Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

than Tyler's regiment, serving in Rhode
Island. He also served at Ticonderoga,
and was at Saratoga at the surrender of
General Burgoyne. He was a surveyor
and one of the men who established the
State line between New York and Pennsylvania.
He died in Amherst, Massachusetts,
June 8, 1822. He married, in Palmer,
November 20, 1794, Rebecca Thompson,
born in Brimfield, March 26, 1767, died
in Amherst, July 21, 1858. She was the
daughter of Captain John Thompson,
born in 1728, and died in 181 5, who served
with distinction in the war of the Revolution
(whose wife was a Russell), and
granddaughter of Captain John Thompson,
born 1699, died January 19, 1785, an
officer in the French and Indian War, and
with his wife, Elizabeth, was a pioneer
settler of Palmer. John McMaster, third
son of Joshua and Rebecca (Thompson)
McMaster, was born in Amherst, April 4,
1805, and died in West Springfield, Mas-
sachusetts, November 17, 1903. In the
early days of its organization he was interested
in the Collins Manufacturing
Company, but devoted most of his active
life to the tilling of his two farms in Mas-
sachusetts. Always a close student of
national affairs and accounted one of the
best read men of his day on current topics,
he was a strong Abolitionist and helped
many a colored man on his way to the
North. Escaped slaves were sent to his
home by other station agents of the underground
railway; he passed them along
the line, gave them the help they needed
and charged each one never to call himself
a slave. On April 14, 1834, he married
Laura Bissell, who was born in East
Windsor, Connecticut, October 28, 1807,
and died in West Springfield, August 20,
1873. She was a descendant of John
Bissell, who was the first settler of the
name in America. The family of Bissell
fled from France to England to escape
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
35
the persecution which followed the mas-
sacre of St. Bartholomew's Day, 1572.
John Bissell arrived at Plymouth, Massachusetts,
from County Somerset, Eng-
land, in 1628. In 1640 he removed to
East Windsor, Connecticut, and was one
of the founders of that place. The Bissell
coat-of-arms was brought from France
to England by the grandfather of the
said John Bissell, and recorded there at
the College of Heraldry, London. John
Bissell received a grant of land and the
monopoly of the ferry across the Connec-
ticut river in 1648-49. This was located
on the east side near the wharf, which
belonged to the Quarry Company. In
1662 he gave this homestead with the
rights of the ferry to one of his sons, and
with another son, Nathaniel, removed to
the east side below the mouth of the
Scantic, probably the first family to actually
reside on that side. He died Oc-
tober 3, 1677, and his wife, May 21, 1641.
Their son, Nathaniel Bissell, was born
September 24, 1640, and died March 12,
1713-14. He married Mindwell Moore,
September 25, 1662, the daughter of
Deacon John Moore, of Windsor, and she
died November 24, 1682. Jonathan Bissell,
son of Nathaniel and Mindwell
(Moore) Bissell, was born February 14,
1674, and married, March 17, 1709,
Bridget Fitch. Their son, Jonathan Bis-
sell, Jr., was born May 31, 1710, and died
February 24, 1789. He married, Novem-
ber 27, 1744, Elizabeth Halliday, of Suf-
field, Connecticut. They were the parents
of Jonathan Bissell, 3d, who was born
August 11, 1749, and died December 29,
1825.' He married (first) Prudence Smith,
June 12, 1770, who died July 1, 1789, and
(second) Redexalana Loomis, September
13, 1791, the daughter of John and Redexalana
(Wolcott) Loomis, of East Wind-
sor Hill, and she died April 29, 1843.
Their daughter, Laura Bissell, became