3355. Permelia Jane OSBORN [scrapbook] (Lydia SISSON , John , John , Giles , Thomas , George , Richard ) was born 12 Jul 1830 in Switzerland Co., Indiana. She died 24 Feb 1912 in Switzerland Co., Indiana and was buried in Salem Cemetery, Ripley Co., Indiana.

A funeral home paper shows "Permelia Jane Jackson"'s birth and death dates and gives her age at death as 81 yrs, 7 mo, 12 d. She is listed in David and Joan Sisson's "Descendants of Richard and Mary Sisson" as Jane Osborne, page 156, under her mother Lydia Sisson's record. Most records show her as Permelia Jane. She lived near Arron, Switzerland County, Indiana. The town was named for Aaron Osborn, but it no longer exists today (1999). Members of the Jackson and Osborne family lived in Pleasant Township near the Ripley County line. They owned much of the land around Aaron, Indiana.

Permelia married George W. JACKSON on 5 Oct 1848 in Switzerland Co., Indiana. George was born 4 Feb 1827 in Bath Co., Ohio. He died 17 Dec 1877 in Switzerland Co., Indiana and was buried in Salem Cemetery, Ripley Co., Indiana.

3361. Hannah Harriet SISSON [scrapbook] (Daniel Higby , John , John , Giles , Thomas , George , Richard ) was born 6 May 1822 in Switzerland Co., Indiana. She died 17 Nov 1909 in Eskridge, Wabaunsee Co., Kansas.

Harriett was a war widow with eight children when she settled near Eskridge, Kansas.

Hannah married George A. PRATT on 22 Dec 1846 in Vevay, Switzerland Co., Indiana. George was born 1810. He died 27 Mar 1863.

3365. Zenas Lawyer SISSON (Daniel Higby , John , John , Giles , Thomas , George , Richard ) was born 10 May 1830 in Switzerland Co., Indiana. He died 20 Mar 1904 in Ollie, Keokuk Co., Iowa and was buried in Ollie Cemetery.

Zenas married Sarah E HEADY. Sarah was born 16 Dec 1819. She died 20 Apr 1896 in Ollie, Keokuk Co., Iowa and was buried in Ollie Cemetery.

3366. Henry Eves SISSON (Daniel Higby , John , John , Giles , Thomas , George , Richard ) was born 1 Apr 1833 in Switzerland Co., Indiana. He died 1901 in Luray, Clark Co., Missouri.

Henry married Margaret Ann MOYER, daughter of George MOYER and Margaret, on 27 Aug 1851 in Vevay, Switzerland Co., Indiana. Margaret was born 21 Oct 1832 in Lycoming Co., Pennsylvania. She died 26 Apr 1908 in Sisson farm, north of Luray, Clark Co., Missouri.

3367. Wilson Crandall SISSON [scrapbook] (Daniel Higby , John , John , Giles , Thomas , George , Richard ) was born 30 May 1834 in Switzerland Co., Indiana. He died 12 Aug 1922 in Baldwin City, Douglas Co., Kansas.

Date of marriage from son Thomas Eddy Sisson's autobiography. Thomas wrote that the family moved to Kansas in 1870 in two covered wagons. Phebe's parents, four brothers, and one sister had preceded them in the move to Kansas and had settled southwest of Topeka, in Lyon County. The Sissons left Iowa on March 17 and arrived at the Cabbage cabin in Lyon County between 3 and 4 weeks later, only to learn that Phebe's mother had died during the Sissons' first week on the road. The Sisson family lived in the Cabbage cabin until Wilson acquired land in neighboring Waubaunsee County and built a cabin there near Wilmington.

Wilson married Phebe Ann CABBAGE [scrapbook], daughter of Arnold Franklin CABBAGE and Margaret CONDREAY, on 7 Dec 1854 in Ioka, , Iowa. Phebe was born 22 Feb 1836 in Terre Haute, Vigo Co., Indiana. She died 1923 in Baldwin City, Douglas Co., Kansas.

3368. Thomas Heady SISSON (Daniel Higby , John , John , Giles , Thomas , George , Richard ) was born 30 May 1836 in Switzerland Co., Indiana. He died 29 Dec 1911 in Brookeville, Jefferson Co., Iowa.

