Pioneers of St. Clair County, Michigan - Person Sheet
Pioneers of St. Clair County, Michigan - Person Sheet
NameHannah BASS 
Birth23 Mar 1776, Walloomsac, Rensselaer, New York1404, p 6,1403, p 26,1405,1406, or perhaps Bennington
Memod age 30 years 1 month 11 days
Removalabt 1789, Ontario, Canada1397 Age: 12
SettlementWinter 1790, Prescott, Grenville, Ontario, Canada1346, p 11 Age: 13
Death3 May 1806, Augusta, Ontario, Canada1404, p 6 Age: 30
FatherDr. Adonijah BASS (1744-1776)
MotherLydia DRAPER (1750-1830)
Individual Notes
• James Martin married Hannah Bass. Hannah had literally [sic] been born during the battle of Bennington on August 16, 1777 in Hoosic [sic] Township. Her father, Adonijah Bass, was a medical doctor and a staunch Loyalist who died in 1776. In the harsh winter of 1790, the widowed Lydia Draper Bass, her sons Joseph and John and daughter Hannah crossed the frozen St. Lawrence River and settled near the site of Prescott.
Hannah was only thirty when she died. There is a church in Prescott which is painted bright blue, and Hannah is buried in the churchyard of the “Blue Church.”1333, p 7
• Hannah Bass was 12 when the family was ready for the move to Canada. Arriving in the winter of 1790, they located the huge rock which had been such a friend the previous summer. In fact, even today “on the Bass property can be seen the large stone upon which the original settlers built their first shelter to protect them during the first winter in the wild lands that greeted them on their arrival from homes they had established in the American colonies. Here the descendants plan to mount a plaque to commemorate the settling of the family.”1346, p 11
• Hannah Bass, sister of Joseph and John, married James Martin and their home was the farm now owned by John Durant.1408
• James Martin grew up and married Hannah Bass. She had been near to the famous Battle of Bennington -- an infant in cradle when bullets began to strike the house! Her father had already probably been killed in this War -- on the side of the British.1346, p 2
• When Hannah Bass Martin was 30 years of age, she died. Her body was buried about three miles from Prescott, in the Blue Church Cemetery (“beside the blue waters of the St. Lawrence...”). The tombstone reads:
“Hannah Bass wife of James Martin
died May 1, 1806, age 30 yr. 1 mo. 11 da.”1346, p 13
Hannah was only thirty when she died. There is a church in Prescott which is painted bright blue, and Hannah is buried in the churchyard of the “Blue Church.”1333, p 7
• Hannah Bass was 12 when the family was ready for the move to Canada. Arriving in the winter of 1790, they located the huge rock which had been such a friend the previous summer. In fact, even today “on the Bass property can be seen the large stone upon which the original settlers built their first shelter to protect them during the first winter in the wild lands that greeted them on their arrival from homes they had established in the American colonies. Here the descendants plan to mount a plaque to commemorate the settling of the family.”1346, p 11
• Hannah Bass, sister of Joseph and John, married James Martin and their home was the farm now owned by John Durant.1408
• James Martin grew up and married Hannah Bass. She had been near to the famous Battle of Bennington -- an infant in cradle when bullets began to strike the house! Her father had already probably been killed in this War -- on the side of the British.1346, p 2
• When Hannah Bass Martin was 30 years of age, she died. Her body was buried about three miles from Prescott, in the Blue Church Cemetery (“beside the blue waters of the St. Lawrence...”). The tombstone reads:
“Hannah Bass wife of James Martin
died May 1, 1806, age 30 yr. 1 mo. 11 da.”1346, p 13
Census
Spouses
Birth1766, Dutchess County, New York1327
Death4 Sep 1838, Augusta, Ontario, Canada1398 Age: 72
FatherWilliam MARTIN (1740-1812)
MotherPhoebe EVERITT
Individual Notes
• Nevertheless, they named their third child “James” also; he grew and in time became the forebear of our line.
