Three hundred colonial ancestors and war service, their part in making American history from 495 to 1934 online

counter-charged. Crest a hand in fesse couped at
the wrist holding a curling stone.

Bidwell of Bydewell. Gyronny or 4, Or and
Gule : 4 Iroundles charged with as many martlets,
all counter-charged. Crest, same as above.

Bidwell of Thetford. Gyronny of 4 Or and
Gule: 4 roundles each charged with as many
martlets, all counter-charged. Crest a martlet
proper. These arms show the families are des-
cended from same ancestor.




BiP WElt



Bidwells in England — The Saxon name was Biddulph, meaning
War Wolf; one of the oldest castles is the Biddulph castle in Norfolk
County, England; it was built about 1066, and tradition says one
of William the Conqueror's generals married the Biddulph heiress
of that time and assumed her name. When the English rebelled
and after fighting seven years were subdued and remained under
Danish rule until 1042, when Edward, surnamed the Confessor,
came from Normandy was elected King. In 1400, Sir Wm. Berde-
welle is mentioned as having given a legacy, etc. In 1426, lands
were let at Gasthorp to Robert Berdewelle, Esq., at 20 shillings
per annum. Mr. Thomas Bidwell is mentioned as an alderman and
ex-mayor of Thetford.

Rose's Biographical Dictionary, Vol. 3, has the following: "Wm. Bedwell,
a learned divine and topographical writer of the reign of James 1st. He was con-
cerned in the revised translation of the Scriptures, published in that reign. He
was educated in the University of Cambridge and Fuller thinks (Church History,
book 10, page 45) that he was at St. John's College. He took orders and had the
living of St. Ethelburgh in the city of London, conferred on him in 1601, and was
made vicar of Tottenham in 1607. He died 5 May 1632, at the age of 70 and is
buried in the church at Tottenham with an epitaph which still remains, in which
it is said that 'he was one of King James' translators of the Bible; and for the
eastern tongues as learned a man as most who Uved in these modern times.' "
He published "Kalendanum Viatorium Generale or The Traveller's Callender;
serving generally for all parts of the world, 8vo., 1614." "Mohammedis Impost-
man, whereunto is annexed the Arabian Tredgman V. to 1615." "A brief descrip-
tion of the Town of Tottenham High Cross in Middlesex, 4 to 1631." In this
last work is given a copy of a very ancient ballad "The Tournament of Tottenham"
which was printed also ia Percy's Reliques of Ancient English Poetry. Bedwell
printed the ballad from a manuscript in possession of Geo. Wither the poet, which
manuscript containing the earhest copy known of this singular ballad, is now in
the public library at Cambridge and Mr. Wright who ascertained the identity
has lately given from it a more authentic copy than that of Bedwells. Wood
speaks of Bedwell as the only person in England of his time who understood Arabic
and Mr. Gough says he translated the Koran into English. He was an early
friend and patron of Henry Jacob who was also noted for his Oriental studies.



Three Hundred Colonial Ancestors and War Service 11

FiEST Generation
1. Richard Bid well, died 25 Dec, 1647. He was an early-
settler at Windsor, Conn., and is called Goodman Bidwell in
records.

1. John, the son of Richard Bidwell; he married Sarah,
daughter of John and Mary Wilcox, born 1659; died June 15, 1690.
John Bidwell left Newton (now Cambridge), Mass., 1687, with
Rev. Thomas Hooker. He settled in Hartford. His name appears
on the Monument erected in memory of the settlers at Hartford,
Conn.

2. Hannah.

3. Joseph.

4. Samuel.

5. Richard.

(Page 22), Extract from History of the Settlement of Windsor,
Conn. ''In 1630, not less than 17 ships arrived in Massachusetts
Bay, bringing some 1500 or 1700 emigrants. Dorchester, Water-
town, Roxbury, Medford and Weymouth were rapidly settled by
the new comers. Foremost among these colonies of 1630, both as
regards the character of its members and the date of its arrival,
was the one which was settled at Dorchester and afterwards removed
to Windsor, Conn. It had been formed mostly from the western
counties of England, early in the spring of 1629, by the exertion of
the Rev. John White, of Dorchester, whose zeal and labors fairly
entitle him to the appellation of the great patron of New England
emigration." On the 20th of March, 1630, this company of
140 persons embarked at Plymouth, Eng., in the ship called the
"Mary and John" a vessel of 400 tons burden and commanded by
Capt. Squeb. On the Lord's day, 30 May, 1630, their good ship
came to anchor on the New England Coast. Their settlement was
named Dorchester in honor of the Rev. Mr. White of Dorchester,
England, which had also been the home of several of their number.

