PART FOUR The following is exerted from CLYDE CESSNA AND THE BIRTH OF A LEGEND, by Edward H. Phillips published Sep. ’96 Aviation History Feature. Mr. Phillips has written the most authoritative biographical works on Clyde Vernon Cessna and Cessna Aircraft Company. His books, “Cessna—A Master’s Expression” and “Wings of Cessna” are only available through used book websites. In the years that followed Cessna’s first forays into the air and his successful aero exhibition business, he became increasingly enamored with the idea of building and selling airplanes to the public. Although his initial attempt in 191617 was less than successful, Cessna never gave up on his dream of becoming an aircraft manufacturer. In 1924, however, he joined forces with Lloyd C. Stearman and Walter H. Beech to found the Travel Air Manufacturing Co., Inc., in Wichita. Cessna was named president of the biplane manufacturing company and provided both money and equipment to help establish and support the infant business. In 1927, Cessna left the company to build his version of the ultimate airplane–the full-cantilever wing monoplane called the Phantom. Confident that he had a truly marketable design, Clyde formed the Cessna Aircraft Co. in 1927. The Phantom led to a series of attractive, speedy airplanes such as the Model AW and the DC-6 series that sold well until the Wall Street stock market crash of 1929. [As sales of planes faded during the depression years, the Board of Directors voted to close the factory. Clyde was the only one who voted to keep it open. The doors were shut until 1934 when his nephews, Dwight and Dwayne Wallace, helped Clyde rally enough stockholders to vote in a new Board of Directors. They reopened the plant with themselves as chief officers.] Along with his son Eldon, Clyde designed and built two racing airplanes in the early 1930s, one of which famed pilot Johnny Livingston flew to victory in every race he entered. Unfortunately, the other racer crashed and killed Cessna’s good friend Roy Liggett. Stricken with grief, Cessna withdrew from aviation, never to actively return. When his nephews Dwane L. and Dwight Wallace resurrected the Cessna Aircraft Company in 1934, Clyde Cessna refused to participate directly in its re-emergence. As further testimony to his aversion to aviation, in the late 1930s he destroyed the 1917 Comet monoplane, according to his son Eldon. With it went the last vestige of Clyde Vernon Cessna’s early legacy of flight. 21 Nov 1954 The Wichita Eagle Sun page 1 Clyde V. Cessna, 74, pioneer Wichita aviator and plane manufacturer died at his farm near Rago, KS, Saturday evening. Cessna, founder of the Cessna Aircraft Co., was a personal friend of many of the leading statesmen and businessmen of Kansas and the nation. During his life he received many honors for his pioneering and work in the development of aviation. In a telegram to Cessna on Feb. 28, 1953, President Eisenhower praised the man for his part in the growth of the aviation industry. The message read: “Congratulations for the prominent part you have played in the early development of aviation. Your work has been a splendid contribution to this great industry and Kansas can be proud of your memorable pioneering in this field.” More than 40 years ago, Cessna displayed his interest in aviation by trying to build a plane in Oklahoma City, OK. The flying pioneer took a motor-boat engine, gathered together some nails, hickory stock, and some old bedsheets and proceeded to make an airplane. This attempt to build a plane took place only eight years after the Wright brothers made their first flight. Early in 1911, Cessna flew his handmade plane for a short distance over the salt flats in Oklahoma. Through the insistence of the Jones Motor Car Co., located in Wichita, Cessna came to Wichita and erected his first buildings in the northeast part of town. In 1917, the following year, he produced a monoplane which was powered by a six-cylinder air cooled engine. In late 1924 Cessna, Walter Beech, and Lloyd Stearman decided to pool their knowledge and resources to build airplanes. They constructed a three place, open cockpit biplane which successfully flew early in 1925. These three organized the Travel-Aire Manufacturing Co. Cessna left the firm and in 1927 organized his own firm and built five factory buildings on the present site. Early in 1934 when he retired, Cessna’s nephew, Dwane L. Wallace, became a member of the Cessna firm. The firm continued to build commercial aircraft until the entry of the United States in World War II. Following the war, in 1952, the Cessna company did more than $41,000,000 in business and led the entire industry in the manufacture of commercial private aircraft. A pyramid of tributes was heaped before Cessna at a special dinner in Wichita in 1953. Present for the unusual occasion were Cessna officials and distributors from every part of the country, Wichita business leaders and representatives of more than a score of American magazines and newspapers, plus personal friends. Telegrams praising Cessna were received from General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, General Jimmy Doolittle, Admiral Richard E. Byrd, Eddie Rickenbacker, Charles Horn, Admiral Dewitt C. Ramsey, and Harold Pitcairn. More honors and praise were given Cessna at the dedication of Wichita’s $10,000,000 Municipal Airport in October. It was Cessna’s last public appearance. Survivors include his widow, of the home, one son, Eldon of El Segundo, California; a daughter, Mrs. Hugh McVey, Whittier, California; one sister, Mrs. R.A. Herman, Wichita; four brothers, Noel M. Cessna, Wichita; Bert Cessna, of Ingalls, KS; Paul (Pearl) Cessna of Saskatchewan, Canada, and Roy Cessna of Norwich, KS.
