Nicholas Sessoms, I

1. NICHOLAS1 SESSUMS1,2,3,4,5 was born Abt. 1646 in England, and died 1716 in Surry County, Virginia. He married HANNAH CULMER6,7, daughter of THOMAS CULMER.

Notes for NICHOLAS SESSUMS:

Nicholas Sessums born about 1646 in England was transported to Virginia by Arthur Allen.
An oath he gave in Surry County Court in July 1710 stated he had been in the colony for forty four years.
This would make him arriving in the colony in 1666.
This is recorded in Surry County Order Book 1691-1713 page 352.
He received 50 acres of land for importation of himself into the colony.
Also Mrs. Alice Allen on March 9, 1670 stated that she discharges Nicholas Sessoms of all claims of debts, which would mean that Nicholas worked for Arthur and Alice for four years to pay off the debt for transportation to Virginia. This is in Surry County Record Book I page 405.
He is also listed in Servants to Foreign Plantations on page 43 as coming from England.
The book Briston and America, shows Nicholas Sessums being transported from Briston, England to Virginia between 1663 and 679 Page 117.
All the above shows that Nicholas Sessums came to Virginia in 1666 from Bristol, England as a servant, that he worked for Arthur and Alice Allen of Surry County for four years and all his debts were discharged in 1670 and he became a free man.
Nugent, Volume I pages 199, 276, 362 show patents of land in which he acquired an estate of about 1800 acres of land. He obtained this by paying for the passage of others over a 12 year period.
This land was located on Pigeon Creek and Black Water River in Surry County for the most part.
He also had numerous servants. The 1702 Tithables for Southwark Parish shows that he owned 4 servants living in his household and 98 others living on his plantation.
This is referenced in Colonial Surry, Bodie, page 209. Records also show that he was one of two church Warden's in Lawne's Creek Parish.
The wardens were responsible for Collecting the parish taxes, caring for the poor, and for interpreting moral offenses and presenting them to the County Court.
He was the plaintiff and also the defendant in several lawsuits concerning moral issues.
They are shown in Surry County, Virginia Order Book 1671-1691 and 1691-1713.
He married first Hannah Culmer the widow of Robert Lane.
The notes on Hannah Culmer will show information about Hannah and her marriage to Nicholas.
They had two daughters as shown by the will Nicholas made October 8, 1715 and probated October 21, 1716. It is recorded in Book 7 page 33.
The daughters names are Hannah married to William Black and Ann married to William Williams.
He also had a son Thomas Sessums who died previous to Nicholas Sessums.
Thomas is shown on the 1693 Tithables List for Lawnes Creek Parish living in the household of his father. Hannah Culmer Black died before 1693 and he married Katherine maiden name unknown.
Katherine is first mentioned in a court suit in July 1693 in Surry County along with her husband Nicholas. Katherine is shown in May 1704 in Order Book 1691-1713 relinquishing her rights to dower of a piece of land Nicholas gave to his daughter Ann Williams, and she is named as wife in Nicholas ' will.

Notes for HANNAH CULMER:

Hannah Culmer is the daughter of Thomas Culmer as was shown in a deed from Thomas Culmer to his daughter Hannah Lane wife of Robert Lane in deed boot I page 198 Nov. 6, 1662.
Hannah is mentioned in a deed dated May 2, 1666 Book I page 276 and shown as wife of Robert Lane.
On the Tithables (white) for the year 1668 Robert Lane's name is show, but nowhere else in Surry County records after this date.
It is assumed he died.
It is believed that Hannah then married as his first wife Nicholas Sessums.
It is shown in a court order Book 1671-1691 page 77 that Eliza Lane (presumably Hannah and Robert Lane's daughter) was living in the household of Nicholas Sessoms.
The order reads:

"Eliza Lane having been delivered of two mulatto bastard children which she confesseth were begotten by Nicholas Sessoms' Negro man, it is ordered that the sheriff during the setting of this court (January, 1690) give her ten lashes on her bare back well layed on and at the next court he give her ten lashes more." Hannah died before 1693 when Nicholas Sessums and his second wife, Katherine were involved in a court suite in July, 1693 Surry County Court.

Children of NICHOLAS SESSUMS and HANNAH CULMER are:

2. i. THOMAS2 SESSUMS, b. Abt. 1677, Surry County, Virginia; d. Bef. 1711, Surry County, Virginia.

3. ii. HANNAH SESSUMS.

4. iii. ANN SESSUMS, d. Bef. 1740.

http://www.lamartin.com/genealogy/sessums.htm

Regarding Indians being servants, the October, 1711 Court, page 378, had this to say: "Nichs. Session (sic) producing an Acct. against the Publick for his Indian mans working on the Lines at James Town &c. & having made oath that he never received any satisfaction for the (?) It is therefore ordered to be certifyed to the next Genll. Assembly for allowance".

http://www.lamartin.com/genealogy/nicholas_sessoms.htm

1710:

"Certificate granted to Nicholas Sessoms for 50 acres of land for importation of himself into this colony, having been in 44 years and was a servant when he came in"

