Source:
Bass Family History by Admiral Ivan Ernest Bass, published 1955, pp 354-355
Edited by Ron Roberts

William [Louis] Bass, Son of Jonathan Bass, was born in Burke County, Georgia about 1811. In 1820 he and his brother Ephraim Alexander, moved from Georgia to Mississippi with their first cousin, Esau Bass, Jr. Immediately upon arrival, they rejoined their own family that had preceded them to Lawrence County, Mississippi.

About 1828, William Bass moved to Simpson County, Mississippi with his parents. He bought land situated in Section 24, Township 1 North, Range 1 East from the United States in 1833, 1836, and 1855. Later he bought other tracts of land, and is reported to have owned a section or more at the time of his death. He owned many slaves and was a prosperous farmer. He had a fair education and, according to family tradition, owned a small library, which was unusual for that section of the country at that period. His plantation home was on the eastern bank of Pearl River, about six miles southwest of what is now the town of Harrisville. The plantation remained in the family until 1898 and at present (1953) is owned by a family named Steen and goes by the name of "The Bass Place" (or "Bass Bayou" and "Bass Swamp").

William Bass died on his plantation in 1883 and is buried in the family cemetery located a few hundred yards from the old homestead. Also buried in this cemetery are the following: Lavica (Newman) Bass, Samantha (Tyler) Bass, Thomas W. [Wesley] Bass, Elizabeth L. [Lavica]. Bass, Ida Bass, and Robert Bass.

In 1832 William Bass married Lavica (Vicey) Newman, daughter of Smiley Newman who owned a farm near Jonathan Bass, father of William. It is said that Lavica's father gave her as a wedding present 100 acres of land and a slave, named "Smiley". Born of this marriage are the following:

01 Thomas Wesley Bass
02 Amanda Jane Bass
03 Jasper William Bass
04 Elizabeth Bass
05 Albert Jefferson Bass
06 Isaac Franklin Bass
07 John Quitman Bass

After the death of his first wife, William Bass married Samantha Tyler, daughter of Ellis and Martha Marthena Tyler of Copiah County, Mississippi. This marriage took place January 31, 1855, as recorded in Copiah County. The following children were born of this second marriage:

08 Martha Marthena Bass
09 Mary Fanny Bass
10 Joseph Jackson Bass
11 Ida Bass
12 Emma Eudoseus Bass
13 Robert Bass
14 Ephriam Esau Bass
15 Phillip Benjamin Bass