, died in 1899. Both are buried at Potomac. To Mr. and Mrs. Bass seven children were born, as follows: Mary, the widow of W. F Burd, lived at Danville; Fannie, the widow of Samuel Gilbert, lives at Urbana, Illinois; Thomas, Samuel, and Harriet, all deceased, Fred, farmer, lives at Pleasant Hill, Illinois; and Arthur S., the subject of this sketch. Arthur S. Bass has always lived in Vermilion County. He attended the district schools and was interested in farming at an early age. For a time he farmed on his father’s land and later became the owner of one thousand two hundred and fifty acres in Vermilion County, which he owns at the present time. He has also owned large tracts of land in the West. Mr. Bass has been identified with banking interests since 1902, at which time he and his brother, Fred Bass, purchased the Goodwin Bank, of Armstrong. It was thereafter known as Bass Brothers Bank until its incorporation in 1904 as the Farmers State Bank. Arthur S. Bass then became vice president. Three years later he purchased his brother’s interests and became president of the institution.
In 1889 Mr. Bass married Miss Jennie Earl, the daughter of Elijah and Salome (Crouse) Earl, natives of Indiana, both now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Bass were born four children: Florence, deceased; Earl, farmer, lives in Vermilion County, married Pearl Duncan, and they have three children, Mildred, Margaret, and Robert; Fred, vice president of the Commercial Savings & Trust Company, Danville; and Irene, a graduate of the University of Illnois, was a teacher at Vackaville, California, high school. On June 6, 1929, she married Lewis G. Martelle, and they now reside in Vackaville, California.
Mr. Bass is a Republican, a member of the Methodist Church, and belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1866 - 1945 (79 years)