Virginia Ancestors and Adventurers, Volumes 1-3

By Charles Hughes Hamlin

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His will was dated Oct. 8 1715. Prob: Oct 21, 1716, Surry Co. VA — to wife, Katherine, for life, the plantation I live on – 300 acres – at her decease to my daughter, Hannah Black, and for want of issue to granddaughter, Mary Black. apparently an error in the transcription Black should be read as Blake. — to granddaughter Hannah Black, doz. spoons, trunk, household goods, an Indian girl, etc. if she dies or marry before of age, to go to my granddaughter Mary Black. — to daughter Ann Williams, two barrels of pork. — to daughter Mary Black, a negro called “Isle of Wight” etc — to son in law, William Williams, after my wife’s decease one negro — to grandson William Williams my land at, or near, Marshapingo. — to grandson John Black, land on the south side of Bridge Swamp, if no heirs to granddaughter, Mary Black. — to granddaughter Katherine Williams my Plantation on Pegion Swamp, 200 acres, if no issue to my granddaughter, Mary Williams. — to son in law William Black, all my leather. — to two sons in law, William Williams and Wm. Black, all my wearing clothes to be equally divided. — to friend Ethelred Taylor, five pounds. — to wife, Katherine and two sons in law all the rest of est. to be equally divided. — desires granddaughters to be well educated by Ethelred Taylor, Hannah and Mary Black, and take over the Plantation after my death. He to be overseer of will, with two sons in law. WIT: Samuel Cook, John High, Mary Evans, Book 7, page 33.

see also

Wills and Administrations of Surry County, Virginia, 1671-1750

By Eliza Timberlake Davis

p.67, inventory of Nicholas Sessoms, 15 May 1717, One Negro man, do. woman & do. Boy, 1 Indian man slave.

http://www.houseofancestry.org/30-1-indian-ancestry-court-records/

"Nicholas Sessoms, along with six others, was transported to the Colony of Virginia by Arthur Allen, for which Mr. Allen received 350 acres of land 'on a bra. of Black Water Surry Co., Va.' according to a land patent dated 14 June 1578. (Nugent, Vol. I, p. 186). Although the land patent was dated in 1678, Nicholas Sessoms arrived much earlier, for we find that in a Surry County Court held in July, 1710, the records state: "Certificate is granted NICHOLAS SESSOMS to the Secretary's office For 50 acres of land for importation of himself into the Colony, he having made oath as the law directs, having been in the Colony forty four years and was a servant when came in" (Surry County Order Book 1691-1713, p. 352). This would place his arrival in the Colony of Virginia in the year 1666. This date is Further substantiated by the Fact that on 5 March 1670, 'Mrs. Alice Allen (assumably the wife of Arthur Allen) discharges NICHOLAS SESSOMS of all claims of debts'. (Surry County Record Book I, p. 405). This would mean that Nicholas worked For Mr. and Mrs. Allen the customary four years to pay off the debt for his transportation to the Colony of Virginia. Nicholas Sessoms is also listed in Servants to Foreign Plantations (p. 63) as coming from England, and in the book Bristol and America, Nicholas is shown as being transported from Bristol, England between 1663-1679 (p. 117). From this we conclude that Nicholas Sessoms arrived in the Colony of Virginia from Bristol. England in the year 1666 as a servant, worked for Mr. and Mrs.. Allen of Surry County for four years, and became a Free man after he discharged all claims and debts in 1670."

http://02ec0a3.netsolhost.com/getperson.php?personID=I27027&tree=nc...

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page 191 of Aug 2011 Magazine of Virginia Genealogy a militia list of about Nov 1701 in Surry Co VA a Nicho. Sessoms was issued pistolls and carbine and sword and 2 lbs of powder and 8 pounds of shott, similar to most other militia on that list

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=moseley2&...

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"He was in Virginia by 1674. He was probably of the middle to upper class of English society, even though he appeared to be a farmer by trade. He demonstrated both piety and a free spirit. He did a lot of work as vestryman of the local parish but also got in trouble for his Sabbath-breaking activities. He must have had a quick tongue and a short temper. He was in court several times, either accusing or being accused of slander, and lost nearly all cases.

He had a number of servants at various times. He had a bit of wealth, because he accumulated a fair amount of land in his lifetime which he passed on to his children. It is possible that his gift of land to son-in-law William Blake was a wedding present at the time of William’s marriage to Nicholas’ daughter Mary. Nicholas died about 1716." http://www.ncgenweb.us/ncwarren/fam-hist/families/davis-duke.htm

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See more at Sally's Family Place: http://sallysfamilyplace.com/new/nicholas-sessoms-hannah-culmer-kat...

See also _Southern Blakes_ by Kate Blake Daus.

Nicholas Sessum

in the U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s

U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s No Image Text-only collection Add alternate information Report issue Name: Nicholas Sessum Arrival Year: 1666 Arrival Place: Virginia Primary Immigrant: Sessum, Nicholas Source Publication Code: 1218.5 Annotation: Date of covenant or indenture of service and apprenticeship with intended destination. Extracted from Servants to Foreign Plantations, a two volume set discovered in the Council House of Bristol. A summerized transcription by R. Hargreaves-Mawdsley was pu Source Bibliography: COLDHAM, PETER WILSON. The Bristol Registers of Servants Sent to Foreign Plantations, 1654-1686. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988. 491p.
www.findagrave.com

Nickolas Sessums
BIRTH 1645
Bristol, England
DEATH 8 Oct 1715 (aged 69–70)
Surry County, Virginia, USA
BURIAL
Lower Surry Cemetery
Bacons Castle, Surry County, Virginia, USA
MEMORIAL ID 186752754

Nicholas Sessums was born 1646 in Bristol, England the son of Thomas Sessums. He married in 1676 at Surry, Surry County, Virginia, Hannah Culmer the daughter of George and Margarett Austen Culmer.

Known Children:
Thomas Sessoms Born 1677 Md Elizabeth Smith Died Chowan County, North Carolina

Family Members
Parents
Thomas Sessums
1624 – unknown

Spouse
Hannah Culmer Sessums
1645–1693

Children
Thomas Sessoms
1677–1711