Bass Family Correspondence SPC.2020.005
Allison Wall
California State University Dominguez Hills, Gerth Archives and Special Collections
July 6, 2022
University Library South -5039 (Fifth Floor)
1000 E. Victoria St.
Carson, CA 90747
archives@csudh.edu
Contributing Institution:
California State University Dominguez Hills, Gerth Archives and Special Collections
Title: Bass Family Correspondence
Identifier/Call Number: SPC.2020.005
Physical Description:
2.96 Linear Feet
Physical Description:
6 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1909-2012, undated
Abstract: Bass Family Correspondence comprises the correspondence and family documents of the Bass Family from Nebraska, who were involved
in early American socialism and the labor movement. The collection documents the family history through the eyes of descendant
Jeanne Morgan, a community advocate, author, and artist who conducted thorough research into her family's genealogy throughout
her adult life. The collection documents the story of the Bass family through letters, documents, heirloom textiles and objects,
and hundreds of photographs. Also included in the collection are personal papers and records from Morgan's life and career,
including mixed manuscript material.
Language of Material:
English
.
Arrangement
Bass Family Correspondence is sorted into four series:
- Genealogy and Family Documents
- Correspondence
- Jeanne Morgan's Personal Documents
- Photographs
Biographical / Historical
The Bass family, originally from Nebraska, were involved in early American socialism and the labor movement. This collection
documents their history through correspondence, family documents, and photographs, from the perspective of descendant Jeanne
Morgan. Jeanne Morgan was born in 1926 and was raised primarily by her grandparents, Vern and Clara Bass, on their farm in
Nebraska. After her grandmother's death in 1940, she moved to Denver to live with her mother and stepfather. She eventually
moved to New York, where she became an artist and got involved with the socialist movement. In 1948, she relocated to Los
Angeles, earning her MFA at Otis College of the Arts and becoming involved in the civil rights movement. She was a founding
member of the Committee for the Preservation of Simon Rodia's Towers in Watts (CSRTW), where she worked for over 60 years
to protect and conserve the Watts Towers. Meanwhile, she worked as the Managing Editor for LA Free Press, published several
books, and continued to create artwork. Throughout her adult life, Jeanne Morgan was interested in her family's history, thoroughly
researching her family's genealogy and corresponding with extended family across the country. Through these letters, she gathered
family documents and hundreds of photographs, compiling a thorough history of the Bass family.
Scope and Contents
Bass Family Correspondence (1909-2012, undated) documents the history of the Bass Family through hundreds of letters, documents,
and photographs. Also included in the collection are personal records from the life and career of Bass family descendant Jeanne
Morgan. Morgan was a community advocate, author, and artist who conducted the research into her family's history throughout
her adult life. Her personal documents include manuscript material, autobiographical information, several artbooks, and documents
relating to her artwork and work as the editor of LA Free Press. Documents relating to the Bass family include Morgan's research
into the family's genealogy, which comprises family records, handwritten family trees, and some family heirloom textile objects.
Also included are hundreds of letters, both from Jeanne to members of her extended family, as well as letters between members
of Jeanne's immediate family. This comprises an extensive number of letters between Jeanne's mother and stepfather in the
years of their courtship and throughout their marriage. The collection also contains hundreds of family photographs and negatives.
Conditions Governing Access
There are no access restrictions on this collection.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Archives
and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical
materials and not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Preferred Citation
Processing Information
This collection was processed in July 2022 by Allison Wall.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Labor movement
Socialism -- United States
Socialism
Correspondence
Work and family -- United States
Marriage and family life
Manuscripts
Artists
Women Authors
Great Depression
Genealogy
Women artists
Los Angeles Free Press
Daughters of the American Revolution
Genealogy and Family Documents
1919-1996; undated
Scope and Contents
These series contains information on Jeanne Morganh's family history, including genealogy and family documents.The subseries
entitled Genealogy Documents records Morgan's research into her family's genealogy, both on her maternal and paternal sides.
The "Family Documents" subseries contains documents pertaining to Morgan's immediate family, with individual files for: her
mother, Helen Smith; her father, Dale "Dick" Smith; and her brother, Jack Morgan.
