Nansemond ?

Hi, for some time, I have been searching for my Grandmother's
family. Grandmother's Father was Robert Steel, whom married her
Mother on Christmas, and was gone within perhaps, a month of
that day. I know his grandparents Steel, but was searching for
his Mother's family.

Grandmother said her grandmother, Julia Ann Bass, was an Indian
Princess, with long beautiful Black hair. At least that was all
I had, until finding her birth in Missouri, in Perche township,
Boone County. (1840: Then after some checking and many years
I found her parents were, Eli Bass and his wife, Lucy Bass, and
both were born in Virginia. Eli in 1775, and Lucy in 1810.

I asked myself, could this be so? Was Lucy really the daughter
of Eli, the ages would be ok if that was so... And then, if not,
why did the two of them have the same last name before marriage?

Then recently, someone told me about the Nansemond Indians of
Virginia, whom are Indians, but have the US Court's verdict that
they are not Black, nor white, but free citizens in the country.

I sent a letter to the Chief .. whose last name is Bass. I
learned that Bass is the Tribal Name. Almost all the members
of the Tribe are free white, and not on anty census records...
and the name came from Basse or a similar French name. That
family had boys that married Indian girls, and somehow all of
the descendents have the Bass name.

Interesting, in that John Adams had a good friend named John
Bass. So, if any of you have info that can shed light on
this search... let me knopw. AND, if or when Chief Bass or
others of the Nansemond responds to my letter, I will post
another disertation (did I spell that right?) informing
all of the results.

Because of the time and energy involved in the last 50+
years of my search I have looked at so many of the records
that I think I will have a party when I learn of the truth.

By the way, I am in contact with the 2nd family of Robert
Steel. They spell the name Steele now. They mostly live in
Colorado, or "Utah". More of this most interesting saga....