Upon the 16 April, 1636, the survivors of the company returned to Con-
necticut. Their settlement was called Dorchester and name changed to Windsor
1637, from Windsor, England.

(Page 30) Hannah Bidwell, born 22 Oct., 1644; died 7 Oct.,

1679; married 18 Aug., 1648, James Eno, died 11 June, 1682.

They lived at Windsor; he settled there in 1646. She was born at

Windsor, Conn. Children: 1. Sarah, born 15 June, 1649; 2. James,

born 30 Oct., 1651 and 3. John, born 2 Dec, 1654.

(Page 32) 3rd Generation, John Bidwell, born 1641, died 3
July, 1692; married 7 Nov., 1678, Sarah Welles, born 1659; died
1708. She was a daughter of Mr. Thomas and granddaughter of
Gov, Welles, and mentioned in his will. Children: 1. John, born
1 Sept., 1679; died 3 Sept., 1751; 2. Hannah, born 31 Aug., 1680,
died 1707; 3. Sarah, born 19 Aug., 1681; 4. Thomas, born 27
Dec, 1682, died 1716; 5. Jonathan, born 5 March, 1684; 6. David



12 Three Hundred Colonial Ancestors and War Service



born 1687, died 24 June, 1758; 7. James, born 1691, died 7 May,
1718.

Glastenbury for 200 Years by Chapin, page 129: John Bidwell, Jr., had the
1st saw mill at Glastenbury, 1667. He lived at Hartford, as his father willed him
all his lands and buildings west of the Connecticut river. He had at Hartford, a
saw, grist and fulUng mill ; six saw or grist mills, three at Hartford, and one each
at East Hartford, Wethersfield and Middletown. he was an engineer and was
selected by the town of Hartford, to deepen the channel in the Connecticut river
between Hartford and Wethersfield. (Town Records of Hartford, 1686. The
town by their vote made choice of Major Talcott, Ensign Nathaniel Stanley, Mr.
Cyprian Nichols and John BidweU to consider the best way to make a channel
in the river between this town and Wethersfield). He is buried at East Hartford
and left an estate of 1081 lb. His widow Sarah, in March, 1704, gave to her son
John, land on the east side of the Connecticut river and her son Thomas witnessed
the deed. He and his wife Sarah were admitted to full communion at the 2nd or
Centre St. Church, Hartford, 21 Feb. 1685. Vol. 5, page 45, Hartford Co. Probate
Records: "Mrs. Sarah (Wells) Bidwell was administrator of John Bidwell (her
husband) deceased and Daniel Bidwell (her brother-in-law) was appointed by the
court to oversee the children as they were all young.

(Page 36) In Colonial Records of Connecticut, between years 1678 and 1689,
page 184, I find the following: Mrs. Sarah Haynes is plaintiff by way of appeale
from the judgment of the Court of Assistants 3 Oct. 1685; contra John AUyn
and John Bidwell defendants, which action was for their darning on land in Hart-
ford belonging to the estate of Mr. Joseph Haines, deceased and Bequeathed to
her by him during the nonage of his children. Same Records frum 1689-1706,
page 85, year 1692 : The Court grants liberty to Mr. Thomas Welles (Father-in-
law of John Bidwell) to pass over one acre and roods of meadow to Mrs. Bidwell
the relict of John Bidwell for the heirs of said John Bidwell. Page 337: Oct., 1700
Liberty and full power is by this Assembly granted to Sarah Bidwell, widowe and
relict of John Bidwell late of the town of Hartford deceased, to convey and con-
firme to John Marsh, Jr., of the said town one certain parcell of land situate in
said town containing about a halfe an acre or less which the said John Bidwell
bought of Thomas Long and also the one half part of a grist mill and fulling mill
situate in Hartford aforesaid and whereof the said John Bidwell died seized. This
liberty and power was granted.

(Ancient Windsor, Conn., Vol. II, Part 1, H. R. Stiles, 1892, p.
72), Bidwell (Bydewell, Biddle, original Saxon, Biddulph, "war
wolf") seem to be originally of County Norfolk and County Devon,
England. Richard "was buried" in W., Dec. 25, 1647 (also Old
Ch. Rec); he left a daughter, Hannah, b. 2 Oct. 1644.

