The Sessoms Family of Hertford and Bertie Counties, NC
Next-door Neighbors to the Jones/Moore family for over 200 years

William Sessoms 1771 -  1844 | his parents 
   & ca 1800  Elizabeth VanPelt  1781 - 1826 |  her parents  
        of Hertford County, North Carolina 

      William Sessoms 8 April 1771 - 8 April 1844 (Bws)  the son of John and Ann Sessoms was born at the family home at White Plains in what is now Hertford County, North Carolina. He married  Elizabeth Van Pelt 22 March 1781 - 6 May 1826  daughter of James and MaryVanPelt. [She was his 2nd cousin.]
                          Bertie Co 1820 census William Sessoms 0 2 1 0 0 1 - 0 0 1 1 0

Children of William Sessoms and Elizabeth VanPelt:
1. Elizabeth Sessoms est 1802 -
    married Daniel H Tayloe
2.  William Wynn Sessoms 27 April 1804 Bws - 25 May 1872 Bws
     married 5 Jan 1825 Bws Mrs. Sallie Askew 3 June 1797 Bws - 28 May 1861 Bws
3. Dr. Harrell Bell Sessoms  ca 1806  - 10 July 1838 Bws
     married 3 July 1827  Harriet Eason - died 1839
                            dau. of Joseph Eason, decd.
4.  (Squire Pelt) Daniel VanPelt Sessoms  9 May 1809 - 4 Oct 1888  ts
      married ca 1834 Eliza Tayloe 1814 - 25 Jan 1839 age 25 yrs  ts
      married 17 Dec 1839 Elisa Elizabeth Sessoms 7 Jan 1819 - 16 Feb 1904 ts
              (his 1st cousin) dau of Samuel H Sessoms and Mary Outlaw
5. Celia Ann Sessoms 10 Nov 1810 - 15 Oct 1826 age 15 yrs 11 mo 5 days Bw
6.  Nancy Sessoms  est 1816 - 15 Aug 1838 Bws
     married William Shaw 16 Mar 1806 - 16 Dec 1862
                      son of John Shaw and Celia his wife

  William Wynn Sessoms 1804 - 1872 | his parents
& 1825 Sallie Askew 1797 - 1861 | her parents
& ca 1818 David Askew Jr 1775/93 - ca 1823 | his parents
of Pine Tree Store, Hertford Co NC

1. William Wynn Sessoms 27 April 1804 Bws - 25 May 1872 Bws
     married 5 Jan 1825 Bws Mrs. Sallie Askew 3 June 1797 Bws - 28 May 1861 Bws
           dau of John Askew and Mary Outlaw; widow of David Askew Jr.

William Wynn Sessoms Home/ Roberson place
    
photos by James Moore ca 1970
I remember Johnnie Roberson removed the cemetery stones and plowed over the graves that were located near this house ca 1950.  My father said that was the old Van Pelt Cemetery.
W W Sessoms was bequeathed "the land I (William Sessoms) bought of John Hunter."

    a. Mary Elizabeth Sessoms 24 Nov 1825 Bws - 15 April 1879 Bws
       married Joseph J. Perry 25 Dec 1817 - 9 May 1882 Bws 
                                   son of Freeman and Martha [Simons] Perry

The Perry Place and Cemetery/Dell Holloman's
This house  located between the W.W.  Sessoms house and the Leigh Sessoms house, although recently bulldozed,  was very similar to the James Ward home I am always told.  The cemetery minus its wrought iron fence is still apparent with some stones  tumbled into the graves.  Could this have been the home of Josiah Perry 1740-1820 and his wife Amilicent Freeman? It was the home of Freeman Perry ca 1781 and his wife Patty Simons.  Also, it was the home of Joseph J. Perry 1817-1882 and his wife Mary E. Sessoms 1825-1879 and his widow Emily D Lewis Perry. 
Then Daniel Van Pelt Sessoms 1844-1915 and his wife Martha S Perry 1851-1912.
The family sold this property to A D [Dell] Holloman [son of Efferson D Holloman who was brother of Rocherous Holloman, sons of Whitmell Holloman per Jimmy Holloman].

