RENEWAL NOTICE AND SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

If you haven't already done so, please renew your subscription to BHAM. Volume II, issue #1 is already in the typewriter. (Not literally, at this moment, of course!) It's $5.00 for four issues. Make checks out to "Bissell People Finders." Thanks! [1999 note: disregard the above, of course. Volume II never made it out of the typewriter. However, it will shortly (sometime during the first part of 2000) be posted on the Internet and hard-copy distributed to those original subscribers who can still be located.]

Don't miss next issue's analysis of early Illinois Bissells. Your editor thinks he has finally discovered how he fits into the Connecticut Bissell family! [1999 note: the likelihood of this being true is less than it seemed to be in 1987, but still a possibility.]

RHODE ISLAND ROUNDUP

Introduction

In this issue we continue our listing of descendants of David Bissell (born 1763, Rhode Island) and Private Samuel Bissell (born 1755, Rhode Island). They are sons of R2b Samuel Bissell (ca. 1730 - 1813) and his first wife, Sarah Aldridge.

We also set the record straight on the John Bissell who married Betsy Vaughn in our Second Open Letter to Descendants of Private Samuel Bissell of Hartwick, New York. It has long been believed that the John Bissell who married Betsy Vaughn was the son of Private Samuel Bissell. We now know that this is not true. The data from a newly-discovered line of descent from John and Betsy (Vaughn) Bissell reveal that D.A.R. applications #13787, 46018, and 117100 were invalid. The D.A.R. applicants descended neither from the son John (born 1781) of Private Samuel of Hartwick, New York (born 1755), nor from the son Jonathan (born 1782/3) of Lieutenant Samuel of Exeter, Rhode Island (born 1757), but from Private Samuel's half-brother, John (born 1768), who was not a Revolutionary War veteran. This half-brother, John, was the son of R2b Samuel Bissell and his second wife, Mary Frazier, whom he married in 1766.

Some corrections to earlier charts are in order:

* Chart II (issue #2-3) is incorrect in attributing Samuel (1799-1849) to Jonathan (1782/3-1850?) and in saying that Jonathan died in 1850. Instead, Samuel (1799-1849) should be attributed to John (1768-1850), who should be added under David, Private Samuel, and Sarah as their half-brother; and Jonathan's death date is not 1850, but unknown....Also, Samuel (1683-1745) should have been labelled R2, not R2b; his son Samuel (ca. 1730-1813) is R2b in our numbering scheme....Finally, the dotted line connecting Private Samuel with Jonathan should be eliminated. Instead, a dotted line should be drawn from Private Samuel's son John (1781-1819) to the children of Private Samuel's half-brother John (1768-1850), and a not= should be drawn between the two Johns, indicating that they were mis-identified with each other. Another not= sign should be drawn between Private Samuel and Lieutenant Samuel. This mis-identification is what threw me off the track in thinking Jonathan was the ancestor of the D.A.R. applicants. My apologies to anyone who became confused or followed me down that blind alley.

* Chart III (issue #2-3) is also incorrect in saying that John (1781-ca. 1819) married Betsy Vaughn. It was his half-uncle John (1768-1850) who married her. At this point, we don't know who was the wife of John (1781-ca. 1819) and the mother of Silas, John, and Ruth. Someday, perhaps, a more thorough perusal of Otsego County, New York marriage records will give us the answer. [1999 note: I examined the published marriage records for this county in 1998 and found nothing additional.]

* Rhode Island cemetery records (L.D.S.film #855241) show that R2 Samuel Bissell (1683-1745) indeed must have married twice, as we suspected in our last issue. (Thanks to Peggy Speckman for providing this data.) Isett/Izett, his wife, died in 1760 in her 67th year, which places her year of birth at 1693. Thus, while she was undoubtedly the mother of R2b Samuel (born about 1730), R2c Thomas (born 1724), and the girls born between 1720 and 1732, she could not have been the mother of Edward "the Mariner" (born 1709/10) or John (born 1707) who was the ancestor of Katherine Cox Gottschalk and Sister Mary Theodore (genealogists of the Rhode Island line and contributors to an appendix of E. P. Jones' book on the descendants of Captain John Bissell. So, while we still do not know who was the first wife of R2 Samuel Bissell (1683-1745), we now do know that Isett Burgess was his second wife. For those of you who wish to correct the chart on p. 23 of issue #2-3, you may do so by "whiting out" the dotted lines; you should also ignore paragraph three in the text preceding the chart. Or, you may simply refer to Chart A on the next page, which shows the relationships correctly and in more detail.

Chart B, following the Open Letter, also lists the descendants of R2 Samuel Bissell, but froom another perspective. rather than listing all of his children and grandchildren, it lists only those whose lines have been traced into the 20th century to Rhode Island family researchers. Six of the eight lines are those of subscribers to BHAM! The other two lines belong to the sisters and their niece who incorrectly applied for D.A.R. membership, and to Katherine (Cox) Gottschalk and Sister Mary Theodore.

