GEORGE SISSON

• Birth Notes
  • Birth: 17 Jul 1636 in Dartmouth, Bristol, Mass
    

• Death Notes
  • Death: 10 Sep 1718 in Portsmouth, Newport, Ri
    Burial: Portsmouth, Newport, Rhoade Island 

• General Notes
  • Second Generation
    
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    2. George SISSON (Richard ) was born about 1645. He died 7 Sep 1718 in Portsmouth, Newport Co., Rhode Island.
    
    BIRTH PLACE:
    George Sisson may have been born in England, perhaps in Burton, Latimer, Northam, England, or in Portsmouth, RI, or in Dartmouth, Plymouth Colony. According to a letter from Dorothy Dey reprinted in the Sisson Newsletter, v.2 no.2, Charles Edward Banks, in his "Topical Dictionary of 2885 English Emigrants to New England, 1620 to 1650," "George Sisson came from Burton, Latimer parish, in Northamptonshire, England, clear up on the Scottish border...."
    
    BIOGRAPHY:
    Extracted mainly from John L. Martin's "The Sisson Family" part 1, page 5:
    George was a farmer. In 1667 he went with his father to Dartmouth, Plymouth Colony, but later he returned to Portsmouth, Rhode Island. The following data comes from the records of the colony of Rhode Island:
    On 5 June 1671, he served on a Grand Jury.  At the same date he and others were appointed to view the damage done to the Indians by horses and hogs. On November 28, 1673, George was admitted as a freeman at Portsmouth. On 7 April 1677, he traded his sister Anne's husband Peleg Tripp 32 acres in Portsmouth including houses, orchards, fencing, &c., for 3/8 share of some property in Dartmouth, Mass.  Carol Sisson Regehr quotes Carl Bridenbaugh's "Fat Mutton and Liberty of Conscience: Society in Rhode Island, 1636-1690" (published by Brown University Press, 1974): about 1681, George Sisson, a Portsmouth farmer, was paid in land by John Cooke for "the makeing of forty seven Rods of good Suffitient Stone wall." [p. 35]On 19 May 1683, he sold to Isaac Lawton, for L100, a quarter share in some Dartmouth property. On 16 August (or November) 1684, George was on a jury investigating the death of an Indian who "died at the walnut tree." The verdict was that the Indian had "murdered himself." On July 14, 1687 he was sworn in as Constable of Portsmouth. On June 24, 1687 he was appointed Administrator of his brother John's widow Mary's estate. George was a deputy to the [Massachusetts?] colonial assembly in 1690, 1702, 1705 & 1707, and was a Justice of the Peace in 1703. He was a town councilman in Portsmouth in 1695, 1696, and 1697. He was commissioned to attend the General Assembly in Providence June 19, 1696. Sources:  GENEALOGICAL DICTIONARY OF RHODE ISLAND, by John Osborne Austin, Page 181; "Early Records of the Town of Portsmouth."
    
    HOME:
    The Sisson Newsletter, v 6 #3 p 17, quotes Mary Jo Sisson: "Mintwater Brook": George Sisson (second generation) was granted land on the East Main Road (Portsmouth, Rhode Island) where standing to this day (1976) is the old Sisson house, referred to as 'the Richard Sisson house.' Flowing through this property is the Mintwater Brook. Source: Herbert H Hall, III, descendant of Richard Sisson (1st generation), living in Portsmouth. The original Richard Sisson, who early settled at Mintwater Brook." Source: History of Newport County, RI. 3rd: "The original homestead of Richard and Mary Sisson, at Portsmouth, is now known as the Mintwater Brook Farm." Source: Biography of Nathaniel Sisson, a descendant of the Unidilla, NY, Sissons, who migrated to Ohio. "The homestead farm was given to Richard (3rd generation) the eldest son, and has descended to the present time from father to son. It lies in the town of Portsmouth, RI, on Rhode Island." Source: "Luther Sisson of Easton, Mass., His Ancestry and Descendants," compiled and printed by Arthur A. Wood, Slocum, RI, 1909. See notes for Richard Sisson, George's father.
    
