Notes |
- Southern Seed, Northern Soil
African-American Farm Communities
Stephen A. Vincent (Excerpt)
Among the Northampton households headed by free people of color at the first United States census were those of two Basses. The Bass kindred were descended in part from Nansemond Indians in Norfolk County, Virginia. John Reddick Bass, the father of three 1840 heads, owned a 150-acres farm at his death in 1828. Like Drew Walden he chose to divide his land in a generally equitable fashion among his ten children through a will written shortly before his demise. John Bass? land was sold a few months following his death in order to meet the demands of his creditors; no funds remained to be distributed to the heirs after the estate had been settled.
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John Redick, probably born after 1770, was to receive schooling according to his father's 1794 will. He received land on the road adjoining John Pinner and the Urahaw Swamp by the division of the estate of his brother Burwell Bass in March 1798 [Gammon, Record of Estates Northampton County, I:24]. John was head of a Northampton County household of 4 "other free" in 1810 [NC:715] and 9 "free colored" and 2 slaves in 1820 [NC:218]. His 9 April 1828 Northampton County will named his wife Rhody and children: Uriah, Peggy, Sterling, Lovel, Mary, Martha, James3, John12, Gideon, and William6. He stipulated that after moving to Indiana the following Fall, Dolphin and James Roberts were to sell his horses and divide the proceeds among his children [WB 4:40].
1840 Federal Census of Ripley Township, Rush County, Indiana
James Bass FCP 10100-21000
1mU10,1m24-36,2fU10,1f10-24
1840 Federal Census of Ripley Township, Rush County, Indiana
John Bass FCP 0100
1m10-24
1850 Federal Census of Wayne Township, Henry County, Indiana (15 Aug 1850
James Bass B 33 M North Carolina Shoemaker 160
Lucinda B 25 F North Carolina
John B 12 M Indiana
Henry Curtice B 20 M North Carolina Shoemaker
Tame Bass B 2 F Indiana
Living nearby
1850 Federal Census of Wayne Township, Henry County, Indiana (15 Aug 1850)
Gideon Bass Mu 27 M North Carolina Barber 1000
Minerva Mu 18 F Indiana
Luella Mu 1 F Indiana
1860 Federal Census of Knightstown, Henry County, Indiana (24 Jul 1860)
James Bass B 45 M North Carolina Farmer 450 900
Lucinda B 40 F North Carolina
Tamer A. B 19 F Indiana
Malissa B 7 F Indiana
Len B 5 M Indiana
Madison B 3 M Indiana
Mary Charles B 60 F North Carolina
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