Several different birth dates have been reported for Robert. His death certificate says he was 78 years, 4 months, and 12 days old when he died on May 9, 1884. This would indicate a birth date in about December 1805. A christening record for Robert exists in Doddington parish, Cambridge, England, April 3, 1808.
Robert's parents were William Sisson, born abt 1775 in England, died 18 June 1832 in England; and Mary Winn, born abt 1778 in England, died 10 Feb 1876 in England.
Many family members are buried in Manny Cemetery.
Historical excerpts contributed by Virginia Wood:
FROM: "History of Stephenson Co. Illinois 1880" Chicago: Western Historical Society published 1880 by M. H. Tilden.
Page 674
ROBERT SISSON, farmer, sec. 23; P.O. Lena; born March 28, 1814, in Cambridgeshire, England; in 1843, he came to Stephenson Co., where he has since resided; he owns 225 acres of land. His brother, William, was born in June, 1812, and has been a resident of this county the past thirty-nine years; he entered this land from the Government, and has since lived here. He married Miss Mary A. Foreman in 1843; she was born in 1824, in Cambridgeshire, England; they have eleven children -- William, Robert, Mary Ann, Ruth, Rebecca, Susan, Jane, Christopher, John P., Moses, and Joshua; his son William enlisted in 1862, in Co. I. V. I. and served to the end of the war; his eyesight is very much injured from exposure when in the service.
FROM: PORTRAIT & BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM OF STEPHENSON COUNTY IL.
BY: CHAPMAN, BROS. 1885
(PAGES 264 & 265)
Robert SISSON, deceased, late of Waddams Township, was born in Cambridgeshire, England, Nov. 8, 1811. He was the son of William and Mary (Winn) Sisson. His father held the position of steward of a large farm, where he spent his entire life. As soon as Robert was large enough, he was put to work to assist in maintaining the family. For his first services he received the insignificant sum of threepence a day; however, his wages were increased from time to time until he was enabled to earn £10 a year.
In 1843 Robert came to America. At the time he landed in New York he was yet indebted for his passage over the briny deep. First going to Schenectady, N. Y., where he worked a few months, he earned sufficient money to pay the passage for himself and wife to Stephenson County, Ill. Here he was so fortunate as to find immediate employment on a farm. After working for some time he began farming for himself, settling on the farm on which he resided at his death. When he first located there, but a few acres of land were broken, but he set to work with a will and soon had placed quite a large farm under cultivation, erecting suitable farm buildings, including a commodious stone house. After a life of usefulness, he died May 10,1884. The maiden name of his wife was Mary A. Foreman; she was also a native of Cambridgeshire, England.
Robert Sisson's brother, William, also arrived from England and located in Stephenson County in 1840, since which time he has been a prominent citizen of Waddams Township, and has done much toward placing that township among the foremost farming communities in the United States.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Sisson were eleven in number, and in the order of their ages are as follows: William W., living in Waddams Township; Robert living in Nemaha County, Neb.; Mary A., the wife of Alfred A. Foreman, living in Friend, Saline Co., Neb.; Christopher, also living in Saline County, Neb. Peter, residing in Waddams Township Rebecca, who lives on the old homestead; Ruth, who married Albert Van Epp, lives in Waddams Township; Susan, the wife of James Ferguson, lives in Merrick County, Neb.; Moses, who also lives in Nebraska; Joshua, living in Waddams Township, and Jane, who still remains on the old homestead.
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Robert and Mary and their family are listed in the following censuses in Waddams township, Stephenson Co., Illinois:
1850 census: Wadam township, household 1073/1071, p. 318.
1860 census: Waddams township, household 2358/2243, p.307, value of real estate 6000, value of personal estate 800.
1870 census: Waddams township, household 72/76 (spelled Cisson)
1880 census: Waddams township, Stephenson Co., Illinois, p. 298B, household 126/130.
In the 1860 census, Robert's brother William, age 55, is in the household, value of real estate 2500, value of personal estate 400.
In the 1880 census, Robert's brother William, single and age 76, born in England, was living in the household.
