Location of originals unknown.
Dudley C. Bass, born in 1842, and his brother William E. Bass, born 1838, were natives of Vermont, the sons of William B. Bass and Ruth (Childs) Bass. They moved to Montana's Bitterroot Valley in 1864, where they first concentrated on mining. They began raising hay, grain, and fruit, which they sold in the mining camps. In 1871 the brothers started the first orchard, the Pine Grove Fruit Farm, on their 320-acre plot of land in Stevensville, Montana. The business prospered, propelling the brothers to expand their land holdings to 1000 acres and increase the variety of produce they planted. They not only distributed their produce to the surrounding areas but also shipped it to many cities along the Atlantic Coast and even some of the lower Canadian states. They also raised Durham cattle, Norman-Percheron horses, and choice breeds of sheep. The Bass brothers also endeavored in a sawmill, a grist mill, and ran a freight line between the Bitterroot and Corrine, Utah.
William E. Bass made his name not only as a prominent entrepreneur but he also served four terms on the Territorial Council, including one as its president in 1877. He also served three terms as a member of the Montana Legislature.
Virginia E. Bass, William's wife, was only the second white woman to live in Stevensville, arriving in 1864. Virginia's sister, Etta Emmett, joined her some years later and subsequently married Dudley Bass; they had one son, Lee Emmett. The Bass family was held in such high esteem in the Bitterroot Valley that Bass Peak, Bass Creek, Bass Canyon, and Bass Crossing were all named for them.
This collection contains the diaries of Virginia E. Bass for 1871 through 1922. Also present are various legal documents, financial records for the brother's mining, agricultural, and business enterprises such as inventory lists of the livestock and equipment on several of their properties, deeds, and shareholding certificates. Speeches and writings pertinent to the Stevensville, Montana area are also a part of this series. This collection also contains a few letters written by Etta Bass to her husband Dudley, newspaper clippings pertinent to the history of the Bitterroot Valley, and photographs of the Bass family holdings and the Stevensville, Montana, area.
The collection is divided into seven series:
Series I: The Diaries of Virginia E. Bass, 1871-1922, 1971
Series II: Correspondence, 1884
Series III: Financial Records, 1877-1908
Series IV: Legal Documents, 1876-1895
Series V: Speeches and Writings, 1908
Series VI: Clippings, 1903-1913
Series VII: Photographs, 13 photographs, 1869-1915
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana--Missoula.
Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to The University of Montana.
[Name of document], Bass Family Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana--Missoula.
The materials in this collection remained with the Bass family until they were loaned to the K. Ross Toole Archives for microfilming.
The Bass family papers were loaned for microfilming by Lee Bass in 1968 and by Lucille Bass in 1976. Lucille Bass also donated the photographs in 1976.
The actions of the original processors are unknown. In 2000, the portion of the collection microfilmed in 1976 was re-described. In 2004, the portion of the collection microfilmed in 1968 was added, and a new finding aid was produced.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.
This series includes the daily accounts of Virginia Bass's life in Stevensville, Montana from 1871 to 1922. Reel 1 includes material that is duplicated on Reel 2. She recounts the weather faithfully, and also includes many details of daily life: growing and harvesting food, raising livestock, people and visitors, family life, visits to the doctor, church and social groups, and some current and world events. The 1922 diary leaves off at January 16. The other diaries, particularly 1895, have many blank pages.
This series includes a letter from Etta Bass to assert her legal right to make decisions concerning the property owned by she and her husband Dudley Bass. It also contains a similar letter from Virginia Bass concerning her legal rights of property owned by she and her husband, William Bass.
These papers contain the account ledger for the Bass brothers' gristmill from 1873-1875 and 1882. This collection also includes mortgages from 1879-1882, 1884, 1886, 1889-1890, and 1893 and promissory notes for the years 1877, 1881-1884, 1886-1889, and 1893. These documents comprise the bulk of this series but a small section of records for various leases (1881), a grant record (1890), stock certificates for Stevensville Hotel Company (1895) and Stevensville Real Estate and Loan Company (1890) are present. Various letters written in 1908 regarding the financial concerns of the Bass brothers also have a small holding within this series. A ledger dating 1864-1866 relates to the Bass brother's mining ventures and shows egg and butter sales. The ledger from Chatfield & Bass contains appears to be that of a dry goods or general merchandise operation and contains the names of many prominent Bitterroot Valley residents. The 1887-1900 ledger appears to be that of the Bass produce business and records sales of livestock, meat, apples (varieties are listed), apple cier, berries, plums, tomatoes, and strawberry plants. A group of miscellaneous financial documents on Reel 7 are duplicated on Reel 1.
This series consists of deeds to various properties owned by the Bass brothers in the years spanning from 1880-1895. Indentures are also present in the collection for the years of 1878 through 1891 and 1893. These two sections comprise the bulk of the legal documents, but there are some U.S. Land Office documents (1876, 1883, & 1888) and executions of sale of real estate from the Sheriff's office (1889-1890) present. A Sheriff's deed under foreclosure issued in 1895 and a court summons for the Bass brothers for 1893 are also listed. Several portions of Reel 7 and 8 duplicate materials on Reel 1. Mining materials on Reel 8 document the Bass brother's involvement with the Lawyers Combination Lode mining claim in Missoula County and the Log Cabin Quartz Lode mining claim. There is considerable correspondence with R.P. Anderson of Lolo, Montana, regarding this. There is also a stock certificate from the Bonanza Mountain Copper Company. Bass house materials from 1909 document the costs and skilled labor involved in the construction of a new Bass residence.
This small section contains letters written on various subjects from the year 1908 and an undated memoir of early life and development of the Bitterroot Valley by an unknown author.
This series contains newspaper clippings from the
This series contains photographs documenting the Bass family, their business holdings, and development of the Bitterroot Valley. There are several images of Stevensville, and others of Native Americans in the area.
At this time the mill was owned by the Bass family.
Boy in back row next to teacher is Lee Bass.
This photo was taken in front of the old mission at Stevensville, Montana, at the time when General Carrington negotiated the final treaty removing the Flathead Indians to the Jocko Valley.
Predecessor of Missoula Mercantile, Missoula, Montana.