An Anna Bidwell married James Eno (the first of that name in
W.) 18 Aug., 1648. From similarity of name of Richard's daughter —
Hannah and Anna being interchangeably used — it is possible that
this Anna was Richard Biddle's widow. "Goodman," is named in
Old Church Records among those who died in same year as Richard
above, viz., 1647; probably Richard's father.

The ancestor of Windsor Bidwells was John\ proprietor at Hart-
ford, Conn., 1640, "by courtesie of the town;" tanner; married
Sarah (daughter of John) Wilcocks of Hartford, both members of
Second or South Church of Hartford, 1670. He died 1687 ; inventory
£419, 10, 6. She died 15 June, 1690. (See Mem. Hist. Hartford
County, I, p. 230.)

John2 (eldest son of above), married 1678, Sarah (daughter of
Thomas and Hannah Tuttle) Welles, thus granddaughter of Gov.



Three Hundred Colonial Ancestors and War Service 13

Welles and mentioned in his will. She died in 1708. He died 3 July,
1692; had six children, of whom the 6th, Jonathan^ born 1684;
died 1712; married Martha Butler, born 1688; died 1735. Of their
two children, the eldest,

Jonathan^, (first of the name at Wintonbury Parish, W.), married
Hannah Hubbard, born Aug., 1740, who died 26 Feb., 1794 (Wby.
Ch. Rec); he died 10 June, 1786, in 73d year; residence, Winton-
bury. Inscription on tombstone in Old Burying Ground of Blfd.,
"Mr. Jonathan Bidwell who departed this Hfe June ye 10th A.D.
1786 (in ye 73rd year of his Age.)

'Our life is ever on the wing, and Death is ever nigh:
The moment when our lives begin we all Begin to Die."

References: Burke's "Encyclopedia of Heraldry."

"History of Settlement of Hartford, Conn."
"Genealogy of the 1st 7 Generations of the BidweU Family in
America," by Edwin M. BidweU.

Summary of Ancestry :

1. Richard Bidwell, b. England; d. Dec. 25, 1647; m. .

2. Hannah Bidwell, b. Oct. 22, 1634; d. Oct. 7, 1657; m. Aug. 18, 1648,

James Eno, Sr., b. England, 1625; d. June 11, 1682.

3. James Eno, Je., b. Oct. 30; bapt. Nov. 2, 1651; d. July 16, 1714; m. Dec.

26, 1678, AbigaU BisseU, b. July 6, 1661; d. AprH 19, 1728.

4. Abigail End, b. March, 1696; d. ; m. April 5, 1707, Lieut. Samuel^

Phelps, b. Jan. 29, 1675.

5. Lieut. Samuel^ Phelps, b. April 5, 1708; d. Aug. 14/17, 1754; m. 1731,

Ruth Phelps, dau. of William and Ruth (Barber) Phelps.

6. Joel Phelps, b. 1732; d. ; m. Sept. 8, 1757, Jerusha Nash, b. Oct. 5,

1734; d. Sept. 20, 1813.

7. Phlneas Phelps, b. April 10, 1707; d. April 20, 1813; m. New Haven, Vt.,

Lydia Lawrence, b. Jan. 15, 1762; d. Sept. 20, 1813.

8. David Nash Phelps, b. Oct. 4, 1796; d. April 15, 1884; m. April 29, 1821,

Elizabeth Hungerford, b. Feb. 7, 1798; d. Jan. 7, 1878.

From here same as Summary of Arms Ancestry, 8th to 10th Generations;
Colonial Daughters of the 17th Century, p. 136, No. 772; and Daughters of the
American Colonists, 1931, pp. 26-36, No. 2089; ancestry traced by the author of
this book.



14 Three Hundred Colonial Ancestors and War Service



BIRD ANCESTRY



Axms — Argent, on a chevron engrailed
giiles between three lions rampant
sable as many fleurs-de-lis or.




^ir^



Bird Family in England

Names of animals have in all ages and among nearly all nations
been applied as sobriquets to individuals and then, in modern
times, have acquired the force of surnames and these have been
handed down hereditarily. Bird, a nickname, is from the Middle
EngHsh bird or brid, perhaps given to the original bearer because
of his singing propensities.

The Bird family in England is very ancient and widely dis-
tributed. Birds are or have been numerous in the counties of
Chester, Cumberland, Derby, Essex, Hereford, Oxford, Shropshire,
Warwick, Yorke. The ancestry of the Birds of Penrith, County
Cumberland, is traced to the year 1295. Father WilHam Bird,
a Benedictine monk, was a candidate for the degree of Bachelor
of Divinity at Oxford in 1504. Wood thinks his church was at
Bath, and that he died there May 22, 1525. His arms are curiously
carved in stone in this old church. There have been many famous
men of this surname in every generation of England since the
earhest records. David le Brid was of County Oxford in 1273.
Goeffrey Byrd was of County Salop in 1273. Henry le Brid was
of County Somerset, 1 Edward III (1327).