Many more lines of Rhode Island Bissells are yet to be discovered, of course -- including the descendants of R2c Thomas (born 1724), some of whom went to North Carolina and to Canada. We will postpone our discussion of them until we can gather more data. Subscriber Charles Cockerline has been a great help in tracking these people down. He is a genealogist who has done much research on the Rhode Island Bissells, and he has stated his intention to publish a book and one or more articles on this family. We can hardly wait!

We hope to publish some of the material of R2c Thomas in our next issue, along with an extensive listing of descendants of John Bissell (1768-1850). For now, however, let's take cheer in the fact that, between our efforts here in this journal and the important work being done by Mr. Cockerline, Mr. Soren Simonson, and others, some long-overdue light is being shed on the Rhode Island Bissells. It's about time they were brought out from behind the long, illustrious shadow of their Connecticut cousins!

Coming in our next issue of BHAM: "Who was Daniel Bissell of Fitch Bay, Quebec?" (Hint: E. P. Jones' addendum which speculates that Daniel is of the Connecticut family is not correct!) Also, "Who was Cyra Bissell of Coventry, Rhode Island? "

Who's Right?

by Roger Bissell

In the Rhode Island Bissell appendix to E. P. Jones' book on Bissell genealogy, Katherine (Cox) Gottschalk says that Thomas Bissell (born 1643 in England, founder of the Rhode Island Bissell family) died in 1725 and that his father was Samuel Bissell (born 1623).

Rhode Island genealogist Charles Cockerline says that Thomas Bissell died in 1709 and that his father was John Bissell (born about 1620) and that John's father was George Bissell.

We have speculated that Samuel Bissell (born 1623) was either the son of Captain John's brother Thomas (Capt. John was founder of the Connecticut family), who returned to England in the 1630s -- or the son of one of Captain John's cousins (name unknown, perhaps George). Is it possible that Samuel (born 1623) was also a son of George?

Who's right?

Diagram 1
The children of Samuel Bissell (1683-1745) of Rhode Island,
including the children of four of his sons

R2 Samuel Bissell (1683-1745) married first about 1705 (wife unknown) and had two sons. He married second about 1723 to Izett/Isett Burgess and had two sons and three daughters.

R2A John Bissell born 1707

1. Anne Bissell, ancestress of Katherine (Cox) Gottschalk and Sister Mary Theodore, genealogists of the Rhode Island line and contributors to the Rhode Island Bissell appendix of E. P. Jones' Bissell genealogy (1959).

2. Susanna Bissell

3. William Bissell

4. John Bissell 

R2D Edward ("the Mariner") Bissell born 1709/10

1. Richard Bissell

R2C Thomas Bissell born 1724

1. Lieutenant John Bissell Jr. born 1750

2. Thomas Bissell born 1752/55, moved to North Carolina

3. Lieutenant Samuel Bissell born 1757

4. Daniel Bissell born in the 1740s, descendants to Quebec

5. Susannah Bissell

6. William Bissell

7. Mary Bissell

8. George Bissell

Hannah Bissell born 1729

Mary Bissell baptized 1732

R2B Samuel Bissell baptized 1732, died 1813

1. Lieutenant Thomas Bissell

2. Mary Bissell born 1757

3. Hannah Bissell

4. Private Samuel Bissell born 1755, moved to Otsego County, New York

5. Elizabeth Bissell

6. Sarah Bissell born 1754

7. Joseph Bissell, to Delaware County, New York

8. David Bissell born 1763, son Aldridge to Yates County, New York.

9. John Bissell born 1768, married Betsey Vaughn, confused by D.A.R. applicants with son of Lieutenant Samuel and/or Private Samuel Bissell.

10. George Bissell, to Delaware County, New York 

Annie Bissell born in the 1730s, married in 1758

A SECOND OPEN LETTER

TO DESCENDANTS OF SAMUEL BISSELL OF HARTWICK, NY
AND THEIR COUSINS IN THE RHODE ISLAND FAMILY

by Roger Bissell

Dear folks:

In my first Open Letter of April 1986, I attempted to identify all the children and grandchildren of Private Samuel Bissell of Rhode Island and Hartwick, Otsego County, New York. To do so, I had to correct errors made on D.A.R. applications and by Rhode Island Bissell genealogists in E. P. Jones' book on The Genealogy of the Descendants of John Bissell. These corrections were only possible because of data unearthed at the Federal Archives and the Los Angeles Public Library by myself and Mr. Soren Simonson -- data which allowed us to sort out the 39 (out of at least 48 total) of Private Samuel's grandchildren that had been born by the time of his death in 1832.