          i. Joseph William Perry 3 March 1845 -rem. to Norfolk, VA 1877
             married April 1872 Mary Harrell Jernigan  - she grad. 1867 Chowan College
                               dau of Lemuel R Jernigan d 8 Dec 1866 at Barfields
                    a. May Perry
        ii. Henry T Perry 18 May 1847 - rem. to Indiana
       iii. Laura E. Perry 20 June 1849 -
             married J. Washington Mitchell of Bertie Co
       iv. Martha S. Perry 17 July 1851 - 16 June 1912 Bws
             married Daniel VanPelt Sessoms 4 Mar 1844 - 20 June 1915 Bws
                         [neighbor and cousin - see above]
        v. Ernest Perry 5 Sept 1867 - 16 June 1916 dsp
     Joseph J. [JJ] Perry 1817 - 1882
       married 2nd 10 Dec 1879 Emily D. Lewis 1847 - 15 Jan 1927 Bws
                    daughter of his 1st wife's half sister Lavenia
          vi. Josie Perry 10 May 1882 - 1 May 1905
    b. Margaret B Sessoms 22 March 1828 - 16 Jan 1833 Bws
    c. Celia Ann Sessoms 27 Feb 1831 Bws - 1892
         married 19 Sept 1848 William John Simons 27 Aug 1824 - aft 1880
                  County Sheriff - lived at Pinetree at "Magnolia Grove"
                       (the house we knew as the Bud Mitchell place as kids)
           i.  Margret [Mariah] A. Simons  ca 1849 -
                married 20 Dec 1868 [1865] Bws Henry J. Godwin
                married Hudgins
                         1. Annie Hudgins ca 1874 -                
          ii. William J. Simons ca 1852 -
         iii.  Thomas E Simons ca 1854 -
                married A. E.    ca 1859 -    
                       1.  LeRoy Simons 1897 - 18 May 1945
                              had Agnes, Roy, and Maude all of Ahoskie
         iv.  Mollie Jane Simons  ca 1856 -          
               married  6 Dec 1868 John C. Britton  
                       1. Carrie Britton
                       2.  Cleo Britton
                       3.  Herbert K. Britton 
          v. Laura Estella Simons Nov1858 -      
               married  Mr. Deans died bef 1900
                        1. John S Deans May 1883 -  of Ahoskie 
         vi. Sallie M Simons  Sept 1864 -   
               married ca 1886 Norman T Freeman March 1858 -
                        1. Nettie M Freeman 
                        2. Mary  Freeman
                              married L. D. Perry of Colerain
         vii. Walter Simons ca 1869 -    
   Sallie had by her 1st husband David Askew Jr 
     a. Lavenia Askew ca 1822 -
         married Edward D Lewis ca 1813 - bef 1860
           i. Sallie D Lewis ca 1840 -
               married John H Jernigan
          ii. Emma D[Emily F] Lewis  ca 1846  - 15 Jan 1927
               married Joseph J Perry 1817 - 1882
    b. Emily Askew ca 1820 -
         married Thomas D Jenkins of Potecasi ca 1816 -

Bws = Bible of William Sessoms
ts= tombstone in the William Sessoms Cemetery
dsp = died single person or never married

Dr. Harrell Bell Sessoms ca 1806 - 1838  | his parents
& 1827 Harriet Eason ca 1810 - 1839 | her parents
of Bertie/Hertford Co NC

Dr. Harrell Bell Sessoms  ca 1806  - 10 July 1838 Bws
         married 3 July 1827  Harriet Eason - died 1839
                            dau. of Joseph Eason, decd.

 This Dr. Harrell Sessoms  had a home that was located between the Leigh Sessoms house and present day Moore's Lane. William Sessoms called this land the Wynn tract in his 1844 will. Dr. Sessoms died young and his son and daughter were raised by Van Pelt Sessoms. That house burned.  Harold Sessoms 1909 - 1974  of Ahoskie  told James Moore that his name was a corruption of the original Harrell and  that you could see the wells out in the field when he was a boy.

  a. Dr. Joseph William Sessoms 28 July 1828 - 1 June 1906 ts
                                 educated at Wake Forest and UP  1852  Surgeon  CSA
     married 15 Nov 1855 Anna Matilda (Nannie) Underwood - Courthouse of Surry Co, VA
                                   11 Dec 1833 Williamsburg VA - 21 June 1875 NC ts
          daughter of William Pleasants Underwood and 1832 Eliza Virginia Cabaness
        granddaughter of Thomas  Underwood and Elizabeth Southall
              and James Cabiness and Anna Matilda Henings
                      [the Episcopal minister from Windsor conducted her burial service]

Dr. J. W/Leigh Sessoms Home was called Sunnyside Acres
   
constructed 1855/57 by a black carpenter
photos by James Moore ca 1970

Dr. Sessoms furnishes his new home 19 May, 1857

       i.  William Harrell Sessoms 17 Nov 1856  -  May 1922   Colerain  
                                               farmer and rural letter carrier
                    William and wife are both buried in the Methodist Church Yard in Colerain NC
          married 17 Nov 1883 [Bettie Fannie] Elizabeth Frances Burt 7 Jan 1862 Surry Co VA - Aug 1941
                    daughter of John Burt and wife Emily Porter  buried at Methodist Church in Colerain
                    1. William [Willie] Harrell Sessoms Jr 23 Aug 1884 VA - 15 Oct 1959 Portsmouth VA
                          married 1906 Maude [Emily] Gurley Northcott 1886 - 24 Aug 1945
                           a. Virginia Garland Sessoms 17 June 1907 - 5 May 1984 Chesapeake VA
                               married ca 1926 William Todd Parker 17 July 1905 VA - 8 Feb 1970 Portsmouth VA
                                 son of John Henry Braxton Parker 1866-1948 and Lottie Jane Jenkins 1887 - 1965
                           b. Doris E. Sessoms ca 1910 -
                           c. Roselyn Sessoms