Genealogy Documents
1956-1996, undated
Scope and Contents
This subseries includes documents pertaining to Morgan's research into her genealogy. The first file contains guidelines and
information about researching ones genealogy. The subsequent files contain Morgan's research into her genealogy, both on her
mother's side of the family (Bass and Nye lines) and her father's side of the family (Smith, Hornbeck, and Boyce lines).
box 1, folder 1
General genealogy guidelines and forms
1973-1996, undated
box 1, folder 2
Jeanne Morgan's maternal lineage (Bass/ Nye)
1956-1996, undated
box 1, folder 3
Jeanne Morgan's paternal lineage (Smith/ Hornbeck/ Boyce)
1974-1996, undated
Family Documents
1919-1995, undated
Scope and Contents
This subseries contains files pertaining to members of Jeanne Morgan's immediate family: her mother, Helen Morgan Smith; father,
Dale "Dick" Smith; and brother, Jack Morgan.
box 1, folder 4
Family documents regarding Helen Morgan Smith
1988-1995, undated
box 1, folder 5
Family documents regarding Dale "Dick" Smith
1919-1983, undated
box 1, folder 6
Family documents regarding Jack Morgan
1930-1951, undated
Family Heirlooms
undated
Scope and Contents
This subseries contains family heirloom materials, including antique pens and textiles.
box 5
Antique pens and associated documents
undated
box 5
Denim fabric
undated
Scope and Contents
This item is a denim fabric, likely from men's jeans, presumably intended to serve as a visual for Jeanne Morgan's book about
her mother and stepfather, Helen Morgan Smith and Harry Morgan. There are photos of this item in the series on Harry and Helen
(box 2, folder 13).
box 5
Embroidered handkerchief
undated
box 5
Unknown textile (likely a tea towel)
undated
Scope and Contents
This item is a towel-like fabric, presumably intended to serve as a visual for Jeanne Morgan's book about her mother and stepfather,
Helen Morgan Smith and Harry Morgan. There are photos of this item in the series on Harry and Helen (box 2, folder 13).
box 6
Velvet fabric, ribbon, and faux flowers
undated
Scope and Contents
Velvet fabric with attached ribbon and faux flower bouquet, source or purpose unknown.
Correspondence
1909-1997, undated
Scope and Contents
This series contains the correspondence of Jeanne Morgan and her family members. The subseries Family Correspondence contains
both the personal correspondence of Jeanne Morgan, as well as of other members of her family. The subseries Helen Morgan Smith
and Harry Morgan Letters contains correspondence between Jeanne's mother, Helen, and stepfather, Harry, from the time they
met in 1934 through their marriage in 1939.
Family Correspondence
1909-1997
Scope and Contents
This subseries contains family correspondence, mostly Jeanne Morgan's correspondence with members of her family. The subseries
also includes the personal correspondence of Jeanne Morgan's mother, Helen Morgan Smith, as well as a file of special occasion/holiday
cards dating back as early as 1909.
box 1, folder 7
Special occasion cards
1909-1981, undated
box 1, folder 8
Letters to Helen Morgan Smith
1925-1990, undated
Scope and Contents
This file contains letters written to Jeanne Morgan's mother, Helen Morgan Smith.
box 2, folder 2
Jeanne Morgan's Correspondence with her niece Karen Johnson
1993-1995
Scope and Contents
This file contains correspondence between Jeanne Morgan and her niece, Karen Johnson. Karen Johnson was the child of Morgan's
only sibling, Jack, who passed away at the age of 20 in 1951. Jeanne's family was unaware that Jack had a child, and Karen
did not find out until she was a teen that Jack Morgan was her biological father. She reached out to Jeanne Morgan as an adult,
and the two began corresponding and eventually met one another. These letters document Jeanne and Karen's relationship, beginning
with Karen introducing herself.
box 2, folder 1
Jeanne Morgan's Correspondence
1938-1997, undated
Helen Morgan Smith and Harry Morgan Letters
1934-1956, undated
Scope and Contents
This sub-series contains the correspondence between Jeanne Morgan's mother, Helen Morgan Smith, and stepfather, Harry Morgan.