With one exception, I still stand by my identification of Private Samuel's legal heirs as found in the section of the Open Letter entitled, "Sorting out Samuel's Grandchildren." That exception is Sally Doud. Whoever she was, she may well not have been Private Samuel's sister, Sarah (=Sally). As Soren Simonson pointed out:

1. It was not customary to list a sibling as one's heir unless other siblings were listed also (and Private Samuel's brother, David, was still living in Exeter, Rhode Island in 1832).

2. It is unlikely that Sarah (Private Samuel's sister) -- who was listed by her maiden name in their father Samuel Bissell's will in 1813 when she was age 59 -- would have married for the first time between age 59 and age 78 (which she was at the time of Private Samuel's death).

So, if indeed Sally Doud was not Private Samuel's sister, it seems reasonable to assume that she was an unidentified daughter-in-law or granddaughter. But who?

I also stand by the conclusion reached in the section "Who was 'Samuel Bissell, Jr.'?" -- namely, that he was the son of Private Samuel's second son named John, b. 1819 [just after the first one named John died]. He was named Samuel Chase Bissell in honor of his grandfather, Private Samuel Bissell, and his uncle, Dr. John Chase; and he was called "Junior" since Private Samuel's son, Dr. Samuel Bissell, had died some years earlier, leaving open the title for a worthy nephew or grandson, which Samuel Chase Bissell undoubtedly must have been!

The sections "Correcting the Error in Jones/Gottschalk" and "Who was Samuel Bissell (1799-1849)?" are also basically correct, except for one important thing: Private Samuel's son, John Bissell (1781-1819) did not marry Betsy Vaughn! (We do not yet know whom he did marry.)

Both Jones/Gottschalk and the D.A.R. applicants agreed in their claim that Pvt. Samuel's son did marry Betsy Vaughn, despite their other errors and disagreements about his children. So, I concentrated on the disagreements, thinking that was all there was to resolving the confusion. Was I wrong!

Census and L.D.S. cemetery records prove that the John Bissell who married Betsy Vaughn lived in Coventry, Rhode Island, was born in 1768 in North Kingstown, and died a widower in 1850 (just after the census). He and his wife are buried in Washington, Rhode Island, as is their daughter, Eliza, widow of Gideon Vaughn (no doubt, a cousin).

Therefore, the John Bissell who married Betsy Vaughn could not have been Private Samuel's son, John, who lived 1781-1819. Instead, it appears all but certain that he was the half-brother of Private Samuel. Jones/Gottschalk lists a John Bissell born to Private Samuel's father, Samuel Bissell (1730-1813) and his second wife, Mary Frazier, whom he married in 1766, just two years before the John Bissell in question was born. This in turn implies that Silas, Ruth, and John were not the children, but the half-great-niece and half-great-nephews (if there are such things!) of the John Bissell who married Betsy Vaughn.

On the other hand, it is quite likely that the ancestor of the D.A.R. applicants, Samuel Bissell (1799-1849), was the son of John and Betsy (Vaughn) Bissell, and not the son of Lieutenant Samuel Bissell's son, Jonathan (b. 1782/3). Cemetery and funeral home records show that Cyra Bissell (1801-1889) was the son of John and Betsy Bissell, was born in Coventry, Rhode Island, and died in Providence; census records have him living in Providence in 1850 and 1860. Samuel (1799-1849) was in the 1840 census of North Providence, and L.D.S. filmed vital records show him as having died in Providence in 1849.

This data all supports the D.A.R. applicants' claim that Samuel (1799-1849) was indeed the son of John and Betsy (Vaughn) Bissell. Unfortunately, it seems that the D.A.R. applicants could not have been descended from Lieutenant Samuel Bissell (nor from Private Samuel Bissell) and thus were not really eligible for D.A.R. membership. They are of neither Lieutenant Samuel's line (as I erroneously proposed), nor of Private Samuel's line (as they erroneously proposed), but of Private Samuel's half-brother John's line.

Coming finally to the introduction of the first Open Letter, it's clear now that Lieutenant Samuel Bissell of Exeter, Rhode Island was a big "red herring," as we investigators sometimes say:

1. The D.A.R. applicants first claimed descent from Lieutenant Samuel Bissell and listed his daughter Sarah as having married John Tripp. When the D.A.R. application screening process "corrected" their claim to descent from Private Samuel Bissell, they left Sarah's marriage to John Tripp unchallenged. Since Private Samuel's daughter Sarah married Isaac Carr, Jr., my natural assumption was that the applicants actually knew Sarah Bissell Tripp to be their ancestor John's sister. My mistake!

