Introductory
note: this is one of a series of “continuations”
of families listed in Edward P. Jones’ genealogy of the descendants of Captain John Bissell of Windsor, Connecticut.
Building on Stiles’ History of Ancient Windsor, Jones traced a number of lines of Bissells no further than
the late 1700s or early 1800s, and other researchers (including myself, as compiler of this series) have subsequently managed
to bring those lines on down to the present. Some continuations have already been published, and this series will simply extract
the data from those works and present it here. Others have been more loosely gathered and are being published here for the
first time. In still other cases, published continuations are being more completely filled in or extended for this series.
Someday, building on the foundation laid by Stiles and Jones, a new genealogy of the Connecticut Bissells will be published
and submitted to appropriate libraries, and it is hoped that this series will play an important role in helping to bring that
about....Roger Bissell, Orange, California, November, 1999.
As listed in Edward P. Jones’ Genealogy of
the Descendants of Captain John Bissell of Windsor, Connecticut by 1639, Ammi Rhuhamah Bissell appears as #668, son of
Joseph Bissell #303, grandson of Benjamin Bissell #137, great-grandson of John Bissell #10, great-great-grandson of Lieut.
Thomas Bissell #3, and great-great-great-grandson of Captain John Bissell #1. This line of descent may be more readily seen
as follows:
Captain
John #1àThomas #3àJohn #10àBenjamin #137àJoseph #303àAmmi Rhuhamah#668
Descendants of Ammi
Rhuhamah Bissell and
Prudence Burrows of Sharon, Vermont and Coitsville, Ohio
On February
21, 1979, Mrs. Alden C. Cummins, director of the Mahoning Valley Historical Society, sent my father Eldon K. Bissell the following
excerpt from the History of Trumbull and Mahoning Counties, Vol. II, H. Z. Williams & Bro., 1882, pp. 167-168:
Ammi R. and Prudence
(Burrows) Bissel settled a little north of the village in 1806. Their son, Partridge Bissel, born in 1803, is still a resident
of the township. Ammi Bissel was a brother of John P., and came from Vermont. He was the father of five sons and two daughters.
He was the first carpenter in the township, and was energetic and active in his work. He was a good neighbor and an honest
man. [The village referred to is Coitsville.]
Dr. Robert L. Dodge, a local records specialist with
the Ohio Historical Society in Columbus, sent my father substantially the same information on February 21, 1979, and added
the following:
Ammi R. Bissell built a large two-story school house for the village in 1823. Later it
became a church and later still a saloon and grocery (as of 1882). Most of the old Coitsville settlers were buried in the
Deer Creek church cemetery, New Bedford, Pa. You state Ammi died in 1828 and is buried in Coitsville township. Other members
of the family might be interred in Pennsylvania.
All eight of Ammi’s children were mentioned by
name in a “Petition to Sell Land” in the court of Trumbull County, Ohio, April 29, 1829, which reads:
Said
Amni died leaving widow Prudence, John Bissel and Partridge Bissell, Polly wife of Philomen Stilson, Porter Bissel, Leverett
Bissel, Roxy wife of Lewis Murray, Amni Bissel and Joseph Bissel (last two minors).
A. Polly Bissell, prob.
b. ca. 1793-94 in Vermont, prob. d. ca. 1840 at Rootstown, Ohio. Her father’s probate records say she married Philemon
Stillson. The LDS database says Mary Bissell m. Philo Stilson June 6, 1816 in Trumbull Co., Ohio. The 1820 census of Coitsville
shows “Philarmon Stilson” age 45+, with a daughter age 0-10 (under 4, based on marriage date), and wife age 26-45.
From this, we infer that Polly was born no later (and probably no earlier) than 1794. The 1830 census of Coitsville shows
Philo Stilson and wife both age 30-40, with a daughter age 10-15 and a son and daughter both age 5-10. The 1840 census of
Sandy Lake, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania shows Philo Stilson age 50-60 and wife age 40-50, with sons age 0-5 (Ammi born April
1840?) and 15-20 (William born 1824) and a daughter age 5-10 (Mary J. born about 1831?).
The older son was William Luther
Stilson, and we are in touch with his great-great-great-granddaughter, who provided a file listing numerous descendants of
William, but no information about his siblings. We suspect that Mary J. Stilson age 19 in the 1850 Boardman Twp., Trumbull
Co., OH household of Henry Brainard, and age 28 b. OH in the 1860 Church Hill, Liberty Twp., Mahoning Co., OH household of
H. Brainard, may be a daughter of Philo and Polly—and that the male, “Amma” Stilson age 10 in the 1850 household
of Polly’s brother, Partridge, may be a son of Polly named Ammi after their father. The two older daughters (born prior
to 1830) had both married or died by the 1840 census.
More details on Mary J. Stilson: the IGI records show that Mary J. Stilson married November 29, 1860 in Mahoning Co., Ohio to Leonard
Burton or Benton. We have not been able to locate the Burtons or Bentons in either the 1870 or 1880 census. (A Mary Burton
married Nelson Struble on March 22, 1864 in Trumbull Co., so perhaps this is Mary J. Stilson Burton, remarrying as Leonard’s
widow. But Nelson died there in 1866. A Mary Struble married Jacob Mason on February 22, 1872 in Trumbull Co., so perhaps
this is Mary J. Stilson Burton Struble, remarrying as Nelson’s widow.)