The Bird pedigree is found in an old pedigree in vellum in the
custody of Mr. James Bird, of Brogham. Henry Bird, of County
Cumberland, England, married Joan Beauchamp, daughter of
Thomas Beauchamp, of Little Croglin, County Cumberland. Their
son, Wilham Bird, of Little Croghn, County Cumberland, married
Joan Tindall, daughter and co-heir of John Tindall, of Northumber-



Three Hundred Colonial Ancestors and War Service 15



land County. Their son, William Bird, of Pireth, County Cum-
berland, was living in 1295. He married Emma Gospatrick,
daughter of Gospatrick, Knight, of Cumberland. Their son,
Adam Bird, of Pireth, married Joane Threlkeld, daughter of William
Threlkeld, of Yanworth, County Westmoreland. Their son,
William Bird, of Pireth, married the daughter of Thomas Martin-
dale, and had a son, Roger Bird, of Pireth. He married Jane
Crakenthorpe, daughter of John Crakenthorpe, of New Bigging,
County Westmoreland. They had three children, James, John
and Hugh.

The Birds of Worcester derive from the old family of Cumber-
land. They bear arms similar to the arms of the Birds of County
Cumberland. Henry Bird, of Bradforton, near Evesham, County
Worcester, was originally of the Bird family of Lincolnshire. He
married and was the father of Wilham Bird, born early in the
sixteenth century, who married Mary Rutter. From him descend
the Birds of Gloucester and the family that continued in Worcester.

Among the collateral branches of the Bird family are the Birds of
Gloucestershire, England, who descend from the Cumberland
family. Wilham Bird, of Bradford, County Worcester, married
Mary Rutter, the daughter of Michael Rutter. Their son, Wilham
Bird, of Evesham, County Worcester, married Anne Cox, daughter
of Robert Cox, of Castleton, County Worcester. Their son, Peter
Bird, of Wooton-under-Edge, County Gloucester, was born about
1570. He married Mary Foster, daughter of Humphrey Foster,
of County Gloucester. They were the parents of Mary, Anne,
Susan, Anthony, Gyles, Richard and Wilham.

The Birds of Cheshire trace to RandoU Bird, of Yowley, Cheshire,
who married Anne Merbury, daughter of Thomas Merbury, of
Merbury. Their son, Richard Bird, of Yowley, married the daugh-
ter of a Davenport, and had a son, Richard Bird, of Yowley, who
married the daughter of a Hocknell, of Duddon. Their son, John
Bird, of Yowley, married Anne Delves, daughter of John Delves,
of Delves Hall, and had John, Thomas and Richard.

John Bird, son of John and Anne (Delves) Bird, lived at Yowley.
His brother, Thomas Bird, established a branch of the family at
Crew, Cheshire, and his younger brother, Richard Bird, was also
of Cheshire. All of these sons of John and Anne (Delves) Bird
were living about 1500.

Another family of Birds in Cheshire was represented in 1580 in
the city of Chester by Wilham Bird, Alderman and Justice of the
Peace. Of him it is recorded: "In the which servyce (he) demeaned
hym selfe in sutche wise that bothe of her Majesties Counscell in
England and Irelande reported hym to bee a verey good subjecte,
a wyse man and a readye further(er) of her Majesties services."
He was the son of another William Bird, who was Mayor of Chester
in 1557, whose wife was Jane Norley, daughter of Raffe Norley, of
Eccleston, Cheshire. William (2) Bird married three times and had
children as follows: John, born about 1640; Richard, Jane, Alice,
Thomas, and Ellen.



16 Three Hundred Colonial Ancestors and War Service

The Birds of Yorkshire descend from George Burd (or Bird), of
New Castle, merchant, and at one time Mayor of New Castle. He
married ElHnor Harbottle, daughter of Sir Ralph Harbottle, and
had a son, Anthony. Anthony Bird married Hilton, daughter and
co-heir of Hugh Hilton, of Slingsby. Their children were: George,
Mark, Hugh, Henry, Isabel, Anne, Alice, Eleanor, and Elizabeth;
they were all born before 1600.

