WHAT IF HIS NAME WASN’T JEAN DE CESSNA?
In his first book, House of Cessna, Howard Cessna expressed the certainty that the patriarch of Cessna’s in America was named Jean de Cessna. Jean was a French Huguenot nobleman who fought with William of Orange in the conquest over the catholic armies of James in England and Ireland. Jean is reputed to have been a Captain in the Calvary under Duke De Shomberg at the Battle of Boyne. Taking a pension of land in Northern Ireland, Jean raised a family and brought three sons to Pennsylvania in 1718. In House of Cessna, Book One, published in 1901, Howard does report that Jean de Cessna (who he calls the immigrant), brought with him three sons. He even names them for us: John Cessna, Charles Cessna and Stephen Cessna (aka Sisney), saying that this information came from Congressman John Cessna in the 1780’s. On page 5 of Howard’s first work we read the following: Among the heroes of the Duke de Schomburg at the battle of Boyne (1690) was a young Huguenot soldier, Jean De Cessna who remained in Ireland after the forces of William, Prince of Orange, were withdrawn. In 1718 he came to Pennsylvania and located in Lancaster County. Later he removed to York County where he died in 1751. Several of his sons located in Shippensburg as early as 1751 and then later removed to Bedford County where the family became promient. John De Cessna (1718-1800) of Bedford County, was one of the leading men of the Province. He was a member of the Provincial Assembly and Constitutional Convention of 1775 and a colonel in the Revolutionary War. His brother Charles De Cessna, was likewise a colonel in the War of Independence . The late Honorable John Cessna, State Senator was a great grandson of Colonel John De Cessna. Another son of the immigrant was Stephen De Cessna, who prior to 1750 was a resident of Cumberland County. BUT WHAT IF HE GOT IT WRONG? With dozens of people researching, we have found no Jean de Cessna records in Ireland. And the individual who died in York County, whom Howard felt was the “immigrant”, turns out to be a son of Stephen and Patience from Carlisle. Nor can we find any evidence that said Jean Cessna made it to America. NOW COMES NEW RESEARCH WHICH INDICATES ANOTHER NAME. Three new references from Newcastle County in Delaware shed a different light on who the immigrant/patriarch might be. These are from the area around Wilmington, DE where the people who came from Ireland to Pennsylvania in 1718 first landed. This area was the most likely part of Pennsylvania for them to establish themselves in. After the Revolution, these three counties became the State of Delaware. From early land records of Newcastle County we find…. 2 Dec 1738. Richard Nicholas of Christiana Hun.* In the County of Newcastle, a carpenter, and Ann his wife, for the sum of £53, sold unto Nicholas Bishop of Mill Creek Hun*. In said County, a lott of land situate in Willingtown (sic). It bounds lott of James Millner Junr. On Second St. and contains 11 perches 3 feet. This is the property that Dr. James Millner was seized of by conveyance dated 3 July 1732 (Book K/pp234). Sd Millner by his indenture dated 27 Oct 1736, sold lotts unto his son, Thomas Millner. Then sd Thomas by indenture dated 10 June 1737, sold a lott unto Stephen Cissna; then sd Cissna and Patience his wife, sold sd lott unto afsd Richard Nicholas. Signed: Richard Nicholas, Ann Nicholas. Wit. by Stephen Cessna, Neille Fearon. Rec: 13 March 1738. (This a town lot in Wilmington) *Townships were then referred to as “Hun” or Hundred, meaning an area of 100 square miles. 12 May 1757 Daniel Few of Newcastle County on the Delaware and Esther his wife for 150 pounds, sold unto Richard Richardson of the same place, two tracts of land. One tract of land bounds the land of Stephen Cessnas and contains 39 acres and 111 perches. This land was purchased of Timothy Steadman in 1744. 