Richard Bass 1732-1793

Richard Bass 1732-1793, my great times five grandfather. He was born in Craven County, NC and died in Wayne County NC. His parents were Andrew Bass 1698-1770 and Elizabeth Smith Bass 1700-1742. (His brother is the Andrew Bass who donated land for the first Wayne County Courthouse.)

He is considered a patriot, as a DAR member had used his name in her application, and a Sons of the American Revolution had the following application approved:

"Application for membership was approved in 1966 for William Yardell Jr, as descendent of Richard Bass.  He cites his Aunt Maggie Mae Wilson McBee who is DAR member #65667, as source of his information...as well as his lineage.
William Yandell was great grandson of Chalres Land (1793-1834) and Sarah Bass (abt 1790 Wayne Co, NC - 1862 Tchula MS),
and great grandson of Andrew Bass (abt 1760 NC - 11.19.1791 Wayne Co, NC) and Christian Scull (11.6.1760 NC - bef 1782 NC)
and great grandson of Richard Bass, (1732 Craven Co, NC - 11.6.1793 Wayne Co, NC) and Sarah (b 1732 - no date of death given)
and great grandson of Andrew Bass Sr. (d. 1770 Craven, NC)
Richard Bass is the patriot named, having become a Patriot by furnishing supplies for the Revolutionary Army."

Richard also is listed under North Carolina Revolutionary War Soldiers as being granted 571 acres.

Richard married Sarah McKinney Bass (1735-unknown death date) in 1760.  She had been born in Craven County, NC, and they lived there until some point when they moved to Wayne County NC ( which could have just been that the county was redistricted!) (Some Ancestry ecords are so confused, they say Craven, Wayne County NC, when Craven is not a town, but another county.) It's possible he was born in Dobbs County.

From Wikipedia regarding Johnston County...

The county was formed in 1746 from Craven County. It was named for Gabriel Johnston, Governor of North Carolina from 1734 to 1752.^[4] In 1752 parts of Johnston County, Bladen County, and Granville County were combined to form Orange County. In 1758 the eastern part of Johnston County became Dobbs County. In 1770 parts of Johnston County, Cumberland County, and Orange County were combined to form Wake County. Finally, in 1855 parts of Johnston County, Edgecombe County, Nash County, and Wayne County were combined to form Wilson County.

Richard had a sister, Anna Bass, 1733-1791, and a brother Dr. Andrew Bass Sr., 1735-1791.

Richard Bass died in Wayne County, NC on Nov 6, 1793.

Incidentally, his brother, Dr. Andrew Bass Jr, was the one noted for having given the property to the county seat of Wayne County NC for the court house in Waynesborough NC.  It is now in Goldsboro, NC...having moved later on in the county's history.  Here's the quote from Wikipedia:

Wayne County was established during the American Revolutionary War on November 2, 1779 from the western part of Dobbs County. It was named for "Mad Anthony" Wayne, a general in the war. The act establishing the County provided that the first court should be held at the home of Josiah Sasser, at which time the justices were to decide on a place for all subsequent courts until a courthouse could be erected. By 1782 the commissioners were named. In 1787 an act was passed establishing Waynesborough on the west side of the Neuse River, on the land of Doctor Andrew Bass. The courthouse was built here.

And then things changed. Note courthouse number one was on the west side of the Neuse River. Both of these sources are from Wikipedia. I wonder exactly which side of the river the Whitfied's put that courthouse...

Around 1787, when Wayne County was formed, a town named Waynesborough grew around the county's courthouse. In 1787, William Whitfield III (son of William Whitfield II) and his son were appointed "Directors and Trustees" for designing and building the town.^[8][9] Located on the east bank of the Neuse River, the town became the county seat. Population growth in Waynesborough continued through the 1830s. However, this changed once the Wilmington and Weldon Railroadwas completed in the early 1840s. By then, a hotel had been built at the intersection of the railroad and New Bern Road, which grew into a community after the train started to transport passengers from there. 

More and more citizens soon relocated from Waynesborough to this growing village, named eventually "Goldsborough's Junction" after Major Matthew T. Goldsborough, an Assistant Chief Engineer with the railroad line. Later this was shortened simply to Goldsborough. In 1847, the town was incorporated and became the new Wayne County seat following a vote of the citizens of Wayne County. Local legend has it the Goldsborough supporters put moonshine in the town's well to encourage people to vote for Goldsborough.

As if anyone would poison their well with moonshine.  Perhaps a few barrels were so spiked, but hardly a well, where stock and children also would have to get their water, and anyone who made moonshine would probably not want to waste it thus! (Besides, moonshine is a product mostly found in the mountainous areas of NC!)