More details on Ammi Stilson: in the 1900 census of Ottawa Twp., Franklin Co., Kansas was Ammi Stilson age 60,
b. Apr. 1840 PA (parents b. NY and OH), wife Sarah J. age 59, b. Sep. 1840 PA, married 34 years, 3 children, one still living,
that being divorced daughter, Hattie B. Shamo age 24, b. Sep. 1875 OH, with daughter Cecil F. age 7, b. Mar. 1893 KS. The
1880 census of Ward 1, Ottawa, Franklin Co., Kansas showed Ammi Stillson age 40 b. PA, wife Sarah Jane 40 PA, Charles 12,
Eddie 9, Hattie 6. The 1870 census of Bazetta Twp., Trumbull Co., Ohio shows Ami Stilson 28, Sarah 28, Charles G. 3, Noble
E. 1/12 (b. May); these sons both died after 1880 and prior to 1900. In 1860, Ami Stilson age 20 b. OH was apprenticed as
a cabinet maker to J. C. Kennedy of Youngstown, OH, and in the same household was a servant girl, Sarah Jackson age 18. This
may be the girl he later married. However, the IGI records show that Aman Stilson married Sarah Jane Sanford on March 13,
1866 in Trumbull Co., Ohio.
Here are the known descendants of Philo and Polly Bissell Stilson:
1. William Luther Stilson was born on 24 May 1824 in Coitsville, Ohio. He died on 21 Oct 1889 in Coitsville.
He married Rocksy Ann Beggs who was born about 1816 and died February 26, 1887 in Coitsville. She was married first to John
Pother, and they had two children, Almira and John, who were adopted by William when he married the widow Pother. William
and Rocksy are buried at the Methodist Cemetery at Coitsville, Ohio, and they had the following children:
a. Charles A. Stilson was born about
1848 in Ohio. He resided in Long Beach, New Jersey.
b. William W. Stilson was born July
24, 1851 in Coitsville, Ohio and died June 10, 1919 in Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio. He married Alice Rose Lewis (born
November 14, 1855 in England or Pennsylvania, died December 10, 1919 in Youngstown). They had:
i.
Adrian Henry Stilson was born January 31, 1875 in Coitsville,
Ohio and died October 28, 1963 in Youngstown, Mahoning Co., Ohio. He married (1) Anna Maria Fredericka Behnke
(daughter of Carl Behnke and Louise Kreinbring, born November 18, 1879 in Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Germany, died
March 14, 1911 in Youngstown, Mahoning Co., Ohio) and married (2) in 1914 in Youngstown, Mahoning Co.,
Ohio to Nellie J. Lantz (born October 2, 1879 in Helsingborg, Sweden, died January
4, 1977 in Youngstown, Mahoning Co., Ohio). Adrian had the following children:
(1)
Grace E. Stilson was born in 1901 in Youngstown, Mahoning Co.,
Ohio. She married ____ Hoffman. Grace is likely Adrian’s step-daughter from his second marriage.
(2)
Earl William Charles Stilson was born September 7, 1903 in Youngstown,
Mahoning Co., Ohio and died May 12, 1988 in Youngstown. He married
on December 7, 1931 in Youngstown to Lillian Theresa Widman (born September 16, 1909
in Youngstown and died February 23, 1976 in Youngstown).
(3)
Leona Gertrude Lillian Stilson was born November 14, 1904 in Youngstown, Mahoning Co., Ohio and died August 31, 2000.
(4)
Adrian H. Stilson was born on September 11, 1914. He died on
8 Sep 1988 in Hampton City, Virginia.
(5) William C. Stilson was born September 31, 1917 in Youngstown, Mahoning Co., Ohio and died February 28, 1996 in Youngstown. He married Lois L. Spindell (died April
19, 2005 in Cortland, Ohio).
(6) Clyde Stilson was born June 14, 1923 in Youngstown, Mahoning Co., Ohio and died April 21, 1993
in Port Charlotte, Florida.
ii.
Clyde Neville Stilson was born August 18, 1878 and died
January 23, 1951 in Youngstown, Mahoning Co., Ohio. He married Anna Williams (born April 1880 in Youngstown, Mahoning Co.,
Ohio and died September 29, 1936 in Youngstown.). They had:
(1)
Neville C. Stilson was born March
17, 1901 in Youngstown, Ohio and died December 14, 1949 in Youngstown.
(2)
Isabell C. Stilson was born in 1903 and died in 1970. She married Howard Dietzel..
iii.
Cora Della Stilson was born about 1883. She married William Bainbridge.
iv.
Ethel G. Stilson was born September 10, 1885 in Youngstown, Mahoning
Co., Ohio and died July 8, 1971 in Mahoning Co. She married Warren M. Crum (died in 1955) in 1906. They had:
(1)
____ Crum married Howard Dietzel.
(2)
____ Crum married John Faber.
(3)
Warren W. Crum
c. Wilbert
Smith Stilson was born April 1, 1853 in Coitsville, Ohio
and died December 2, 1940 in Youngstown, Mahoning Co., Ohio. He married about 1876 to Elizabeth Burnett (born April 26, 1859
in Coitsville, died July 15, 1941 in Youngstown). They had:
i.
