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William Basse Sr. (1654 - bef. 1742)

William Basse Sr.
Born in Norfolk County, Virginiamap
Ancestors ancestors
Son of [father unknown] and
Brother of [half], [half], [half], [half], [half], [half] and [half]
Husband of — married 6 Nov 1671 in Norfolk, Virginiamap
Descendants descendants
Died before before age 88 in Norfolk County, Virginia Colony, British Americamap
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Profile last modified | Created 12 Aug 2012
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US Southern Colonies.
William Basse Sr. resided in the Southern Colonies in North America before 1776.
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The Birth Date is a rough estimate. See the text for details.

Contents

Biography

William was probably born before 1654, based on the date of his marriage. As discussed in the Research Notes below, DNA evidence suggests that he was the son of Elizabeth Nansemond and a father of African origin whose identity is unknown.[1]

William married Catherine Lanier on 6 November 1671 in Norfolk County, Virginia Colony.[2] They were the parents of the following children:[1]

  1. Edward, b. 1672
  2. John, b. 1673
  3. Keziah, b. 1675
  4. William, b. 1676
  5. Joseph, b. 1679
  6. Mary, b. 1681
  7. Thomas, b. 1687

On 13 October 1715, William Bass, Sr., admitted in Norfolk County court that he owed John Hodgson 50 pounds of tobacco. (Orders 1710-17, 169).[3]

In 1727 William Basse felt the necessity of proving that he was of Native American, not African, descent in order to perfect his title to lands owned in Norfolk County. Consequently a hearing was held 17 March 1726/27 in Norfolk County. The certificate issued belonged to the Bass Family of Bowers Hill, Norfolk County, Virginia.(p 13)[4]

An Inquest pertaining to possession and use of Cleared and Swamp lands in and adjoining ye Great Dismal by William Bass, Sr. and His kinsmen who claim Indian Privileges, Sheweth by the testimony of White Persons and sundry records of great age and known to be authentic, That said William Bass, Thomas Bass, and Joseph Bass and spinister daughter Mary Bass are persons of English and Nansemond Indian descent with no admixture of negro, Ethiopic, and that they and all others in kinship with them are freeborn subjects of his Majesty living in peace with his Majesty's Government entitled to possess and bear arms as permitted by Treaties of Peace by and between Charles II of blessed memory and ye Indians of Virginia and the said William Bass, Sr. and als are in Rightful, and Lawful possession thereof and are not to be further Molested by any person or persons whatsoever under any pretended Authority under Penalties etc. etc., whilst ye said Bass and his kinsmen claim Indian privileges pursuant to the aforesaid Treaties of Peace.

17 day of March 1726/27

Solo. Wilson, Cl. Cur.

On 6 January 1729 William Bass, Senr. was living in Western Branch District of Norfolk County when he purchased 103 acres in Norfolk County at the mouth of Deep Branch for £25. (DB G:fol.35; p 183)[3]

Tax and tithable records show William living in Western Branch District of Norfolk County 1730-1736. [5]

Death & Legacy

The will of William Bass(e) of Norfolk County was dated 1 October 1740 and proved 17 September 1742 by Henry Creech & Enos Tart. The will leaves token bequests to sons William, Edward, Joseph, and Thomas Bass; mentions grandson William Bass; and leaves residue of land and estate to daughter Mary Bass, "if she can Save it." Mary was named executrix. (WB H:8)[6][3]

The peculiar phrasing of his will regarding the bequest to daughter Mary, "if she can save it," might indicate that William was in debt at the time he wrote his will in October 1740 and he expected creditors to claim the estate.

Date of death, 13 August 1741, from another certificate that belonged to the Bass Family of Bowers Hill, Norfolk County, Virginia:

William Bass, the Elder was deceased Aug ye 13 day in the year of our Lord 1741 Aet. 87 [age at death 87]. Beloved sire of sons William Bass, Edward Bass, Joseph Bass, Thomas Bass, and their faithful sister Mary Bass. Father is the sire of John Bass, late deceased, and dauter Keziah, juner., late deceased. His departing is Lamented and mourned by ffamily and ffriends.[7][4]

Since the will was proved 17 September 1742, the correct date of death is probably 13 August 1742. This certificate was written some time after William's death and quite likely suffered from the bad memory of its writer; unless the family waited an entire year before submitting the will for probate.