                    2. Bessie Earle Sessoms 6 April 1887 VA  - 26 Oct 1967
                          married 1 Aug 1906 John H Allen
                    3. Carl Burt Sessoms 4 Dec 1890 NC- 29 Aug 1961
                          married 25 Aug 1925 Hazel Wickings Montague 31 Oct 1889 - 11 Jan 1982
                           a. Hazel Montague Sessoms 15 Aug 1928 Norfolk VA - 7 Dec 2010 Colerain NC
                                married ca 1953 William Fowler

Hazel Montague Sessoms Fowler 

 

Hazel Montague Sessoms Fowler, 82, passed away peacefully at her home Tuesday night, Dec. 7, 2010. She is survived by her loving husband of 57 years, William, of Colerain; son, William Jr. and wife, Shelley, of Greenville; daughter, Carla Gibbons and her husband, Bruce, of Apex; grandchildren, Emily Fowler and Claire Fowler of Greenville, Bryan Gibbons and Rachel Gibbons of Apex; and first cousin, Merle Montague of Windsor.
The daughter of Carl Burt Sessoms and Hazel Montague Sessoms of Colerain, Mrs. Fowler was born in Norfolk, Va., August 15, 1928. She attended Colerain High School where she was valedictorian of her graduating class in 1945. She was presented to N.C. Society at the 1947 Debutante Ball. A graduate of Woman's College in Greensboro (UNC – G) with a B.A. in primary education in 1949, she taught second grade at Myrtle Underwood Elementary for two years in Raleigh. She also taught two years in Harrellsville.
Mrs. Fowler was devoted to her husband and family and active in Colerain United Methodist Church and in her community. An organist for 62 years and soprano soloist at the church and throughout the community, Mrs. Fowler enjoyed sharing her gift of music. She was a Sunday school teacher for the adult class, past president of the Women's Society of Christian Service (United Methodist Women) at her church, Director of Colerain Beach, Inc., and past president of the local Women's Club. Mrs. Fowler was the operator of the family farm in Colerain.
Visitation was at the Garrett-Jones Funeral Home, 205 NC Hwy 42 W., Ahoskie on Friday night from 7 to 8:30 and other times at the home. The funeral service will be held today at 11 a.m. at Colerain United Methodist Church, 209 W. Academy St. Burial to follow at Hillcrest Cemetery in Colerain. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to: Colerain United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 295 Colerain, NC 27924, Colerain Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 397, Colerain, NC 27924, or Colerain Fire Department, P.O. Box 247, Colerain, NC 27924.