Carl Blaine Stilson was born about 1885 and died January 22, 1936
in Boardman, Ohio. He married Sarah A. Davies.
ii.
Harold Stilson.
iii.
Helen Stilson.
She married F. N. U. Whitworth.
d. Louis D. Stilson born about
1859 in Coitsville, Ohio and died August 4, 1939 in Colebrook Twp., Ashtabula County, Ohio. He married Nora G. Irvine (died November 20, 1947 in Colebrook
Twp., Ashtabula Co., Ohio). They had:
i. Guy L. Stilson.
ii. ____ Stilson, married Charles Madden.
iii.
____ Stilson, married Harry Wooley.
e. Albert Stilson. He married.
f.
Mary Stilson.
B. John Bissell, b. 1795 at Sharon, Windsor Co., Vermont, in War of 1812, m. 1815 Margaret Waters, Trumbull Co., Ohio,
went to Ray Co., Missouri. They apparently had at least three sons, one of them Calvin Bissell b. ca. 1815, one yet unidentified
b. ca. 1819, and Albert Bissell b. ca. 1822. As evidenced by the 1850 and 1860 censuses, Calvin is the father of the two children
in John’s 1860 household (Catherine A. b. 1843 OH, and Merton b. 1850 PA), and the unidentified son is the father of
the boy in John’s 1850 household (Calvin b. 1840 OH).
1. Calvin Bissell, born ca. 1816 OH. He m. 1st
(?) Eliza ____ (b. ca. 1816 PA), m. 2nd (?) Barbara Stacker (b. ca. 1836 PA). His children were:
a.
Zaalad (?) Bissell (female), b. ca. 1839 OH.
b.
Catherine Adaliah Bissell, b. ca. 1841 OH.
c.
Leander Bissell, b. ca. 1843 PA.
d.
Benton Bissell, b. ca. 1845 PA.
e.
Mertin Bissell, b. ca. 1849 PA.
f.
Calvin Bissell, b. ca. 1855 PA.
g.
Mary Ann Bissell, b. ca. 1858 PA. [Note: if Barbara is Calvin’s daughter instead of his
second wife, then these last two children are Calvin’s grandchildren, and Barbara is his widowed daughter-in-law, remarried
to Aaron Stocker. However, the son in his 1840 household has not been located and identified in the 1850 census.]
2. Unidentified son, b. ca. 1818
OH. (This is speculative, but he did exist, and there is no one else in John’s family who could be Calvin’s father.)
a.
Calvin Bissell, b. ca. 1840 OH, d. ca. 1865 OH. He m. June 7, 1860 to Sarah Jane Moore (b. Nov. 12, 1836). They had:
i.
William Bissell, b. Nov. 16, 1861 and d. Jan. 21, 187-.
ii.
Frank John Bissell, b. July 31, 1863, married Jan. 1, 1890 Lizzie Mae Heaton in Derby, Lucas Co., Iowa. They had:
(1)
Harry W. Bissell
(2) Goldie Bissell
(3) Altha Bissell
(4) Murton A. Bissell
(5) Bessie M. Bissell
(6) May E. Bissell
(7) Grover
J. Bissell
3. Albert
Bissell, b. ca. 1822 OH. He m. Margaret ____ (b. ca. 1832
Scotland). They had:
a. Calvin Bissell, b. Dec. 24, 1851
in Ohio, d. Apr. 1, 1937 in Kansas City. He is buried at Crownhill, Excelsior Springs, Missouri. He m. 1st Laura
Ross on September 17, 1878 in Ray Co., MO. He m. 2nd Gertrude Bessie Shelton
Readdy on Dec. 18, 1903 in Richmond, Ray Co., MO. He and Gertrude had:
i.
McKinley (Mack) Calvin Bissell
ii.
Roy Graham Bissell (the father of our correspondent, Peggy Bissell Smith)
iii.
Nadine (Dean) Bissell
iv.
Perkhun Bissell
v.
Robert Bissell
b. Jane Bissell, b. ca. 1855. She m. Joseph P. Gant Mar. 25, 1879 in Ray Co., MO.
c.
Rosetta Bissell, b. ca. 1857. She m. Robert W. Creswell May 15, 1883 in Ray Co., MO.
d.
John Bissell,
b. ca. 1859.
e. Robert Bissell, b. ca. 1861.
1820
census: Coitsville, Trumbull Co., Ohio – John Bissell age
25-45, wife age 25-45, two sons age 0-10 (i.e., under 5, based on date of marriage).
1830
census: Coitsville, Trumbull Co. – John Bissel, age 30-40,
son age 15-20 (Calvin), son age 10-15, son age 5-10 (Albert).
1840 census: Poland Twp., Trumbull Co. – John Bissel, age 30-40, wife age 30-40, son age
15-20, son age 10-15, daughter age 10-15. [Note: John and Margaret’s ages are 10 years too young. Since Calvin
is in PA with his own family by 1840, the two sons remaining should be age 20-30 and 15-20, so the daughter (or daughter-in-law)
should be age 15-20. My guess is that the older son and his wife are the parents of Calvin b. 1840 in Ohio, who was living
with John and Margaret in the 1850 census, and that they died prior to 1850.]
