LUTHER SISSON, OF EASTON, MASSACHU SETTS, HIS ANCESTRY AND DESCENDANTS.-' LUTHER SISSON OF EASTON, MASS. His Ancestry & Descendants Compiled and Printed by Arthur A. Wood, Slocum, R. I. MCMIX ■^ d> ^y /£^ ., r^'-'r,0'\ yO: LUTHER SISSON OF EASTON, MASS. The name of Sisson is probably derived from Soissons, a province of France. Doubtless the pro- genitors of the English descendants of the name came to Britain with William of Normandy, In the Poll-tax Returns of Howdenshire, (York- shire), for the year 1379 the following names are found: Johannes Sisson, Robertus Cisson, Henri- cus Sisson, Thomas Cysson, and William Cisson. Canon Bardsley in his "Dictionary of English & Welsh Surnames" states: "Sisson, 'the son of Cecilia.' " An English genealogist concludes that in one instance the name is derived from Syston, 'P a populous village in Leicestershire. But, the derivation of the village name may lead again to the French origin. These English Sissons, as a rule, are usually non-conformists and engaged in commerce. The first record, yet found, of the name in the United States is at Portsmouth, Rhode Island. On May 17, 1653 Richard Sisson was admitted a free- man of the town. July 6, 1668 he bought 1-300 part of Conanicut and Dutch Islands. June 5, 1667 he appears as a resident of Dartmouth, Mass., being drawn as a grand juryman. Oct. 18, 1683 he made his will in which he gives to son James "all housing and land in Dartmonth." "To son George £5, in money." "To son John all house and land in Portsmouth." From a deposition made in 1668 we learn that he was born in 1608. He died in 1684. The invent- ory of his estate amounted to £600, 19s, itemized as follows : 3 House and lands at Dartmouth, £240 House and lands at Rhode Island, £60 Cattle and horse kind, £113, 15s. Swine, £30 Sheep, £14, 10s Beds, etc., £50 New cloth, wool yarn, hemp and flax, £13 One Indian servant, £10 ; Negro servant, £28 Money, £12 From these meagre records we learn but little of the personality of the man who was the ancestor of most of those bearing the name of Sisson in the United States. There are some of the name de- scended from a Virginian stock, but later discov- eries may lead to the Portsmouth settlement, as it is known that some of this family went south and all trace of the later generations has been lost. Richard Sisson appears to have been a well-to- do farmer, possessing estates in Portsmouth and Dartmouth. At the time of his death his oldest > son, George was a prosperous farmer with a large family and had had his share of his father's estate, which accounts for the small legacy in the elder Sisson's will. The earlier generations of the Sissons were gen- erally farmers and members of the Quaker sect. The name is found among the patriot soldiers of the revolutionary army and we regret to note a few well deserved the name of tory and had their es- tates confiscated. In the ranks of the Union army the Sisson name was borne with honor and courage. Richard Sisson's wife was named Mary. She died in 1692. This is all we know of the first New England mother of our tribe. The six children of Richard^ and Mary Sisson were — George, Elizabeth, James, John, Anne, and ]\Iary. George^ Sisson, ( Richard'^ ) was born in 1644, probably in England, married, 1667, Aug. 1, to Sarah, daughter of Thomas Lawton of Portsmouth, R. I. ; and died, 1718, Sept. 7. He was a farmer and served as a constable in 1687; as Deputy in 1690, 1702-5-7 ; and Justice of the Peace in 1703. His will, niade August, 1718, gives to son George "the farm now possesed by him at Touisset Neck, Swansey." The inventory of his estate amounted to £451, 18s 8d. as follows: Wearing apparel, £8, lis; Armor, £2 ; Plate, ^ £8, 12s, 8d ; Silver money, £13, 12s, 6d ; Bills of Public Credit, £69, 8s, 6d ; Cows, steers, horses, 93 sheep, }^ of 4 swine, geese, turkeys, fowls, and household furniture. The homestead farm was given to Richard^ the eldest son, and has descended to the present time from father to son. It lies in the town of Ports- mouth, R. I., on Rhode Island. The children of George^ and Sarah ( Lawton ) Sisson were : p:iizabeth, b. 1669 Ruth, b. 1680 Mary, b. 1670 George Ann, b. 1672 Abigail, b. 1685 Hope, b. 1674 Thomas, b. 1686 Richard, b. 1676 John, b. 1688 James, b. 1690 George*^ Siason, (Richard^, George^) born March 23, 1683; married (1) Mercy ; married (2) Oct. 11, 1721 at Swanzey, Mass., Lydia, daugh- ter of Hugh Jr. and Deborah (Buckland) Cole of Swanzey. Their children were : Elizabeth, b. 1709; m. Jeremiah Brown Jane, m. Hugh Cole Mary, m. Amos Daggett Hopestill, b. 1713 ; m. John Fones George, b. 1715 ; m. Drusilla Cole James, b. 1717 Benjamin, b. 1722 John Mercy, b. 1725; m. Luther Gilbert, b. 1730; m. Mary Sisson Lydia, b. 1731 Gideon, b. 1733; m. Abigail Chase John* Sisson, (Richard^, George\ George^) mar- ried July 21, 1751, at Swanzey, Mary Thurber. His children were : -Phebe, b. 1751 George, b. 1753; m. Hannah (Wall) Smith Jarvis, b. 1766 John, b. 1758 ^ Caleb, b. 1760 P:sek Jane, b. 1764; m. Aaron Luther Gardiner, b. 1767; m. Esther Woodmaneee Fones, b. 1769. Mary, b. 1771. Lydia, b. 1774 Esek^ Sisson, {Rich^., Geo'^., Geo^., John*) was born Aug. 11, 1762; married at Swanzey, Mass., June 30, 1790 Sabra Luther. His children were: 'Luther, b. 1797 Rebecca Luther, b. 1805, Feb. 14; m. Charles H. Salisbury Elizabeth Hunter Philip Allen, b. 1806, Dec. 28 8 ,Tohn Thomas, m. Elmira Kelley Fones Esek Sisson was on roll of C"ol. Elliot's Reg. 1776. Luther*' Sisson, ( RichK, Geo"^., Geo^., Jolm\ Esek^) was born in Swanzey, Mass., Feb. 8, 1797; married Jan. 27, 1827, Hannah, daughter of Gid- eon and Hannah (Small) Church. She was born at Harwich, Mass., Oct. 22, 1808 and died atEaston, Mass.. April 13, 1887. Luther Sisson died at Easton, April 25, 1868. He was machinist, an occupation that has been followed with honor and profit by many branches of the Sisson tribe. An aptitude for mechanical pursuits seems to be an in- heritance in the New England lines of the family. Luther and Hannah were the parents of eight chil- dren, most of them residing in Easton ; where, once a year, on Labor Day, the descendants of Luther are welcomed to a family reunion. The children of Luther are : 1. John H. T. 5. Jonathan T. 2. Luther S. 6. Sarah M. 3. Hannah C. 7. Eleanor J. 4. Asa C. 8. Henry F. 1 . John Humphrey Thompson" Sisson was born in Dorchester, Mass., Jan. 26, 1828 ; married, Jan. 