Young James Martin was born in 1766, during the economic depression which followed the French and Indian War (1754-1763). Note: Birth year from his tombstone.1346, page 5,1398
• So in 1786, when James was about 20 years of age, he and his father, William, resettled the family in Ontario, Canada. The Martins encountered many others who were making a new life for themselves. They settled near the site of Prescott, which is located on the Saint Lawrence River, across from Ogdensburg, New York.1346, p 7
• James, son of William, shortly after their settlement in Augusta, built a jumper [a sled made up of a box built on runners], on which he placed a fat pig and twenty pounds of butter, and with this produce proceeded all the way to Montreal, that being the nearest market.1401, p 160,1402, p 9
• On Town Plot Register, New Oswegatchie, 1787.1403, p 11
• In the Land Book for the years 1824-1826 is an entry for a James Martin “stating that he is arrived at the age of 21 years and wants a grant.” 100 acres were allowed him (no location given). This may or may not be your James.1339, pp 1-2
• Some time between Grandpa and Grandma Martin’s marriage in 1818 and their removal to the States in 1838, Grandpa’s father, James Martin, came to live with them. In the meantime their family had grown to five children. My great-grandfather must have been a peppery old gentleman who had his own ideas about the proper place of a child in the household, and which, no doubt, was the idea that obtained in those good old days. And he did not hesitate to lend his authority in having the children of his son properly brought up. It was his idea that children sat down to the table to eat, and if there was any talking to be done, that was for the older people. My Uncle Henry, who was then a lad of 10 or 11, used to relate how the old gentleman would cut short any attempts of the children to break their silence at the table by coming out strong: “Let your vittles stop your mouths.”592
Young James Martin was born in 1766, during the economic depression which followed the French and Indian War (1754-1763). Note: Birth year from his tombstone.1346, page 5,1398
• So in 1786, when James was about 20 years of age, he and his father, William, resettled the family in Ontario, Canada. The Martins encountered many others who were making a new life for themselves. They settled near the site of Prescott, which is located on the Saint Lawrence River, across from Ogdensburg, New York.1346, p 7
• James, son of William, shortly after their settlement in Augusta, built a jumper [a sled made up of a box built on runners], on which he placed a fat pig and twenty pounds of butter, and with this produce proceeded all the way to Montreal, that being the nearest market.1401, p 160,1402, p 9
• On Town Plot Register, New Oswegatchie, 1787.1403, p 11
• In the Land Book for the years 1824-1826 is an entry for a James Martin “stating that he is arrived at the age of 21 years and wants a grant.” 100 acres were allowed him (no location given). This may or may not be your James.1339, pp 1-2
• Some time between Grandpa and Grandma Martin’s marriage in 1818 and their removal to the States in 1838, Grandpa’s father, James Martin, came to live with them. In the meantime their family had grown to five children. My great-grandfather must have been a peppery old gentleman who had his own ideas about the proper place of a child in the household, and which, no doubt, was the idea that obtained in those good old days. And he did not hesitate to lend his authority in having the children of his son properly brought up. It was his idea that children sat down to the table to eat, and if there was any talking to be done, that was for the older people. My Uncle Henry, who was then a lad of 10 or 11, used to relate how the old gentleman would cut short any attempts of the children to break their silence at the table by coming out strong: “Let your vittles stop your mouths.”592
Census
• 1796 Census: Augusta. 1 male, 1 female, 1 boy.1339, p 7,1340
• 1806 Census: Augusta. 1 male, 2 boys, 2 girls.1339, p 7,1341
• 1813 Census: Augusta. 1 male, age 50-60.1339, p 7,1342
• 1823 Census: Augusta, Grenville, Ontario, Canada. Living alone. Enumerated next to son, John.1343, p 9
• 1806 Census: Augusta. 1 male, 2 boys, 2 girls.1339, p 7,1341
• 1813 Census: Augusta. 1 male, age 50-60.1339, p 7,1342
• 1823 Census: Augusta, Grenville, Ontario, Canada. Living alone. Enumerated next to son, John.1343, p 9
General
• Prescott was founded in 1810 by Major Edward Jessup on land granted by England for Loyalist support during the Revolutionary War. The town was named in honor of General Robert Prescott, Governor-in-Chief of all Canada.
Prescott is another nice community. The Grenville County Historical Society there is full of helpful, friendly people, mostly volunteers. We were surprised that most of the information they had about the Martins had been given them by dear old Uncle Riley Martin!1333, p 5
Prescott is another nice community. The Grenville County Historical Society there is full of helpful, friendly people, mostly volunteers. We were surprised that most of the information they had about the Martins had been given them by dear old Uncle Riley Martin!1333, p 5