1840 census: Mahoning
Twp., Mercer Co. – Calvin Bissel age 20-30, wife age 20-30, son (?) 0-5.
1850
census: Poland, Mahoning Co., Ohio – John
Bissell 55 CT, Marg 55 MD, Albert 25 Ohio, Margaret 18 Scotland, Calvin 10 Ohio. [Note: This Calvin is the son
of the unidentified son of John and Margaret, who was living with his pregnant wife in John and Margaret’s 1840 household.
This Calvin’s parents both died before the 1850 census. For more details, see John’s household in the 1860 census
below.]
1850 census: Carroll Twp., Washington Co. – “Colvin” Bissell 34 OH, Zaalad 11
(female) OH, (note this does not agree with the sex on the 1840 census), Adaliah 9 PA (may be Catherine
A. 17 b. OH in John’s 1850 household). Leander 7 PA, Benton 5 PA, Metin 6/12 (male) PA, Eliza Bissel 34 PA, Humphrey
Waters 60 England. [Note: This family apparently died off by 1850 except for Calvin, Mertin, and maybe Adaliah.]
1860
census: Poland, Mahoning Co., Ohio – John Bissel 65 VT, Margaret
65 MD, Catherine A. 17 OH, Merton 10 PA. [Note: These are their son Calvin’s children, Adaliah 9 and Metin 6/12
from the 1850 census. He has not been located in the 1860 or 1870 censuses.] [Note: Their grandson Calvin, shown in
their 1850 household, does not appear in the 1860 census either. However, his fiancée, Sarah Jane Moore (b. Nov. 12,
1836), was still in her mother’s Coitsville household on June 7, 1860 because, even though she married Calvin on June
7, the census data was required to reflect who was in the household on the 1st of June. Calvin supposedly died
“about 1865,” and apparently Sarah Jane did, too. The LDS database said that they had two sons: William Bissell
b. Nov. 16, 1861 and d. Jan. 21, 1879 and Frank Bissell b. July 31, 1863, both born in Coitsville, but William appears to
have died sometime before 1870. The 1870 census of Coitsville Twp., Mahoning Co., Ohio has Franklin Bissell 7 OH in the household
of his grandmother Mary Moore 50 OH, and the 1880 census of Coitsville, Mahoning Co., Ohio has Frank J. Bissell 17 OH, again
in Mary Moore’s household. On November 3, 2005, Celeste L. Oden posted the following to a genealogy list:
Seeking
burial sites and/or kin of Frank John Bissell, s/o Calvin and Sarah Jane (Moore) Bissell, born 31 July 1863 in Coitsville,
Mahoning Co., Ohio. Frank married Lizzie May Heaton 01 Jan. 1890, in Derby, Lucas Co., Iowa. Their children were: Harry W.,
Goldie, Altha, Murton A., Bessie M., May E., and Grover J. The family lived in Powell Valley, Multnomah Co., Oregon in 1900,
but lived in Jackson, Polk Co., Oregon 1910-30.
Same location:
Albert Bissell b. 37 OH, Margaret 27 Scotland, Calvin 8 OH, Jane 5 OH, Rosetta 3 OH, John 1 OH.
1860 census: Fallowfield Twp., Washington Co., Pennsylvania
– Calvin Bissell 5, Mary Ann Bissell 2, in household of Arin Stacker 48 PA,
Barbara Ann 24. [Note: These are probably Calvin’s children. If so, it appears that Calvin remarried sometime
between 1850 and 1855, had two children with Barbara Ann, and then divorced her, and she remarried to Aaron Stacker, or he
was her father, and she simply took back her maiden name.]
1870 census: Richmond P.O., Camden Twp., Ray Co, MO page
362. John “Bessell” 75 CT, retired farmer, $2400/$1675, Margarett 76 MD, Mertin I. 18 PA housekeeper,
and a black family, including Ned Rife 40 KY working on farm, Frances 32 MO, Moreah 16, Ann 14, John
12, William 10, Joseph 1 (all born MO).
1870 census:
Fishing River Twp., Ray Co., Missouri – Albert Bissell 48 OH, Margret 36 Scotland, Calvin 18, Jane 15,
Rosetta 13, John 10, Robert 8 (all born OH). [Note: “Janie” Bissell m. Joseph P. Gant Mar. 25, 1879 in
Ray Co., MO.]
1880 census: Fishing
River Twp., Ray Co., Missouri – Calvin Bissel widower 64 OH (VT, PA), in household of John Blythe. [Note: This
would make Calvin the older of the two sons in John Bissell’s 1820 household. Calvin is probably the Calvin Bissel in
Mahoning Twp., Mercer Co. PA in 1840 census and the Colvin Bissell in Carroll Twp., Washington Co. PA in 1850 census. He apparently
lost his first wife, then remarried, had two more children, and divorced.]
Same
location: Collie [Calvin] Bissell 27 Ohio, Laura 21.
(They m. September 17, 1878 in Ray Co, MO.) [Note: He is the son of A. (Albert) Bissell below.]