Research Notes

DNA

Although he is commonly identified as the son of John Basse, who was the husband of his mother Elizabeth Nansemond, a Bass Y-DNA research project has found that the paternal line descendants of that John Basse and his father Nathaniel Basse have consistently tested in the R1b1b2 haplotype, a common English haplogroup. The same Bass Y-DNA research project also indicates that the paternal line descendants of this William Bass consistently carry a rare y-DNA Haplogroup A-M31, a subclade found almost exclusively in Africa (or among descendants of populations which have recently left Africa).[8] This is consistent with Y-DNA results reported by at least two WikiTree members claiming descent from this William: Marvin Bass and Jim Bass Jr., who both also report testing in the A-M31 haplogroup. This Y-DNA evidence suggests that John Bass was not William's biological father, and that William's biological father was in fact of sub-Saharan African origin.

Sources

  1. 1.0 1.1 Nikki Bass, "The 'Christianized' Nansemond of Deep Creek: An Incomplete History," Descendants of the Great Dismal, (https://descendantsofthegreatdismal.com/2017/09/23/the-christianized-nansemond-of-deep-creek/ : 23 Sep 2017).
  2. James Albert Bass and James Albert Bass, Jr. The Bass Family of Black Creek, North Carolina, 1986, as cited on My Extended Roberts-Wagner-Bass-Brown Family Tree by Janeene Roberts.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Heinegg, Paul. Free African Americans of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland and Delaware. Bass Families
  4. 4.0 4.1 Albert Bell,Bass Families of the South, Nansemond Indian Ancestry of Some Bass Families. Rocky Mount, NC, 1961.
  5. Elizabeth G. Wingo and W. Bruce Wingo. 1978-1985. Norfolk County, Virginia, Tithables 1730-1750, 1751-1765, 1766-1780. as cited on Heinegg.
  6. Ancestry.com. Virginia Land, Marriage, and Probate Records, 1639-1850 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
  7. John Lucas of Eastern North Carolina Descendants and Related Families
  8. See "Haplogroup A (Y-DNA)," Wikipedia, (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haplogroup_A_(Y-DNA) : accessed 24 May 2022).

See also:





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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with William by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. Y-chromosome DNA test-takers in his direct paternal line on WikiTree: It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with William:

Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.



Comments: 22

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The US Southern Colonies has received a comment by private message disputing the claim that "His biological dad was from Senagambia. His descendants carry a rare y-DNA Haplogroup A-M31."

What basis is there for claiming that the A-M31 Y-DNA which appears in some claimed descendants of this John Basse originated with his apparently unknown biological father?

posted by Scott McClain
https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/bass/about/background?utm_source=google-ads&utm_campaign=Dynamic+Search&utm_agid=129007779003&utm_term=&creative=559039110895&device=t&placement=&gclid=CjwKCAjwtcCVBhA0EiwAT1fY773Rsn4R_1i2_cWOnOnl0ngxHRDQsqvu9BSuni_L3vElo5Kqix1QTBoC2NkQAvD_BwE

https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~greengarden/genealogy/Bass/bass%20a%20haplogroup%20dna.htm

All non daughtered descendants of William have the A1a haplotype as per the surname study. To my understanding on the surname study (contact admins for verify) it’s been confirmed on all of his male descendant lines. So either he has that haplotype or each of his recorded descendants have another different father.

posted by Kim Weatherford
edited by Kim Weatherford
This is very interesting. Looking at the Bass Haplogroup lineage at the rootsweb link, it appears that Y testers who claim to be male line descendants of William's claimed father John Basse (1616-1699), and of John's father Nathaniel Basse, have tested in the R1b1b2 haplotype, a common English result. However, the claimed descendants of this William (1654-1742) are said to have tested in the A haplogroup. If this is true, and if those lineages are all reliable, it does seem to suggest that John was not William's biological father, and that William's biological father was in fact of sub-Saharan African origin as the previous edit claimed.

Given the controversial nature of this claim and the fact that other members dispute it, I think we would need to better understand the Y-DNA evidence developed by the ftDNA Bass Project, and to develop a detailed Research Note explaining it. Is anyone willing to try to tackle this?

posted by Scott McClain
Yeah I've asked on the Nansemond genealogy group on fb for someone from the FTDNA study to address this on this wiki as our understanding on that page (and what is regularly communicated) is that it wasn't just tracked to John 1673 but William 1654's other descendants as well.
posted by Kim Weatherford
edited by Kim Weatherford
Not sure why the “previous edit” was changed. This is NOT the son of an Englishman.
posted by Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
John Bass of England is NOT the father of William Bass. Please remove him. I am just now aware of this situation and am very familiar with them.

