John Bessey

John BESSEY was born about 1787/8 somewhere in NY. It is believed that he is the son of Philip BESSEY (1) and Sarah DUNHAM. He married Lucy BALDWIN, the daughter of Henry BALDWIN and Sarah ALLEN (2). Family records say they were married in Montezuma, NY about 1809/10 but no record has been found. John and Lucy were living in Junius, Seneca Co., NY in 1820 and Tyre, Seneca Co, NY in 1830 according to federal census records. John bought land in that county in 1820 and sold his land there in 1832 according to land records found at Waterloo, Seneca Co., NY.

John Bessey bought land in Washtenaw Co., MI in 1832 (3) and the obituary of their youngest son gives Grass Lake, MI as his birthplace. John and his family are found in the Wheatland Twp., Racine Co.,WI census in 1840 and land records show that John purchased land as early as 8 Nov 1842 (4). Although they did not move they are listed in Wheatland Twp, Kenosha Co., WI in 1850. John died 28 Apr 1852 in Kenosha Co., WI (5). Lucy died 22 Jul 18?1 according to her tombstone but no record of her has been found after 1850.

There are 11 known children of John and Lucy. His will lists seven of them and related papers mention Philip, Mrs. Cook and Mrs. Fay. It also states that one is in MI, one in IA and one in CA, the rest are still in WI.

  1. Amanda BESSEY b. ca 1810 in NY/CT. She married William SOLOMON after his first wife died about 1836. She died in Gaines Twp., Kent Co. MI on 5 May 1874. (6)

  2. Philip BESSEY b. ca 1813 in NY. He married Eveline Cecily ______ (possibly HUBBARD) before 1845. It is not known where or when he died. (7)

  3. Laura Ann BESSEY b. 25 Jan 1817 in Marcellus, Onandaga Co., NY. m. Caleb Woodword COOK on 15 Jun 1835 in Sharon, Washtenaw Co., MI. d. 3 Oct 1893 in Fremont, Dodge Co., NE and is buried in Ridge Cemetery in Fremont.(8)

  4. Lucy Maria BESSEY b. 5 May 1818 in NY. m. John WOODHOUSE 5 Mar 1844 in Racine Co., WI. Living in Kenosha Co., WI in 1860. (9)

  5. John BESSEY b. 1 Sep 1821-25 in Seneca Co., NY m. 1) Clarissa Faye OTTO before 1845 in WI. m2) Sarah FULLER 8 Dec 1858 in Buchanan Co., IA d. 14 Mar 1917 in the Soldier's Home near Grand Island, NE buried in Fullerton, Nance Co. NE (10)

  6. Julia Ann BESSEY b. 1 Jul 1823 in Seneca Co., NY. m.1)John W. FAY ca 1843 in WI. After he died in about 1868 in Burnett Twp, Dodge Co., MI m. 2) Cyrus B. VOORHEES in Buchanan Co., IA 7 (17)

  7. Marietta BESSEY b. 14 Aug 1824 in NY. m. Henry M. VARGASON on 6 Oct 1847 in Racine Co., WI. d. 9 Feb 1907 near Carns, Rock Co., NE (11)

  8. Sarah Elizabeth BESSEYb 26 Jul 1829 in NY m. 1) John F. C. VANNESS 10 Jun 1847 in Racine Co., WI living in Wheatland Twp., Kenosha Co., WI in 1850. He died in 1851 and she married 2) Reuben S. BASSETT on 6 Mar 1854 and was living in Randall Twp, Kenosha Co., WI in 1860 and 1870.(13) She died 28 Jul 1908 and is buried at Mound Prarie Cemetery, Randall Twp, Kenosha Co., WI.