Descendants of Prudence Bird

Summary of Ancestry:

1. Prudence Bird, d. before May, 1671; m. Oct. 22, 1621, at St. Nichols

Bishops, Stratford, County Hereford, England, Martin Kellogg, bapt.
Nov. 23, 1596, , d. bet. May 20 and Sept. 20, 1671, .

2. Lieut. Joseph Kellogg, bapt. April, 1626, , d. Jan., 1708, ;

m. (2) May 9, 1667, Abigail Terry, b. Sept. 21, 1646, , d. (Living

in) 1715.

3. Elizabeth Kellogg, b. Oct. 9, 1673, d. July 4, 1750; m. Nov. 27, 1691,

at Hadley, Mass., Lieut. John Nash, b. Aug. 21, 1667, , d. Oct.

7, 1743, .

4. Samuel Nash, Esq., b. Jan. 29, 1709; m. Jan. 24, 1734, at Goshen, Conn.,

Margaret Merrill, b. June 6, 1709.

5. Jerusha Nash, b. Oct. 5, 1734, Goshen, Conn., d. 1796, Goshen, Conn.;

m. Sept. 8, 1757, Goshen or Farmington, Conn., Joel Phelps, b. 1732,
Windsor, Conn.

6. Lydia Lawrence, b. Jan. 15, 1762, prob. Canaan, Conn., d. Sept, 20, 1813,

in Stanbridge, Que.; m. New Haven, Vt., Phineas Phelps, b. April 10,
1767, at , d. April 20, 1813, at Stanbridge, Que.

7. Nash David Phelps, b. Oct. 4, 1796, New Haven, Vt., d. April 15, 1884,

Stanbridge, Que.; m. April 29, 1821, St. Armand West, Que., Elizabeth
Hungerford, b. New Fairfield, Conn., Feb. 7, 1798, d. Jan. 7, 1878,
North Stanbridge, Que.

Descendants of Joanna Arms of Yarmouth, 8th to 10th generations; Colon-
ial Daughters of the 17th Century, p. 146, No. 772; and Daughters of the Ameri-
can Colonists, 1931, pp. 29 to 36, No. 2089; ancestry traced by the author of this
book.



BIRDSEYE ANCESTRY

John Birdseye, the immigrant ancestor, was born in Berkshire,
England, and according to the account of Rev. Samuel Peters in
his "History of Hugh Peters, A.M.," printed in 1807, he was a
Puritan in England in 1636, and "emigrated to New Haven, Conn.,
with his 2 sons, one of whom settled at Middletown on the Con-
necticut river, the other at Stratford." The name of this traditional
brother of Deacon John Birdseye was probably Joseph (Edward).
The Glastonbury, Connecticut, records state that John Birdseye
died in 1649. He lived for a time in Wethersfield, Connecticut, but
later removed to Stratford. The hst of early settlers of Wethers-
field also states that he died in 1649.

Children:

John (known as Deacon).

Joseph (or Edward) had a family of dau. (tradition says), one of whom,
Katharine married Joseph Hawley.



Three Hundred Colonial Ancestors and War Service 17



"Original Lists of Persons of Quality who came from England to the American
Plantations," (p. 45) — John BeardsUe came in the Planter, April 2, 1655. Joseph
BeardsHe, Marie and William. "History of New Haven," by Atwater (p. 642) —

John Birdsie, 16 168-, one of list of residents of New Haven 1639-1646, also

Thomas Baker, New London (or Pequot), had served in 1637 in the Pequot War
when very young, in which he had a grant of land, was a Constable Md, 1669.
He removed to Haddam from which town he was Representative in 1669-70.

He left a widow, Hannah (1642-16—). (p. 718) Capt. John Beardsey, 16 1704,

Ruling Elder and Deacon in the Congo Church of Stratford. John Birdsey,
Thomas Wells, John Thompson and others from New Haven, 1675. John Beard-
sey, Samuel Gregory lived in Stratford, Golden Hill, 1686. (p. 419) John Beardsey,
Deacon 1678. (p. 376) Capt. John Beardsey, Continental Soldier. "Ye Historie
of Greenwich," by Spencer Mead (p. 79) — John Birdsee, 4th Regt., Capt. Thomas
Hobby, 1759, 2nd Lieut. Joseph Mead, also Ensign. "D. F. P. & A." (p. 98)—
Wilham Birdsley, Eng., d. 1659 or 1660; m. Mary. Joseph Beardsey, 1634-1712,
m. (1) Abigail or Phebe Dayton. He had a son John Beardsey, b. 1668, d. abt.
1735; m. Abigail Wakeman, 1665-1753.

