A bit of Bass River

from E.M. Woodward's 1883 book:

Bass River is located in the southeastern portion of the township, and is a small and somewhat scattered hamlet. It contains one Methodist and one Presbyterian Church, one hotel, one wheelwright shop, one blacksmith shop, post office, four stores, and a few scattered dwellings..
The hotel was erected in 1851, by Thomas French , who carried on the business for a short time, and was succeeded by Franklin Adams, who purchased the property in 1856, and has carried on the business since.

Among the early merchants of New Gretna was John Miller, who carried on the business as early as 1812 for a period of years. He was succeeded by William Allen, who carried on the business for a period of twenty-five years. Since that time there has been a succession of merchants in New Gretna. The present merchant is Francis French.

Adolphus H. Lansing erected a wheelwright-shop in 1856, and did quite an extensive business in the manufacture of heavy wagons, which he shipped to the Western States. The wheelwright business is still carried on by Mr. Lansing. Among the early blacksmith shops in Bass River was the one erected by Caleb Cranmer, who rented it to John M. Cook, who carried on blacksmithing for several years. The present blacksmith is Joseph Truax. The post office at New Gretna was established in about 1853, with Franklin Adams as postmaster, which position he now holds. The office was formerly kept in a store erected by Mr. Adams. At the time he purchased the hotel property it was moved to a building adjacent to the hotel, where it is at present located.

The first physician to locate at New Gretna was Dr. P.K. Hillier, in 1866, who followed the healing art for several years, and was succeeded by Dr. Stamly G. Clark, and he by the present physician, Dr. Moses W. Reeve