  9. Lydia BESSEY b. 2 Aug 1830-32 in NY. m. 1) James PALMER on 13 Sep 1849 in Bloomfield, Walworth Co., WI. (16) James d. 10 Mar 1865 and she m. 2)Ferdinand VANDERBECK on 11 Jun 1865 in Kenosha Co., WI. d. 28 Jul 1891 in Oshkosh, Winnebago Co., WI. buried in Burlington town cemetery Racine Co., WI. (12)

  10. Charles Henry BESSEY b. 3 Sep 1836 in Grass Lake, Jackson Co., MI m. Adelaide A. CLOSSON 21 Jul 1873 in Cedar Falls, Black Hawk, IA d. 22 Feb 1907 in Buchanan Co., IA and is buried in Fontana Cemetery, Hazleton Twp., Buchanan Co., IA (14)

  11. Caroline BESSEY/BESSEE b. 22 Oct 1837 in MI. m. 1) Truman FISH 2) Ebenezer Howard HANCHETT on 25 Feb 1858 in Geneva, Walworth Co, WI. d. 20 Oct 1903 in Rudd, Floyd Co., IA. Buried in Ulster Cemetery south of Rudd. (15)

The order on the children is not certain. Guesses have been made from census records, obituaries and will records. Census records and a Bassett biography seem to indicate that there were 11 children. It seems that there were 8 girls and 3 boys.

I would also very much enjoy corresponding with descendants of the other children.

Sources:
1- Research by jnicholson@net1plus.com gives a sale of land previously owned by Philip Bessey that lists three Bessey men and their wives, among them are John and Lucy Bessey.

2 - "Baldwin Family Genealogy" by C. C. Baldwin

3 - Records of the Eastern Land Bureau found on the internet

4 - Records of the Eastern Land Bureau found on the internet

5 - Will of John Bessey and his tombstone in Wheatland Twp, Kenosha Co., WI

6 - listed in the "Baldwin Family Genealogy" information also from Chapman's History of Kent Co. MI as well as cemetery information on the Kent Co., MI USGENWEB page.

7 - listed in the "Baldwin Family Genealogy"

8 - information given in her obituary and a granddaughter, now deceased, gave family information that says she was married at the home of John Bessey in Sharon, Washtenaw Co., MI. Mrs. Cook is also listed as a daughter in John Bessey's misc. probate papers.

9 - Her birthdate is from records handed down in the Woodhouse family. John's Bessey's will lists daughter Lucy Woodhouse and the family is listed in Wheatland Twp, Kenosha Co., WI in 1850, and Randall Twp in 1860. Their marriage is found in Racine Co., WI marriages Vol 2 p 53 #38

10 - John is listed in his father's will. His obit gives a birthdate of 1 Sep 1821. The family is near John and Lucy in 1850. The second marriage record is found in Buchanan Co., IA records and the death information is from his obituary.

11 - Marietta is listed in her father's will. Her birthdate is from her obituary, her marriage date from Racine Co., WI records Vol 1 p 76 and her death from her obituary.

12 - Lydia is listed in her father's will as Lydia Palmer and is listed in the 1850 census of Kenosha with husband James, her second marriage date is given in "History of Racine & Kenosha Co., WI" 1881 p 731 and her death in Winnebago Co., WI records Vol 2 p 169.

13 - Sarah is listed in her father's will. Her birth and death date are from cemetery stone, her first marriage is found in Racine Co.,WI records Vol 1 p 70. Her second marriage is in Kenosha Co., WI records Vol 2 p 18 #53.

14 - Charles is listed in his father's will. His birth and death information is given in his obituary the Independence Bulletin-Journal Thurs. Feb 28 1907. The marriage is found in Black Hawk Co., IA records.

15 - Caroline is listed in her father's will. Her birth is listed in her family bible. Her first marriage is from family records and her second is found in Walworth Co., WI records. Her death information is from her obituary and Floyd Co., IA records.

16 - Walworth Co. marriages from 1835 - 1853 p 355 17 - Misc. papers in John Bessey's probate list a daughter Mrs. Fay. One of her daughters in the IA 1925 census gives her mother's last name as Bessey. Two of the other Bessey girls also named daughters Julia. Julia's death certificate from LeSueur, MN lists her father as John Bessey

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