Unknown Bissell

The wife of Richard Bissell cannot be tied to Margaret Howland also known as Margaret Catesby.

His wife's last name at birth is unknown. Apparently, inept genealogists erroneously tied Margaret to the wife of Richard Bissell as Margaret Howland. It is a completely fictional, non-existent person. It becomes an erroneous common belief on the internet.

Many genealogists tried to tie Margaret Howland to the wife of Richard Bissell. It is completely false because Margaret Howland, the daughter of John and Emme (Revell) Howland, is already married to Eusebius Catesby by 1599 and had nine children together between 1599 and 1620, and five probate records prove she is definitely not the wife of Richard Bissell and now it is disproven.

The Genealogical Proof Standard cannot allow us to tie Richard Bissell of Pinchbeck to the marriage record of Richard and Margaret on 7 November 1591 in Whitton, Lincolnshire because, unfortunately, this does not have any further information to show their surname on the marriage record.

Margaret of Whitton cannot be tied to the wife of Richard Bissell.

Also, at Ancestry.com, many genealogists tried to tie a marriage record of Richard Russell who married Margaret Amery on 21 December 1590 in Pinchbeck to Richard Bissell of Pinchbeck, but unfortunately, Richard Russell is definitely not identical to Richard Bissell of Pinchbeck.

The wife of Richard Bissell remains unknown.

Common Errors to Avoid

Incorrect wife: The wife of Richard Bissell is definitely not Margaret Howland, also known as the daughter of John and Emme (Revell) Howland and the wife of Eusebius Catesby according to five probate records.

Incorrect wife: The wife of Richard Bissell is definitely not Margaret of Whitton who married Richard of Whitton on 7 November 1591 in Whitton, Lincolnshire.

Incorrect wife: The wife of Richard Bissell is definitely not Margaret Amery of Pinchbeck who married Richard Russell of Pinchbeck on 21 December 1590 in Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire.

Incorrect child: John Bissell of Windsor, Connecticut is not the son of Richard Bissell. No record of his birth or baptism is found in the parish of Pinchbeck. The parish registers for Pinchbeck begin in 1560 and end in 1701, and Bishop's transcripts for Pinchbeck begin in 1562 and end in 1855. The origin of John Bissell of Windsor "is supposed to have come from Somerset."[1]

Sources

1. Thistlethwaite, Frank. Dorset Pilgrims: The Story of West Country Pilgrims who went to New England in the 17th Century (1989), p. 201.