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PART THREE The following is exerted from CLYDE CESSNA AND THE BIRTH OF A LEGEND, by Edward H. Phillips published Sep. ’96 Aviation History Feature. Mr. Phillips has written the most authoritative biographical works on Clyde Vernon Cessna and Cessna Aircraft Company. His books, “Cessna—A Master’s Expression” and “Wings of Cessna” are only available through used book websites. Confident that he was ready to perform exhibition flying and recoup his investment, Cessna further modified his airplane during the winter months of 1912. In April, he flew eight miles at Enid and was pleased with his piloting ability and the monoplane’s performance. He formed the Cessna Exhibition Company to handle all contracts for flying. The business had its headquarters at Enid, but a branch office also was established in Rago, Kan. The Pond Creek Boosters Club was among the first to sign Clyde to a flying contract. He was obligated to fly for a minimum of five minutes during the Fourth of July celebration–without crashing. If successful, upon landing he would receive 75 percent of the gate receipts in cash. The wind blew strong on July 4, however, and it was 8 p.m. before the gale subsided enough for Clyde to attempt a flight. Anxious to prove his mettle and earn some much-needed cash, he took off without incident but crashed after losing control of the machine. Unhurt, frustrated but determined to succeed, Cessna packed up the damaged aircraft and went home empty-handed. Major repairs were quickly completed, and Cessna was back in the flying business a month later. He signed a contract to fly at Kremlin, Okla., on August 14, and the aviator from Enid stayed aloft for six minutes and landed safely, earning $200 for his efforts and delighting the crowd. In September he flew at the Old Settler’s Reunion Celebration at Jet, and for the first time in Cessna’s brief career, the weather cooperated. There was almost no wind. He was performing a figure eight in the sky when a leaking fuel tank forced him to land. The plane was undamaged, but Clyde’s profits suffered. Between engagements, Cessna tinkered incessantly with both the airframe and the engine. At Cherokee, Okla., in October 1912, Silverwing performed flawlessly and reached an altitude of nearly 2,000 feet, thrilling the spectators below. At long last, the Cessna Exhibition Company was literally flying high and making a profit. Cessna flew over Enid on November 25 and stayed aloft for 15 minutes–one of his longest flights up to that time. He flew at Enid again on Christmas Eve, flying a wide circle over the city and remaining airborne for 20 minutes. Flushed with success, Cessna shipped his monoplane to Rago, Kan., and shifted his base of operation there for the winter months. All the repair work opened Cessna’s eyes to another business opportunity. By 1913 he’d built himself a new, even better airplane and, during a weekend of exhibition flying across the state line in Kansas, he mentioned to the civic leaders of Wichita that he’d like to establish an airplane factory there. The idea was well received, although nothing happened right away. Despite the bitter cold, on January 1, 1913, Cessna flew at Belmont and made six more flights that month in various Kansas towns. He was making from $100 to as much as $400 for each flight, and he flew additional exhibitions in February and March before returning to Enid. Cessna’s chief reason for returning to Oklahoma was to build a new monoplane. Silverwing had served him well, but “the old tub” had earned its retirement after two years of hard flying, crashes, and countless repairs. Clyde and Roy Cessna and their helpers worked to complete the new aircraft by spring. Although resembling the Queen/ Blériot ship in overall design, the new Cessna plane featured increased wingspan and chord, a longer fuselage that was completely covered with fabric, and a larger rudder. Although conventional rudder operation was by a single cable connected from the pedals or rudder bar to each side of the rudder, Cessna’s system was different. He crossed the rudder cables. For left rudder movement, the right rudder control was pushed; for right rudder movement, the left control was used. Silverwing also had that rudder arrangement. On June 6, 1913, the new ship took to the air for the first time. It flew well, but it was damaged slightly during landing, chiefly because of Cessna’s unfamiliarity with the machine. Only days later, Clyde and his repaired monoplane were busy flying exhibitions in Kansas towns. He earned $100$200 for each flight lasting five minutes, and in August was paid $400 in Nashville, Kan., for two flights. In September, he flew in Liberal and took home $600 for three flights, followed in October by aerial exhibitions at Stafford that earned him another $400 in cash. On October 17, Cessna flew for 16 minutes and became one of the first aviators to fly over downtown Wichita. Like many other pilots in the exhibition business, Cessna had a varied bag of tricks he used to draw people to the flying field. One of his most successful ploys was to drop a football from an altitude of 1,000 feet. Anyone who caught the ball received $5; if no one caught it, the first person to retrieve the ball earned $2.50. Since admission to see Cessna fly was only 25 cents, scrambling for a pigskin was well worth the effort. Clyde Cessna officially opened the Cessna Aeroplane Exhibition Company’s flying school in June 1917. Five eager young men were enrolled as students. Cost for the course was $400 per person, and the course of instruction would take up to eight weeks to complete. The schedule was arduous. Students arrived at 4:30 a.m. to begin class, primarily because the air was smooth in the early hours of the morning and the winds were gentle, good conditions for the flight portions of the course. They studied engine mechanics and operation and flight control systems, as well as the theory of flight. To teach the mechanics of flying, the 1913 monoplane with its Elbridge engine was suspended by block and tackle from the rafters of the factory building. One at a time, the would-be aviators ascended a ladder, clambered into the cramped cockpit and moved the controls in accordance with their mentor’s instructions. After the rudiments of control were learned, the airplane was moved outside to teach the students how to start the engine, taxi and begin the takeoff roll. Cessna observed his charges with a trained eye and evaluated each one for his potential as a pilot. He was planning to select the two best students as pilots for his exhibition company, which already had bookings for more than 30 flights during the upcoming autumn season. Three of the young birdmen had soloed in the fragile monoplane by July, making takeoffs and flying straight ahead for a few hundred feet before landing. As 1918 approached, civilian flying activity decreased because fuel rationing measures had been enacted and the nation had achieved a full wartime footing. Interest in Cessna’s airplane factory and flying school waned, and the brothers were forced to abandon their Wichita facilities and their dreams of selling airplanes. Remembering his farming roots, Clyde Cessna returned to Adams and tilled the soil to help feed American dough boys and support the war effort. He continued to operate a custom threshing business after the war. The following is exerted from CLYDE CESSNA AND THE BIRTH OF A LEGEND, by Edward H. Phillips published Sep. ’96 Aviation History Feature. Mr. Phillips has written the most authoritative biographical works on Clyde Vernon Cessna and Cessna Aircraft Company. His books, “Cessna—A Master’s Expression” and “Wings of Cessna” are only available through used book websites.
