Layered Maps

To become more familiar with the characters in these stories, I recommend reviewing the layered maps below. They contain pins for a number of data points—specifically, county locations, deeds, and census records for individuals of interest. The maps are best used from a computer, within Google My Maps, as the layers are not visible from mobile devices. Layers can be checked and unchecked as needed and pins can be clicked for additional information.

Basses of the Great Dismal

300 Years Along the Pasquotank

This layer was developed using the map from “Three hundred years along the Pasquotank : a biographical history of Camden County.” This map contains references that predate the formation of Camden County (which was part of Pasquotank County prior to 1777). This layer includes the names of many core Camden locations and early landowners.

Camden County (1830)

This layer was developed using the Camden County map from the 1830 US Census (Forehand, W.W.). The map is labeled with areas that generally correspond to landowners from this time. I used natural features and early roads to place pins. Over time, I began to notice several minor roads with names that were used in deeds so I added pins for those as well.

Camden Deeds (1780 – 1866)

This layer was developed using deeds collected from the Camden County Register of Deeds. During this period, deeds contained references to natural features, early roads, neighbors, and witnesses. Using three or more references from each deed, I estimated the location of each landowner and placed pins for deeds collected.

The purpose of this layer is to visualize the proximity of landowners. Proximity does not prove relationship but it can help to define family clusters and support other evidence. Click the names in this layer for detailed information from each deed.

Camden Census Records

This layer was developed using the “Section or Location” column from the 1830 US Census (Forehand, W.W.). Similar to the Camden Deeds layer, these pins were placed using three or more references. After placing pins for county locations and many deeds, this layer was easier to complete.

Norfolk County (1751 – 1765)

This layer was developed using a combination of the map of Colonial Norfolk County and the Key To Numbered Place Names (Wingo, E.B.). Many of the areas and road names have remained the same since the 1700s so the pins were relatively easy to place.

Norfolk, VA Tithables (1751 – 1780)

This layer was developed using abstracts from Paul Heinegg’s “Free African Americans of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland and Delaware.” Heinegg’s notes for these Basses include some deeds, wills, and estate records.

Bass Families of the South

This layer was developed using maps from Albert Bell’s “Bass families of the South: a collection of historical and genealogical source materials from public and private records.” Bell’s collection contains 10 hand-drawn maps with Virginia and North Carolina location names from historical Bass settlements. Some settlements are more relevant to this line than others so only a few are currently pinned.

Breadcrumbs

This layer includes locations with familial significance. After seeing many hints connecting Camden Basses to Norfolk Basses, one of the first pieces of evidence I saw was a Galberry Road in Deep Creek were the Basses lived and another Gallberry Road in South Mills where the Basses lived.