Sessoms: Early Texas Settlers Research of the SESSOMS/SESSUMS family line has yet to reveal the parents of Michael Sessom (1811-1876) or any documented siblings. The Sessoms/Sessums on this page are included because we feel that evenutally they will all fall into place.

These Sessoms all appear in Texas as early as 1830:

Not much is known about Ellis. We do know that he arrived in Texas in 1831, served as part of the same surveying team as Michael Sessoms and served in the Army. He received a land grant of 1/3 league in Washington County, TX which he sold to Eubanks & White (Feb 1838) and was part of Robertson's suit for colonization 1831-1833. He married between the date of his immigration and the date of the land grant issue (1831-1838). From a receipt for the purchase of goods from Thomas Graves, Ellis may have been a Doctor. I believe he married Nancy Williams (born abt 1815, daughter of John "Cherokee" Williams). Ellis signed as witness to land documents signed by William Williams (uncle to Nancy) and William Elliott (uncle to Nancy) in the Williams Settlement, Nacogdoches District in 1836.

Probate records in Hays Co., TX indicate that the estate of Ellis Sessoms was probated in Milam Co., TX on 29 Nov 1845, giving Michael Sessom guardianship of his estate and the minor, John Green Sessom. Therefore, the working theory is that Michael and Ellis were brothers, arriving in Texas together. Ellis married Nancy Williams about 1835/1836 and he died in 1845 with Nancy having already died.

1. JOHN GREEN SESSOMS was born abt 1837 and married Martha Barnes 30 Sept 1858 in Hays Co., TX. I believe this John is shown living in the household of Michael Sessom in 1850 Hays Co., TX. He is the same age as Michaels son John Nelson Sessom and I suspect may have been adopted or taken in by Michael. John nad Martha had five known children:

1. Ellis Sessoms (1859)
2. Mary Sessoms (1866)
3. Eva Sessoms (1868)
4. Emma Sessums (1872)
5. James R. Sessums (1872
   

   BIOGRAPHICAL and HISTORICAL NOTES: 1. 1830 Citizens of Texas, Gifford White 2. First Settlers of Washington County, TX, Gifford White 3. Papers concerning Robertson Colony in Texas Vol. VII , Malcolm D. McLean 4. Washington Co., TX Taxable Property List, 20 Nov 1838. 5. "This I Convey" Deed Book A, Nacogdoches County, TX 1837, transcribed by K.H. Davis and L. E. Devereaux 6. Washington County, TX Deed Abstracts, p. 223 Abstracted by Joyce Murray. 7. John G. Sessoms served the Confederate Army in Company "B", Willis Battalion Cavalary for about three years. He applied for a Confederate Pension 10 July 1899 at age 62, with his physical health described as "almost blind and mostly deaf and rheumatism." Application was approved 22 Sept 1899 (Confederate Pension application #CW607, Brazos County, TX).

BACKGROUND: Blount Newsome Sessums, Richard H. Cotton Sessums and Jacob Albert Sessums, Jr. all appear in early Texas, about the same time-frame as our Michael and Ellis above. We can take this line back to Thomas Sessums (1677-1711):

1. Thomas Sessums (1677-1711) and Elizabeth Smith.
2. Richard Sessums married Sarah Bryan
   1. Jacob Albert Sessums, Sr. (1744- after Jan 1792 Edgecomb Co., NC) married Frances (no surname) and Elizabeth Newsome
      1. Alexander Sessums married Elizabeth (no surname)
      2. Alice Sessums (about 1772)
      3. Rebecca Sessums (about 1773)
      4. Mary (Polly) Sessums (aout 1774)
      5. Elizabeth Sessums (about 1776)
      6. Jacob Albert Sessums Jr. (25 Mar 1777-1856) married Penny Fisher in 1797, MS.
      7. Robert Sessums (about 1778)
   2. Isaace Sessums born 1785
   3. Patience Sessums (born 1749) married ? Coffield
   4. Priscilla Sessums (born 1743) married Henry Hart
   5. Solomon Sessums (1751-Dec 1817) married Elizabeth (? Lloyd)
      1. Charlotte Sessums
      2. Elizabeth Sessums
      3. Isaac Sessums
      4. Sarah Sessums
      5. Sarah Sessums born 1754

DETAIL: 1.Alexander Sessums (about 1770-?) married Elizabeth (no surname) (?-5 July 1834).