Roy Cessna closed his eyes tightly and turned his head to the side as salt dust struck him in the face. He dug in his heels and gripped the Queen monoplane in a vain attempt to restrain the machine. The engine roared, belching acrid exhaust fumes that cloaked the airplane in clouds of black smoke. Small chunks of salt crust smacked Cessna in the legs and ankles. The monoplane vibrated, straining to be free. Then the pilot signaled–-Cessna released his grip and quickly stepped clear of the machine. Shielding his face from the flying salt, he anxiously watched as the fragile aircraft gathered speed for takeoff on the Great Salt Plains near Jet, Okla. The ship lifted from the hard ground after rolling only a few hundred feet and sailed aloft to a mere 50 feet. The pilot struggled to keep the tiny craft level as the unrelenting winds buffeted both man and machine. Suddenly, a gust! One wing dipped alarmingly low. Gritting his teeth, the aviator made quick, stabbing inputs to the wing-warping controls in an effort to remedy the ship’s balance. Lethargically, the craft responded. Without warning, another gust struck the machine, then another. As the pilot fought to control the reluctant monoplane, its engine overheated and began to run rough, losing precious power. Although he had been in the air less than one minute, the aviator knew it was time to land. Wisely, he shut off the engine’s ignition and began the treacherous descent to the ground. The winds seemed determined to destroy the ship. Gripping the stick with both hands, the pilot managed to keep the craft headed toward terra firma. Then, almost as suddenly as they had come, the winds mercifully subsided–but only for a fleeting moment. The time had come to land. The salt flats rushed up at the monoplane. “Back stick!” the pilot thought out loud. “Work the rudder bar. Keep her steady,” he murmured to himself. Without warning, the Queen stalled. It struck the ground hard, bouncing back into the air briefly before descending a second time. The little ship hit the salt crust again, teetered on one wheel as it rolled out of control for a moment, then suddenly swung its tail around where its nose had been and came to a halt, rocking gently in the wind. Cyde Cessna sat motionless in the cockpit. He sighed with relief at having survived another flight without damaging his expensive airplane or doing bodily harm to himself. He was pleased with his performance and that of the Queen monoplane, which he had dubbed Silverwing because of its color. After all, like the Wright Brothers eight years before, Cessna was teaching himself to fly. He obviously had much to learn. As the Elbridge engine hissed steam, its four cylinders crackling as they cooled, Roy Cessna ran up to the cockpit and shook hands with his younger brother. It had been a good flight. Despite the dangerous winds, Clyde had gained a few more moments of valuable experience in the air and had landed without incident. The engine had continued to run for the duration of the flight, and all of the controls functioned properly. Indeed, the Cessna brothers were fast becoming true aviators. It was June 1911. For months the two brothers had failed to fly without “a crackup,” as they called their unsuccessful attempts. Now the persistent brothers were finally making successful flights of a few hundred feet–albeit straight ahead. They would need to learn much more — including the dangerous turn maneuver — and to fly farther and higher before they could begin flight demonstrations for the public. In 1911, airplanes were a novelty everywhere. In rural farm states such as Oklahoma and Kansas they were virtually unknown. As a result, people would pay good money to see one fly. For the July 4, 1911, celebration at Enid, Clyde Cessna had agreed to fly Silverwing for the first time in public view. Journalists flocked around Clyde, who normally did all the public relations work, while Roy handled most technical matters associated with the airplane. When asked how he liked flying, Clyde optimistically proclaimed he would “enjoy it when I get it learned.” With a serious look on his weathered face, Cessna emphasized: “The machine is very sensitive to any movement of the steering apparatus. In going up, if one tips the machine a little too much, he will be caught by the wind and he can’t stop going up.” In one of the best understatements of his infant flying career, Cessna grimly told his patrons, “If the engine stops for any reason, you are due to tumble, and that’s all there is to it!” It was the prospect of such profit that induced Clyde Cessna to sell his successful Overland and Clark automobile dealership in Enid, Okla., to pursue aviation. Clyde V. Cessna’s decision to abandon automobiles for airplanes was a bold, courageous step. Little did the Oklahoma aviator realize that in the next 50 years his name would become an aviation icon. In the years that followed Cessna’s first forays into the air and his successful aero exhibition business, he became increasingly enamored with the idea of building and selling airplanes to the public. Although his initial attempt in 191617 was less than successful, Cessna never gave up on his dream of becoming an aircraft manufacturer. Clyde Cessna and his first plane, the Silverwing. PART ONE Clyde Vernon Cessna (1879-1954) came from a long line of creative and ambitious people. His GGGG Grandfather, Jean Le Cesne (1665-1718), began life as the third son of Matthiew Le Cesne, Lord of the fiefdom, Menilles, in Normandy, France. Since the eldest son inherited title and land, the younger sons had to choose life as a soldier, a priest, or a merchant. Jean chose soldiering and joined Duke de Schomberg’s Huguenot Cavalry (Protestants only), in service to the King of France. In 1685, the King outlawed all protestants. The men of Schomberg’s brigade left the country, eventually joining the army of William of Orange. When William invaded Ireland, Jean Le Cessna was an officer at the 1690 Battle of Boyne. Following that battle, Jean retired (probably from wounds) and began an entirely new life in Ireland, starting his own family. Clyde’s GGG Grandfather, John Cessna (1699-1793). Two of the Frenchman’s sons migrated to Pennsylvania in 1718, John Cessna and Stephen Sisney. In 1739, John Cessna moved deep into Pennsylvania’s wilderness and leased a small plot along the Great Warrior Path. The place would become Shippensburg. The path soon became a major route for merchants trading with native people in the west. Their first home was a log cabin large enough to serve as an inn, and a home for 11 children. Clyde’s GG Grandfather, James Cessna (1755-1833), was number 10 of those 11 children, and the only one to catch his father’s vision. Together, they built a tavern, a store, a blacksmith shop, a stable, and a place of humble lodging and simple food for both men and animals. From a wide place on a busy road, James built a tiny business empire. James also served as a musician in the militia during the American Revolution. Clyde’s Great Grandfather, William Cessna (1777-1857), was the second born son and therefore not entitled to inherit the Cessna business. In 1835, with a fierce pioneer spirit, William moved his wife and eight children to the unbroken forests of western Ohio. With ax and plow he turned primordial woodland into pasture and field. One year after building his home, he built the county’s first schoolhouse on his property. Neighbors chose to name Cessna township of Hardin County, Ohio, in recognition of his enterprising spirit. Clyde’s Grandfather, George Cessna (1828-1890), was the second son, and also chose soldiering. He served several enlistments throughout the Civil War. Farming was never his passion. Clyde’s father, James William Cessna, was also a second son and in his early life looked far afield for his fortune. For a few years he worked as a telegraph operator, which carried him to Emerson, Iowa where his first two children, Roy and Clyde, were born. He returned briefly to Ohio (US 1880 Census) before embarking on his grandest enterprise. James had dreams of modern farming techniques which were frowned upon in his Ohio community. In 