1880 census: Camden,
Ray Co., Missouri – A. Bissell 56 OH (OH, OH), Margaret 47 Scotland (Scotland, Scotland), Roseta 23 OH (OH, OH), John
21 OH (OH, OH), Robert 18 OH (OH, OH). [Note: “Rosa” Bissell m. Robert W. Creswell May 15, 1883 in Ray
Co., MO.] [This should be rechecked, because the children should be saying that their mother was born in Scotland.]
A
descendant of “Collie” Calvin Bissell, Peggy Bissell Smith (pjsmith@rmi.net), wrote on Feb. 13, 2005 and told us some more information about this family:
Albert was born in 1824 in Ohio, he was a farmer and he married Margaret Graham Bissell ...
Their children were: Roseta, Jane, John, Robert Graham, and Calvin...Find them in the 1880 census in Fishing River [actually,
Camden], Ray, Missouri.
Calvin Bissell was born Dec. 24, 1851 in Ohio. He married
[as his second wife] Gertrude Bessie Shelton Readdy on Dec. 18, 1903 in Richmond, Ray County, Mo. He died Apr. 1, 1937 in
Kansas City he is buried at Crownhill, Excelsior Springs, Missouri. (I have their original marriage license). Calvin
and Bessie's children were McKinley Calvin (my Uncle Mack), Roy Graham (my dad), Nadine (Dean) Bissell Perkhun, and Robert.
C. Partridge Bissell, b. 1803 at Sharon, Windsor Co., Vermont. He married Catherine b. ca. 1809, Ohio. Judging by the 1860
census, they had a son John B. Bissell born about 1846 in Pennsylvania (though he may be a grandson, since he does not appear
in the 1850 household) and a daughter Sarah born about 1830. Their 1830 household should be researched. Here is the census
data we have:
1840 census: Coitsville,
Trumbull Co., Ohio – ? Pardy Bissell 1M20-30, 1F20-30, 1F10-15. (Adult ages seem to be 10 years too young.)
1850 census: Coitsville, Ohio – Partridge Bissell 47 VT, Catherine 41 OH, Chatherine Porter 83 NJ, Amma Stilson 10
OH (male). [Note: Chatherine Porter is probably Catherine’s mother. Amma Stilson is probably
Ammi Stilson, named after Patridge’s father and brother, and there is some likelihood that this is Partridge’s
nephew, a son of his sister, Polly Bissell Stilson, who apparently died before 1850.]
1860 census: Coitsville,
Ohio – Portridge Bissel 56 VT, Catharine 49 OH, John B. 14 PA.
Same location: Anderson McFarlan 32, Sarah 30 [probable daughter of Partridge], Lovina 6, Mary
O. 4, Betsy B. 2, William K. 4/12, all b. Ohio.
1870 census:
Coitsville, Ohio – Partridge Bissell 67 VT, Catharine 61 OH. Mother, Prudence Bissel 97 next door in
household of A. McFarland 42 and Sarah McFarland 40 [probable daughter of Partridge], with children Lovinia 16, Oliver 14
[female], Bettie 11, William 9, Frank 6, Edward 4.
D. Porter
Bissell, b. 1805,
Coitsville, Twp., Mahoning Co., Ohio. He m. Margaret Breckenridge on Mar. 24, 1831 in Trumbull Co., Ohio. They lived in the
Rock Island area in Mercer Co., Illinois, and they had six children: Lorinda, Amasie/Ammi, Laura, Burton, Wilburt, and Florence.
In March of 2005, Roger Carroll Breckinridge (RBreck@Charter.Net) sent the following information about the children of Porter and Margaret:
1. Lorinda Bissell, b. 1832 Coitsville
Twp., Mahoning Co., Ohio. She was living with her parents in 1850. She m. May 3, 1852 in Mercer Co., IL to Albert Hardy.
2. Ammi Bissell, b. 1834 Coitsville
Twp., Mahoning Co., Ohio, d. Nov 26, 1873 IL. He married May 6, 1857 in Mercer Co., IL to Mary McKinnan (b. ca. 1831 Scotland
- Living 1880). He lived with parents in 1850, then had his own household in Greene Twp., Mercer Co., IL, from 1860-1880.
[See the biographical sketch below.] Their children were:
a. William H. Bissell, b. abt. 1859.
He m. Aug. 12, 1891 in Mercer Co., IL to Mary Selina Harriott.
b. Cleon Bissell, d. by 1882.
c.
John L. Bissell, d. by 1882.
d. Ethelbert Bissell, b. abt. 1866. He m. 22 Dec 1887
in Mercer Co., Illinois to Amy G. Oswalt, and they lived in Knox Co., Illinois in the 1900 census and in El Paso Co., Colorado
in the 1920 census. They had:
i. Clarence Bissell born about 1890.
ii. Beulah Bissell, b. May 28, 1895
at Viola, Illinois. She m. William Alexander McGaughey about 1917, and they lived in Knox County, Illinois.
iii.
Frank Bissell
born about 1896.
iv.
Evelyn Bissell born about 1904.
v. Helen Bissell born about 1906.
vi.
John Bissell
born about 1908.
e. Frank A. Bissell, b. abt. 1870. He m. Oct. 18,
1895 in Mercer Co., IL to Hannah Moore McKinney.