I was able to work with Tanna Jo Bass to get some of these profiles curated at Geni. I can delete this comment if it is not appropriate but there is an ongoing fight to make this African and Native American man English and give him siblings he did not have.

posted by Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
Thanks Cynthia,

I have removed the disputed father and expanded the Research Notes to explain the Y-DNA evidence. If anyone more familiar than I am with the ftDNA Bass research project thinks the explanation in the Research Notes needs to be tweaked, please weigh in.

posted by Scott McClain
edited by Scott McClain
“Some claimed descendants of William Bass carry a rare y-DNA Haplogroup A-M31, a subclade found almost exclusively in Africa (or among descendants of populations which have recently left Africa.<ref>See "Haplogroup A (Y-DNA)," Wikipedia, (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haplogroup_A_(Y-DNA) : accessed 24 May 2022).</ref> A prior version of this profile, apparently based on this DNA evidence, asserted without source that William's biological father was from Senagambia. Other members dispute this claim.”

needs correction, please. The Bass men who Y DNA tested and showing at the right side of this profile are A haplo type. The one at the bottom without a Y showing is a descendant of William but daughters out with Milly Bass.

posted by Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
edited by Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
Thank you for the discussion. I cannot believe I walked away from this but I guess I thought someone would reply and I had already made a few comments but last night I revisited due to a PM at his profile on Geni where I literally "do genealogy" five to seven days a week. I was fortunate to be acquainted with the late Tanna Jo Bass and when she passed away, there was a void many attempted to fill but no one knew Bass like Tanna Jo. It was her life's work, I think.

The Senegambian is very specific. The belief is that this man was NOT a slave but an artisan of some sort and John was aware that he was not the father of William.

Thank you for removing John as biological father but I sure hope someone can add a father for him even though we do not know his NAME. I understand Wikitree does not allow "Placeholder" profiles but perhaps this is an in between? He is certainly NOT an NPE.

posted by Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
I say "acquainted" simply because I never physically met her but she and I were quite close and I feel a special sense of responsibility to make sure William's genetic story does not get erased with her passing. A lot of people have done a lot of work and contributed their DNA to get to the truth while others do not want to believe the evidence.

The legal document swearing to have NO African blood was because of fishing and hunting laws at the time and that meant survival.

Thank you again.

~Cynthia

posted by Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
Here is a link to the Y DNA project at FtDNA for Bass(e):

https://www.familytreedna.com/public/BASS?iframe=yresults

posted by Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
Hello Scott,

I appear to be one of those in the line of A-M31 Basses. I am Haplogroup A, M-31 with subclade AFTB40408 and match mostly Basses on FTDNA. It is suggested that William Bass was born in Urshaw (Youha, Youa) Swamp in 1654. This would have been in present day NC, Northampton County. This further suggests that he was on off-the-grid settler along Potecasi Creek. His unknow father could have been the unknown African mentioned in the Sermon Book of John Basse b. 1606. If he was the son of "Unknown African" then that very attribution could be the reason for the Hap A-M-31 line. Where my line of Cales come into the picture is still not worked out, but geographically, my line of Cales came from Bertie County on a farm adjacent to Cader Bass in the so-called Big Woods. Would appreciate you insight!

William F. Cale, MD retired.

posted by Bill Cale III
Sorry, all the documents of his life are related to Norfolk/Nansemond Counties.

WFC

posted by Bill Cale III
Bass-5889 and Basse-69 appear to represent the same person because: clear duplicates; please merge.
John Bass needs to be removed as the biological father.
posted by Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
Hi Cynthia, are there multiple descendants from various other sons of John Bass (i.e. descending from Nathaniel, Samuel, Richard, and/or John) that have had their Y-DNA tested and all share a common haplogroup? And are there several descendants of this William that descend from various sons of John (Edward, John, William, Joseph) that have had a Y-DNA test in order to be sure there wasn't an NPE farther down the line?
Yes. There are.

This 30 character rule is annoying

.....

posted by Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
Yes, if you only need to have a short answer, it certainly is. Please put together a synopsis of the Y-DNA test results, listing which other sons of John Bass (1616-1699) have descendants that have tested, how many have tested, and what their line of descent is from the son of John. This will allow those interested to review and confirm the conclusion. Thanks.
Do we have y-DNA results from other sons of William besides John 1673? I've seen that William's siblings were haplogroup R, but I'm not sure we know whether the NPE happened with William in 1654 or with his "son" John in 1673.
posted by John Hardy
John Basse 1616 has been proven to not be the father of William Bass 1654. The Y-dna haplogroup for John Bass is European, R-M269. The Y-dna haplogroup for William's line is A-M31. He is the son of Elizabeth, the Nansemond, and unknown father.
posted by Jorgia-Ann Bass
Bass-112 and Basse-69 appear to represent the same person because: looks like the same person
posted by Anonymous Peterson

B  >  Basse  >  William Basse Sr.

Categories: Norfolk County, Virginia Colony | Virginia Colonists | Estimated Birth Date