Clara C. Bass
b. circa 1841, d. 24 September 1864
- Father: Charles L. Bass b. say 1812
- Mother: Rebecca Mary Fluker b. circa 1820, d. 9 July 1869
- Clara C. Bass was born circa 1841 in Georgia.
- She was known as Clara Menard for her step-father Michel Branamour Menard.
- Michel Branamour Menard and Rebecca Mary Fluker appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1850 in Galveston, Texas. Other members of the household included Clara C. Bass, Helen Campbell Bass and Michel Doswell Menard. The household actually was enumerated on 16 April 1851. It appears that the enumerator ignored the "as of 1 June 1860" instruction, and included young Doswell, aged 3 months.
- She and Frank Lipscomb obtained a marriage license on 16 April 1860 in Galveston County, Texas.
- She married Frank Lipscomb, son of Abner Smith Lipscomb and Elizabeth Gaines, on 18 April 1860 in Galveston County, Texas.
- Rebecca Mary Fluker appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1860 in Galveston, Texas. Other members of the household included Clara C. Bass, Michel Doswell Menard and Frank Lipscomb. Clara and Frank Lipscomb also were enumerated in Hempstead, Austin County, in the household of famer Jesse Clary.
- Frank Lipscomb and Clara C. Bass appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1860 in Hempstead, Austin (later Waller) County, Texas, enumerated in the household of farmer Jesse Clary. They also were enumerated Galveston, in the household of Clara's mother.
- Clara C. Bass died on 24 September 1864.
- The following is a summary record of a letter written 13 January 1865 from New York by Rebecca Menard Thrasher to Archbishop John Mary Odin in New Orleans:
Mrs. Thrasher came North last September with consent of the Sec(retary) of War at Richmond. Poor Doswell (Ménard) has been for 4 years an epileptic. The past summer she was again ordered from her home in Atlanta, Georgia. Dosie has grown quite tall and says he feels better. She writes about the child of Colonel Ménard, Odin's friend, a man who did good all the day long. Mrs. Thrasher saw her daughter Clara (Thrasher) at Mobile. Clara died September 24 in the Catholic faith. Mr. Thrasher went to Texas to send her means. She has not heard a word from him. Her means are limited and her health failing. (T.W.) Pierce has advanced her some money. She is possessed with the belief that her husband is dead. She asks Odin to write to Mr. Leclerc not to let any of her Galveston property be sold. Leclerc was Colonel Ménard's most trusted friend. In the midst of this her skeptical mind begins to give way to the yearnings of years that she may believe and that she may die in the faith of Colonel Ménard and her Clara. Does Odin think some money could be raised through E.J. Hart of New Orleans by mortgaging some of her property in Galveston? Her address is care of J.R. Bostwick, Bridgeport, Connecticut." [University of Notre Dame Archives] - Rebecca Menard Thrasher's letter written to the Archbishop the following day (14 January 1865) is summarized as follows:
She wrote again to the Archbishop on the following day: Since writing a few days ago she received a letter from a house in Havana telling her they heard from her husband November 26, Houston, and that funds are in their hands subject to her order. Odin will therefore not trouble to see (E.J.) Hart. Her only friend has been T.W. Pierce of Boston. Her prayers for him and Mother Thrasher come easily to her. She prays that Doswell (Ménard) may become worthy of his Father. Dosie is now with another doctor; he believes he will cure him; that is a good thing for epilepsy. She finds it hard to bear the loss of her child Clara (Thrasher). If Sister St. Agnes is in New Orleans, Odin is to tell her that her school pet has passed away. She asks Odin to point out a course of reading on the proofs from the Bible of tenets of the Catholic Church. Her address is care of J.R. Bostwick, Bridgeport, Connecticut. [University of Notre Dame Archives]
- Last Edited: 4 Jan 2013