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- The Jewish Merchant Project
Nathan Bass
Lithuanian immigrant Nathan Bass (1886-1958) arrived in North, South Carolina about 1911 and opened a dry goods store which catered to local farmers. He traveled to New York on buying trips periodically, and in 1917 married Esther Cohen (1889-1994). They eventually had seven children: Samuel Bernard Bass (1918-1985), Herbert Bass (1920-1944), Ruth Bass Jacobs (b. 1924), Frances Bass Ginsberg (b. 1926), Marcia Bass Brody (b. 1927), Lucille Bass Lipsitz (b. 1930), and Jack (b. 1934). By 1920, their household also included Ester?s brothers, Jacob and David Cohen, as well as a live-in domestic worker, Edna Mcfadden.
Nathan expanded his business beyond North, opening stores in Wagener, St. Matthews, Saluda, and potentially Swansea and Salley. His first cousin, Nathan Stotsky, co-owned the Saluda store. By the early 1920s, the decimation to cotton crops caused by boll weevil infestations led Nathan to encourage farmers within a 50-mile range to grow sweet potatoes. He also ?pledged himself to the farmers to aid in the disposition of their crops,? and was credited with being the first to ship ?a solid carload of Porto [sic] Rican yams from South Carolina to the Northern markets. He also shipped other crops to markets in Baltimore and Washington. (Columbia Record, January 20, 1926). His efforts led to the moniker ?progressive merchant and citizen of North.? Sometime between January and February 1926, he sold N. Bass and Company?s stock and relocated his family to Morristown, New Jersey and later Lowell, Massachusetts. On the advice of an acquaintance, Nathan brought his family back to North in 1930 and incorporated Bass Mercantile Company. He continued his work with farmers, buying their corn and peas to help them earn cash for Christmas. The store closed in 1958.
The State, South Carolina, January 1958
Nathan Bass
Nathan Bass, 72, of North, owner and operator of the Bass Mercantile Company, died at the Orangeburg Regional Hospital at 9:30 Wednesday morning. Mr. Bass had been in declining health several years, but seriously ill only two days.
He was born in Poland, coming to the United States in 1900 and he moved to North in 1912 and went into business. He had operated his store there for the past 45 years and was a member of the House of Peace Synagogue.
Mr. Bass was also a member of the B'nai B'rith; Columbia, a member of the Zionist Organization of America and a member of the North Lodge No. 119, A.F.M. Mr. Bass was active in all community affairs and especially was interested in the Crippled Children's organizations.
Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Esther Cohen Bass; four daughters, Mrs. Isaac Jacobs, Charleston; Mrs. Arthur Ginsburg, Bishopville; Mrs. Hyman Brodie, Philadelphia; Mrs. Joseph Lipsity, Beaufort; two sons, Samuel Bernard Bass, Chicago, Ill., and Ensign Jack Bass, United States Navy, stationed in San Diego, Calif.; one brother, Harry Bass, Lowell, Mass., and one sister Mrs. Victor Robbins, South River, N. J. and 12 grandchildren. A son, Herbert Bass, United States Marine Corps, was killed during World War II.
Funeral services will be held at 11 o'clock this morning from the Dunbar Funeral Home, conducted by Rabbi David Karesh. Interment will be in the Hebrew Benevolent Society Cemetery.
Active pallbearers are Isadore Bernstein, Sam Rubin, Jeff Sunshine, Morris Savitz, Sam Savitz and Arnold Levinson.
Honorary pallbearers are members of the North Lodge No. 119, A.F.M. Masonic rites will be rendered at the grave.
The family requests that flowers be omitted.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1886 - 1858