Women's History Month, March 2022: Col. Richard Bass' niece's story - Louisa M. George Tompkins

 

Second repost of a popular story from Thursday, April 26, 2018 on Immigrating families. I will also post more info on my ancestresses for Women's History Month, March 2022.

Here's a story (link below) about Rev. Elias George and his family who immigrated from Alabama to Louisiana, including probably many of my relatives.  The same road was traveled by them, at any rate, ending up in Union Parish LA.

My great great grandfather Col. Richard (Dick) Bass had a sister, Mosey (Molly Ann) Bass, who married Rev. Elias George.  Rev. George led a group of families to Louisiana in 1848 from Alabama.  Their daughter, the author of this story, Louisa (Lou) M. George, married Thomas Brooks Tompkins.

Louisa (Lou) M. George Tompkins was the granddaughter of Julian Holloman Bass Green, (also Col. Richard Bass' mother - former post here) so she was my first cousin 3 times removed.

1848 "The caravan included about 50 covered wagons, carriages, carry-alls, and buggies."

This is the story, told by my 84 year old cousin, Louisa (Lou) George (Tompkins) in 1926.  Come on over and enjoy her tale of life in the South before the Civil War. Put your feet up and read through the intense story she wrote. I will include her story as quoted tomorrow here. Or you can download the following...

(here) 

I invite you to try some enjoyable historical reading about how those people living in Alabama trekked to Louisiana...with households and cattle and slaves, before the Civil War.  I think it starts when she was age 5, in 1847. It includes lovely descriptions of homes and surrounding land, friends, slaves, family members, sickness, schools, death and a life that she remembered well.

This was written by an elder at close to the end of her life, but speaks of how she had been a young girl. She was born 8 Feb, 1842 in Perry County AL, and died 23 July 1936, in San Jose, Santa Clara County, CA.

The person who shared her fascinating story onto Ancestry (Chuck Kinison) said:

"These should not be copied but read for information and pleasure.  Her memoirs are a treasure."
http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/union/bios/tompkins.txt

From the story of Lou George Thompkins...

"After moving into this newly built forest home, five miles from town, my two oldest sisters, Lizzie, 15 and Sue, 13 attended school in Marion, boarding at the 

home of mother's brother, Uncle Dick Bass.  The 

carriage was sent for them Friday afternoons, and took them back early Monday mornings."

So we see that that Uncle Dick Bass was none 

other than my gg grandfather Col. Richard Bass. Yes, 

he was living in Louisiana at the same time! And 

now I know his family called him Dick!

Lou George Tompkins and sister Linnie (Melina Elliot George Dirking)

(I don't know which one is which. but I think Linnie was 3 years younger than Lou.

Their sister Susan also has a portrait photo published on Ancestry.  

Susan Sophia George Thomas 1836-1928

** A comment on the original post gave this information:
"Rev Elias George had himself appointed guardian of the minors (infants) of John Bass and Julia Ann Holliman, and subsequently married the oldest daughter Molsey Ann Bass."

In other information, (on Ancestry) Richard Bass, the youngest, was part of the family with step-father Jepson Green who married his mother. I don't know which is accurate.