Captain John BISSELL

   Another name for John was Captain.

   Ancestral File Number: T428-0F. User ID: 9258.

   General Notes:

Immigrated with Huit Party on the "Susan and Ellen" England 1638 >Boston MA,
Rem to Windsor CT 1639, Original operator Bissell Ferry, Constable, Deputy,
Captain, Boundsgoer/Surveyor, Freeman Windsor 11 Oct 1669.

BOOK
History of the Simon Mills Family, Katie R Mills, Vol I, p1:
"1. Simon Mills, early settler at Windsor CT is believed to have come to America from England, but the date is not known, nor do we know from what part of England he came.
"The earliest date found for him is that of his marriage at Windsor to Jone _____ on 18 Oct 1639. Savage gives this date and suggests that it might have been his second marriage. Many published records of Simon Mills say it was his second marriage, but inasmuch as noneof the dates nor locations to prove these stories can be found in public records, the stories must be assigned to the realm of tradition; and there they must remain unless and until proof can be found.
"Tradition is that he came from Yorkshire, England, to New England with a Captain Newbury; that his first wife, Sarah Bissell, came on the same ship; that she was a daughter of John Bissell, early settler at Windsor CT; that they were at Plymouth, MA, as early as 1628 (although sometimes the location is given as Salem, MA); that Sarah (Bissell) MIlls was the mother of Simon Mills, Jr, born about 1635, and that she died before 1638, thus leaving her husband with a small son and, therefore, the necessity of having a wifeto take care of him. Also there is the story that Simon was accompanied on his trip to America by his brother John Mills, who died on the voyage.
"Records at Plymouth or Salem, MA, have not been found to prove that Simon Mills, or the Bissell family, had lived there as early as 1628; nor at any time after that date.
"Savage says of John Bissell of Windsor, CT, that he came to America with Rev Ephraim Hewett; and to Windsor, CT, in 1639; that he had six children: John Jr, Thomas, Samuel, Nathaniel, Mary and Joice; and that, perhaps, Nathaniel was the only one of them born in America. John Bissell died in 1677. His will lists the six children named above; and the settlement of his estate, according to Manwaring's Probate Records, lists these same six people as beneficiaries. There is no mention of grandson Simon Mills, then living at Simsbury, CT, son of deceased daughter Sarah.
"As indicated, the children of John Bissell were young when he came to America, so IF he had had a daughter Sarah she probably would not have been oldenough to become the mother of a son born in 1635. IF there sere a Sarah Bissell who became the first wife of our Simon Mills, she might have been a sister, or otherrelative, of John Bissell of Windsor, in which case her son would not necessarily have been named in John's will, nor considered in the settlement of his estate. Or she could have been a member of some other Bissell family.
"There is nothing that I can find in the records of Windsor, CT, to indicate that there were two men named Simon Mills among the early residents of the town. Nor is there any indication of the age of our Simon Mills."

Dear Whoever p12:
"In the book First Puritan Settlers by R R Hinman there's an exciting statement. Here it is: 'Others arrived at different times until 1639, when the Rev Ephraim Huit came from England and was settled as a colleague with Mr Warham at Windsor. A part of his church came with him, Edward Griswold, John Bissell, Thomas Holcomb, Daniel Clard, and Peter Tilton'..."

Descendants of Captain John Bissell, Part I, George Bissell III, Pelham St, p1:
"1. Capt John Bissel born 1591 England, died 3 Oct 1677 Windsor CT, mar (1) Mary England born England, died 21 May 1641 Windsor Ct, mar (2) ______, died 29 Mar 1665 Windsor CT. 6 children (all of the 1st marriage): Mary, John Jr, Thomas, Samuel, Joyce, Nathaniel..."

Directory of Descendants of Founders of Windsor CT, 350th Anniv Comm, Stephen E Simon, Kent CL Avery, 24 Sep 1983
pv: "Bissell, John (H) Huit Party from England, Arrived at Boston in 1638 on the 'Susan and Ellen', Rem Windsor 1639.
p14: "Earliest date mentioned in Windsor records 1639. Born Abt 1591 England. Died 1677. Original operator of the Bissell Ferry.
"see 'Genealogy of the Descendants of John Bissell of Windsor CT by 1640' Edward P Jones 1975. The John Bissell 1628 Association Sumner F Bissell President 804 N Grand St W Suffield Ct 06093."