2. Lieutenant Samuel's son Jonathan would only have been 16 years old at the time of the birth of Samuel (1791-1849) -- even younger than Private Samuel's son John (b. 1781) -- and we don't even know that Jonathan survived to adulthood or married or had children. That should have been a tip-off that I was being overly generous in giving the benefit of the doubt to the D.A.R. applicants that they had true descent from a Revolutionary War veteran. My mistake, again!

Please forgive me my hastiness, and please try to focus on the benefits of all our research and communication. When we all work together, THE TRUTH WILL OUT!

[1999 note: For the correct family listings of Pvt. Samuel Bissell of Hartwick, New York, Lieutenant Samuel Bissell of Exeter, Rhode Island, and John Bissell of Coventry, Rhode Island, see the Revised Rhode Island Bissell Genealogy.]

Sincerely,
Roger Bissell
10782 Linnell Ave.
Garden Grove, CA 92643

P.S. -- The attached chart of Researcher-Descendants of Samuel Bissell (1683-1746) of Rhode Island shows where the John who married Betsy Vaughn fits into the Rhode Island family. Note that Lieutenant Samuel Bissell of Rhode Island is not included in the chart, because we know of no living descendants of his; he would be placed beside Daniel (son of Thomas born 1724), if we knew of such descendants.

P.P.S. -- Thanks to Peggy Speckman of Golden, Colorado for providing the information that solved this mystery -- and thanks to Charles Cockerline of Lambeth, Ontario for putting us in touch with Mrs. Speckman!

[1999 note: Please send additions and corrections to this "Open Letter" and charts to my permanent mailing address: Roger Bissell, P.O. Box 5193, Orange CA 92863 or via email to rebissell@aol.com]

Diagram 2
Researcher Descendants of Samuel
Bissell (1683-1745) of Rhode Island

John Bissell born 1707

Anne Bissell -->[...]Katherine (Cox) Gottschalk and Sister Mary Theodore

Thomas Bissell born 1724

Daniel Bissell -->Randall M. Bissell --> John D. Bissell --> Sophia E. Bissell m. Elliott --> Anna. E. Elliott m. Cockerline --> Floyd M. Cockerline --> Charles W. Cockerline

Samuel Bissell born about 1730

David Bissell --> Aldridge Bissell --> Nicholas G. Bissell --> Alma Harriet Bissell m. Somers --> Jay F. Somers --> Jeannette L. Somers m. Dickinson

Samuel Bissell

Stephen Bissell --> Christopher Pierce Bissell --> Jesse Davis Bissell --> Charles Bissell --> Charles Overman Bissell

Dr. Samuel Bissell

Lydia A. Bissell m. Eastman --> Harriet M. Eastman m. Dean --> Elma J. Dean m. Simonson --> Merle W. Simonson --> Soren Simonson

Mary A. Bissell m. Fairchild --> Herman L. Fairchild --> Leroy F. Fairchild --> Jean K. Fairchild m. Gilmore

John Bissell

Samuel Bissell --> John G. Bissell

Anna Bissell m. Greene

Mary E. Bissell m. Baldwin

Nellie Bissell m. Pettis --> Helen B. Pettis

Cyra Bissell --> Mary A. Bissell m. Wattles --> Mary M. Wattles m. Carey --> Edwin F. Carey --> Eleanor F. Carey m. Preston --> Peggy Preston m. Speckman

Vital Statistics for Descendants of
Private Samuel Bissell of Hartwick, New York
Appendix I: Descendants of Dr. Samuel Bissell

compiled by Soren Simonson and Jean Gilmore

A. Samuel Augustus Bissell, born 8-3-1812 Hartwick, New York. He married about 1840 Nora Bennett, was a judge in Cedar Co., Iowa in mid-1800s.

1. Ella Bissell, born about 1841, Iowa.

B. Sarah Mariah Bissell, born 8-21-1813 Hartwick, New York, died 7-15-1893. She married Dr. George W. Morse.

1. Lucy Morse, a teacher at Montrose, Pennsylvania

2. Frank P. Morse of Binghamton, New York.

C. Hannah Minerva Bissell, born 7-5-1815 Waterford, Pennsylvania, died 5-29-1849 Illinois. She married Samuel Adams (as his first wife), and they had (as listed in 1850 census household of Winnebago County, Illinois, by which time Samuel had married Hannah's sister as his second wife):

1. Melissa Adams, born about 1835, Pennsylvania

2. Elmina Adams, born about 1837, Pennsylvania

3. John Adams, born about 1841, Illinois

4. Samuel Adams, born about 1843, Illinois

D. Eliza Ann Bissell, born 2-3-1817 Waterford, Pennsylvania, died 6-3-1875. She married Eri Gregory, no children.

E. Harriet Louisa Bissell, born 4-14-1818 Brooklyn, Pennsylvania, died in Minnesota. She married Samuel Adams (as his second wife) shortly before 1850.

