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- History of middle Tennessee Baptists
John Harvey Grime
Elder Archamac Bass
Elder Bass was born December 29, 1800, one mile north of where Watertown now stands, in Wilson County, Tennessee. He was the son of Ezekiel Bass and an elder brother of Elder Henry Bass. His education was limited ? only such as he could secure at the common schools of his day.
He have his heart to God and was received into the fellowship of Round Lick Baptist Church November, 1820, and was most probably baptized by Elder Thos. Durham, the pastor. From the very start he became an efficient work in the church, and in June, 1822, he was chosen clerk to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of John Gill, which position he held till July, 1833.
In August, 1836, he was ordained to the ministry by Round Lick Church, the following acting as Presbytery, viz.: Elders Cantrel Bethel, Joshua Lester, William Dale, H.W. Pickett, John Borum, Thomas P. Moore, John Bond and Sion Bass.
The next year after his ordination the division over the mission question came, in which he took a very active part. He was a member of the Association at New Hope when the matter culminated.
His ministerial life was short, a little less than ten years. He died very little pastoral work, preferring to give his time to destitute sections. He traveled considerably as missionary. He was called to the care of Round Lick Church a short time before his death, but soon resigned to return to his missionary work. He did much of which we can secure no data. He was a reat evangelist and witnessed many conversions. Among those he baptized I note Deacon J.S. Womak and Elder William Borum.
A short time before he died he moved his family to DeKalb County and settled on Smith?s Fork Creek. He purchased a fine farm here,, which he thought would secure his family a living while he broke the bread of life to others. He was giving himself wholly to the work, when the Master said, ?It?s enough, come up higher.? He ided as he had lived, full of faith in him whom he served. On an unpretentious slab in the old Salem Cemetery at Liberty, DeKalb County, I find the following:
?Elder A.M. Bass, born December 29, 1800; died September 19, 1845.
?For he was a good man an full of the Holy Ghost and faith, and much people were added unto the Lord.?
The little we have been able to gather concerning this dear brother creates a thirst for more.
His death in the prime of his life and the very zenith of his ministerial work was like the withering of a full-blown rose by and early autumn forst. The light was blown out when it shone the brightest. He went from labor to refreshments at high noon.
Phillips Family History, Chapter VIII
Rachel Philips (Mrs. Archamack Bass)
Rachel Philips, daughter of John and Mary, was born January 30, 1799, two years after her father and mother migrated to Tennessee, and before the homestead tract was purchased. On June 18, 1822, a marriage bond was executied for the wedding of Rachel Philips to Archamack Bass, signed by Archamack and Sion Bass.
Archamack was born December 29, 1800, one mile north of the present site of Watertown and was a son of Ezekiel Bass and an elder brother of the Rev. Henry Bass, who married Francina Philips, a sister to Rachel. Both Rachel and Archamack joined the Round Lick Missionary Baptist church, and Archamack was elected church clerk in June 1822. In August 1836, Archamack accepted a call to the Baptist ministry and was ordained by the Round Lick church with the following ministers acting as presbytery: Cantrel Bethel, Joshua Lester, William Dale, H.W. Pickett, John Borum, Thomas P. Moore, John Bond, and Sion Bass.
The writer has been unable to determine the kinship of Archamack and Sion Bass, both Baptist ministers. That they were either brothers or cousins is suggested by the fact that their names appear together frequently in the court and church records of Wilson County. In 1837 a division in the Round Lick church occurred over the mission question, and Archamack and his brother Henry, favored missions and affiliated with the Missionary Baptist Church, while Sion became an outstanding minister in the Primitive Baptist Church.
About the year 1840, Archamack and Rachel moved to DeKalb County, Tennessee, and settled on Smith Fork Creek near Liberty, where they purchased a large farm. Many of their descendants still live in the Liberty community. Archamack died September 19, 1845.
J.H. Grime, in his ?History of Middle Tennessee Baptists,? paged 176=7, has the following to say converning the ministry of Archmack Bass:
?His ministerial life wsa very short, a little less than ten years. He died very little pastoral work, preferring to give his time to destitute sections. He traveled considerably as missionary. He was called to the care of Round Lick Church a short time before his death, but soon resigned to return to his missionary work. He did much of which we can secure no data. He was a great evangelist and witnessed many conversions. Among those he baptized I note Decaon J.S. Womack and Elder William Borum.
?His death in the prime of life and the very zenith of his ministerial work was like the withering of a full-blown rose by an early autumn frost.?
Archamack and Rachel reared eight children: Ezekiel, William Dolphi, John Wiseman, Thomas, Josiah, Sarah, Mary, and Elizabeth. Rachel died November 29, 1853. She and Archamack are buried in the Salem Cemetery at Liberty, Tennessee.
Archamack and Rachel have 314 descendants, 263 of whom are living.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1800 - 1845 (44 years)