1881, James Cessna joined a flood of homesteaders who invaded Kingman County, Kansas. He settled on 80 acres of untouched prairie along the Chikaskia River. They lived with neighbors while building a dirt floor, sod house. It would be several years before a two-story frame house was built. (Edward H. Phillips, Cessna-The Master’s Expression). At age 20, Clyde made a brief effort to become a cowboy, traveling to Utah to look for a job herding cattle (The Leader Courier, 22 Mar 1900, page 5). He quickly learned that raising beef was a slow way to make his fortune. Clyde watched his father experiment with new farming tools and methods. Horse powered farm equipment was slowly being replaced with steam powered machines. Clyde and Roy formed a close partnership which would last throughout their lifetime. They taught themselves the intricacies of every machine they came in contact with. Clyde purchased a complete set of black-smith tools to aid in their mechanical skills (The Norwich Herald, 15 Jan 1904, page 1). Neighbors thought he might be a blacksmith. The most difficult part of the harvest was threshing, separating grain from stalk and hull. Using their father’s horse powered machine, the Cessna brothers hired themselves to thresh wheat and sorghum for neighbors, at times traveling as far as Oklahoma Territory for work (The Norwich Herald, 11 Nov 1904, page 5). They caught the attention of many local newspapers when they were able to thresh 1000 bushels of sorghum in just one day (The Leader Courier, 21 May 1907, page 1). The Cessna boys continued their threshing service for the next two decades, with Clyde coming back home every harvest to help. Eventually, they purchased a twenty horsepower, internal combustion engine to replace the faithful old beast walking a treadmill (Garnet Journal, 18 Sep 1908, page 8). In 1902, Clyde Cessna was invited to a surprise birthday party in a neighboring town. The celebration lasted until after 2 in the morning. During the fun, he met a charming young schoolteacher, Europa Dotzour (The Leader Journal, 30 Oct 1930, page 8). After 2 years of courting by horseback and wagon, Clyde and Europa were married on 6 June 1905. Two children soon followed, Eldon born in 1906 and Wanda born in 1909. Clyde had purchased a humble bachelor house from his brother Roy. It was just a few hundred yards from his parents’ home. To provide his bride with the latest of conveniences he had a well dug under the house for indoor water (The Kingman Journal, 12 May 1905, page 8), and soon had “new-fangled” telephones installed in both his and his parents’ homes (The Leader Courier, 30 Nov 1905, page 12). When automobiles first began to appear west of the Mississippi, Clyde Cessna was mesmerized by both their mechanics and how this invention was bound to change his world. A distributorship opened in Harper, Kansas. Roy bought a machine which was little more than an open buckboard with an engine. And Clyde talked his way into becoming a sales representative. Soon he was touring his home county three times a week in various models of autos. He was a showman, explaining the mechanics to men, and giving free rides (The Leader Courier, 11 Jul 1907, page 2). His bold approach of staging small exhibitions, quickly made him a successful salesman. Clyde made sure that the local newspaper published the name of the community’s newest automobile owners, and where they had made the purchase (The Kingman Journal, 9 Aug 1907, page 3). On a bitterly frozen January day, Clyde volunteered to drive Albert Early, the local mail carrier, over his country route. This generated huge interest (The Leader Courier, 13 Jan 1907, page 2). By 1909, both Clyde and Europa were convinced that their financial fortune lay in selling horseless carriages. They moved to Enid, Oklahoma where Clyde began to sell for the Overland Automobile Company (forefather of the Willys-Jeep Company). He continued to make weekly tours through his old Kansas neighborhood, promoting and selling automobiles. He was soon a partner in the Enid distributorship, having sold “better than a car each day” for the Spring of 1910 (The Kingman Journal, 22 Apr 1910, page 9). The entire time that Clyde Cessna had been riding the crest of the automobile phenomenon, a new invention was sweeping the globe. Until the Wright brothers made their first successful powered flight, aviation had consisted of balloons or kites large enough to help a man glide for seconds at a time. The Wright Brothers flew a large kite with an engine attached. But in 1909, something happened which changed the future of that world. Louis Blériot’s made his famous flight across the English Channel in July. Immediately, descriptions of his aircraft circled the globe and people began to build and fly copies of his machine. In 1926, Clyde Cessna gave an interview to a Wichita newspaper telling what happened next. In 1910 he made a visit to Oklahoma City to expand his automobile trade. A traveling troop of French airmen happened to be offering a flying exhibition. Clyde attended and engaged in an exciting conversation with Mr. Garros, who was flying a copy of Beloit’s plane. As Cessna tells the story… “There were three machines,” said Cessna, “and they were shipped from one place to the next by train. The fliers travelled by train. On that Sunday afternoon they stepped out and held up a red silk handkerchief to get the direction and force of the wind. They pulled one of the machines to the wind while about twenty men were called out to hold on while the engine was warmed up. For half an hour they fooled around and tinkered with this and that and turned up the engine. Finally, the pilot climbed aboard, gave her the gas, and everybody gave him a shove. In those days a flight was successful if the ship completed a circle and landed where it started. That’s what this one did. Everyone watched it circle around and land. That’s all there was to it.” But in the conversation, Mr. Garros revealed that they had been paid $10,000 for this exhibition. Clyde Cessna’s eyes grew wide. He was entranced by the mechanics, by the flying, and by the promise of huge payouts just for making demonstrations. He couldn’t sleep. If a man could make $10,000 that easily, he needed to learn to fly. “I had a little money saved up, so I went to New York to get me a plane. There was a new factory just started in the Bronx where I went to work to get an idea how to put an airplane together. I helped build one of the first ships ever turned out in New York, called the Silver Wing. I finally packed up a plane in crates and shipped it out here. And I picked up a motor in St. Louis.” (The Wichita Daily Eagle, 20 July 1926). The motor prove to be a stubborn partner for him. Recruiting his brother, Roy, as an assistant, Clyde set up his airport. “I bought me a fifty-foot circle tent for a camp and assembly plant, and I set up on the salt plains near Cherokee where there was a great big area as flat as a table. I know now it was a fool place to learn to fly, because the glare is so dazzling from the white surface that a man can’t see anything, and there is nothing on it to give a man a judge of distance. But it didn’t matter much, anyway, because I didn’t do any flying to speak of.” (The Wichita Daily Eagle, 20 July 1926). Without any teacher, book, manual, or guide at all, Clyde Cessna set about to teach himself to fly. His older brother, Roy, was there to both encourage him and patch him up when things went wrong. Me (Mike Cissna) standing on the front porch at the Cessna Chateau in France...2016..wow time goes fast!!! of course...don't think a Chateau really has a front porch...but hey..I am from Indiana!! and FYI I am about 6 foot!!
Most researchers have been able to establish that Green Kennedy Cessna was born along the French Broad River where it crosses the border between North Carolina and Tennessee. His parents are identified as John Cessna and Elizabeth Nielson, whose marriage license dated 7 Sept 1798 is in the records of Greene County, TN. This county is next to Buncombe County, NC where John and Elizabeth bought several farms from 1799-1720. The origin of this John Cessna has been a mystery.