F. Isaac Thomas Bissell, born 11-28-1819 Brooklyn, Pennsylvania, died 1860 in Iowa. He married Julia Adams. He was listed in the 1850 census of Brooklyn, Lee County, Illinois with wife and children and shown with occupation being physician. ("J.T." age 30, Julia age 30, Edward 11, Reuben 5, all born in Pennsylvania).

1. Edward Bissell, born about 1839, Pennsylvania.

2. Reuben Bissell, born about 1845, Pennsylvania.

G. Fidelia Emeline Bissell, born 3-24-1821 Brooklyn, Pennsylvania. She married Benjamin Franklin Morse. Seven children reported but none identified as of 1850 census of Broome County, New York.

H. John Bissell, born 8-7-1822, died 7-28-1823, Brooklyn, Pennsylvania.

I. Lydia Almira Bissell, born 2-21-1824 Brooklyn, Pennsylvania, died 8-9-1890. She married George K. Eastman (b. 1822).

1. Emma Eastman born about 1846, died 1930. She married Daniel B. Jackson.

a. William A. Jackson born about 1869, Minnesota, still alive in California in 1947.

b. Harriet Jackson born about 1870, Minnesota. She married Edward P. Burch.

i. Imogene Burch married first Roger Wolcott (divorced), second Carl Schuneman.

c. Reverend Robert L. Jackson born about 1872, Minnesota, died about 1833, Iowa. He married Belle Parker.

i. Marybelle Jackson (adopted).

d. Catherine ("Katie") Jackson born about 1873, Minnesota, died about 1947, California. she married Dr. Frank E. Burch.

i. Edward Burch married Conradene Sanborn before 1947.
ii. Katherine Burch married Glen Taylor before 1947.

e. Alice A. Jackson born about 1879, Wisconsin. She married George Wheaton.

i. George Wheaton Jr., lived Minneapolis
ii. Hermion Wheaton married Edwin Butt, lived Australia

f. Genevieve Jackson married first Leroy Boughner (divorced), second William H. Pryor.

i. Jackson Boughner, lawyer in Chicago.

g. Earle D. Jackson married Lillian ____.

i. Cornelia Jackson

2. Samuel Wakefield Eastman born about 1848, died probably Boise Idaho, age 78. He married first Emma L. Cooledge (divorced), second ____.

a. George K. Eastman, born July 1879, Minnesota (1-19-1878?), lived in Seattle, Washington.

b. William A. Eastman, lived in Seattle.

c. Ethel May Eastman, born 6-1-1885. He married ____ LaVelle, lived Seattle.

d. Arch G. Eastman, born 10-3-1888, lived Seattle.

e. Brooks Eastman, born 11-8-1889 (= B. Wakefield Eastman?), lived in Los Angeles.

3. Elma Eastman, born March 1850, Pennsylvania, died about 1933, Colorado. She married Harry Ainsworth.

a.

b.

c. Alfred Ainsworth, born October 1884, Colorado.

4. Rufus Augustus Eastman, born probably 10-18-1851, Pennsylvania, died 8-28-1859, Pennsylvania.

5. Warren C. Eastman, born 1852, Pennsylvania, died 1-28-1936, Pennsylvania. He married 1896 to Ethel Hamlin (divorced).

a. Hyla East Eastman, born March 1897, Pennsylvania.

b. Ione Alfrette Eastman, born 11-9-1899, Pennsylvania, d. 11-25-1900.

c. George Eastman, born 12-21-1901, Pennsylvania, still living in Pennsylvania in 1962. He married Ruth E. Whitman.

6. Dayton True Eastman, born 2-15-1855, Pennsylvania, died 1-2-1938, New York. He married 12-10-1884 to Phoebe Stricland.

a. Henry Philander ("Philip") Eastman, born 12-3-1886, died before 1938. He married 9-10-1919 to Bessie Krom, lived in New York.

b. Mabel Eastman, born 2-14-1890. She married William Lynch, lived in New York.

c. Leon Eastman, born 9-9-1892, died 10-17-1979. He married about 1956 to Ruth ____, lived in New York.

d. Ray Eastman, born 6-21-1895, lived in New York.

e. Mildred Eastman, born 4-10-1898. She married Alfred Dumrose, lived in New York.

f. Marie Margarete Eastman, born 6-10-1902, died 7-30-1913.

7. Albert O. Eastman, died 9-20-1861, aged 6y11m1d (born 10-19-1854?).

8. Anna Eastman, born about 1856, Pennsylvania, died about 1925, Colorado. She married Harry Swanson. No children.

9. Revillo Eastman, born about 1858, Pennsylvania (10-30-1858/9?), died September 1924. He married 12-29-1886 to Ella May Lord, lived in Minnesota.

a. Andrew Eastman, born 3-8-1889, Pennsylvania, died 1-1-1890.

b. Elma Eastman, born 3-8-1891, Illinois, died 1946, lived in Minnesota.

c. Edna Eastman, born 2-7-1893, Minnesota. She married ____ Colestork, lived in Seattle.

d. Charlotte Eastman, born 11-9-1899, Minnesota.