Published in The Daily Reflector from December 10 to December 11, 2010

                    4. Stanley Burt Sessoms 5 May 1895 NC - 10 July 1947 buried Raeford NC
                         married 4 June 1932 Maude Coble McLean 29 June 1901 - 12 Sept 1973
                          a. Jean McLean Sessoms 24 May 1935
                    5. Joeseph [Joe] William Sessoms 3 June 1897 NC - 25 Dec 1944
                         married NY, July 1922 Carolyn (Carrie) Frances Hunter ca 1901 Jamaica LI - June 1923 Roanoke VA 
                          a. Robert Hunter Sessoms 22 June 1923 - 13Mar 1987
                              married Annie Beatrice Myrick Washam
                                             (the Washam is her adoptive name)
                              i.  Marylou Sessoms Sweat
                          married 2nd Maude England
                           a. Rosemary Sessoms
                           b. Betty Jo Sessoms
                   6. Robert Edward [Doc] Sessoms 27 Feb 1901 Colerain NC  - 12 April 1985     of Roanoke, VA
                        married 17 Aug 1926 Emma Montague Hickok 2 Jan 1906 VA - 5 June 1979
                          a. Robert Edward Sessoms Jr 9 July1927 - 16 May 1929
                          b. William Montague Sessoms 1932 -
                          c. Richard Burt Sessoms 1934 -
       ii. Virginia Cabiness [Sissie] Sessoms  6 Jan 1859 - 13 Aug 1889 age thirty
                                 baptized 28 March 1869 Grace Church Woodville NC
            married 20 Dec 1877 Edward Everett Etheridge of Colerain 15 Jan  1856 - 5 Oct 1907
                       at the residence of her father in Bertie Co by Rev. Edward Wooten                     
                         Farming -  this family were communicants at St. Thomas in Windsor
                      1.  Mary Underwood Etheridge 1 Oct 1878 -1914
                              bapt 9 April 1882 Grace Ch Woodville NC
                          married C. J. Rha
                      2. Pearl Marmaduke Etheridge June 1880 - 1904
                              bapt 9 April 1882
                          married Stephen W. Kenny
                      3. Edward E. (Ned) Etheridge 1881 -1922
                      4. Joseph H. Etheridge
                      5. Eva Etheridge  [called at Maple Lawn in 1969 after my father's death]
                       she told us how when she used to visit at the Dr. Sessom's place and how they always came over to Maple Lawn because "the Moore place was a showplace"
                      6. Ethyl Etheridge
              Ed married 2nd Etta Savage 23 Oct 1866 - 27 Jan 1931
       iii. Harriett Eason Sessoms  13 June 1860-   "Lettie"
              married W. B. Gillam
                      1. W. B. Gillam Jr.
              married 2nd Samuel Aumack Jr.  of Pitch Landing, NC
                                                    no issue
       iv. Joeseph Henry Sessoms 27 April 1864 -
             married Musa Cain of Portsmouth, VA
                       1. Josie Morris Sessoms
                       2. Musa Sessoms
                       3. J. C. Sessoms
       v. Claudia Meredith Sessoms 7 Nov 1866-
            married George T. Blandford
                      1. George T Blandford  died as young man
                           a. George T Blandford III 1921 - res. Tampa, FA 
                               married Nancy Jane Holland
                      2. Paul Blandford
                      3. Claude Blandford
                      4. Musa Blandford
                      5. Irvin Blandford
      vi. Nannie Underwood Sessoms 8 Feb 1872 -  aft 1960
                       "Birdie"          [degree from Chowan 1887]
           married William Edward Evans
                      1. William Carlton Evans
                            married Elizabeth Palin McMullen
                      2. Virginia Ruth Evans ca 1889 -
                           married 1st James Urquhart Norfleet 13 Mar 1889 - 20 Oct 1957 Miami buried at Woodville
                                 son of Reginald Norfleet and wife Mary
                           married 2nd Glenn Harold Staysa
                     3. Edward Earl Evans
                            married Nathalie Elois Gramman
     vii. Leigh Richmond Sessoms 5 Jan 1875 - ca 1960
                     His  black "mammy"  was "Aunt" Harriet Cherry, who raised him from an infant 
                           in 1900 Leigh R Sessoms is a private in the US Army 
              married Pamela [Permelia] Tynes (Tiny) Holloman 4 July 1891 - ca 1965
                        dau of Kindred Magruda Hollomon & Temperance Tynes - grew up at Stoney Creek
                             in the house where the McKeels later lived [old Outlaw home]
                      1. Harold Richmond Sessoms 12 Feb 1909 -18 Jan 1974   
                                      merchant, Ahoskie
                           married Elizabeth Cross
                               a. Nancy Sessoms
                     2. Joseph William Sessoms 1913 -
                     3. Madeline L. Sessoms 1916 -  Gardner, NC
                          married Alton Littleton Ward
                     4. Claudia Meredith Sessoms 1919 -
                          married Mr. Picklesimer
                     5. Anna Sessoms ca 1925 -

 
Anna ca 1945

                           married Sam Hudson

1963 Leigh Sessoms Hudson age 10

                     6. Pattie Cotten Sessoms ca 1931 -  17 Nov 2002
                         married Mr. Gantt

the lines of  Patti C and Anna [Sessoms - Hollomon]

   b. Martha "Pattie" Cherry  Sessoms  27 June 1836  -  10 June 1889 ts
                      Martha was  attending  Chowan with Ann Ward in 1850 [census]
                         she was bapt 16 March 1862 at Grace Church Woodville NC
          married 18 Oct 1853 Lewis Cotten 1820 - 1882  as his 2nd wife
            i. Margaret Agnes (Maggie) Cotten 26 Sept 1854 - 17 Dec 1917
               married Mirabeau L. Wood 14 April 1854 - 1 April 1917
                                            and had family
                                both buried at the old Cotten homestead in Bertie Co.
           ii. Harriet Martha (Hattie) Cotten 27 Feb 1860 - 24 Jan 1940
               married Charles Skinner 8 Feb 1851 - 19 Sept 1908
                                               of Perquimans, NC and had family
                                both buried  in Cherry Hill Cemetery, Pitt County, NC

3. (Squire Pelt) Daniel VanPelt Sessoms  9 May 1809 - 4 Oct 1888  ts
      married ca 1834 Eliza Tayloe 1814 - 25 Jan 1839 age 25 yrs  ts
      married 17 Dec 1839 Elisa Elizabeth Sessoms 7 Jan 1819 - 16 Feb 1904 ts
              (his 1st cousin) dau of Samuel H Sessoms and Mary Outlaw