Thomas has been reported married to "Margaret." He (they?) lived in Harveyville, Kansas.

Thomas married Mary Ellen LEWMAN, daughter of David LEWMAN and Catherine DIXON, on 17 Feb 1859 in Keokuk, Lee Co., Iowa. Mary was born 13 Feb 1841. She died 18 Feb 1883 in Brookeville, Jefferson Co., Iowa.

3369. Jane Mary SISSON [scrapbook] (Daniel Higby , John , John , Giles , Thomas , George , Richard ) was born 10 Feb 1839 in Switzerland Co., Indiana. She died 8 Mar 1908.

Jane and Washington lived in Iowa and Missouri. She had red hair.

Jane married Washington BOWMAN on 18 Jan 1858 in Keokuk, Lee Co., Iowa. Washington was born 6 Jul 1830. He died 26 Dec 1903 in Wayne Co., Iowa.

3370. James Jones SISSON "Jim" (Daniel Higby , John , John , Giles , Thomas , George , Richard ) was born 13 Feb 1841 in Vevay, Switzerland Co., Indiana. He died 2 Jul 1929 in Harveyville, Wabaunsee Co., Kansas.

James and Katie moved to a farm northwest of the present town of Harveyville, Kansas, in January 1871. At that time the country was open prairie and the nearest village was the little settlement of Burlingame, an important spot on the Santa Fe Trail. During their first winter, Indians were plentiful and killed a deer just east of their house, bringing a generous part of it to the family. 1874 was the year of the grasshopper invasion and the year prairie fires burned many buildings of the settlers, including James' barn. Katie died of pneumonia in February 1874, and was buried in the Harveyville cemetery. The following winter, James returned to Iowa with his four small children but came back to Kansas. In 1876, his parents moved to Kansas, and several of his sisters and his brother Wilson. James built a new barn in 1889, still used in the 1950s.

At 6:00 in the evening, July 2, 1929, after reading his paper all afternoon, James went for a walk to the garden and orchard. He dropped dead a few minutes after returning to the house.

In 1925 or so the editor of the Harveyville, Kansas, newspaper asked the few remaining old soldiers to write up their war records. This is James Jones Sisson's story: "I enlisted in Co. D, 13th Iowa Infantry, mustered in U.S. Army October 21, 1861, at Davenport, Iowa. Went to St Louis, from there to Jefferson City, drilled until March. Then went by way of St Louis to Pittsburg Landing (also known as Shiloh), arriving April 1, 1862. At 7 o'clock the 6th of April the long roll for battle sounded. We went into battle without breakfast, and had nothing to eat until 10 o'clock the next day. The 13th Iowa lost 127 men, killed and wounded. We fought all day Sunday and until 3 o'clock Monday before the enemy gave way. They having lost their greatest General, Albert Sidney Johnson, at the close of battle. The 13th, 15th, and 16th Iowa were organized and called Crocker's Brigade, and remained so for the remainder of the war. We dug breastworks and skirmished for about a month and helped take Corinth. We then went to Bolivar and battled with Price and Vandorn, then retreated. Went back to Corinth, and fought Price and Vandorn on the 3rd of October, the fight lasted all day. We then started with Grant to take Vicksburg. Got as far as Oxford, Miss., then fell back by way of Memphis. Then went down the Mississippi to Milligins Bend. There we worked on Grant's canal until May 1, 1863. We marched across the country to Haynes Bluff on the Lousiana side, then went from there to Port Gibson, Miss. From there to Champion Hill. Had a battle and took 6,000 prisoners. Pemberton on retreat to Vicksburg, where we surrounded him about the 20th of May. The siege lasted until the 4th of July 1863, when Pemberton surrendered to Grant 33,000 men. After the surrender we fought Joe Johnson at Jackson, Miss. Then went back to Vicksburg and patrolled the city. In Feb 1864 we reenlisted. In March I got a 30 day furlough and went home to Iowa (Ioka, Keokuk Co., Iowa). We joined Sherman's army at East Point, Tenn. April 1, 1864. The next engagement was at Kenesaw Mountain. From there to Nickajack Creek July 5. On the 20th we fought up Cold Hollow. General Gresham lost his leg that day. The 21st we made a charge up Bald Hill. Lost 120 men. The 22nd we occuped the extreme left of Sherman's army at Atlanta, Ga. Were engaged until 4 o'clock, then were cut off and surrounded and started on our way to Andersonville. Remained a prisoner until April 16, 1865, then released near Jacksonville, Florida. Weight when captured 180 lbs, when released 115 lbs. Discharged August 26, 1865 at Davenport, Iowa. Written by James Jones Sisson."