10. Harriet May ("Hattie") Eastman, born 5-15-1863, Pennsylvania, died 5-9-1952, Iowa. She married 9-1-1887 in Emerald Grove, Wisconsin to Chester C. Dean.

a. Howard Chester Dean, born 6-18-1888, Wisconsin, died 6-5-1983, Arizona. He married in 1914 to Lenora Green, lived in Iowa and Arizona.

i. Doris Dean, born in 1916. She married Kenneth Lee Kern.
ii. Phyllis Dean, born in 1920.

b. Lydia Anna ("Anna") Dean, born 12-6-1889, Wisconsin, died in 1969. She married in 1914 to Earl Kemp, lived in Wisconsin.

i. Dean Kemp, married twice.
ii. Dale Kemp, married Norma ____.

c. Elma Judith Dean, born 7-17-1891, Wisconsin, died 1-29-1982, Arizona. She married 8-2-1916 in Ames, Iowa to Warren Earl Simonson, D.V.M., lived in Iowa and Arizona.

i. Earl Dean ("Dean") Simonson, D.V.M., born 1-23-1918, Iowa. He married 6-5-1943 in El Paso, Texas to Betty Gabrielson.

ii. Doyle Warren Simonsen, D.V.M., born 4-11-1919, Iowa. He married 11-27-1941 in Marcus, Iowa to Margaret Irene Rasmussen.

iii. Merle Wilbur Simonsen, born 2-27-1923, Iowa. He married 6-10-1944 in Cherokee, Iowa to Virginia Ann Tanner. They are the parents of Soren Simonsen of Long Beach, California, who compiled much of the data for this appendix.

(1) Soren K. Simonsen, born July 9, 1946, Cherokee, Iowa

(2) Beverly Ann Simonsen, born July 13, 1949, Cherokee, Iowa. She married July 6, 1969 at Pocahontas, Iowa to Glenn Scott Rowe.

(3) Eric J. Simonsen, born June 11, 1951, Cherokee, Iowa. He married December 23, 1974 at Manning, Iowa to Donna Jean Sonksen (divorced in 1985).

(4) Craig Dayn Simonsen, born May 11, 1954, Cherokee, Iowa. He married August 2, 1974 at Quimby, Iowa to Beverly Delores Todd.

(5) Sigrid Lynn Simonsen, born September 19, 1957, Quimby, Iowa. She married May 30, 1980 at Manhattan, Kansas to Kevin Henderson (divorced in 1983).

iv. Marlo Chester Simonsen, born 1-14-1925, Iowa, died 11-26-1971, Arizona. He married March 1964 to Cecily Ann Walker.

d. Grace M. Dean, born 74-1893, Wisconsin, died 11-7-1978, Iowa.e. Susan Imogene ("Imogene") Dean, born 11-2-1900, Iowa. She married Frank O. Paulson, lived New Jersey and Virginia.

i. Loree Paulson married Barbara Reints, lived New York.
ii. Linda Paulson married Chester Reeves, lived North Carolina.

f. Helene Elizabeth ("Betty") Dean, born 12-22-1902, Iowa. She married Dr. George A. Olson, lived Wisconsin.

i. Janice Olson, born 1933. She married Merlyn McIntosh, lived Missouri.11. Jay Eastman, born about 1864 (September 1865?), died 1921 in Pennsylvania. He married Mellie M. ____.a. Fay Eastman, born December 1892, Pennsylvania.

J. Mary Amanda Bissell, born 9-18-1825 Brooklyn, Pennsylvania, died 10-18-1907. She married 7-2-1848 Harman Canfield Fairchild.

1. Herman LeRoy Fairchild, born 4-29-1850, Pennsylvania, died 11-29-1943, New York. He married first 7-23-1875 in Ithaca, New York to Sarah Alice Egbert, second to Philomena C. Michael.

a. Katherine Alice Fairchild, born 11-18-1876, Pennsylvania, died 5-25-1970, New York. She married 6-20-1906, Albion, New York to Charles T. Lewis.

b. Lillian Fairchild, born 11-12-1878, Pennsylvania, died 7-2-1910, Colorado.

c. Jessie Evalyn Fairchild, born 1-26-1881, New York, died 5-9-1973, New York. She married in 1932 to Guy Bogart.

d. LeRoy Frink Fairchild, born 5-17-1885, Pennsylvania, died 12-1-1935, New York. He married first 9-28-1910 in Rochester, New York to Irene Davis (divorced), second 8-12-1918 in Albion, New York to Kathryn Germaine Scanlon.

i. Jean Kathryne Fairchild, born 5-14-1920, Nw York. She married 8-12-1950 in Ithaca, New York to Adrain Thornton Gilmore, Jr., lived in Aurora, New York and Inverness, Florida. Mrs. Gilmore is the other principal compiler of data for this appendex.

ii. Richard Leroy Fairchild, born 5-31-1925, New York. He married 3-31-1951 in Canandaigua, New York to Carol Miller.