3. Laura Bissell, b. 1835 Coitsville Twp., Mahoning
Co., Ohio. She was living with her parents in 1850-1860. She m. June 2, 1860 in Mercer Co., IL to Lysander J. McFarland. He
died before 1880, and she was listed as a widow in the 1880 census of Viola, Mercer Co., Illinois. They had:
a. Blanche
McFarland born about 1863 in Illinois.
4.
Burton J. Bissell, b. 1843 Coitsville Twp., Mahoning Co., Ohio. He married May 29, 1872 in Mercer Co., IL to Eunice
T. Webster (b. ca. 1850 PA). He lived with his parents in 1850-1860. His family lived at Richland Grove, Mercer Co., Illinois
in the 1880 census. Their children as of 1880 were:
a. Maude Bissell, b. abt. 1875 IL.
b.
Bernice Bissell, b. abt. 1877 IL.
5. Wilbert Bissell, b. 1849 Coitsville
Twp., Mahoning Co., Ohio. He was living with his parents in 1850-1870.
6. Florence Bissell, b. Mar 21,
1856 IL, d. Feb 6, 1947 CA). She married September 16, 1879 in Wichita, Kansas to James Tyng Comstock (b. Oct 6, 1853 WI,
d. Sep 12, 1943 CA). They resided at Greenfield, Milwaukee Co., WI, 1880, and later in Glendale, CA. Their children were:
a.
Effie Comstock, b. Nov 7, 1881 in Milwaukee, WI.
b. Florence Comstock, b. Jul 24,
1884 in Milwaukee, WI.
c. Amy Comstock, b. Nov 26, 1886 in Milwaukee, WI.
Roger Breckinridge
stated that the source of this material was a web page posted at http://www.rootsweb.com/ by Frank Grimes fegrimes@hotmail.com. Roger also sent the following excerpt from History of Mercer County, Illinois,
1882; Pages 690-691:
Ammi Bissell (deceased) was the son of Porter and Margaret Bissell, and was born in Mahoning
county, Ohio, in 1833. In 1854, the family, consisting of the father, mother and six children, came to
Mercer County. Ammi first bought land of John Geiger in section 1, in Greene Township, and began farming for himself.
During the war he availed himself of the excellent opportunities the prices then afforded to either make or break,
and began dealing in stock. During the remaining years of his life he dealt largely in live stock, and
added every year to his large tracts of land. Mr. Bissell was married in May, 1857, to Miss Mary McKennan,
and the couple had five children born to them, whose names in the order of their ages are: William H., Cleon (deceased), John
L. (deceased), Ethelbert, and Frank. Mr. Bissell was an excellent financier, and by shrewd management he
accumulated a large amount of property, having at the time of his death nearly 1,100 acres of land, besides a great deal of
stock. He was a man who would trade for anything, and, although a close dealer, was never accused of dishonesty,
or of taking advantage of the poor. He died from the effects of injuries sustained by being thrown from
a horse, and was buried November 26, 1873. His death was deeply mourned by the entire community. Mrs. Bissell
now resides in Viola, where she recently erected a handsome residence, and where she has a large circle of friends.
Here is
the census information currently gathered on this family:
1840 census: Coitsville, Mahoning Co., Ohio – Porter Bissel 1M30-40, 1M5-10, 1F20-30,
1F5-10, 1F0-5.
1850 census: Coitsville,
Mahoning Co., Ohio – Porter Bissell 45 carpenter $800.00 OH, Margaret 40 PA, Lorinda 18 OH,
Amma 16 OH, Laura 15 OH, Burtin 7 OH, Wilbert 6/12 OH, Prudence Burr 76 NY.
1860
census: Viola, Mercer Co., Illinois – Porter Bissell 55 OH,
Margaret 48 PA, Burton 18 OH, Wilburt 10 OH, Florence, 8 IL, Laura 22 OH.
Same location: Amasie Bissel 25 OH, Mary 29 Scotland, William H. 1 IL.
1870
census: Viola, Mercer Co., Illinois – Porter Bissell 65 OH,
Margaret 58 PA, Florence b. 15 IL, Wilbert b. 20 OH, Burtin b. 26 OH.
1880 census: Ninnescah, Sedgewick Co., Kansas – Porter Bissell 74 OH (NY, NY), Margaret
68 PA (PA, PA).
E. Leverett Bissell, b. ca. 1808, Coitsville, Mahoning
Co., Ohio. It appears that he may have been the one who married Isabelle McFarland, rather than his uncle Leverett, as claimed
by Edward P. Jones. Leverett and Isabelle had eight children, as shown in the censuses below. Despite the discrepant entries
in the 1870 census, it is apparent that all the children were born in Ohio except for Eldridge and Ellen, and thus that the
family moved to Pennsylvania about 1848-49.
1. Lorain Bissell, b. ca. 1835 OH.
2.
Mary Bissell,
b. ca. 1837 OH.
3. John Bissell, b.
March 1845, OH, m. before 1880 to Mary M. ____ Wick (b. ca. 1845, PA), and she had a daughter Eva b. ca. 1865. They had a
son Harvey b. Dec. 1881 in PA.
