Research Journal – February 5, 2021

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I am super excited and a bit all over the place. Hopefully you are sitting down for this one…

I have an overwhelming list of families I am interested in researching, but I just don’t know where to start!

So, I decided, I would review all the 1790 census records for the counties that were once part of Tryon County: Rutherford, Lincoln, Spartanburg, York, Greenville, etc. But, because some families spill over into Mecklenburg County, I decided to check that census too.

Then, I went a little further to Anson County.
Because… prior to 1760, Anson County basically consisted all the western territory that would eventually become Tryon County and Mecklenburg County. So, why not, let’s check there too!

And I found something super exciting!

Possibly Found Nathan’s Family

I found a “BASS” family in Anson County, NC on a 1790 census!

Okay, so what, right?

Well, reading the census record on the North Carolina Genweb website (the typed version), I came across a BELLEW family: Henry, Abraham, and John Bellew [Bylue].

Yeah, I am like…”What! No Way!”

Interestingly, the BELLEW and BASS families are near each other. So, just to make sure it was correct, I found the census record on Ancestry.com [1790 Census Record pg. 2].

Although Genweb says there is an Abraham Bellew in Anson County, NC, I could not find his name “written” anywhere in the census on Ancestry.com. I don’t know if I keep missing it, or it was a typo on Genweb. However, I did find John Bellew!

Frederick BASS Sr. and Jr. are in Anson County in 1790, with not only the BELLEW family, but the LEDBETTER, PRESSELY, LINDSAY, DUNCAN, VAUGHN, MURPHY, PAGETT, and many others!

Supposedly, according to family, the LEDBETTER, LINDSAY, MOFFITT, and MURPHY families have known the Vess family forever.

PRESSLEY is a family Nathan’s daughter married into.
PADGET and PRICE are connected to Henry Pettit Sr. who used to live in South Carolina (Spartanburg Co.).
DUNCAN reminds me of the Duncan family in Patrick Co. VA.
VAUGHN family reminds me of Willis Vess’ mother (Margaret Vaughn).

I mean, it’s totally worth taking a look!

The BASS FAMILY

I have no idea who they are!
I am looking at Ancestry trees for Frederick Bass Sr, and interestingly, it pretty much stops with him! After a few attempts, I couldn’t get it to go anywhere either which probably suggests a name change!

But, the most intriguing find, is that Frederick Bass Sr. is shown to be married to Marry Polly VAUGHN.
The plot thickens…

Is This A Likely VESS?

In 1790, we can find an Abraham Bellew with Joshua Gosnell together in Spartanburg Co. SC.

They are found near a Joel Callahan, in which I was told has a daughter who married a Vess. Unfortunately, I have not found any records to support it; however, there is a William West listed near them too. I have not been able to determine which WEST line he belongs to (if any).

Anyway, I decided to find Henry Pettit Sr. in South Caorlina who lived near Peter in 1820 on Knob Creek (likely on the Mooney’s property) and was also a member of Bill’s Creek Baptist Church in the 1830’s. According to his Revolutionary War pension paperwork, his father was living in South Carolina (Ninety-six) where he “took his father’s place. ”

On an 1810 census record, I find Henry Pettit! But more interestingly, I found a JOHN BEAS.

I don’t know about you, but BEAS is pretty similar to BESS and VESS.

There are a few BASS families with different spellings in South Carolina, so I will certainly have to dig deeper to see if this John Beas stands alone. What brings me hope, is that there is another dang John Duncan. Also, there are many other familiar family names like DAVIS, REID, ALLEN, GREEN, KING, SHIPPLEY, COLLIN, and WEBBER. If I am right, I most likely will find them near the border between North and South Carolina in Spartanburg Co. SC.

No Official Conclusions Yet

I don’t know what to think about this BASS family.
Probably another goose-chase.

But, the fact that I found the Bellew family so close to a family whose name is similar to ours, is pretty intriguing. And, that they are surrounded by other familiar family names, is mind-blowing.

I wonder if they are connected to the VOSS family?

If I stick with my mantra (I guess you can call it that): That families who marry each other, have lived together, worshiped together, and likely traveled together! I might actually make some real progress!