Birdsey, Katherine, of Weth.; early rem. to Weth., from New
Haven; m. Joseph Hawley, of Stratford, Ct., who came there abt.
1639, from Roxbury, Mass., and who d. at S. 1690. The first ch.
of Joseph Hawley and Kath. Birdsey, was Samuel, b. 1647. (Note
by F. F. Starr.)

"The Geneal. Guide to Early Settlers of America," says (p. 41): that Dea.
John Birdsey is said to have come from Reading, Berkshire, Eng., to Am . 1636,
and sett, first in Weth., Ct., where he m. PhilUpe, dau. of Rev. Henry Smith.
(If this marr. be correctly given, it must have been to one of Rev. Smith's two
daus. by his first wife, who both m. and had ch. before their father's death,
their names being unknown.) See "Goodwin's Gen. Notes," H. R. S. Trad, says
his bro. (who may have been the father of the Kate above ment.) came to Weth.
with him and remarried and that his ch. were aU daus., and one of them m.
Joseph Hawley, first of the name in Stratford, Ct., where he came in 1649, from
Milford. See "Savage's Geneal. Diet. I, 183;" Orcutt's "Stratford, Ct."; Hin-
man's "Conn. Settlers," and note in "N, Y. Mail & Express," of April., 1903.

References: "Gen. Conn.," Vol III.

"Ancient Wethersfield, Conn.," Stiles: Vol. II, Biographies and
Genealogies, pp. 101-102.

See Summary of Ancestry of Joanna Arms of Yarmouth, 8th to 10th Gren-
erations; Colonial Daughters of the 17th Century, p. 146, No. 772; Daughters
of the American Colonists, 1931, pp. 29-36, No. 2089; ancestry traced by the
author of this book.

BISSELL ANCESTRY

The Coat-of-Arms described in Burk's "Complete Armory," and registered
at the CoUege of Heralds, is as follows:

Arms — Gules, on a bend, Argent; three escallops, sable.

Crest — A demi-eagle with wings displayed, sable, charged on the neck with
an escallop shell, orl.

Motto — In Recto Decus — Variously translated, "In Rectitude, Honor," and
"Honor is to be found on the straight road."

The Coat-of-Arms used by General Daniel Bissell and his descendants
varies from the original BisseU Coat-of-Arms in the shape of the shield and the
drawing of the eagle. These difi'erences are accounted for by the fact that the
descent is through a cadet house. The motto is Paratus et Fidelis — "Ready and
Faithful."

The name has many variations: BisseUe, Byssell, Bysselle, Bissel, Bessell;
Buissel is found in the Doomsday Book; Buscel, commonly Bushell; Buscall, a
Huguenot name in London, 1618; Bichell, Norman-French; Bushall, Bizzell,
Bisley, Bixley, Beasley, Bussell.



18 Three Hundred Colonial Ancestors and War Service



It has been proved that the family of Bissell is of Huguenot origin. The author
of the present record, in reading Volume II of Stiles' "Ancient Windsor," at the
New York Public Library, found an entry in pencil, evidently made by some other
searcher, reading, "John Bissell's Huguenot Bible in Weston, Pennsylvania."

The family of John Bissell, who settled in Windsor, Conn., is
the only Bissell family definitely known to have come to this country
and all the colonial families are descended therefrom.

("John Bissell, the Immigrant Ancestor and his family").

John Bissell was born in Somersetshire, Eng., 1590 or 1591,
died at Windsor, Conn., Oct. 3, 1677. He married, first, in England.
Neither the name nor the date of birth of this first wife is known and
her death is variously recorded as 1640, May 21, 1641 and 1642.
The "Abridged Compendium of American Genealogy," published
by A. N. Marquis & Co., Chicago, gives the name of his first wife as
Mary Drake, but this information may be erroneous, there being a
possibility that the name was confused with that of Mary, the eldest
daughter of John Bissell, who married Jacob Drake. John Bissell
was married a second time, but the name of his second wife in un-
known. In the "History and Genealogies of Ancient Windsor, Con-
necticut," by Henry R. Stiles, in the list of Deaths in Windsor in
1640, we find recorded the death of "John Bissell's wife," and, again
in 1665, "the wife of John Bissell, Senior." In the "Genealogical
Dictionary of New England," by James Savage, we find the follow-
ing, relating to John Bissell, Senior: "His widow died 21st day of
May following (the birth of Joyce in 164-) and his next widow died