Recently, via Newspapers.com, a reference was found which indicates how John Cessna fits into the family tree. The article reads “Married on the 7th Instant, John Cessna, Esq, Late Sheriff of Greenville County, State of Georgia, to the amiable, Miss Betsey Neilson, of Nolichucky.” (Knoxville Register, 11 Sep 1798, page 3). Sheriff John Cessna has quite a long record of service in Greene County, GA. There are also records which indicate that he had adult children with him while living in Georgia. This family left Georgia in 1798. This would indicate that the marriage to Elizabeth Neilson was his second marriage and that he was at least twice her age when they married. Here are some references found in Georgia: 1786: John Cessna received land grant of 1500 acres in Washington County, GA. This land became Greene County and was a part of land granted to Revolutionary War Veterans. 11 Jan 1790: John Cessna was elected Sheriff of Greene County, GA. Other dates he is recorded as being Sheriff are: 1791, 1792, 1793, 1794, 1798. 27 May 1790: Sheriff John Cessna Sr and John Cessna Jr. signed as witnesses on a deed between Charles Cessna and William Wilson. Note: Junior had to be 21 years old to sign, meaning he was born before 1779. John Senior had to be at least 21 at his birth meaning that he was born before 1758. Identifying John Cessna: In 1750, there were only four men named John Cessna living in America. They were… John Cessna, son of the Frenchman, born in Ireland about 1698, died in Shippensburg,PA Major John Cessna, son of John above, born 1726 in New Castle County, DE, died in 1803 in Bedford County, PA. John Cessna, husband of Pryscilla Foulke, Son of Stephen (a son of the Frenchman) and Patience Cessna, born about 1824 in New Castle County, DE, died in York County, PA in 1751. In his Will, he stated that he left three young children: Stephen, John, Ruth. These children would have been born between 1745-1750. And this son, John, is the only John Cessna who fits the age of Sheriff John Cessna of Greene County, GA; and husband of Elizabeth “Betsey” Neilson. The life and death of the other three Johns are well documented. History of Sheriff John Cessna of Greene County, GA. After the death of his father, his mother, Pryscilla Foulke, married Abraham Elliott in York County, PA. In 1764, Abraham Elliott moved the family to North Carolina. There are extensive records of the family in the Quaker church including reports of John Cessna being introduced at meetings in York County, PA, and letters transferring the family’s membership to Quaker meetings in Guilford County, NC. In North Carolina, his brother Stephen married Dolly Holton and began to use the spelling “Sisney” in his land records and Revolutionary War records. Ruth Cessna/Sisney married William Beeson in Rowan County, NC and died 21 May 1767 giving birth to their first child. John Cessna left a very vague record in North Carolina. He did not appear in the records for Quaker Meetings after he reached adult hood. The only solid reference to him is in the Estate of Col. McGee, on 13 Dec 1773, where, among the list of persons owning money to the estate are John Senseny, Stephen Sisney, and Lewis Hutten (Stephen’s father-in-law). No record of him has been identified during the Revolutionary War, but the sizable veteran’s land grant he received in 1784 would indicate that he was possibly an officer. John Cessna’s first family: The family of Green Kennedy Cessna indicate that he had family living in Natchez, MS. In the book “Hot Springs of North Carolina” it is stated that Green Kennedy’s father came to Buncombe County, NC from Natchez, MS. In his move from North Carolina, to Georgia, to Texas… Green K. Cessna stopped briefly in Natchez. References are found for John Cessna Jr living in Greene County, GA with his father. Land deeds indicate that John Jr also bought a farm along French Broad River in Buncombe County, NC that was directly across the river from his father and stepmother. In Natchez, MS we find three individuals in the 1820 Census who have not been linked to any other branch of the family. They are of the ages to be children of Sheriff John Cessna’s first marriage: Stephen W.H. Cissna, a newspaper man, born about 1790, who died 28 Aug 1823 Charles Cissna born about 1784-1794 William Cissna born about 1794 It is possible that these three men were also sons of Sheriff John Cessna, and thus older stepbrothers of Green Kennedy Cessna. In the late 1700’s and early 1800’s several branches of the family moved from Pennsylvania to new lands being opened up in Ohio. The following is a summary of most of those migrations.
1797 Cincinnati/Chillicothe In 1797, Stephen Cessna, (the son of Thomas, the son of Stephen, the son of the Frenchman) left his tavern in Pittsburgh and tried to start a business at Cincinnati. In 1799, when the Capital of the NW Territory moved to Chillicothe, he moved also and started a tavern there. In 1799 he moved his family from Pittsburgh: John bn 1779; William bn 1781; Mary; James bn 1789, and Elizabeth. His son, Charles, remained in Pittsburgh. Stephen also brought his second wife, Margaret Hegan and these children which they shared: Stephen Jr. bn 1794, Malinda bn 1799. Stephen and Margaret had there more children (Malinda, Eleanor, and Baldwin) while living in Chillicothe, Ross County, OH. 1799 Ross/Fairfield Counties At the same time the capital of NW Territory moved to Chillicothe, Thomas Cissna (the son of Capt. Evans, the son of John II) moved with it. He became an official surveyor for the Territorial Government. In the process of surveying Fairfield County, he picked out a place which he claimed and made his home. In 1806, his teenage nephew, Robert Cissna (Son of John, son of Capt. Evans, son of John II) came to live with him. Thomas died on a trading trip to New Orleans in 1816. In the late 1830’s Robert moved to Licking County, OH 1801 Chillicothe, Ross County Two cousins, Charles Cissna (the son of Stephen Cissna above), and Samuel Cissna (the son of Capt. Evans, the son of John II) were studying to be tailors under an apprenticeship with Theophilus Cisna (the Uncle of Stephen Cissna above, son of Stephen, son of the Frenchman). A flood destroyed Pittsburgh in 1800 along with its business climate. Charles and Samuel Cissna came to Chillicothe and started a partnership as tailors. They married sisters (Dorcus and Mary Wilcut). After the war, Samuel moved to Madison County, OH and Charles moved to Pike County, OH> Twelve Cessna Families Came to Military Reserves of North East Ohio It started as one large county. Columbiana was formed in 1803, when the Connecticut Western Reserve and US Military District were opened to public sale instead only to veterans of the Revolution. As the population grew, it was divided into new counties: Richland in 1806, Coshocton in 1811, Wayne in 1812, Holmes in 1824, and Ashland in 1846. Some Cessna family farms ended up in the records of three different counties as the years passed. 