ANCESTRY.COM 30 Jul 2000
Database: Connecticut Puritan Settlers, 1633-1845
the First Puritan Settlers of Windsor. The first settlers of Windsor were, Mr. John Warham, who laid the foundation of the church there, in 1635; Henry Wolcott, William Phelps, John Whitefield, Humphrey Pinny, Deacon John More, or Moore, Deacon Gaylord, Lieut. John Ffiler, Matthew Grant, Thomas Dibble, Samuel Phelps, Nathan Gillett, Jonathan Gillett, Richard Vere, or Vose, Abraham Randall, Brigget Egglestone, George Phelps, Thomas Ford and Jobe Drake. Others arrived at different times until 1639, when the Rev. Ephraim Huit came from England, and was settled as a colleague with Mr. Warham, at Windsor, in 1639. A part of his church came with him, viz: Edward Griswold, John Bissell, Thomas Holcomb, Daniel Clark, and Peter Tilton. On his way to Windsor he was joined in Massachusetts by others, who accompanied him, viz: Joseph Newbury, Timothy Loomis, John Loomis, John Porter, William Hill, James Marshall, John Taylor, Eltwed Pomeroy, William Hosford, Aaron Cook, Elias Parkham, Richard Aldage, Henry Stiles, John Stiles, William Hayden, George Phillips, Thomas Stoughton, Owen Tudor, Return Strong, Captain Mason, Matthew Allen, John Hillyer, Thomas Barber, Nicholas Palmer, Tho. Buckland, Isaac Selden, Robert Watson, Stephen Terre, Bray Rossiter, Thomas Dewey, William Hurlbut, Roger Williams, Thomas Bascomb, Nicholas Denslow, Thomas Thornton and Simeon Hoyt. Several of the last class had been to Connecticut before they came with Mr. Huit in 1639; but they may all be considered as the first Puritan settlers of Windsor. Mr. Huit was spared to his people but a few years--he died in 1644. Mr. Warham was continued longer with his church. He lived to see much of the forest removed--roads made passable--a house for worship built--himself and family and friends comfortably situated in this new country--the two Colonies united, and the title of their lands confirmed, with his family rich in new land, and died in 1670, after a ministry there of about 35 years.

First Sttlers of the Colony. Bissell, John, juror in 1640-43--came to Windsor in 1639--deputy and ferryman, in '40.

Appendix, Containing Additions and Corrections. Bissell, John, Windsor--had a son Nathaniel born in 1640. His son John married Miss Mason, in '58, and had Mary in '58, John in '61, Daniel in '63, Dorothy in '65, Josias in 70, a son in '73, Ann in '75, and another son in '75. Thomas Bissell in '55, married Abigail Moore, and had Thomas in '56, Abigail in '58, John in '60, Joseph in '63, Elizabeth in '66, Benjamin in '69, a son in '71, and other children. John, sen'r., of Windsor, died in '77--his children were, Mary who married Jacob Drake--Joyce married Samuel Pinney--John, Thomas, Samuel and Nathaniel. John, jr., was the first settler in Coventry--and received his deed of Israel Everett, of Lebanon, Oct. 1715--was the first captain in Coventry--held slaves. Though he moved from Lebanon to Coventry, he originated at Windsor.

A DIGEST OF THE EARLY CONNECTICUT PROBATE RECORDS.
1663 to 1677.
Page 194 Name: John Bissell Location: Windsor
Invt. œ520-16-03. Taken 22 October, 1677, by Daniel Clarke, Benjamin Newbery, Return Strong. Will dated 25 September, 1673: I John Bissell of Windsor doe make this my last Will & Testament: I give to my daughter Mary, the wife of Jacob Drake, œ10; to my daughter Joyce, wife of Samuel Pinney, œ30. I give to my son John œ50. The remainder of my estate after my just debts and funeral charges are paid, with 20 shillings a peice to each of my grand children naturally descending from my foure sons and two daughters, I bequeath to my four sons, John, Thomas, Samuel, and Nathaniel. The remaynder of my estate to be equally divided. I appoint my sons John and Thomas Bissell to be executors. I desire Deacon John Moore and Daniel Clark to be supervisors.
Witness: John Moore sen., Daniel Clarke.
John X Bissell. Ls.
Court Record, Page 165--6 December, 1677: Will approved.

ANCESTRAL FILE
Ancestral File Ver 4.13 T428-0F Born EnglandAbt 1590-1591 Died Abt 3 Oct 1673-1677, Ver 4.19 8VGZ-KF Born Winsdor Hartford CT Christened England Died 30 Oct 1677.

   Marriage Information:

John married Elizabeth Mary THOMPSON. (Elizabeth Mary THOMPSON was born about 1590 in , Somersetshire, England and died on 21 May 1641 in Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut, USA.)

   Marriage Information:

John also married Mrs Bissell John. (Mrs Bissell John died on 29 Mar 1665 in Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut, USA.)