4. William Bissell, b. June 1841, OH, m. ca. 1875
to Ella ____ (b. June 1849, OH). They had five children, three surviving to 1900, including a daughter Florence B. b. May
1884, a son Grover W. b. Mar. 1888, and a son Claude H. b. Jan. 1881, all in PA.
5.
Francis D. Bissell, b. March 1847, OH, m. ca. 1879 to P. L. ____ (b. Mar. 1848, PA). They had four children, names mostly
illegible in census of 1900, including a son b. Sep. 1880, a daughter b. Sep. 1882, a son Leverett b. Aug. 1885, and a son
b. Apr. 1888, all in PA.
6. Caroline Bissell, b. ca. 1848 OH.
7.
Albert Bissell, b. ca. 1850 OH, apparently d. before 1860 census.
8.
Albert/Eldridge O. Bissell, b. May 1852, PA, m. Mary A. ____ (b. July 1856, PA). They had five children, including a son Charles
W. b. Mar. 1881, a son Harry H. b. May 1882, a daughter Lulie B. b. Oct. 1884, a daughter Veria A. b. Oct. 1891, and a son
Vance E. b. Oct. 1891 (twins), all in PA.
9. Ellen Bissell, b. ca. 1854 PA.
Here is
the census data:
1850 census: Sandy Creek
Twp., Mercer Co., Pennsylvania – Leverett Bissel 34
OH, Isabel 34 OH, Lorain 15 OH, Mary 13 OH, John 9 OH, Wm 7 OH, Francis 4 OH,
Caroline 2 OH, Albert (no age given) PA.
1860
census: Perry Twp., Mercer Co., Pennsylvania – Leverett Bissell
50 OH, “Mabel” 45 OH, William 16 OH, Francis 14 OH, Caroline 12 OH, Eldridge 10 PA, Ellen 8 PA, John 19 OH.
1870 census: Perry Twp.,
Mercer Co., Pennsylvania – “Jewett” Bissell 62 OH, Isabel 54 OH, John 25 PA, William 24 PA, Frank 22 PA,
Eldrey 19 PA, Ellen 16 PA.
1880 census:
Perry Twp., Mercer Co., Pennsylvania – Leverett Bissell 71 OH, Isabella 65 OH (mo. b. Ireland), Eldridge
26 PA, Ellen 24 PA.
Same location: F. D.
Bissell 33 OH, P. J. 32 PA.
Same location: William
Bissell 32 OH, Ella 31 PA.
1900 census: Perry Twp.,
Mercer Co., Pennsylvania – John Bissell, widowed, 55, b. March 1845 OH.
Same location: William Bissell 58, b. June 1841, OH; wife Elsie (?) 50, b. June
1849, OH; married 23 years; 5 children, 3 surviving; daughter …ice B b. May 1884, son Grover W. b. Mar. 1888, son Claude
H. b. June 1891.
Same location: Frank
(Francis) Bissell 53, b. March 1847, OH; wife’s name illegible 52, b. March 1848, PA; married 21 years; 4 children;
names illegible: son b. Sep. 1880, PA, daughter b. Sep. 1882, PA; son Leverett b. Aug. 1885, PA; son b. Apr. 1888, PA.
F. Roxy Bissell, b. ca. 1810, Coitsville, Mahoning Co., Ohio. Ammi’s probate record says that Roxy married Lewis
Murray, and the LDS database says that Roxsey Bissell m. Lewis Murray July 26, 1826 in Trumbull Co., Ohio. They apparently
had two sons and three daughters. Lewis probably died before 1860, for Roxy had remarried by 1860 to David Creswell and was
living in Kansas (see census below).
1. P. Murray (daughter), b. ca. 1826 OH.
2.
Harriett Murray, b. ca. 1830 OH.
3. Samuel Murray, b. ca. 1835 OH.
4.
Caroline Murray, b. ca. 1840 OH. She married ____ Evant.
a. Minnie Evant b. ca. 1859 IA.
5. Frances Murray, (son), b. ca.
1842 OH.
Here is the census data:
1850 census:
Youngstown, Mahoning Co., Ohio – Lewis Murray 47 hotel keeper NY, Roxe 40 OH, P […]? female 24
OH, Harriett 20 OH, Samuel 15 OH, Caroline 10 OH., Frances H. 8 OH.
1860 census:
Kickapoo, Leavenworth Co., Kansas – David Creswell 54 PA, Roxy M. 48 OH, Caroline Evant 20 OH, Minnie
Evant 1 IA, Frances Murray 18 OH, Samuel P. Murray 25 OH.
G. Ammi Ruhamah Bissell Jr., b.
July 7, 1812, Coitsville Twp., Mahoning Co., Ohio. He m. April 10, 1838 Maria Burr (b. Jan. 9, 1809) at Ashtabula, Ohio.