The letters start at the beginning of their courtship and continue through their marriage. Helen Morgan Smith met Harry Morgan
shortly after divorcing Jeanne Morgan's father in 1934. The two wrote letters until eventually getting married in 1939. They
later divorced and Helen remarried Jeanne's father. The letters document their relationship and the conditions of living and
working in Denver and rural Nebraska during the Great Depression. Also included in this subseries are Jeanne Morgan's plans
for a book following Harry and Helen's story, including notes, research, and printed out visuals.
box 2, folder 3
Letters from Harry Morgan to Helen Smith
1934
box 2, folder 4
Letters from Harry Morgan to Helen Smith
1935
box 2, folder 5
Letters from Harry Morgan to Helen Smith
1936
box 2, folder 6
Letters from Harry Morgan to Helen Smith
1937
box 2, folder 7
Letters from Harry Morgan to Helen Smith
1938
box 2, folder 8
Letters from Harry Morgan to Helen Smith
1939
box 2, folder 9
Helen Smith's letters to Harry Morgan
1938-1940
Scope and Contents
This file contains some of Helen's responses to the letters from Harry that were included in previous files, as well as additional
letters she wrote him during their marriage.
box 2, folder 10
Other documents regarding Harry Morgan and Helen Smith
1936-1956, undated
Scope and Contents
This file contains additional documents regarding Helen and Harry's relationship: letters from Helen's uncle and friend after
her divorce, Helen and Harry's marriage license, and documents about Harry (1956 obituary, memorial program).
box 2, folder 11
Reproductions of Helen Smith and Harry Morgan's letters
undated
Scope and Contents
This file contains photocopied reproductions of Helen and Harry's letters, intended to be included in Jeanne Morgan's planned
book.
box 2, folder 12
Typed out copies of Smith/Morgan letters
undated
Scope and Contents
This file contains typed out copies of Helen and Harry's letters, intended to be included in Jeanne Morgan's book about Helen
and Harry.
box 2, folder 13
Song lyrics and visuals to accompany Smith/Morgan letters
undated
Scope and Contents
This file contains visuals and song lyrics, presumably to serve as inspiration for, or to be included in, Jeanne Morgan's
book about Helen Smith and Harry Morgan.
Jeanne Morgan's personal documents
1939-2012
Scope and Contents
This series contains documents from Jeanne Morgan's life and career, including biographical information, research for her
publications, and documents relating to her artwork.
box 3, folder 1, box 5
Newspaper and magazine clippings and articles
1939-1956, undated
Scope and Contents
This file contains an array of newspaper and magazine articles and clippings relating to different subjects, presumably used
by Morgan as research for her publications. Also included is a Life Magazine issue from October 1939.
box 3, folder 2
Documents relating to Jeanne Morgan's art and work with LA Free Press
1967, undated
box 3, folder 3
Research and notes for planned publications
1987, undated
box 3, folder 4
Art books
1976-2012
Scope and Contents
This file contains a copy of "Gracias a la vida: Violeta Parra, Testimonio" (1976) by Bernardo Subercaseaux and Jaime Londono
and "An Interpretation of Goya's Caprichos" (2012) by Jeanne Morgan.
box 3, folder 5
Biographical information
undated
Photographs
1925-1995, undated
Scope and Contents
This series contains family photographs, organized by family member, plus a file of older family photos of extended family
members. This series also includes a number of photo negatives.
box 4
Helen Bass Smith
1925-1986, undated
Scope and Contents
This file contains photographs of Jeanne Smith's mother, Helen Morgan Smith, from her childhood and throughout her life.
box 4
Jeanne Morgan
1926-2000, undated
box 4
Other family photographs
1929-1994, undated
box 4
Jack Morgan
1931-1950, undated
Scope and Contents
This file contains photographs documenting the life of Jeanne Morgan's only sibling, her brother, Jack Morgan. Jack Morgan
was a navy veteran who passed away in 1951 at the age of 20 in an automobile accident.
box 4
Harry Morgan
1936-approximately 1948, undated
Scope and Contents
This file contains photographs of Jeanne Morgan's stepfather, Harry Morgan. He was married to Helen Morgan Smith mother from
1939 until sometime in the late 1940s, when they divorced and Helen remarried her first husband, Jeanne's father Dick Smith.
box 4
Karen Johnson and Family
1960-1992, undated
Scope and Contents
This file contains photographs of Jeanne Morgan's niece, Karen Johnson,and her family (mostly her daughter Melanie and son-in-law
Ray). Karen was the only child of Jeanne Morgan's brother, who passed away at age 20. Karen was raised by another man and
was unaware that Jack Morgan was her biological father until she was a teenager. She connected with Jeanne Morgan as an adult
and the two began corresponding and exchanged family photographs.
box 4
Relatives of the Smith side of the family
1989-1993, undated
Scope and Contents
This file contains family photographs from Jeanne Morgans's father's side of the family. Based on her correspondence, she
presumably connected with these relatives when researching her genealogy.
box 4
Margo (Jeanne Morgan's stepdaughter)
1995, undated