20, 1850, Lydia Ann, daughter of Thaddeus and Eliza(P:nni8) Williams, born Oct. 30, 1832. He was a machinist, and resided at Easton. He died, June 13, 1864. His children are : Frank Henry, b. 1850, Dec, 28; m. Eliza A. Hobart, residence Whitinsville, Mass. John Davis, b. 1852, Feb. 3 ; d. in infancy Luther Clifford, b. 1854, Mar. 1 ; d. in infancy , Alice Amelia, b. 1855, Mar. 17 ; d. ae 4y., Imo. Charles Clifford, b. 1860, Mar. 10; m. Nellie M. Freeman, res. Whitinsville. Elmer Elwood, b. 1863, Apr. 2S; d. in infancy 10 2. Luther Sabra^ Sisson, born in Dorchester, Dec. 29, 1829 ; married, Nov. 6, 1856, Sarah Ma- ria, daughter of James and Adelaide (Greene) Humphrey, born Jan. 9, 1839; d. Dec. 10, 1903. He is a machinist, residence, E^aston. One child : Lennette Greene, b. 1861, May 2; m, George T. Allen, res. AVorcester Mass. 3. Hannah Church'' Sisson, was born in Boston, Jan. 10, 1832; married May, 1853 George Wil- Hams who died Mar. 9, 1859. Her children were: Ira Luther, b. 1855, Mar. 18; d. ae 7 years Luella Frances, b. 1859, June 27 4. Asa Church'' Sisson, born in Easton, June 11 1834; married, Oct. 13, 1854, Ellen F. daughter of Henry and Amanda (Shaw) Randall, born June 2,1838. He is a machinist, residence, Easton. Children : Carrie Ella, b. 1856, Nov. 22; m. Frank C. Wade, res. Easton. 11 Herbert Church, b. 1858, June 9 ; m. Marian Leonard. Alfred Asa, b. 1800, Dec. 2 ; m. Marian Wilber. 5. Jonathan Thomas' Sisson, born in Easton, June 18, 1836; married, Nov. 26, 1866, Alomie Frances , daughter of Ephraim and Mary (Collins) Ghen, born June 25, IS-iS. Residence, Easton. Children : Arthur Clarence, b. 1868, Jan. 1 ; m. Mary B. Cliffe, res. Pawtucket, R. I. Daisy D., b. 1870, Mar. 26 ; d. infant. Gertrude June, b. 1881, July 18 ; m. Ernest T. Walker. Edith Alomie, b. 1884, Feb. 12. 6. Sarah Malinda" Sisson, born in Easton May 27, 1838; married April 5, 1855, Orrin B. Swift, born 1832, Feb. 17; died, 1870, Jan 26. Children: Ada Lester, b. 1856, Mar. 26 Henry Rosco, b. 1859, May 27 12 Lizzie p:tta, b. 1861, Mar. 25 Howard O. L., b. 1863, June 25 Edward Bradford, b. 1865, July 27 Freddie, b, " " " d. ae 1 year. Luther Everett, b. 1866, Nov. 28 Mary Lottie, b. 1870, June 11 7. Eleanor Jones" Sisson, born Nov. 1, 1841, at Easton ; married, Nov. 3, 1869, Norman A., son of Ephraim and Mary (Collins) Ghen, born 1847, Aug 31. Children: Minnie Collins, b. 1870, June 16 Edith Sisson, b. 1873, Mar. 19: d. infancy Lena Church, b. 1875, April 26; m. Samuel Cheatham. Elmer Russell, b. 1882, Feb. 7 8. Henry Fones'' Sisson, born in P^aston, Oct. 31,1843; married (1) Jan. 19, 1869, Nellie P Boynton, She died July 2, 1884; married (2) Cora Post. Residence, Yonkers, N. Y. Draughtsman. 13 Children : Walter Manley, b. 1870, Aug. 20 Ethel Boynton, b. 1877, Feb. 18 Rebecca Luther*^ Sisson, {Rich^., Geo^.^ Geo^., John*, Esek^), was born Feb. 14, 1805; married at Warren, R. I., Sept. 27, 1827, to Chas. H. son of Daniel and Mary( ) Salisbury of Baltimore, Md., born Nov. 8, 1804. She died May 17, 1861. Children : 6^ Mary Hall, b. 1828, Nov. 20 William H. b. 1831, Sept. 17 Sarah Ann, m. Fuller Eliza Cole, b. 1836 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 021 392 146