2. Earl Demarest Fairchild, born 5-14-1852, died 10-11-1856, Pennsylvania.

3. Willie Henry Fairchild, born 3-22-1854, died 9/10(?)-2-1856, Pennsylvania.

4. Edgar Fairchild, born 9-2-1855, died 9/10(?)-28-1856, Pennsylvania.

5. Fayette Fairchild, born 8-16-1858, died 7-4-1874, Pennsylvania.

6. Bert Bissell Fairchild, born 6-20-1868, Pennsylvania, died 12-8-1955, New York. He married 9-14-1898 in Dexter, New York to Carrie Moyer.

a. daughter
b. daughter

K. Jane Antoinette Bissell, born 1-21-1827 Brooklyn, Pennsylvania, died 10-17-1901. She married 3-6-1854 William Frink.

1. Scott Frink, died young
2. Lillian Frink, married ____ Shurtleff.

L. Rosena Cordelia Bissell, born 4-20-1828 Brooklyn, Pennsylvania. She married William Brookins.

1. Burr Brookins

a. Harold Brookins, lived in Tacoma, Washington

M. Katharine Venina Bissell, born 8-18-1829 (one month after father died) Brooklyn, Pennsylvania. She married Adam Leib, no children known.

Descendants of Aldridge Bissell
of Yates County, New York
first generation

compiled by Jeanette Dickinson

A. Nichols Gardner Bissell, born May 16, 1816, Wickford, Rhode Island, died August 10, 1860, Pewamo, Michigan. He married June 6, 1846 to Eliza Ann Snyder.

1. Adelbert William ("Dell") Bissell, born April 8, 1847/8, Milo, Yates County, New York, died June 1918, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. He married May 10, 1868 to Electa M. Wanier. The last three of their children listed below were found in the 1900 census:

a. Nicholas Bissell born about 1869, Michigan.
b. Paul Bissell born about 1874, Michigan.
c. Elisabeth E. Bissell born June 1876, Michigan.
d. Dell Bissell born about 1879, Michigan (twin to Belle).
e. Belle Bissell born about 1879, Michigan (twin to Dell).
f. Lucius A./D. Bissell born January 1879 (identical to Dell?).
g.Thaddeus O. Bissell born June 1881.
i. Archie C. Bissell born May 1887.

2. Alma Harriet Bissell, born June 26, 1850, Milo, New York, died August 14, 1936, Carson City, Michigan. She married December 25, 1869 to Charles Philip Somers. They had:

a. Nellie M. Somers.
b. Jay F. Somers, father of subscriber/compiler Jeannette Lois Somers Dickinson.

3. Cory Paul Bissell, born February 23, 1859, Ionia County, Michigan. He married March 17, 1880 to Myra E. McGowan.

B. Phebe J. Bissell, born 1819/20, Wickford, Rhode Island, died September 23, 1873, Michigan. She married first before 1850 to Gardner Tefft and married second after 1857 to Paris Corey. There were no children born to the first marriage; Phebe's obituary refers to surviving daughters.

C. William Sean Bissell, born Decembeer 1824, Milo, New York, died August 22, 1903, Pewamo, Michigan. He married Decembr 21, 1851 to Almira L. Snyder. They had:

1. DeForest W. Bissell, born January 28, 1954, New York, died ?. He married first Julia A. Ludwick and second Mary (Simon) Gennant.

a. William Bissell, born March 1879.
b. Floyd Bissell, born September 1885.

2. Elmer Dow ("Dow") Bissell, born July 10, 1862, Lyons Township, Ionia County, Michigan, died February 25, 1906, Lyons Township, Ionia County, Michigan. He married July 24, 1892 to Lula M. Sherman (who married second to Grant U. Vance). They had:

a. Olive E. Bissell, born June 30, 1893, Lyons Township, Ionia County, Michigan, died June 26, 1950/1. She married Arthur Walter Hunter.
b. Alma (Almira) Leah Bissell, born April 14, 1895, Lyons Township, Ionia County, Michigan, died in Ft. Pierce, Florida. She married September 30, 1916 to Howard Townsend.
c. Baby born January 14, 1902, died in infancy.
d. Marie L. Bissell, born March 1, 1903, Lyons Township, Ionia County, Michigan. She married first April 26, 1923 to Fay E. Townsend and second to Charles Johnson. They lived at Orleans, Michigan.