1. Blount Newsome Sessums (21 Feb 1797-?) married Mary Ann Cayce 13 Nov 1824.
   1. Messiniah Elizabeth Sessums (13 Dec 1825) married John Congr 10 Sept 1840 in Harris Co., TX and married Josiah Camillis Massie
   2. Alexander Sessums (1829-13 Jan 1873) married Mary Runnels, 1854 Harris Co., TX
   3. William Sessums
2. Richard H. Cotton Sessums (12 Jan 1799-18 Oct 1867) married Lucy Durrett 30 Oct 18218 in Lauderdale Co., AL and married Parmelia Shepherd 22 Nov 1844 in Montgomery Co., TX
   1. Peter Thomas Sessums 91833/36-Nov 1906) married Josephine E. (no maiden name) in 1865 Montgomery Co., TX Peter's widow received a Confederate Pension.
   2. Blount D. Sessums (1835- 4 Aug 1867) married Harriet Pector
   3. George Sessums (1838-?)
   4. William Sessums (1847-?)
   5. August Alexander Sessums (1855) married Carrie J. Lewis
3. Blake Thomas Sessums, Sr. (1803-1 April 1859) married Lucinda Bass 17 April 1828
   1. Ormond Henry Sessums (18 Jun 1829-14 Nov 1850)
   2. Emily Elizabeth Sessums (4 Oct 1830-?)
   3. Napoleon Turner Sessums (16 Jul 1832)
   4. Blake Thomas Sessums Jr. (29 Nov 1833-?) married Laura Elivira Knapp 24 April 1856
   5. Dolly Louisa Sessums (18 Mar 1836-?) married ? Dollarhide
   6. Lake Erie Sessums (10 June 1840-27 Nov 1883) married HJ Riddle and married William Crow 28 Oct 1869
   7. Isaac Sessums (Feb 1838-Feb 1839)
4. Lucinda Catherine Sessums (8 Oct 1803-?) married Chesley B. Rountree in Lawrence Co., TN 28 Feb 1822 and married John Keenan in 1838, Giles Co., TN
   1. Thomas Paine Rountree (abt 1815) was not Lucinda's son. When Lucinda married John Keenan, Keenan was named as guardian to the three other Rountree children. Richard Sessums, Lucinda's brother, was named guardian of Thomas Paine Rountree.
   2. Catherine E. Rountree
   3. Leonidas C. Rountree (1827-1875)
   4. John McKinley Rountree (1829-1888)
5. Julena E. Sessums (5 Jan 1808-?) married James Legrand Turner 29 May 1824 and Wellington McLauren
6. Dianah V. Sessums (22 Nov 1810) married Ira Walton 17 Sept 1829, Lawrence Co., TN
7. Mariner (Marion) Sessums (5 May 1812-?)
8. Calvin Sessums (30 May 1814)

DETAIL: 2. Jacob Albert Sessums, Jr. was born 25 Mar 1777 in Edgecombe Co., NC and married Penny Fisher in 1797 in Mississippi. Jacob died in 1856, Shelby Co., TX. NOTE: On the1850 Shelby Co., TX census (p.35a) Jacob Jr. (age 73) is living in the household of John Redding Sessums. They had the following children:

1. John Redding Sessums (abt 1800/ NC) who married Mary Ann Brown (abt 1802/ GA) 5 Feb 1822 in Lawrence, MS. They had the following children:
   1. Elise Sessums (1824/ MS)
   2. William B. Sessums (1826/ MS)
   3. Pernecia Sessums (1828/ MS)
   4. Wilson Russell (Sr) Sessums (1833/ MS)
   5. Elizabeth Sessums (1835/ MS)
   6. Mary Sessums (1835/ LA)
2. Solomon Sessums (abt 1820) who married Margaret (surname inknown) In 1850 Panola Co., TX, Solomon Sissom is living next door to Reubin Fisher Sessums and his sister Charity. Solomon and Margaret had the following known children:
   1. Sarah Sessums (1847)
   2. Reubin Sessums (1848)
   3. Penny Sessums (1849)
3. Ruebin Fisher Sessums (abt 1825) who married Nancy Amanda Fleming 25 Nov 1856 in Panola Co.,
4. Charity Sessums TX. In 1850, Panola Co., TX, Charity Courtney and her two children are living with Reubin.
5. William Thomas Sessums married Zelphia "Selfy" Cooksey 22 Sept 1829, Rankin MS.
6. Mary Sessums
7. Polly Sessums

RESEARCH NOTES: 1. Blount Newsome and Richard H. Cotton Sessums were both born in Edgecombe Co., NC. Both appear on the 1830 Census in Lauderdale, AR. By the 1840s, Blount appears in Early Texas Records (original landholder of Harris Co., TX). Richard H Cotton appears in Texas in 1850, Walker Co., and in 1860 Montgomery Co., TX. 2. Jacob Albert Jr was also born in Edgecomb Co., NC and appears in Texas in 1846, Panola County. In 1850 Census records for Shelby Co., TX, Jacob is 73 years old and living in the household of his son, John Redding Sessums. It was John Redding who received the land grant in Shelby Co., TX ) applied for 10 Dec 1839, granted 4 Dec 1843) 3. Information on the families of Alexander and Blake Thomas Sr. came from the family bible of Blake Thomas Sr.

James D. Sessums was born abt 1820 and married Sarah Elizabeth Frances Monks on 23 Dec 1850, Rusk Co., TX.

Richard Thomas Sessums was born abt 1844 in Kentucky. He enlisted in the Confederate Army 2 Apr 1862 in Arkansas, was seriously wounded in battle, returned to service, and was discharged Aug 1865 in Alabama (Confederate Widows Application #42382, filed 4 June 1926, approved 31 Aug 1926). He married Liddie B. (NMN) (1849-8 Jan 1828) on 14 Oct 1868, White Co., AR. Richard died 22 May 1917, Erath Co., TX. Richard and Liddie had the following children:

1. Catherine (Kate) Elizabeth Sessums (3 Nov 1870-27 June 1943) who married Charlie H. Cook.
2. Ida B. Sessums (1874-?)
3. John R. Sessums (1876-?)
4. Mary L. Sessums (1879)