1806 Wayne/Holmes County Sometime between 1806 and 1811 John Cissna (the son of Capt. Joseph Cissna) and his brother James came up Killbuck Creek (via Muskingum and Ohio Rivers) to trade with the Wyandot Villages in present day Holmes County, OH. In 1810, John was living in Ecorce and Dearborn Twps. of Wayne County, MI. Then, on 28 Oct 1810, he filed a land warrant for 160 Acres in Prairie Township of Wayne County, OH (now in Holmes County). This warrant was issued at the Zanesville, OH at the US Land Office. When Wayne County was organized from Columbiana in April 1812, John Cisna was named the first Associate Judge. The War of 1812 started in June, so he had already established himself here before the War started. John Cissna and his wife Jane Glass-Cissna moved from Wayne County, MI to Prairie Twp. Wayne County, OH with the following children: Elizabeth born 13 Sep 1806 and Joseph Glass born 25 Feb 1809. In Wayne County, OH the following children were born to them: Robert Glass born 23 Oct 1811; John Jr. born 1814; and Mary “Polly” born 19 Nov 1817. John evidently moved back and forth between Ohio and Michigan because in 1811 he sold one of his farms on River Rouge to Jesse Hicks. In April 1813 he served as executor of his Sister in Law’s, Johanna Dicks-Cissna estate in court at Detroit. He brought her children to Ohio where they were adopted by his brother, James. John and Jane Cissna moved their family, including all of their children from Wayne County, OH to St. Joseph County, IN in 1830. This is according to the records of two of their sons. They do not appear in the 1830 Census in either location. Family reports that John is buried in La Porte County, IN. 1810 Wayne/Holmes County James Cissne (Son of Captain Joseph Cissna) appears to have been a business partner and fellow voyager with his brother John. On 22 July 1807 he had his claim for 277.6 acres in Spring Wells Township of Wayne County, MI confirmed by the US Court. Confirmed means that he already owned and lived on this land, but when the new US Government took over the area, he had to have his claim approved by that court. On 6 Nov 1810, James Cissne applied for a warrant on 160 acres of land in Prairie Township of Wayne County, OH. This was about a mile from land owned by his brother John. Like John he had to have purchased it at the Zanesville US Land Office. From 20 July-24 August of 1812, James Cissna volunteered for the militia company of Capt. Henry Brush who was making an emergency supply expedition to Fort Detroit (early in the War of 1812). So, he was single and living in Chillicothe, OH at start of the war. On 22 May 1813, while the war was still going on, James purchased town lot #10 in the new town of Wooster, OH. He appears on the tax records of Wayne County, OH from 1814 on. The War ended in Feb of 1815. About 1816, James Cissne returned to the Shippensburg, PA where he met and married his first cousin, Elizabeth Cessna, the daughter of his father’s brother, James Cessna. It is probable that he is the namesake of his uncle/father in law. James and Elizabeth returned to Prairie Township of Wayne County, OH and gave birth to two children: Margaret Cissne born about 1818 and Joseph Cissne born 1821 and appears to have died in childhood. In 1814, John Cissna returned to Wayne County, OH with the orphaned children of their brother William: Anna, Robert C., Jane “Jeanne”, Sara, Hannah, and John. In 1814, James appears in Wayne County Ohio court to establish himself as guardian of these children. He later adopted them as his own. James’ household began to use the spelling “Cissne” in Michigan and continued to do so in Ohio. James and Elizabeth lived out their lives in Prairie Township. Note: If John and James Cissna were trading with the Wyandot Indians their goal would be to buy furs. These could be sold for the most money if transported back to Pennsylvania. The closer to the docks at Philadelphia and New Castle, DE the higher their prices. It was also at these places they would have been able to purchase trade goods (steel knives, hatchets, glass bead, European fabrics, etc) at the lowest prices. This would account for James’ visit to Shippensburg and marriage to his cousin. 1809 Columbiana County In 1809, Stephen Cissna/Cisna/Cisne is recorded in the History of Columbiana County as an early Resident, and a juror in an early court case. He is listed again in an estate of 1812 and in 1815 as a witness for a civil case. We have found no indication of who he is. But these siblings of Major John Cessna have children whose names we do not know: William Cessna born 1750, Theophilus Cessna born 1756. Stephen Cissna is the right age to be a child of them. Theophilus’ son, Theo Jr. used the spelling Cisney and we only have the name of Theophilus Jr. William’s children used the spelling Cessna. 1812 Chillicothe, Ross County In November of 1812, Tecumseh and a large alliance of Indian Tribes declared war on the United States and began to kill people around Detroit. Early in 1812 a large number of people from there sought refuge in Chillicothe. Among them were these children of Capt. Joseph Cissna (son of John II) and his second wife, Rebecca: Stephen P. Cissna bn 1780, Joseph Cissna Jr., born 1789; and David Cissna bn 1790; Evans Cissna bn 1785. These men remained in Chillicothe throughout the War of 1812, volunteering in various militia companies for active service. After the War, Stephen, Joseph & David moved to Spencer County, IN. Note: It is uncertain that Evans belongs in this family 1814 Wayne/Holmes County Some of the children of William and Hannah Dicks-Cissna were brought from Wayne County, MI to Wayne County, OH by John Cissna, after their mother died in 1814. Their father, William (the son of Capt. Joseph Cissna) had died before 1809. William and Hannah had the following children all born in MI: Anna born 9 Mar 1799; John born 16 Feb 1800; Jane “Jeanne” born 1802; Sara “Sally” born 1804; William Jr. born 1806. All of these children married and lived in Ohio except Jane who returned to Detroit and married Hiram Jones. 1818 Coshocton County Three brothers from Bedford County 20 miles SW of the homes of John and James Cessna in Prairie Twp In 1818 Jonathan Cessna, (son of Jonathan Cessna, son of Major John) and his wife Catherine Boor moved from Cumberland Valley Twp, Bedford County, PA to Perry Twp. Coshocton county. Children born to Jonathan and Catherine in Coshocton County were: Helen bn 1821; Louisa bn 1823; Jonathan Wilson bn 1824; Benjamin Franklin bn 1826; Oliver Perry bn 1827; Caroline bn 1827. In 1831, Jonathan moved his family to Hardin County, OH. These children were born there: Virginia bn 1832; William T. bn 1836; Harriet Eve bn 1838; John Martin bn 1841. Possibly as early as 1814, Charles P. Cessna, (Son of Jonathan Cessna, son of Major John) moved from Cumberland Valley Twp. Bedford County, PA to Perry Twp in Coshocton County. With him came his wife Anna and these children who were born in PA: James O. bn 1810; Sarah bn 1813; Jonathan born 1818; and Rebecca bn 1816-18. These children were born to them in Perry Twp. OH: Rebecca bn 1818; Mary C. bn 1820; Emaline born 1825; Charles Wm. born 1827; and Rachel Rebecca bn 1828-30. A daughter, Camilla, was born after 1830 in Hardin County, OH.. In 1832, Charles moved his family to help establish Hardin County, OH. John Cessna, (son of Jonathan Cessna, son of Major John) moved to Perry Twp. Coshocton County at the same time as his brothers Charles and William above. He and his wife, Mary McVicker brought with them these children who were born in Bedford County, PA: Stephen born 1805-10; Hanna; Elizabeth; Mary Jane; Jonathan bn 1810; Nancy born 1812; Rebecca born 1814; Rachel bn 1815-20; John Jr. born 1816-20; and Charles born 1817. In Perry Twp. these children were born to them: Joseph bn 1819, Maria bn 1819 died in infancy; William bn 1819; and Oliver Madison bn 1820. John Cessna died in April of 1832, just as his brothers Charles and Jonathan were moving to Hardin County. His widow and children remained in Coshocton County. Note: In 1824 Wm. McCoy started the first school in Perry Twp. and the children of these three families were enrolled. 1821 Coshocton County On 28 June 1821, Evans Cissna of Pike County, OH purchased a farm in Coshocton County (about 15 miles south of James and John Cissne in Prairie Twp.) It does not appear that he ever moved there because they are still in Pike County when they sell it to Adrian Wyncoop a year later. But Evans Cissna also appears on the 1825 Tax Roll for Holmes County, OH. This Evans could be the youngest son of Capt. Joseph and Rebecca Cissna. 