Notes copied from James Jones Sisson's obituary: "Mr. Sisson was one of the remaining seven veterans of the great Civil War living in this community, having enlisted in Co. D, 13th Iowa Infantry, Oct 21, 1861 at Davenport, Iowa. He served his country faithfully with this company for three long years, enduring all the hardships of those strenuous campaigns. The principal engagements in which he participated were the battles of Corinth, Vicksburg, and Shiloh. After a short furlough he reenlisted, in February 1864, and started with Sherman on his famous march to the sea. While on this march at Atlanta on July 22 he was captured by the enemy and taken to prison, spending a little time in Libby prison, but the greater part of the next nine months in Andersonville prison. With some of his comrads, he made his escape from this horrible life, but after a few days of wandering, hunger drove them out in search of food, and they were recaptured and held prisoners until April 16, 1865. He was honorably discharged from service August 26, 1865."

Personal notes from his granddaughter Margaret: "Grandpa was there at Andersonville prison when the spring broke out one morning, after the men had prayed for rain. Grandpa spent his last $5 for a chicken back. The guards would sell them a few bites of food, for terrible prices, but refused the wagon loads of fruit and vegetables the local people brought to the gates." "When he got a few days to go home, he was promised $100 for each new recruit he brought back. So uncle Wilson went and Grandpa gave the $100 to Aunt Phoebe Ann. They were side by side when the fight started and a bullet took the end of Wilson's trigger finger. Grandpa told him to run hard for the back and the surgeons. He was sent home and Grandpa was captured."

James' great-grand-nephew, Dr. S. Hull Sisson, recalled a visit to Uncle Jim in 1928, Jim told about prison life "as bad as pictured. He had a large panorama of Andersonville on the summer kitchen wall and he told me conditions were about like the one pictured, with shelter only from what the men had and food (coarse ground corn meal) scooped from the wagon box like corn to the hogs into feed bunks. The worst part about the food was that they never rinsed out the floor of the wagon bed and it soured and mixed with the next day's quota."

Thanks to Mary Jo Sisson March and Barbara Ramos for transcribing and sending this material.

Jim married (1) Kate Bell SUTHERLAND "Katie" in 1865. Katie was born 1847 in Glasgow, , Lanarkshire, Scotland. She died 19 Feb 1874 in Harveyville, Wabaunsee Co., Kansas.

Katie was born in Scotland and after the death of her father, came with her mother and sisters Mary and Hattie to America.

Jim also married (2) Mary Annie STINSON "Annie", daughter of Joseph George W STINSON and Sarah Ann DUNMIRE, on 22 Dec 1882 in Alma, Kansas. Annie was born 11 Mar 1850 in Mercer Co., Pennsylvania. She died 15 Jul 1926 in Harveyville, Wabaunsee Co., Kansas and was buried in Harveyville Cemetery, Harveyville, KS.

Mary had auburn hair. She came to Kansas with her parents by covered wagon in 1858. They settled on a claim in the Elm Creek community northeast of Admire, Kansas. She attended school at the Kansas State Normal in Emporia, graduating in 1874. She taught the first school in Admire and continued to teach until her marriage. The family home was destroyed by fire in 1901 and rebuilt the following summer. Annie suffered a stroke in 1926 and died within an hour. She was buried in Harveyville.

