featuring ongoing work on Bissell Histories & Mysteries and The Bissells of Barstow, as compiled and edited by Roger Bissell, with the assistance of Julie Bissell Tupker

1. Bissell Histories and Mysteries -- I began work in 1985 on this family surname newsletter, affectionately referred to as "BHAM", publishing one volume consisting of four issues (one double) and collecting material for two more volumes (yet unpublished). The research that feeds into this newsletter is intended to also intended to result eventually in a new, expanded version of Edward P. Jones' genealogy of the Connecticut Bissells and Katherine Cox Gottschalk's and Fannie T. Brown's genealogy of the Rhode Island Bissells. (The latter was published as an appendix to Jones' 1939 book, which is out of print but can be accessed by microfilm from the Family History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Mormon, in Salt Lake City.)

As of October 6, 1999, I am proud to announce that both the original Gottschalk/Brown genealogy and an ongoing series of revisions of the Rhode Island Bissells is available for viewing and downloading at these links:

Gottschalk/Brown compilation of Rhode Island Bissells (uploaded 10/1999)

Revised compilation of Rhode Island Bissells, v.1.0, 10/99 (uploaded 10/1999)

See also my Corrected Genealogy of Samuel Bissell of Hartwick, New York, which was an important step forward in revising the Rhode Island Bissell compilation by Gottschalk and Brown.

As of December 1, 1999, I am proud to announce the uploading of two webpages that include a large compilation of descendants of one of the Connecticut Bissell families not carried forward by E. P. Jones in his book. One page is about Jerijah Bissell II and includes the descendants of his son David. The other page is about Jerijah Bissell II's son Alfred and his many descendants. Here are the links for those pages:

Descendants of Jerijah Bissell II (Connecticut #397) (uploaded 12/1999)

Descendants of Alfred Bissell (Connecticut #924) (uploaded 12/1999)

As of January 5, 2001, I am pleased to be able to add two more webpages with compilations of descendants of two brothers from the Connecticut Bissell family not carried forward by E. P. Jones. One page is about Lieutenant Daniel Bissell IV (the Spy), and the other is about Captain Elias Bissell. Here are the links for those pages:

Descendants of Daniel Bissell IV (Connecticut #695) (uploaded 1/2001)(latest revision uploaded 8/2007)

Descendants of Elias Bissell (Connecticut #697) (uploaded 1/2001)

As of August 25, 2007, I am pleased to add a revision of the webpage for Daniel Bissell IV, as well as another webpage with a compilation of descendants of another Revolutionary War veteran, Jabez Bissell. Here is the link for the page on Jabez Bissell:

Descendants of Jabez Bissell (Connecticut #310) (uploaded 8/2007)

As of November 29, 2008, I am pleased to add a cluster of webpages that are near and dear to my heart. They feature Joseph Bissell and three of his sons--John Partridge Bissell (my ancestor), Benjamin Bissell, and Ammi Rhuhama Bissell. Before the end of 2008, I also hope to upload a webpage on one of John Partridge Bissell's grandsons, my great-great-grandfather, Pierce B. Bissell. His page will appear directly below that of his grandfather.

Descendants of Joseph Bissell (Connecticut #303) (uploaded 11/2008)

Descendants of John Partridge Bissell (Connecticut #665) (uploaded 11/2008)

Descendants of Benjamin Bissell (Connecticut #667) (uploaded 11/2008)

Descendants of Ammi Rhuhama Bissell (Connecticut #668) (uploaded 11/2008)

In 1999, I began work on a second, Internet edition of Volume 1 of BHAM, with the intent of continuing on with more volumes, once the first four issues were revised. In an attempt to preserve the integrity of the original edition as much as possible, I have limited myself to minimal bracketed corrections and deletions, so that erroneous and misleading material is eliminated. Additions, which in some cases are extensive, were (and will continue to be) made in subsequent issues and volumes. Also, readers should be aware that the pagination of the Internet edition does not coincide with that of the original. In particular, double issue #2-3 has been divided into two web pages, one devoted to the Connecticut Bissell material and the other to the Rhode Island Bissell material. Some general material, including British ancestry speculation, is included in both web pages. For access to the issues presently online, click on the underlined, bold links:

BHAM, Volume 1, Number 1 (uploaded 4/1999)

BHAM, Volume 1, Numbers 2-3 (uploaded 12/1999)

BHAM, Volume 1, Number 4 (uploaded 12/1999)

BHAM, Volume 2, Numbers 1-2

BHAM, Volume 2, Numbers 3-4

BHAM, Volume 3

2. The Bissells of Barstow, a Genealogy of Pierce B. and Sarah Van Boskirk Bissell -- in 1991, I published Part 1 of this projected three-part work, some parts co-researched and co-written with my father. Part 1, "Looking in on the Bissells of Barstow," focused mainly on the personal origins and family of Pierce and Sarah Bissell who lived in the Rock Island, Illinois area in the mid-1800s, but also included a chapter on Sarah's parents and siblings and their descendants. Part 2, "Looking back from the Bissells of Barstow," is an attempt to trace Pierce's and Sarah's roots. Except for a one-generation gap in Sarah's father's lineage, three of her four grandparents' surname lines are traced back at least to the colonial immigrant. Despite our best efforts, however, Pierce's ancestry is as mysterious as it was over 20 years ago when we started; the chapter on his roots will mainly catalog the people we suspected were, but now know were not, his parents. Part 3, "Looking forward from the Bissells of Barstow," has chapters on the lives and descendants of Pierce's and Sarah's four children who had families of their own. These chapters are essentially completed, though new information continues to trickle in. Beginning in 1999, I will revise and post this work here on this web site, and those interested can access it by clicking on the following underlined, bold, blue links (if you don't see any bold, blue links, it ain't ready yet!!):

[Note: the following listing of contents was revised on 3/14/02, at which time no revision and posting had yet taken place. Part 1 also now will contain a chapter on Pierce B's parents and sister and half-siblings and their descendants. Part 2 now has four chapters, in which we offer both Sarah's paternal and maternal ancestry, as well as Pierce B's probable paternal ancestry, along with speculations on his possible maternal ancestry. The addition of a chapter each to Parts 1 and 2 necessitated the renumbering of the chapters of Part 3, which now are chapters 9 through 12.--REB]

BOB, Title Page and Contents

PART ONE: Looking in on the Bissells of Barstow

BOB, Chapter 1 -- Introduction

BOB, Chapter 2 -- The lives and family of Pierce and Sarah Bissell

BOB, Chapter 3 -- Pierce B. Bissell's parents, sister, and half-siblings

BOB, Chapter 4 -- Sarah Bissell's parents and siblings

PART TWO: Looking back from the Bissells of Barstow

BOB, Chapter 5 -- Pierce B's probable Bissell ancestry

BOB, Chapter 6 -- Pierce B's possible maternal ancestry

BOB, Chapter 7 -- Sarah's Van Boskirk ancestry

BOB, Chapter 8 -- Sarah's Inman ancestry

PART THREE: Looking forward from the Bissells of Barstow

BOB, Chapter 9 -- Lois Euphemia Bissell Nelson and her descendants

BOB, Chapter 10 -- Richard Pierce Bissell and his descendants

BOB, Chapter 11 -- Sarah Eliza Bissell Turner and her descendants

BOB, Chapter 12 -- Henry Kimball Bissell and his descendants

BOB, Appendices and Index