the immigrant 1666
Nicholas Sessoms ca 1646 – 1716| parents
& Hannah Culmer ca 1646 – bef 1693 | parents
& Katherine ? – aft 1716 | parents
of England & Surry Co, VA
This is my working hypothesis – the way I see it as of this moment!!
“The surname Sessoms appears to be a variation of Sessions, which in English means ‘one who came from Soissons,’ a city of France situated about 65 miles northeast of Paris on the left bank of the Aisne River. . . We can further assume that the first Sessoms arrived [in England] during the Norman conquest [1066]. There appears to be no connection between the Sissons and the Sessoms [in Virginia]; but the name as Sessoms and Sessums was the same name, the difference in spelling being the failure to close the o by the clerks keeping records.” James E Morgan Jr
est 1646 – Nicholas Sessoms was born in England.
1666 – Nicholas Sessoms arrived in the colony of Virginia from Bristol, England as a servant, worked for Arthur and Alice Allen for four years and became a free man after he discharged all claims and debts in 1670. [from a deposition that is recorded in Surry County Order Book 1691-1712 page 352.]
1670 – Mrs. Alice Allen on March 9 1670 discharged Nicholas Sessums of all claims of debts. This is in Surry County Record Book I page 405.
est 1671 married Hannah Culmer, the widow of Robert Lane and daughter of Thomas Culmer
ca 1677 – son Thomas Sessoms is born.
Nicholas Sessoms patented about 1800 acres of land located on Pigeon Creek and Black Water River using headrights [50 acres of land for each person brought into the colony.] In 1710 – He received 50 acres of land for importation of himself to the colony.
Nicholas Sessoms was one of the two Wardens in Lawne’s Creek Parrish.
Nicholas Sessoms married first Hannah Culmer, the widow of Robert Lane and daughter of Thomas Culmer
1793 – Nicholas Sessoms was married 2nd to Katherine.
[I suspect daughter Ann is the child of Katherine]
1716 – Nicholas Sessums died in 1716 Surry Co, VA.
Children of Nicholas Sessoms and Hannah Culmer:
1. Thomas Sessoms ca 1677 Surry County, VA – ca 1711 Chowan Co, NC
married Elizabeth Smith
a. Thomas Sessoms
b. Nicholas Sessoms
c. Richard Sessoms
d. Culmer Sessoms
e. Samuel Sessoms
2. Mary Sessoms 1687 – 1742 Isle of Wight Co VA
married Jan 1704 William Blake 1677 – 1746
a. Hannah Blake bef 1716 –
?married aft 1716 John Mitchell d 1740 Bertie Co will
i. John Mitchell
ii. Mary Mitchell
iii. William Mitchell
iv. James Mitchell
v. Isaac Mitchell
vi. Elizabeth Mitchell
vii. Thomas Mitchell
b. Mary Blake bef 1716 –
c. John Blake bef 1716 –
?Child of Nicholas Sessoms and wife Katherine:
3. Ann Sessoms ca 1694 – bef 1740
married William Williams will 1740 Surry Co VA
a. William Williams bef 1716 –
b. Katherine Williams bef 1716 –
c. Mary Williams bef 1716 –
d. Anne Williams
e. John Williams
f. Hannah Williams
g. Unity Williams
h. Faith Williams
i. Lewis Williams
j. Eliza Williams
k. Hester Williams
l. Lydia Williams
Purported Child of Robert Lane and Hannah Culmer:
1. Eliza Lane
ca 1646 – Hannah Culmer is the daughter of Thomas Culmer.
1662 – This is shown in a deed from Thomas Culmer to his daughter Hannah Lane, wife of Robert Lane Deed Book 1, page 198, 6 Nov 1662.
1666 – Hannah is mentioned in a deed dated 2 May 1666 Deed Book 1 page 276 as wife of Robert Lane.
1668 – Robert Lane’s name appears on the List of Tithables for the year 1668 but is not found in the records after this date. It is assumed he died.
It is believed that Hannah then married Nicholas Sessums as his first wife. It is shown in a court order Book 1671-1691 page 77 that Eliza Lane [presumably Hannah and Robert’s daughter] was living in the household of Nicholas Sessums. The order reads:
January 1690 – “Eliza Lane having been delivered of two mulatto bastard children which she confesseth were begotten by Nicholas Sessum’s Negro man, it is ordered that the sheriff during the setting of this court give her ten lashes on her bare back well layed on and at the next court he give her ten lashes more.”
Hannah and Nicholas had two daughters that were recorded in Book 7 page 33. One daughter named Mary married to William Black [Blake] and another daughter Ann married to William Williams. Nicholas and Hannah also had a son Thomas Sessoms who died before his father Nicholas. Thomas is shown on the Tithables list [1693] for Lawnes Creek Parish living in the household of his father. Hannah Culmer Lane Sessoms died before 1693 by that time Nicholas was married to Katherine [maiden name unknown].