    WILL, DEATH, AND INVENTORY:
    A transcription of George's will: To eldest son Richard, "about 80 acres in northerly part of farm where I dwell, also 17 acres near 'Solentary Hole,' and all lands owned in Warwick." To son George, "farm now possessed by him at Touisset Neck, Swanzey." To son Thomas, "land at Newport, now possessed by him." To son John, land and housing in Tiverton, he paying L70 as follows: To daughters Elizabeth Clarke, Anne Weeden, Hope Sanford, Ruth Tew and Abigail Tew, L10 each and L20 to granddaughter Jane Sisson, daughter of John, when she is eighteen. To son James, remainder of lands in Portsmouth, with all buildings, fencing and orchards, &c., "only excepting the burial place, to be kept well fenced by my son James Sisson, his heirs and assigns forever, which is hereby preserved for my posterity and any other of my relatives for a burying place," &c. To son James, also old negro man Abraham and Lucy his wife, twenty sheep, two great tables, two great forms, cupboard, yoke, chains, &c. "My grindstone I give equally between my sons Richard Sisson and James Sisson, for the improvement of them and theirs." To five daughters, equally, silver money and plate, and to each a feather bed, &c. To granddaughter Sarah Clarke, a feather bed and L10. Rest of movables to daughters.
    
    The inventory of George's estate showed his property was worth L441, 18s, 8d (with subsequent addition of L10, 5s.) [Note:  In 1669, L440 was worth roughly $135,000 in late 20th century money. Each pound was worth approximately $307.] George owned wearing apparel valued at L8/11s/, armour worth L2, plate at 8s per ounce L8/12s/2d, silver money L13/12s/6d, Bills of Public Credit L69/8s/6d, books, 4 cows, half of 5 steers, 3 yearlings, and 2 calves, 2 mares, colt, 93 sheep and lambs, half of 4 swine and 4 shoats, geese, turkeys and fowls, small table, 12 chairs, woolen wheel, cradle, churn, cheese motes, pewter, iron and brass ware, &c.  Source:  GENEALOGICAL DICTIONARY OF RHODE ISLAND, by John Osborne Austin, Page 181. Source:  EARLY AMERICAN HOMES, October, 1996, page 31.
    
    Mary Jo (Sisson) March sent this list of house furnishings in the Mintwater Brook House as listed in his will: 2 great tables, 2 great forms(?), "my standing cupboard," 6 feather beds & boulsters, "Rest of moveables equally to five daughters." books and spectacles, small table, 12 chairs, woolen wheel (spinning wheel?), cradle, pewter, earthen, brass, [and] iron ware, tongs, andirons, linen and flannel sheets, table linen. (Source:  The Will & Inventory of George Sisson(2), 1718).)
    
    SOURCES: Sisson wills; Lawton genealogy; Austin's "Genealogical Dictionary of RI; Tiverton and Portsmouth Vital Records," p. 95; Arnold, v.4, pp.48, 106, 107; "Historical and Genealogical Miscellany of Early Settlers of New Jersey" by Stillwell, v.5, 1932.
    
    George married Sarah LAWTON, daughter of Thomas LAWTON and Elizabeth SALISBURY, on 1 Aug 1667 in Portsmouth, Newport Co., Rhode Island. Sarah was born Apr 1644/1645 in Portsmouth, Newport Co., Rhode Island. She died 5 Jul 1718 in Portsmouth, Newport Co., Rhode Island.
    
    Sarah Lawton is reported in the Ancestral File as born 1 April 1647 in Canfield, Bedfordshire, England (FN 9CQD-XS). Mary Jo Sisson March has researched the Lawton family for years, and reports that Sarah did not have a brother named either Thomas or Josiah. Her father was Thomas, and she had a son named Thomas. Sarah's father Thomas named his children in his will. Sarah's half-brother Isaac married Mary Sisson, Sarah's sister-in-law, her husband George's sister. Mary died in childbirth. Isaac then married Elizabeth Tallman, who became the mother of his children. He married third Naomi (Hunt) Lawton, a Lawton widow.
    
    "A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, Before 1692", by James Savage, gives Sarah's death date as 17 July 1718.