1827 Holmes County, OH Two Brothers from Shippensburg In 1827 William Cessna, (son of James Cessna, son of John II and brother of Elizabeth Cessna), married Keziah Davis in Shippensburg and brought his family to Holmes County, OH to settle a few miles from James and John above. These children were born to them in Cumberland County, PA: Mary Ann born 1822; John Davis born 1823; James W. born 1824, William bn 1825. These children were born to them in OH: George Cessna (Mar 1828), Joseph Cessna (1832), Zaccheus Cessna (Apr 1835), Kesiah Cessna (Aug 1837). In 1835, he moved them again to Hardin County, OH where he helped established the county government and a township named Cessna. In 1827, John Cessna, (son of James Cessna, son of John II, and brother of Elizabeth above) moved his family to Prairie Twp. Holmes County, OH at same time as his brother William. The mystery around John is that he does not seem to have married or had a family. When James Cissne made his will in 1839 he mentions “Old Uncle John if he is still living”. And in the 1850 census, John is living with John Moorehead, who inherited the farm of James and Elizabeth where the Cissne family cemetery is located. In his father’s will, John only received $1. It seems that John lived in the care of others. Note: James Cessna, the father of these two men appears to have been settling his affairs at this time, and died in 1833. 1825-27 Holmes County In the late 1820’s Jonathan Alexander Cessna (unclear who is his father) moved to Wayne County and settled a few miles from John and James Cissne above. There, he married Susannah Beechler. The 1830 Census record that they have no children. These children were born to them in Holmes County: John Beechler bn in 1830; Ann Jane Cissna bn in 1832. In 1834, Jonathan sold his farm and moved from Wayne County, OH to Elkhart, Indiana. These children were born in Indiana: Mary bn 1835; Susan bn 1840; and George Cessna bn 1843. Various accounts of his descendants disagree as to if he was born in 1802 to Capt. Joseph Cissna in Detroit; or in 1802 in Cumberland County, PA; or in 1802 in Cumberland Valley Twp. of Bedford County. The name of his parents has not been established. Some accounts have his name as Jonathan Alexander Pinkerton De Cessna, and state his father was the Frenchman. 1829 Columbiana County John Cessna (the son of William Cessna Esq.; the son of Major John Cessna) moved from Napier Twp. of Bedford County, PA to Columbiana County, OH. His father had died in 1828 and ordered the farms sold. John married Jane Cook there on 16 March. The following children were born to them in that county: Elizabeth Ann bn 1830; Rachel G. born 1832; Almira bn 1835; Mary Jane bn1838; Evaline bn 1840; Maria bn 1843; Julia bn 1845; and William Butler bn 1848. 1832 Hardin County In 1831-32, three cousins moved to Hardin County from elsewhere in Ohio. William Cessna, (the son of James Cessna, Son of John II and brother of Elizabeth Cessna) married to Keziah Davis. William moved from PA to Holmes, OH in 1818. In 1831 he moved again to Hardin county. At the same time, Charles Cessna (Son of Jonathan Cessna, son of Major John) moved from Coshocton County, OH. Charles and his cousin William lived only 20 miles apart in Holmes/Coshocton. In Hardin County their children would intermarry. At that time also came 1818 Jonathan Cessna, (son of Jonathan Cessna, son of Major John) with his family. It is unclear if Cessna Twp. in Hardin County is named for William, or Charles, or Jonathan as all three families were active in the organization of the county. 1838 Holmes/Ashland County Two Brothers About 1838, two brothers, William and Stephen, (Sons of Theophilus Cisney. the son of Theophilus. the son of John Cessna II) came to Holmes County as single men. They married and established farms about 15 miles west of the homestead of James Cessna above. What had been Holmes County was now Ashland County. William Cisney, bn 1810 in Huntingdon County, PA married Elizabeth Elliott in Holmes County, OH on 26 March 1840. Their children were born in Ashland County: James H. bn 1841; George E. bn 1843; Prissella bn 1845; Sarah A. bn 1847; Rachel Cisney bn 1849. House of Cessna says that he then went back to Huntingdon County, PA where he died. His wife and children were living with her older brother, Hugh Elliott, in the 1850 Census of Clear Creek Twp, Holmes County, OH. Stephen Cisney, moved to Holmes County about 1838, and settled a few miles from the homestead of James Cissne, above. He married Hanna McCordy on 13 Mar 1845 and these children were born to them in Ruggles Twp. Ashland County: Sarah bn 1846, David bn 1848, Theopholus bn 1853, Eliza Jane bn 1855. Stephen Cisney died during the civil war and his widow remained in Ashland County, and never remarried. Most researchers are aware of the fact that John Cessna and John Kirkpatrick were attacked by Indians while harvesting on 18 July 1757. Kirkpatrick was killed and John Cessna was carried into captivity, along with three young boys. All four managed to escape.
Some researchers report that John Cessna was killed by Indians in 1764. This has been puzzling because in 1764 we know of only three people named John Cessna, and all three are still alive in later years. This story comes from A History of Cumberland Valley published by Harriet Wyle Steward in 1920. It had limited printing and is hard to find. She reported this… On the 19th of March 1764 the Indians carried off five people within nine miles of Shippensburg, and shot one man by the name of John Cesna in the old orchard by the road on the farm now owned by Mrs. Alfred Aughinbaugh. After this massacre in the orchard, the Indians, supposed to be eleven in number, were pursued and overtaken by one hundred provincials. The homes of John Stuart, Adam Simms, James McCammon, William Baird, James Kelly, Stephen Calwell and John Boyd, were burned. These people lost all their grain, which they had threshed with the intention to send it for safety further down the valley. (HISTORY OF THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY by Harriet Wyle Stewart, Pug Jan 1920. p.p 15,16) One source for Mrs. Wyle-Stewart appears to be a history published by Thomas Francis Gordon in 1829 The History of Pennsylvania: From It’s Discovery by Europeans, to the Declaration of Independence in 1776. That version does not mention John Cessna by name, but states the man was “shot through the body”. Wyle-Stewart must have had other information which identified this man as John Cessna. In March of 1764, John Cessna son of John Cessna (deceased) and grandson of Stephen and Patience Cessna was just 5 years old and living with his mother and step-father in York County. John Cessna, who was born in 1698 in Ireland and came to America in 1718, was 66 years old and managing three businesses in Shippensburg: nine miles from the attack. (Major) John Cessna, son of the above, was 38 years old and had been married to Sarah Rose for 4 years. They had 2 children. It appears that this is the John Cessna was managing the farm along Muddy Run Creek where the March 19 attack occurred. In the Spring of 1763 (Major) John Cessna, along with his brothers Charles, Evans, Jonathan, and Joseph had just established land claims in Cumberland Valley Twp just south of Fort Bedford. In late Summer of 1763, Pontiac’s War erupted and most of the settlers retreated to the forts at Shippensburg for safety. From Fall 1763 until Summer of 1764 Fort Bedford was under siege, and the surrounding farms were burned by Indians. It appears that the John Cessna who was shot through body on 19 March would most likely be the man we know as Major John Cessna. But that is only an assumption because we know of no other man named John whom it could be. We cannot verify this fact. It would seem that the injured John Cessna did survive and was not killed by the Indians. Something to consider is this. In 1763, Major John had two newly married sisters whose husbands also applied for farms in Cumberland Valley. Elizabeth Cessna-Jones and Margaret Cessna-Hall then disappear from the record about 1764. Their widower husbands sold those farms in 1765. Is it possible that these sisters were victims of this attack as well? To help researchers piece together what happened in March of 1764, the following map has been created to show that all of the atrocities in this happened with in a couple miles of each other, and were part of a single Indian raid. While going back through my travel notes I found this interesting story.