3. Clarence Dorr ("Dorr") Bissell, born August 19, 1865, Pewamo, Lyons Township, Ionia County, Michigan, died March 20, 1926, Lansing, Michigan. He married about 1889 to Frances L. Crane. They had:

a. Ethel A. Bissell, born February 23, 1891, Pewamo, Michigan, died January 19, 1983, St. Johns, Michigan. She married February 29, 1912 to Eric Gee.

b. Joseph C. Bissell, born August 6, 1893, Lyons Township, Ionia County, Michigan, died St. Johns, Michigan. He married Iva Mae Townsend, and they had:

i. Clell Bissell, born April 31, 1918, Lyons Township, Ionia County, Michigan. He married May 14, 1941 to Bernadette Sturm.
ii. Vada M. Bissell, born May 23, 1923, died January 15, 1984, Grand Rapids, Michigan. She married February 1947 to Gerald Sturm.
iii. Harry Bissell, born March 13, 1927. He married Anita Sherman.

c. Lucy Vell Bissell, born July 8, 1895, died July 3, 1913, Detroit.

D. Elizabeth Bissell, born 1827, Milo, New York, died 1891 (age 63y5m), Pewamo, Michigan. She married December 24, 1846 to Van Renssalaer Sunderlin, and they had:

1. Eugene Aldrich Sunderlin, born February 22, 1848, Steuben County, New York, died 1906, Michigan. He married Ruby Sterling, and they lived at Detroit and Lansing.
2. Lorenzo Dennis ("Denny") Sunderlin, born 1851, New York, died 1895, Michigan. He married Eveline Dawson, and they lived at Pewamo, Michigan.
3. Eva Sunderlin, born 1860/1, Michigan, died December 28, 1861, Michigan.

E. David A. Bissell, born February 1, 1830, Milo, New York, died April 22, 1902, Michigan. He married February 2, 1862 to Zerviah O. Stone. They lived in Lowell and Pewamo, Michigan, and had one child that died in infancy:

1. Spence Bissell

F. Mary Ann Bissell, born about 1832, Yates County, New York, died about 1840, age 8y7m15d.

G. Beriah G. Bissell (male), born October 1834, Yates County, New York, died September 1835, age 11m6d.

H. Waity T. Bissell, born August 25, 1836, Milo, New York, died October 5, 1876, Yates County, New York. She married David H. Clark. They had:

1. Aldridge Clark, born about 1859, Yates County, New York.

I. Sarah Jane Bissell, born about 1839, Milo, New York. She married after 1875 to John Butcher.

[Note: some of the above data was taken from the 1880 and 1900 censuses of Michigan. In addition to Jeannette Dickinson's splendid job of compiling the above information, we must also mention Mrs. Clell (Bernadette) Bissell of Pewamo, Michigan. In a letter dated February 2, 1980, my uncle Royce Bissell of Greenfield, Iowa, told my father, Eldon K. Bissell, of a letter he had just received from a Mrs. Clell Bissell requiring information: "Her husband's branch goes back to Aldrich Bissell (no dates) b. Washington Co., Wickford, R.I." Mentioning this letter to Mrs. Dickinson prompted her to send us another large batch of data, included above.]

To All BHAM Subscribers
May 1, 1987

Issue No. 5 (Vol. II, No. 1) is already being prepared and will be published this summer. We are trying to get on and stay on a quarterly schedule. We will also try to keep BHAM balanced between the Connecticut and Rhode Island families, and between Captain John's four male lines. In the past, it has been impossible to keep BHAM both prompt and balanced. We have often had to wait months for additional information -- or try to look it up ourselves (usually involving more guesswork and giving a less complete picture). For these reasons, please answer requests for family history data as quickly as possible. (To those of you who have done so in the past, we thank you very much!)

We operate BHAM on a break-even basis, so we calculate our printing and postage accordingly. However, the more subscribers we have, the larger a price break we can get on printing -- and thus the more material we can include per issue. So, to help us keep BHAM as chock-full as possible, please send your renewals and gift subscriptions ($5.00 for four issues) right away. Make your checks out either to Roger Bissell or to Bissell People Finders and indicate that it's for BHAM. (And to those of you who have already renewed your subscriptions, we thank you very much, too!)

One of the ways we have cut corners for BHAM is in the binding. There isn't any! Obviously, it's too thick to staple, so we gave up on that. Instead, for our own personal copy, we use a three-hole puncher and a small three-ring binder. Certainly, one could instead use a two-hole puncher and put it in a large three-ring binder. (Or even keep it "loose.") If and when we change format to 8-1/2 x 11, we will staple the issues, but not until or unless. Sorry.