Katherine is first mentioned in a court suit in July 1693 in Surry County along with her husband Nicholas Sessoms. Katherine is shown in May 1704 [Order Book 1691-1713] relinquishing her rights to dower on land Nicholas gave to his daughter Ann Williams and Katherine is named as wife in Nicholas will.
e-mail from B Crowder In the Wills and Administrations of Surry County, Virginia the will of Nicholas Sessums is abstracted incorrectly. In the original will there is no mention of a daughter Hannah. Hannah Black/Blake is the granddaughter of Nicholas Sessums and in the will he refers to Hannah as his granddaughter several times. The three children of Nicholas and Hannah Culmer Lane Sessums as named in the will are Thomas, Ann, and Mary. Mary Sessums married William Blake. Further documentation of this fact is found in Surry County Virginia Deed Book 5, page 302. “Nicholas Sessims [sic] of Lawnes Creek Parish, to his daughter, Mary Blake the wife of William Blake of the same, for Love and Affection” was recorded 2 May 1704.
Will of Nicholas Sessoms – 8 Oct 1715 – Prob: 21 Oct 1716 Surry Co VA Ct
— to wife, Katherine, for life, the plantation I live on – 300 acres – at her decease
to my daughter, Hannah Black, and for want of issue to granddaughter, Mary Black.
apparently an error in the transcription Black should be read as Blake.
— to granddaughter Hannah Black, doz. spoons, trunk, household goods, an Indian girl, etc. if she dies or marry before of age, to go to my granddaughter Mary Black.
— to daughter Ann Williams, two barrels of pork.
— to daughter Mary Black, a negro called “Isle of Wight” etc
— to son in law, William Williams, after my wife’s decease one negro
— to grandson William Williams my land at, or near, Marshapingo.
— to grandson John Black, land on the south side of Bridge Swamp, if no heirs to granddaughter, Mary Black.
— to granddaughter Katherine Williams my Plantation on Pegion Swamp, 200 acres, if no issue to my granddaughter, Mary Williams.
— to son in law William Black, all my leather.
— to two sons in law, William Williams and Wm. Black, all my wearing clothes to be equally divided.
— to friend Ethelred Taylor, five pounds.
— to wife, Katherine and two sons in law all the rest of est. to be equally divided.
— desires granddaughters to be well educated by Ethelred Taylor, Hannah and Mary Black, and take over the Plantation after my death. He to be overseer of will, with two sons in law.
WIT: Samuel Cook, John High, Mary Evans, Book 7, page 33.
| Surry County Va court records 1691 – 1700 Bk V: Certificate is granted to William Williams to the secretaries office for fifty acres of land for the importation into this colony of George Wynns, he having made the oath as law directs.Also Surry County tithables for 1700 Nicho Sesoms 3 Thos. Sessoms 1 Wm Williams, George Wynns 2 1703 Thos Sessoms 2 Wm Williams, George Wynns 2 John Baker 1 |
contributed by James Hollomon
| Children of John Mitchell [d 1739 Bertie Co] and wife Hannah 1. John Mitchell 2. Mary Mitchell 3. William Mitchell 4. James Mitchell 5. Isaac Mitchell 6. Elizabeth Mitchell 7. Thomas Mitchell“records suggest ………. Hannah [Black/Blake] married John Mitchell. This assumption is based on the fact that Hannah is mentioned as the wife of John Mitchell in a Bertie Deed dated 7 Sept 1724, between John Mitchell and Dennis McLenden. Also, the Chowan County deed books show that John Mitchell bought 100 acres from Nicholas Sessoms Jr. [son of Thomas] joining George Winns, Black Haw branch and Wickaneuse Creek commonly called Bear Swamp. [Chowan Co Book B #1 p 16] This deed places John Mitchell in the same location where the Sessoms, James Boon and George Wynn settled when they left Surry County. Hannah is shown as the Executrix of the Estate of John Mitchell in the Bertie County Court of Common Pleas 1739. [Bk 1 p 275] and in the May Ct of 1740 John Mitchell’s estate was divided between the widow and seven orphans [Bk II p 283] and in the Nov Ct of 1740 the division of the Estate of John Mithell was returned by Benjamin Warren, John Perry and Nicholas Sessoms. [Bk II p 305] ” James E Morgan Jr Hmmm….perhaps the wife of John Mitchell is the daughter Hannah Black – there appears to be enough time for the early marriages of those days. smk. |
For the husband of Hannah Sessoms, try looking at William Blake. William Blake was the son of Thomas Blake and Alice (?Champion?). Diane Fanning Fayetteville, NC
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Will of William Williams 17 Nov 1740 Prob: 16 April 1741 Surry Co Ct
— to son Lewis Williams, 40 acres adjoining his own land up Wet Slash to Green Swamp.
— to daughter Hester my plantation where I live with one-half the remaining part of land and one negro.
— son William to have the use of the other part of the land for seven years then to my daughter Lydia.
— Gives Lydia into the care of Wm. Newsum’s wife until of age or married and teach her to read the Catechism
— to daughters Anne, Katherine, Mary, Hannah, Unity and Faith, each five shillings.
— sons John and William – five shillings each
— mentions five children, Lewis, Wm., Eliza, Lidia, and Hester
EX: friend Wm. Edwards and son Lewis Williams
WIT: Wm Edwards, John Johnson book 9 – p 294
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This sketch is based on abstracted records of Surry [VA] and Chowan Counties.
and the work of James E Morgan Jr. plus additional notes from William LaMartin and Shirley Roman