Annie's daughter recalled the following incident from about 1901:

Katie was 14 years old and Little Frank Davis was 8 years old when Annie Sisson took them with her, in a buggy with a team of horses, to go to Eskridge to stay all night with Frank and Emma Penrice (Annie's sister). As they went thru Bradford (a very small place, store, blacksmith shop is all that I ever remember being there-about 2 to 3 miles from where Annie lived) a merchant had some things on a wheel barrow by the RR tracks - when he started up one of Annie's horses shied and the strap that held the neck yoke broke and the horse started to run-so both horses ran. They turned in at the church (near) and as they came out they hit the stile and threw Annie, Katie and Frank out. Annie had the lines so they pulled her over the dashboard. Katie fell out one side and Frank Davis fell out the back.(He said he went to seleep for awhile-so he must knocked out for a short time). Dr. Trivett came to see Annie and put her left arm back in place. Willis came down with a load of hay on the wagon and they lifted Annie, mattress an all onto the wagon to take her home. She was in bed 17 weeks. She had a broken back.

3372. Martha Angeline SISSON (Daniel Higby , John , John , Giles , Thomas , George , Richard ) was born 12 Nov 1847 in Switzerland Co., Indiana. She died 29 May 1911 in Victor, Colorado.

Marth'a descendant Wilma Martha says that Martha was born Jan 12, 1847, according to a family Bible. She and her family settled near Eskridge, Kansas, probably in the 1870s. Martha and James were separated.

Martha married James E. WIDNER, son of Emanuel WIDNER and Thurza CONDRA, on 20 May 1865 in Daniel Sisson's home, Keokuk Co., Iowa. James was born 31 May 1846 in Know Co., Illinois. He died 17 Jun 1917 in Topeka, Kansas.

3373. Margaret Eveline SISSON (Daniel Higby , John , John , Giles , Thomas , George , Richard ) was born 28 Jan 1851 in Switzerland Co., Indiana. She died 12 Feb 1885.

Margaret Eveline, her husband and son lived a mile west of Harveyville, Kansas.

Margaret married Washington HAWK on 5 Mar 1868 in Keokuk, Lee Co., Iowa. Washington died after 1885.

3374. Daniel Wright SISSON (Zenus L. , John , John , Giles , Thomas , George , Richard ) was born 16 Sep 1827 in Bennington, Switzerland Co., Indiana. He died 19 Apr 1917 in Oakland, Alameda Co., California.

According to an article ["Progressive Men of Iowa" p 147] about Eugene Robert Sisson, Daniel Wright Sisson's son, Daniel was a "former school-teacher in Rising Sun, Ind., who later became a merchant and engaged in the milling business at Mason, Effingham County, Ill. He was married to Margaret B. Gibson, whose parents died when she was quite young and left her with the care of bringing up three younger brothers. She brought up nine children of her own to maturity, each one making a living, as he was taught, by the hand of honest toil. She was and is one of the most devoted and conscientious of Christian mothers. The Sisson family came from Otsego county, New York, and settled in Ohio and Indiana and later in Effingham county, Illinois. Five brothers of Daniel Sisson were in the union army while he cared for their families, and from his mill furnished bread for all the needy who applied." In 1904 he and his family moved to Oakland, California. Sources: birth, marriage, and death certificates; a genealogy by son Ernest written in the 1930s; family data from Margaret Ann (Sisson) Colman of Gig Harbor, Washington; Mason Twp, Effingham County, Illinois 1880 census.

Daniel married Margaret Brown GIBSON, daughter of Robert GIBSON and Harriet BROWN, on 18 Sep 1851 in Mt. Sterling, Ohio Co., Indiana. Margaret was born 19 Nov 1828 in Mt. Sterling, Ohio County, Indiana. She died 18 Dec 1921.

3375. Zenas Bassett SISSON (Zenus L. , John , John , Giles , Thomas , George , Richard ) was born 9 Oct 1829 in Bennington, Switzerland Co., Indiana. He died 9 Jan 1906 in Garnett, Anderson Co., Kansas.

Zenas and Catherine lived in Dearborn County, Indiana.

Zenas married Catherine SHADDAY on 30 Jan 1851 in Switzerland Co., Indiana. Catherine was born Sep 1834 in Switzerland Co., Indiana.

Catherine was daughter of a Revolutionary soldier who lived 107 years.