Samuel Bass (1600-1694)

Deacon Samuel Bass (1600-1694)

Early English Immigrant Great, Great Grandfather to Pres John Adams

Vital Stats

 * Son of
 * 1600-May-04 : Birth at Saffron Walden, Essex Co, England
 * 1625-Apr-25 : Married to Ann/Anna Savil - daughter of William Savil and Margaret Parker.
 * 1633 : Immigration to America, arrived in Roxbury, Mass. in the Winthrop Fleet
 * 1640 : Relocated to Braintree, Mass.
 * 1694-Dec-30 : Died at Braintree, Norfolk, Mass

Biography
Samuel Bass (1600-1694) and his wife Ann/Anna Rawson (1600-1693) and several children came from England with Governor Winthrop and settled in Roxbury, Mass. in 1630 or 1632. The Colonial Records spell the name as "Basse." He was admitted freeman on May 14, 1634. In 1640 they moved to Braintree (Quincy), Mass. On July 5, 1640 Samuel was (received to Communion) and became the first deacon of the First Church of Christ in Quincy and served for 50 years.

The original church building has been replaced four times and the present structure was built in 1828 and is called the United First Parish Church (Unitarian) of Quincy. President John Adams and his wife, Abigail, as well as John Quincy Adams and wife Louisa Catherine are entombed in granite crypts beneath the church. A gift of a silver cup was donated to the Church by Deacon Samuel Bass, William Veasey, John Ruggle and David Walesby and bears the inscription of the donors’ names and date, 1694. It is one of the church’s cherished possessions. Samuel also served as Deputy in the Massachusetts General Court from 1641-1653, and thereafter.

Deacon Samuel and wife Ann had eight children-Samuel, Mary, John, Hannah, Ruth, Thomas, Sarah and Joseph. Another son, John Bass, married Ruth Alden, daughter of the John Alden and Priscilla Mullins of the Mayflower and of Longellow's poem The Courtship of Miles Standish. Daughter, Hannah Bass, married a descendant of Henry Adams who was also the ancestor of the two Presidents Adams. There was much intermarriage among the early families of Braintree - Thayers, Paines, Adams, Faxons, and Wales.

Obituary of Samuel Bass
Deacon Samuel's obituary reads: "Deacon Samuel Bass, aged 94, departed this life upon the 30th day of December 1694, who had bin a Decon of the Church of Braintree for the space of 50 years, and was the father and grandfather and great grandfather of a hundred and sixty and two children before he died, the youngest whereof was Benimin Bas the son of Joseph Bas and Mary his wife, born seven days before his death. He represented the town in no less than twelve General Courts, served on important Committees, was Selectman innumerable times and active in the Church and all the time continued his farming," 'See “300 Years of Quincy,” p.53, by D.M. Wilson." (source #2)

Will of Samuel Bass
A portion of Deacon Samuel's will is quoted here for the interesting glimpse it gives of the times. He owned 166 acres of land near Braintree, MA.

"In the name of God Amen "May 11th, 1694. I Samuel Bass of Braintry being but infirm of body but sound in my understanding and memory and not knowing how soon or suddenly the Lord may please to call me out of this world and in consideration of my great change hastening upon me I do therefore make constitute and dictate this my last Will and testament, First; - I give my soul to God, through Jesus, Christ my alone Savior with whom I hope to have had Communion with in my life and I hope he will not forsake me in death, and I desire to rely alone upon the mercy of God through merits of my alone Lord and Savior Jesus Christ my dear Redeemer, "Second, I give my son John ten acres of Salt Marsh and a wood lot in Captain's plain already set out to him and the Malt houses and the orchard before the malt houses, also half the well and half the kitchen, also some land in the stony field he hath in his possession, also a quarter part of my upland in the farm after Legacies to my two daughters is paid Mary Capen and Sara Pennimen, and if there be any marsh land after the ten acres apiece to my three sons is taken out --- if there be any overplus, I give it to my son John Bass. "Third; I give my son Joseph ten acres of Salt Marsh (which I value at 100 pounds). I give him the house he liveth in and the orchard on the backside of it, and the fresh meadow at the East. I give him the feather bed which he lyeth on and all the furniture and bedstead belonging to it (all of which I value at 100 pounds). I give him my barns and two acres of ground my barns standeth on; reserving liberty for yard room and passage for my son John to his barns. I give Joseph half my kitchen and half my well and I give him 7 acres of land in stony field where my cows use to posture and a wood lot in the Captain's plain. "Fourth; I give my son Thomas Bass ten acres of Salt Marsh and a wood-lot in Captain's plain already laid out to him also a quarter part of the uplands at the farm after the legacies above specified is paid, "Fifth, I give my daughter Mary Capen 40 pounds and my daughter Sarah Pennimen 20 pounds to be paid out of the uplands at the farm or otherwise be content, also my daughters Capen and Pennimen 5 cows. My meaning is in that expression of my will that the 40 pounds and three I have given to my daughter Mary Capen should be to her and her heirs forever. My will is that it is to be accounted as my son John Capen's estate and shall be equally divided among his children. "From Suffolk Co., Mass. Probate, Will, No. 2200 Vol. 13, p.539." (source #2)

Burial Place of Samuel Bass
Samuel and his wife Ann are buried in the Hancock Cemetery across the street from the United First Parish Church in the presidential” town of Quincy, MA, home of presidents John and John Quincy Adams. Samuel and Ann’s gravestones, brought from England, can still be found there--sunk low in the ground, after nearly 400 years, marking their resting places. Hancock Cemetery is among the earliest and most historic burial grounds in New England. This cemetery is named for the Rev. John Hancock, father of the patriot, John Hancock. Dating from the early 1600’s, many patriots and old families of Quincy can be found buried here.

Children of Samuel Bass and Ann Savil

 * 1) Samuel Bass (1626-1653)
 * 2) Mary Bass (1628-1704) m. Capt John Capen
 * 3) John Bass (1632-1716) - m. Ruth Alden - Great Grandparents to Pres John Adams
 * 4) Hannah Bass (1633-) m. 1) Shadrach Wilbur and m. 2) Stephen Paine
 * 5) Thomas Bass(1635-1720)
 * 6) Sarah Bass (1643-1739)
 * 7) Joseph Bass
 * 8) Ruth Bass
 * 9) unnamed