18 Jul 1760. Daniel Few, late of Christiana Hun* in County of Newcastle and Ester his wife for 225 pounds sold to Joseph Shallcross of same place two tracts of land situate in same place, containing 60 acres. They bound Brandywine creek on the NE to the NW the land of ate Timothy Scott (but now of Joseph Shallcross), to the SW by the lines of John Seeds and Stephen Sisney and the Kennit Road, to the SE by Kings Road The first reference indicates that Stephen and Patience were living in a town lot in Wilmington until March of 1838, when they sold and relocated on the Sisney Plantation on Swatara Creek in Lancaster, PA. The second and third references indicate that a Stephen Sisney has established a farm along the Brandywine Creek, a few miles north of Wilmington. Although it does not indicate when the farm was established, it clearly states that Stephen Sisney is still living there in 1757 and 1760. Stephen and Patience Sisney are living in Carlisle, PA at this times, so it cannot possible be him living in Newcastle. A strange confluence of events happen around 1762 which indicate that this Stephen Sisney died and the three brothers in House of Cessna enjoyed inheritances from him. First, Charles Cessna (who was probably living with him in New Castle) has enough money to move to Cumberland Valley Township below Bedford and purchase farms for himself and his sons Charles, John and Evans. May 17, 1763, Thomas Jones & Charles Cessna, buy 300 acres Cumberland Co, 3 Aug 1768 Early land warrant application James Culbertson, 200 acres next to Charles Cessna 2 Aug 1766 Early land warrant application Daniel Duncan, 100 Acres near John Casnay Jr and Charles Casnay in Cumberland Valley. May 17, 1763 Robert Hall and Evan Cessna, 300 acres, Cumberland County (Robert Hall marries sister of Maj. John) 1 Aug 1766, Early land warrant application John Cessna, 150 acres, including his improvements next to John Cessna Jr., in Cumberland Valley, 10 miles from Bedford. Note: The sons of John Cessna (Charles and Evans) in Shippensburg would have been underage when these purchases were made Secondly, John Cessna of Shippensburg had only purchased smaller farms until about 1762. At this time, he suddenly has enough cash to purchase larger farms for his sons. June 3, 1763, Charles Chisney, 100 acres, date surveyed. Pays tax on same land, in Letterkenny twp. 3 June 1762 John Chisney buys 50 acres in Cumberland County 4 Sep 1767, John Cessna & William Campbell, 200 acres Cumberland (mentioned in John’s will) 1 Aug 1766, Early land warrant application John Cessna, 150 acres, including his improvements next to John Cessna Jr., in Cumberland Valley, 10 miles from Bedford. 17 May 1762 Jonathan and Joseph Cessna buy 300 acres in Cumberland County: land that is in dispute with Maryland. John bought this land for Jonathan and Joseph whom had just returned from 5 years of captivity with the Indians. Thirdly, is a very strange development in the family of Stephen and Patience Sisney of Carlisle, PA. Stephen died in debtor’s prison in the winter of 1757-58. All of his property was sold. So he had no estate left. However, Patience Sisney came to Orphan’s Court in 1762 to get permission to handle his estate on behalf of three orphaned grandsons. April 1756 Court Records state that Stephen Sisney is sick and in jail at the suit of Daniel Hogen. Sisney states that it is an unjust debt regarding a hat. Oct 1757 he is still in jail and severely ill, court issues administration to Aurther Foster and Patience Cessna. 18 April 1758, Property of Stephen Sesna, deceased, is sheriff-d and sold to William Russel, a perry-wigmaker. 25 Aug 1763 Patience Sisney petitions Cumberland County orphan’s court to appoint Wm. Smith as estate guardian for her grandsons; Stephen and John Sisney (sons of John Sisney, deceased) and Stephen Sisney (son of Thomas, deceased). Four years after his death, Stephen Sisney suddenly has an estate that must be managed, when he was penniless at his death. An obvious explanation is that Stephen Sisney, posthumously inherited an estate from his father. CONCLUSION: Although there may be many ways to interpret this data. One obvious conclusion is that the immigrant/patriarch was actually named Stephen Cessna. He seems to have established a farm along Brandwine Creek just north of Wilmington and lived there until his death about 1762. Using the birth years of their children; it appears that the birth order of Stephen Cessna’s three children are Stephen Sisney bn 1695, Charles Cessna born 1697, and John Cessna born 1699. All three Cessna brothers were born in Northern Ireland and came to America with their father in 1718. All three of the brothers received a substantial inheritance when Stephen Cessna of New Castle County died about 1762.
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AuthorBill Cissna Archives
June 2023
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