9 May 1994 I had a visit with Robert L. “Booter” Cessna on RR 4, Bedford, PA Robert said he grew up on the Cessna Farmstead but sold it in 1955. He then lived Two houses North. From the Cove Methodist Protestant Church, as you stand in the door, the Major John farm is 200 yards SW. The land just south of the church is part of it also. Robert remembered a large stone house just south of the present house (which was built by his father, Thomas L. Cessna, in 1922.) The stone house had several additions. The oldest part had gun ports built into the heavy plank doors and windows which had wide, hand forged hinges. He remembered the stone foundation of a log cabin just east of the stone bank, close to Cove Creek. Robert remembered the old cemetery being about 300 feet NNW of the present house. It was on top of the bank, above the flood plane. But it disappeared and been farmed over since he sold the land. A marker is at the Cove Methodist Church Cemetery which comments that those buried in that plot. He said the cemeteries for the families of Rose’s and Resslers have been lost in a similar manner…stones destroyed and land farmed over. He states that the farmstead was bought by John Cessna II from Mr. McClay. He did not know if it was John II or John III who first lived there. Robert was in his 80’s. He was the custodian of Cove Methodist Church and it’s cemetery. In their father’s will, dated 24 October 1793, he references…and my eldest daughter Mary Neale, deceased. There is no other mention of her, and we have found no records which indicate her husband’s name. But I found a clue.
Road to Cissna’s Gap: The January 1771 Session of Cumberland County Court, in a petition for a road from Shippensburg to Cissna’s Gap (and across the mountain to Fort Littleton & Burnt Cabins). …from west end of Shippensburg to Herron’s Ford, …to Cissna’s , by Andrew Naylor’s old place, now property of John Cessna. In the April 1771 Session, the recommendation for road is approved and outlined as: Beginning at west end of Shippensburg, west to the top of Cemetery Hill, north nearly three miles to the foot of Lee’s Hill: north west to where it crossed Herron’s Branch; southwest to Andrew Neill’s place, and on up to Cissna’s Gap. In the survey it states: West 186 perches to Andrew Neil’s old place. So, at one time, before 1771, Andrew Neil lived on a farm that was later owned by John Cessna. And John’s daughter married a Mr. Neale. The Neil/Cessna Farm: The road survey states that this farm is .58’s of a mile west of Herron’s Ford. This fits exactly the Cessna farm survey outlined by Dick Eschenmann. (See Below). But…this farm was never owned by Andrew Neil. A search of the deeds reveals the following. John Cessna sold this farm to his son, Theophiles Cessna, on 4 Nov 1793 (a week after he wrote his will) Deed book 3, p 429. That deed states It was a part of a tract of two hundred seventy seven ¾ acres which the late Proprietaries of Pennsylvania by warrant dated 16 Dec 1755, granted to John Cessna (or Sisney). John owned the property from 1755 until 1793, and was probably the first settler. Usually, they picked the farm site, and developed it for several years before they could apply for Warrant, so John may have settled it 1749-52. When did Andrew Neil live on this farm? Was he renting from John Cessna? Tax records for this farm indicate: In the 1751 & 52 taxes the following persons are mentioned as farmers for Lurgan Twp (everything west of Shippensburg): John Cessna, Andrew Neil, Thomas Neil, John Kirkpatrick, John Kirkpatrick Jr., James Kirkpatrick, Oliver Culbertson, James Culbertson, Alexander Culbertson, Samuel Culbertson and Joseph Culbertson. No property deed is found for Andrew or Thomas Neil owning land in Lurgan/Southampton Townships. And in the deed for the above mentioned farm, Andrew Neil is not listed as an owner. Andrew Neal and John Cessna were contemporaries in Wilmington (New Castle County, DE) before moving to Cumberland County. On 11 May 1738, Nathan Hussey, late of Christiana Hundred, sold to Jonathan Evans, land that borders the land formerly of Andrew Neal. Joseph Simpson, John Stalcop and John Cessna sign as witness. Alexander Neal’s Estate was filed in New Castle, Delaware on 1 Oct 1740. So the Andrew and Thomas Neal living might be his sons. This would suggest that Andrew and Thomas Neil came to Cumberland County about the same time as John Cessna. About the time the road was built: two men who seem to be sons of Andrew Neil appear a few miles away in the next township. Alexander Neil warranted 100 acres in W. Pennsboro Twp dated 28 Nov 1771. He sold this land to John Campbell on 11 Apr 1815. Deeds also record that Adam Neil warranted 40 acres in W. Pennsboro Twp on 3 Aug 1773. Tax records (and the 1790 Census) for W. Pennsboro Twp show the Neil families consistently living 5 miles North East of Shippensburg. Andrew Neil lived on a farm owned by John Cessna from 1751 until about 1771. John Cessna’s eldest daughter married a Mr. Neil, but died sometime before 1793. Questions: Were the Neils and Cessnas related. Perhaps in-laws? Did John Cessna’s daughter marry the son of Andrew Neil? Perhaps Adam Neil or Alexander Neil? Is it possible that Andrew Neal was the father or brother of John Cessna’s second wife, and that is why Neal was living on Cessna land? Is it possible that Mary Cessna married her cousin, Mr. Neil/Neale? If Mary Cessna was his eldest daughter, was she born to John’s first or second wife? If she was born to John’s first wife (1726-30)…Andrew Neal would be her second/half cousin. |
AuthorBill Cissna Archives
June 2023
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