A descendant, Sarah Kay Bissell Drowning Bear (tsegcil@earthlink.net), wrote to my sister, Julie Bissell Tupker,
on April 6, 2002 and informed us that Ammi Jr. and Maria had four children: Helen, Evelyn, Charles Porter, and Joseph. Sarah’s
ancestor, Joseph (Benjamin Joseph) was b. Mar. 16, 1842 and married Elizabeth Stimpson (b. Dec. 2, 1841). Their children were
Charles Edwin Bissell, Olive (Ollie) Bissell Berdina, Chester Porter Bissell, Frances Marion (male) Bissell, Florence June
Bissell (went by June not Florence), William (Bill) Talbot Bissell & Eugene (Gene) Bissell. [Note:
In the 1880 census, Elizabeth was living in the Dickerson, Lewis Co., MO household of her brother, Edwin Stimpson, while Joseph
Benjamin was living by himself in Silver Creek, Harper Co., KS.] Charles was b. Nov 26, 1871 and married Toney "Sally"
May Sadler (b. Jan 23, 1877). They had one child, Sarah’s grandfather Everett Bissell. We have also been in touch with
another direct descendant of Ammi Ruhamah Jr., Mary McManus; she and Sarah are both descended from Ammi’s son Joseph
Benjamin Bissell. Here is the information in outline form:
1. Joseph Benjamin Bissell, b. March
16, 1842. He m. Elizabeth Stimpson (b. Dec. 2, 1841 MO). They had:
a. Charles Edwin Bissell, b. November
26, 1871. He m. Toney “Sally” May Sadler (b. January 23, 1877). They had one child:
i.
Everett Bissell (Sarah’s grandfather)
b. Olive (Ollie) Bissell, b. Mar. 19, 1873, DeWitt,
Clinton Co., IA. She married ____ Berdina.
c. Chester Porter Bissell b. Jan. 12, 1875,
DeWitt, Clinton Co., IA.
d. Frances Marion (Frank) Bissell (male), b. Aug 2,
1877, DeWitt, Clinton Co., IA.
e. Florence June Bissell, b. June 23, 1881, Freeport,
Harper Co., KS.
f. William
Talbot (Bill) Bissell, b. Aug. 7, 1883, Freeport, Harper
Co. KS.
g. Eugene
(Gene) Bissell, b. July 22, 1886, Freeport, Harper Co.,
KS.
2. Hellen
E. Bissell, b. ca. 1844 IA.
3.
Evaline Bissell, b. ca. 1848 IA.
4. Charles Bissell, b. ca. 1852
IA.
My sister also found the following from Clinton Co., Iowa biographies:
A. R. Bissell, retired farmer, De Witt, was born in Trumbull Co., Ohio, in July, 1812; at 20 years of age, he went
to Pittsburgh, Penn., where for three years he was clerk in a wholesale dry goods store; thence to Alton, Ill., where he remained
three years; then returned to his native town and engaged in the dry goods business in Ashtabula Co., Ohio, where, in 1838,
he married Maria Burr, a native of Massachusetts; he came to Clinton Co. in 1840; engaged in farming in De Witt Township;
has followed the occupation of farming most of the time since he came to Iowa but for a time was engaged in the dry goods
business in De Witt; was School Fun Commissioner for eight years. Mr. Bissell has two sons and two daughters—Joseph
B., Helen E., Evelyn, and Charles P. Mrs. Bissell was born in South Hadley, Mass., in 1809.
Here is the census information
we currently have compiled on this family:
1850 census:
Dewitt Twp., Clinton Co., Iowa – A. R. Bissell 37 Ohio, Mariah 39 Mass., Benjamin 8 Iowa, Hellen E. 6
Iowa, Evaline 2 Iowa.
1860 census: Dewitt
Twp., Clinton Co., Iowa – A. R. Bissell 48 OH, Mary 50 MA, J. B. 18 IA, Hellen 15 IA, Evaline 12 IA, Charles 8 IA, Prudence
86 VT.
1870 census: Dewitt
Twp., Clinton Co., Iowa – A. R. Bissell 58 OH, Maria 60 MA, Benja. 28 IA, Evaline 22 IA, Charles 18 IA. (Prudence back
in Coitsville, Ohio in her 90s!)
H. Joseph Bissell, b. 1814, Coitsville Twp., Mahoning Co.,
Ohio. He m. April 23, 1843 to Cynthia Parkhurst of Trumbull Co., Ohio. According to the LDS database, they had George b. 1843
and Charles b. 1846, and the 1860 and 1870 census indicates that they also had Francis/Frank b. 1853. It appears that Cynthia
died before 1860, and that George and Charles were in a different household from their father and brother Francis in the 1860
census. Here are the three known children of Joseph and Cynthia:
1. George Bissell, b. 1843 OH.
2.
Charles Bissell, b. 1846 OH.
3. Francis/Frank Bissell, b. 1853 OH.
Here is what little census information we have for this family:
1850 census: Youngstown,
Mahoning Co., Ohio – Joseph Bissell 36 OH, Cynthia 29 OH, George 7 OH, Charles 4 OH,
Caroline Fox 17 OH.
1860 census: Newton
Twp., Trumbull Co., Ohio – Joseph Bissel 45 OH, Francis 7 [son], in household of S. C. and H. F. Price.
1860 census: Weatherfield, Trumbull Co., Ohio – James
W. Watson 40 PA, Jane E. 30 NY, [unreadable female] 11 OH, George Bissill 16 OH.
1860 census: Warren Twp., Trumbull Co., Ohio – Charles Bissel 13 OH, in household of Sam’l
Dickey 80 and Nancy Dickey 30 both b. NY.
1870 census: 14th
ward Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio – Joseph Bissil 55 OH, George W. 24, Frank 17.